King Crimson – Earthbound (1972)

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King Crimson – Earthbound (1972 UK Progressive - 30th Anniversary Edition HDCD)
Formed: Jan 13 1969
Origin released: 9 June 1972   /// Label: Island, Polydor Records, E.G. Records, Virgin Records
Recorded: 11 February – 10 March 1972
Genre: Progressive rock
Length: 46:38
Producer: Robert Fripp
Album release: September 3, 2002
Record Label: Caroline    /// Website: http://www.dgmlive.com/
Now most of us know that this album is very poorly recorded - partially   "in the rain, from the back of a Volkswagen Truck".
However, this recording shows a very different side to the Crimson King. The rhythm section of Boz Burrell and Ian Wallace is very 'primitive' sounding, not really suited for Crimsom, but they give a certain feel to the tracks presented here, with funky jams such as 'Peoria' and 'Earthbound' and you can even hear Mr. Fripp like you've never heard him before - grungey and rough - not meticulous and angular like he is usually.
Mel Collins does a fine job with the Saxes (always does) and handles the only bit of Mellotron on the record - 'A Sailor's Tale', which is too short. '21st Century Schizoid Man' is given a lengthy workout, and again, the sound quality lets down a rather interesting version, with the best distorted vocal yet and groovy middle section.
'Groon' is a 15 minute version of the 3 minute avant-garde 'B' side to Cat Food, and is a good reason for owning this record - especially the drum solo ; Wallace's kit was processed through a VCS3 synthesizer, and the sounds produced were rarely heard and hence, would've made the the crowd 'trip out' whether on something or not, so it was kind of revolutionary in a way.
I'm grateful that this exists. Naturally, if the recording quality was pristine, it would have many proggers drooling !! (Tom Ozric).   /// "21st Century Schizoid Man" is the best cut here, a blistering account that rolls like an armored tank over the original studio version; Boz Burrell's voice, processed through a VCS3 synthesizer, takes a little getting used to (though it does allow the singer to replicate on stage the studio-generated distortion that highlighted Greg Lake's vocal), but when Fripp's guitar comes in and then Mel Collins launches into his featured spot on sax, the studio version just wilts — it might be a little too overloaded to qualify as the definitive version of the song, but it's a must-hear track for anyone who loved the classic original band.
Track List:
Side one:
1.) "21st Century Schizoid Man" (Including: "Mirrors") (Fripp, Michael Giles, Greg Lake, Ian McDonald, Peter Sinfield) – 11:45
Recorded at the Armoury, Wilmington, DE, USA, 11 February 1972
2.) "Peoria" (Boz Burrell, Mel Collins, Fripp, Ian Wallace) – 7:30
Recorded at The Barn, Peoria, IL, USA, 10 March 1972
3.) "Sailor's Tale" (Fripp) – 4:45
Recorded at the Baseball Park, Jacksonville, FL, USA, 26 February 1972
Side two:
4.) "Earthbound" (Burrell, Collins, Fripp, Wallace) – 7:08
Recorded at Kemp Coliseum, Orlando, FL, USA, 27 February 1972
5.) "Groon" (Fripp) – 15:30
Recorded at the Armoury, Wilmington, DE, USA, 11 February 1972
King Crimson:
*Boz Burrell: bass, vocals
*Mel Collins: alto, baritone & tenor, saxophones, mellotron
*Robert Fripp: guitar
*Ian Wallace: drums
*Hunter MacDonald - VCS3
Description:
"King Crimson is, as always, more a way of doing things. When there is nothing to be done, nothing is done: Crimson disappears. When there is music to be played, Crimson reappears. If all of life were this simple".   Robert Fripp
King Crimson was conceived in November 1968 and born on January 13th 1969 in the Fulham Palace Cafe, London (Fripp/Ian McDonald/Greg Lake/Michael Giles/Pete Sinfield), coming to prominence after supporting The Rolling Stones at Hyde Park. Their ground-breaking debut In The Court Of The Crimson King (1969) described by Pete Townshend as "an uncanny masterpiece", began a career that has spanned four decades and influenced many bands and individuals including Yes, Genesis, Tool, and Porcupine Tree.
Despite the original line-up imploding after an American tour King Crimson continued to produce constantly challenging and intriguing music on albums such as In The Wake of Poseidon (1970), Lizard (1970), Islands (1971), Earthbound (1972), Larks' Tongues in Aspic (1973) and Red (1974).
Following Red, an exhausted Fripp declared "King Crimson is completely over for ever and ever."
After a period outside the music industry, Robert Fripp returned to work on solo projects (including Frippertronics and his first solo album, Exposure in 1979) and collaborations with artists such as, Daryll Hall, Blondie, Brian Eno, Peter Gabriel, David Bowie.
In 1981, Fripp reconvened King Crimson along with Adrian Belew (Zappa/Bowie/Talking Heads), Tony Levin (Paul Simon/John Lennon/Peter Gabriel) and his old sparring partner, Bill Bruford.
"The bleak Crim view lightened" according to Fripp as their musical vocabulary widened and Crimson combined gamelan, funk and rock grooves that would threaten to "tear out and flatten ear hairs within a mile." Albums which followed include Discipline (1981), Beat (1982) and Three Of A Perfect Pair (1984) and a stunning live album from their last ever performance in 1984, Absent Lovers (finally released in 1998).
Following a lengthy period outside the music industry mainstream - during which Fripp not only established Guitar Craft, engaged in a protracted but ultimately successful legal battle with his former mangers, and collaborated with David Sylvian—King Crimson re-emerged in 1994 with Trey Gunn (touch guitar) and Pat Mastelotto (drums).
Joining forces with Belew, Levin, Bruford and Fripp and dubbed the Double Trio, they recorded an ep VROOOM (1994) and THRAK (1995) and a suite of live improvs, THRaKaTTaK (1996). In 1997, the group subdivided into research and development units collectively known as the ProjeKcts, producing an exciting and inventive blend that mixed hard-core improv and electronica (King Crimson The ProjeKcts box set 1999).
With Tony Levin temporarily leaving to work with Seal and Peter Gabriel, and Bill Bruford returning full-time to his ongoing Earthworks jazz group, King Crimson entered the new millennium with The ConstruKction of Light (2000). In the same year the double duo of Belew, Fripp Gunn and Mastelotto produced a live set, Heavy ConstruKction, before returning to the studio to record the critically acclaimed, The Power To Believe (2003).
After a tour playing 21 countries with over 70 dates, Trey Gunn departed to pursue his own career in 2003. The present and seventh line-up of King Crimson is Adrian Belew (guitar, lead vocals), Robert Fripp (guitar), Tony Levin (bass guitar & Chapman stick) and Pat Mastelotto (drums) and work has begun on new material.
Sid Smith Whitley Bay, September 2005
"King Crimson lives in different bodies at different times and the particular form which the group takes changes. When music appears, which only King Crimson can play then, sooner or later, King Crimson appears to play the music" - Robert Fripp.

Mel Collins playing with Kokomo.
Live at Barnes, London on 17 May 2008
Photo by Acabashi
Birth name: Melvyn Desmond Collins
Born: 5 September 1947
Origin: Isle of Man

Raymond "Boz" Burrell (*1 August 1946 - #21 September 2006) was an English musician. Originally a vocalist, Burrell is best known for his bass playing and work with the rock bands King Crimson and Bad Company.
Photo: Jim Summaria