45 years ago this week, the new line-up of Boz, Mel Collins, Ian Wallace and Robert Fripp were playing their first series of gigs in Frankfurt's Zoom Club. It was the first time Fripp had played on a stage in front of the public since December 1969.
The shows, available here to download, capture the band in a somewhat liberated mood, clearly enjoying themselves with older material and finding their own voice and sound on new tracks such as Sailor's Tale.
Melody Maker's Richard Williams talked to the group after their return from the Zoom Club and was impressed by what he heard.
"AFTER MORE than a year off the road, King Crimson slid quietly back into public performance last week with a hush-hush four-day stint in Germany.
The gig was a warm-up for the band's 12-date British tour, which takes place in May. It was their first live appearance since Ian McDonald, Mike Giles, and Greg Lake left the group following their American trip in the winter of 1969.
The new personnel consists of Bob Fripp and Pete Sinfield plus reedman Mel Collins, drummer Ian Wallace (formerly with The World), and singer Boz, who also plays bass guitar.
In fact Fripp taught Boz to play bass from scratch, starting two months ago, because they couldn't find a suitable bassist.
They played eight sets at Frankfurt's Zoom Club, all of which were taped, purely for reference. The recordings show that the band has grown together in a remarkably short space of time, and is already developing its own personality, despite the fact that its repertoire is mostly songs also performed by the old band: 'In The Court Of The Crimson King', 'Schizoid Man', 'A Sailor's Tale', and so on.
It's a very strong-blowing band, with particular emphasis on Collins's extraordinaryily confident alto and tenor. Abetted by Wallace, he's never afraid to go "outside," and the tapes convey many moments of superb free playing.
Pete Sinfield's use of the VCS3 synthesiser is unusual and highly creative, and the way he mutates the sound of the drums will amaze many listeners. Wallace is not as precise as Mike Giles, but he has perhaps more fire, and makes intelligent use of space and silence. Boz's singing is ebullient and generally controlled, while on bass he's learning how to hold down the time and tonality of Fripp's immensely complex compositions.
In short, the new band will be every bit as satisfying as the old, and the possibilities for growth appear limitless. Bob Fripp was almost bubbling over with joy, after having confessed to extreme nervousness after such a long time away from audiences."
