Happy Birthday Ian Wallace

Posted by Sid Smith
29 Sep 2006

Congratulations to Ian Wallace who is today 60 years young.  Currently leading the Crimson Jazz Trio, Ian’s Crimso connections pre-date his membership of the group.



Tim Landers & Ian Wallace, CJ3 2005
photo by Mark Colman

Wallace had been a fan of King Crimson since seeing them perform at Hyde Park with The Stones and at the Marquee. "Schizoid Man stood out above everything else and that was the one. First of all it really rocked. Secondly it had a kind of jazzy 6/8 feel to it and the syncopated 4/4 solo in the middle was just unbelievable.  It was so strong. I was absolutely blown away by them and I thought ’God if I could just be in that band I could do all my Tony Williams stuff.’ " 

Whilst he was living in Keith Emerson’s house in Drayton Gardens, Ian would occasionally listen to fellow mate drummer Andy McCulloch come home and recount his day at the office.  Andy was of course recording Lizard at the time and as Ian recalls, unhappy and feeling the pressure that would eventually prompt him to leave.

Fripp had seen Ian working with Neil Innes’ group The World and asked Wallace to join.  "Fripp took me out to Doc Hunt’s in Archer Street in London and we bought a double bass drum kit which Neil Innes painted for me — a lovely looking kit with English pastoral scenes on it" recalls Wallace "I’d never played a double bass drum kit before but I think Fripp needed me to emulate what Michael Giles had been playing. But I quickly changed back to one bass drum to put more of my own identity into the playing and interpret things a little differently."

Wallace recalls the search for a suitable bassist as being long and tedious. "It was me, Fripp and Mel auditioning bass players and singers and it came very close to not existing.  We auditioned so many people, dozens and dozens, and we despaired of finding the right combination." 

On one occasion a young man auditioned and fainted through nerves, an event still preserved in DGM’s tape archive. "I’d love to hear that one again," said Wallace. "We used to sit around listening to the tape of him fainting and laugh uproariously, which was very cruel, but it was so funny." 

It was Boz Burrell who would eventually fill both the vocal and bass playing slot and in doing so save the band from oblivion.

The programme of reissues that began with the King Crimson Collectors Club and more recently with DGMLive has redeemed and rehabilitated the reputation of Ian, Boz, Mel, and Bob.  For my money the Zoom Club dates show a band that outstrips the improvisations of its former incarnation, and the written material that had been developed specifically for the 71 line-up has so much potential. 

If all you know is Islands and Earthbound from this period then you’re simply missing out on what this line-up were capable of.

Ian came back into the Crimson fold when he joined the 21st Schizoid Band following the “déjà vu all over again” departure of Michael Giles.  Recounting life in the band before Ian joined, guitarist and singer Jakko Jakszyk recalls that it “had an atmosphere not really conducive to camaraderie and confidence.  The arrival of Ian Wallace a year later changed everything.  He was up for it, relaxed, well prepared and a consummate professional.  He knew the material well of course and was relishing the opportunity to play it all again.  The band sounded tighter and tougher after just a few days.” 

Jakko’s assessment was shared by his colleagues.  I saw them a couple of times and it was a joy to hear and watch Ian at work with the band and the vintage material. 

Their recent Pictures of a City – Live in New York double album is a great album featuring terrific performances.  Ian’s presence lifts the group’s game and you can hear that on every track.  The version of Schizoid Man from that album is worth the price of admission alone, propelled into new and dynamic directions thanks largely to Ian’s work behind the kit.  Here he really gets a chance to do his Tony Williams stuff big time.


Ian’s love of jazz has led him to create the Crimson Jazz Trio whose debut album King Crimson Songbook Volumen One (see my review) is packed full of bright, imaginative reinterpretations of Crim classics old and new. 

Volume Two is almost in the can and features contributions from Mel Collins on sax.  They are currently organising  some dates in Europe in 2007.

Anyway, all the best kidda!

Care to share your favourite Wallace moments? Jot 'em down on the guestbook. 



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