Fripp announces King Crimson to return

He's bringing back the band. As a seven piece!

http://www.dgmlive.com/diaries.htm?artist&show&member=3&entry=24091

 

So what do we know: seven players, four English and three American, with three drummers.

Two of the English people are Robert & Bill
Presumably the Americans includ Adrian & Tony, who have been in every version in the last 33 years
Likely Trey and Pat fill additional English and American slots, and there will be another English drummer.

Has there ever been a band with three drummers (not counting perfussionsists)?

 

Not that I can think of. Very curious to know who that third drummer will be. I thought it was telling that he didn't mention which musicians he was using but I guess it's pretty obvious as to who they will be.

 

I think the "Bill" Robert mentions is Bill Rieflin who is American (and shown in the photos in that blog post). Not Bruford, sorry.

 

I didn't think he meant Bruford, he's most definitely retired, right?

 

Holy shifting time signatures, Batman! I thought they were done for good. I'll be very curious to see who is included in the new line up. I doubt Bruford will come out of retirement. Maybe John Wetton will be in the mix? Fripp seemed to hint at it in a previous journal entry.

 

Of course Robert is definitely retired too, right?

So I guess that means Pat is out and gives us, most likley:

Americans: Bill Rieflin, Adrian, Tony
English: Robert, Trey and two unknown drummers (one of whom could be Bruford)

 

If I recall it was John Wetton, Mel Collins, Jakko Jakszyk and Gavin Harrison who were in the photo recently on Robert's blog. John, Mel, Jakko, Robert = four Englishmen. Gavin, Bill , Pat (?) = three Americans. Seems to have been strong hints recently of no more Adrian in KC.

EDIT: oops, Gavin is English.

 

Gavin Harrison

 

Haha! Very true. One last spin of the wheel, perhaps? I'd love to see Bruford with Crimson. It's a real dream of mine.

 

Great News! I hope it pans out - 3 albums and +2 tours sounds achievable and very much in Mr. Fripp's progression. Unlike some critics, I actually enjoyed the double trio lineup and can't help but wonder how this grouping will be implemented.

 

Doesn't sound like Adrian is done with KC if he put this on his site last week:

2014 Crimson ProjeKCt European Tour
Posted on September 15, 2013 by Webhamster in News, Tour
March 12 – UK – London – Sheperds Bush Empire – TICKETS
March 14 – NL – Zoetermeer – Borderij – TICKETS
March 16 – RU – Moscow – Arena Club – TICKETS (soon)
March 17 – RU – St. Petersburg – Palace Of Culture Lensoveta – TICKETS (soon)
March 22 – DE – Karlsruhe – Konzerthaus TICKETS
March 23 – DE – Mainz – Frankfurter Hof – TICKETS (soon)
March 26 – CH – Pratteln – Z7 – TICKETS

 

Is that band authorised by Fripp?

 

I just read the DGM article, too. I thought RF was saying this in his diary on 5 september (Tony L is in) and 6 september (Bill R is in) but his prose can be a bit difficult to decipher at times, by design, I think...

 

I am sure Fripp has some say over use of the ProjeKCt trademark

 

blessed by and approved by, yes. but the 'crimson projeKCt' is not KC.

 

Three drummers seems like overkill, esp. with one as good as Gavin Harrison.

That's totally separate. It's just a combination of the Adrian Belew Power Trio + Tony Levin's Stickmen. Also, in reference to your post above, Trey Gunn has been out for a long time.

 

If you mean Trey Gunn, he is American.

 

Exciting news. Might Ian McDonald be one of the Englishmen?

 

Thanks for clarifying. So probably Tony is out. I guess he was not in the Power to Believe lineup anyway. Makes room for Wetton.

 

So does this mean that Fripp will be going out on the road again? Or is it possible that they may tour without him?

I'll be very curious to see if they manage to reinvent the wheel here again, or if it will sound like more of a continuation of the work they were doing in the mid to late 90's. I enjoyed some of that stuff, particularly the renewed exploration of live improvisation, but I'd like to see them try some new textures this time out. Assuming that Belew is no longer in the picture, that would obviously have a big impact in the songwriting department.

 

no, it's very possible/likely Tony L is in. see RF's diary entry on 5 september. he and Bill R are the only members Fripp has discussed in any context thus far.

 

A year ago I had no idea who King Crimson was. Thanks to this forum, I now own all of the 40th Anniversary series remixes/remasters and really enjoy them. So it'll be interesting to be around for a new KC release, for the first time.

 

Excellent news! Whatever they do, it'll almost certainly be better than most of what's getting released these days..

 

I believe there were some hints Robert was in favor of a new KC without him.

In this case, it could be John W, Jakko J, Gavin H, Mel C (Englishmen) and Tony L, Bill R, Pat M (Americans).

Granted, it's possible the John/Jakko/Mel/Gavin photo was a false lead.