R.I.P Bill Rieflin (King Crimson) 1960 - 2020

RF: A call from Tracy Rieflin in Seattle. Bill Rieflin flew from this world c. 18.50 Pacific, 18.50 UK. Tracy told Toyah and me that the day was grey, and as Bill flew away the clouds opened, and the skies were blue for about fifteen minutes. Fly well, Brother Bill! My life is immeasurably richer for knowing you.
Pal Susan Silver has just sent us this pic from our visit last November...

 

BR > Toyah & Robert: February 3rd. 2020.
Sent: Mon, 3 Feb 2020 7:57
Subject: thinking of you
as i say goodnight

 

I was reading about this but wanted to make sure it was verified before posting. What a versatile and talented drummer, he will be missed.

 

Mr. Bill visits Bredonborough with Crimson Brothers Pat & Tony: Easter 2017

 

So sorry to hear this news, he was a very talented musician. R.I.P. Bill and my sincere condolences to his family.

 

Very sad news to hear. He will always be a part of the Crimson family.

 

Damn

 

I know Bill primarily from his work with R.E.M. Very sad news.

 

REM drummer 1997-2011

 

This is awful. Great drummer that could do basically anything. RIP

 

Very sad news. RIP

 

I would have seen him play several times with REM. What happened?

 

RIP

 

RIP Bill. Loved his work with R.E.M.

 

RIP to a member of the Crim family.

He was very impressive when I saw KC live here in MTL

 

Loved his work in Ministry. This is a shock.

 

RIP

 

SO sad. I saw him with King Crimson (my second time for KC) at the Hackney Empire in 2015, this show:



photo from a review in the Financial Times September 2015.

Subscribe to read | Financial Times

 

Oh No ! So sorry to hear this.

I'd not seen him in the latest Crim configurations but did see him with Ministry in '92.

RIP Bill

 

Very sad news indeed. RIP

 

Oh no. Loss and healing...

 

Oh no. I only know his work with R.E.M. and related projects but man, did he acquit himself well with them. Ugh.

R.I.P.

 

Horrendous shock. I loved all his work. Birth of a Giant. Largo. Repercussions. He graced some of my favourite recordings and performances by my favourite artists. R.E.M. making us all feel like crying out in a field under the glorious Irish sunshine. The Humans probing dance and joy and sorrow and terror. Ministry excavating the depths of depravity and rage. NIN's more psychedelic moments of darkness cross-bred with the transcendence of Debussy. King Crimson reaching across fifty years of history as gracefully as you may step over a pebble...

Don't know what more to say. Really hit hard by this

 

Such shocking news. I've been admiring his work this week particularly in my recently arrived copy of the Radical Action blu ray. His great drumming goes without saying, but his meticulous Mellotron (sample) playing on certain songs organically brought King Crimson full circle back to a place where it began.

 

The last time I saw Bill he was waving to us from the stage of Massey Hall in July 2017. I was in the first row, they had just played "Heroes" and "Court" and "Schizoid Man"

I will treasure my King Crimson Audio Diary CD with that performance of "Heroes" forever