It is often said that when it comes to innovation and discovery, it doesn’t happen in a vacuum but by standing on the shoulders of giants. That is to say most creations in the present wouldn’t happen without the presence of some prior creation. The progressive rock genre, known for its incorporation of unrelated musical genres and experimental soundscapes, is a prime example of this process in action. However, despite this sentiment, all genres have to start somewhere. There must be one album, one artist, that lights the metaphorical match and ignites the entire keg, leading to that explosion. In the case of prog rock, this crown ironically goes to the debut album of King Crimson: In the Court of the Crimson King. But how did this album come to be and what came as a result of it? That’s what we’re here to talk about today.
The history of this album starts all the way back in July of 1969, approximately 55 years ago from this year. At this point, King Crimson had formed only 9 months beforehand, not having a single studio album to their name yet. In terms of the greater rock scene, they were truly an unknown. No one had any idea of just what their career trajectory would be. The band was originally formed as a group called Giles, Giles and Fripp, consisting of brothers Michael and Peter Giles, along with guitarist Robert Fripp. After their initial band dissolved, Fripp and drummer Michael Giles teamed up with multi-instrumentalist Ian McDonald, lyricist Peter Sinfield, and bassist/vocalist Greg Lake (who would later go on to co-found Emerson, Lake & Palmer). They eventually settled on the name King Crimson, though there were some internal debates between whether that name was a reference to Beelzebub, prince of demons, or if it was a reference to tyrannical monarchies, but regardless the band had finally been formed. All they needed now was an album.