Desert Island Keneally

Ace ex-Zappa guitarist, Mike Keneally got in touch with me recently to say how much he liked the new website.  As many will know, Mike is a long-term KC enthusiast, so I took the opportunity to ask him if he’d like to submit his desert island Crim; that is which ten KC tracks would you absolutely have to have if the boat was going down. 

Despite being busy with all kinds of projects at the moment, including his new Guitar Therapy CD/DVD release (check out Mike’s fact-packed website for details), Mike kindly took the time to come up with an interesting list.

Over the next few weeks we’ll be running the Desert Island Crim of other musicians including some from King Crimson itself but we’re pleased as punch to have Mike kick things off. 

As you can see from the choice below, he has a liberal interpretation of the rules.


1. "The Court Of The Crimson King"

Ten years old, ear glued to the FM radio in my room.  I’ll never forget how the molecules in the room and in my head changed when that song came on -especially the chilling calliope bit towards the end.  Life-changing sounds for a kid so eager for musical otherness to surround him.

Shocking and influential.  Taught me much about the importance of composure to the modern shredder.  Still impossible for me to play correctly.

3.  The entirety of the "Red" album

It’s one song to me.  A perfectly sustained beast of a statement.  A deadly
graceful swan song.  So much to love about it.  Special mention to "Starless" which is perfect, the king of King.

4. "USA" version of "Larks’ Tongues II"

There’s a terrifyingly wrong recording of me at age 16 with my band Affable Mort attempting to play this.  I was fascinated by its harshness, so at odds with most of the prog I was listening to then -- it stood apart so menacingly yet tantalizingly.

5. "Frame By Frame"

One of those songs which simply seems inevitable.  It had to exist and one
must be grateful that the band received and transmitted it so effortlessly.  Freaking beautiful.

6. "Model Man"

A very idiosyncratic choice for me.  I love the melody, the stealth of its
groove, the timbre -- it just makes it for me.  "3OAPP" is one my favorite
underdog albums by KC -- it’s filled with things that delight me.  ("Lizard" is my other fave underdog LP but none of its tracks on its own necessarily warrant desert island status, although perhaps the album as a whole does; its perversity scores with me in the same way that, say, "A Passion Play" is one of my favorite Tull things.)

7. "The King Crimson Barber Shop"
Should’ve been a hit single.

8.  The entirety of "The Great Deceiver" box set

I couldn’t have dreamed a better collection -- the music, the text, the
design, all brilliant.  One of the most droolworthy boxes of stuff ever.

9. "Walking On Air"

So lovely.  Like so much latterday Krimson it had to fight the full force of nostalgia and expectation, but after a couple of years I finally relaxed and realized what a beautiful little thing it is.

10.  "Improv: The Rich Tapestry Of Life"
Jamie Muir for president!

Once again thanks to Mike for that.  If the boat were going down what would you choose?  Let us know over on the guestbook (and try and keep it to ten folks - MK is the only one allowed a special dispensation!)