KING CRIMSON

Prog’s first super-missile; expanded and refried in high-tech sauce.

King Crimson are one of the few bands that really did change the course of progressive music; in their case, through dazzling virtuoso musicianship, superior songs and awesome supernatural power. appeared in October 1969, progressive rock had yet to find its feet; Crimson’s seismic live set, then this album, made it grow up fast by grabbing all the disparate jazz, classical and folk strains flying around like kite-strings and welding them into their own startling new genre. As Greg Lake said, “fired the starting pistol on progressive rock.” If any race was on, KC started out front and stayed there.