Posted by Sid Smith on Jan 13, 2016

This date in 1969 marks the official beginning of King Crimson with the start of rehearsals in the cramped basement of the Fulham Palace Cafe.

Situated at 193 Fulham Palace Road, W6, the cafe was owned by George and Peter Calatychos who let out their basement as a rehearsal space. It had been found by Peter Sinfield, then the band's roadie and lighting person.

According to Ian McDonald's diary at around 7.30pm, Dik, Pete, Bob and Greg called round to his flat to come and shift the Mellotron to the Fulham Palace Road. Once they'd set everything up, McDonald's diary also notes the band had a blow until just after 10.00 p.m.

In the weeks that followed all kinds of visitors making their way to this unassuming location. They included various journalists, record company executives and one or two rock stars, all interested to hear the sounds emanating from the Fulham Palace Road. 



In 2011 Mark Ferraro, from Ozone Park, New York came over to London to make a pilgrimage to lots of buildings tinged with a bit of Crimson history. "I walked in the present day restaurant and went right downstairs without anyone questioning me and took some photos of this tiny space that once contained the sounds of ITCOTCK rehearsals. How the walls were able to take such thunder I can only wonder. Think of those lucky "invited guests" that were able to witness these young musicians and what was coming out of them in this tiny basement."

Here's some of Mark's photographs from that day...





It’s astonishing to think that a four piece band and all their gear used to fit into such a confined space. The same space was used by bands after King Crimson vacated the cafe in 1972 for several years.