Author: Peter Podbrežnik
Artist: King Crimson
Label: Discipline Global Mobile
Released: 1999
Rating: 4/5
The double live collection “Cirkus” was one of the first King Crimson releases to come out on Discpline Global Mobile, the band’s own label, run by their ever-disciplined and strict chieftain, guitarist Robert Fripp. It pulls together live recordings from different chapters of their story, in no logical chronological order. They were picked mainly to give fans and collectors a taste of the live releases that were current at the time on that same label, like “Epitaph – Volumes One & Two”, “Ladies Of The Road”, “The Night Watch”, “Absent Lovers” and so on. The first question that comes up is whether this double release can actually introduce a newcomer to the band’s live history and still offer long-time fans something new. The answer is yes, but it needs a few extra words of explanation so nobody ends up confused.
The first CD, with the wonderfully tongue-in-cheek title “Neon Heat Disease”, covers the band’s more modern era, 1984-1998, in which two lineups took turns, plus a few improvisational versions under the ProjeKcts name. Fittingly, it’s mostly performances of favorites from the two main incarnations of this period. The 80s version of the band, marked by new wave and ethnic rhythms, shows up with renditions of classics like “Thela Hun Ginjeet”, “Three Of A Perfect Pair” and “Sleepless”. All three were recorded in Montreal and released on the live album “Absent Lovers-Live In Montreal”. The next tracks belong to the 90s lineup, also known as the “Double Trio”, which was famous not just for its double rhythm section but also for its extensive improvising. So alongside classics like “Indsicipline” and “Elephant Talk” (both recorded in Tokyo in 1995), and “Dinosaur”, “Red”, “THRAK”, “Neurotica” and so on (these were recorded in Mexico City in 1996), you also get the improvisation “1 ii 2”, recorded as ProjeKct One in London in 1997, plus “Deception Of The Thrush” and “Heavy ConstruKction”. Those last two were recorded as ProjeKct Two in Northampton in 1998. All of these improvisations later showed up on other live releases, so I won’t go into the details. What I can say is that the selection is pretty well done and shows nicely how both lineups sounded live, though as usual the chronological sloppiness bugs me.
The second CD, “Fractured”, covers their early period, 1969-1974, with the exception of “Larks’ Tongues In Aspic-Part II”, which was played by the Double Trio. For most fans, this era is still the most revered, and for many it’ll be the bigger treat of the two discs, even though the production quality of some of the live recordings isn’t exactly top-notch. Again the chronological mess gets on my nerves, and some of the picks aren’t the happiest either. It kicks off with two classics from their second live lineup, which among others featured the sadly late vocalist/bassist Boz Burrell and the equally late drummer Ian Wallace. Hardly any Boz take on “21 Century Schizoid Man” has ever sounded right to my ears, let alone comparable to the original, and this one is no exception, but it’s certainly of historical value for the fans. “Ladies Of The Road” comes off a lot better, as it belonged to the album that this version of the band played on. The original and most beloved 1969 lineup with Greg Lake on vocals is represented by just two tracks. They’re “A Man A City” (the early version of “Pictures Of A City”) and the indispensable “In The Court Of The Crimson King”, both from the legendary show at Filmore West in San Francisco. Both were recorded when the lineup was already starting to crack, yet they still radiate incredible energy and prove why this version of the band was the most revered, and you can find them on both “Epitaph” releases. A bit more room goes to the equally beloved third version of the band, with John Wetton on vocals. The excellent renditions of the classics “Easy Money” and “The Talking Drum” (both with Jamie Muir on extra drums and percussion) can be found on “The Night Watch”, while the improvisation “Improv: Besancon”, “Fracture” and the epic masterpiece “Starless” are also on the box set “The Great Deceiver”. Worth a mention is the booklet too, which has photos of all current and former band members, posters and tickets, as well as a nicely laid out family tree with all the necessary info, and ads for the current live releases.
I usually can’t stand best-of collections and the like, but in this case I have nothing but good things to say. “Cirkus” is a really solid collection of live recordings from different periods of the band, and at the same time a great look at their work up to that point, and a fitting starting place for anyone just getting to know this legendary band in all its live forms (hence the subtitle). Those who already own all the live releases mentioned above can happily skip buying it. But since those are still pretty hard to find on store shelves, even abroad, many people will find this collection handy for getting acquainted with the band’s live side, which always came off even better on stage than in the studio. “Cirkus” is a great collection that listeners of every generation can enjoy, following the band through its various live eras, which were so different from one another and yet also alike, above all in one connecting element: Fripp’s guitar, whose sound was and remains the band’s main trademark.
Line-up
Robert Fripp – guitar, mellotron, soundscapes
Adrian Belew – vocals, guitar
Bill Bruford – acoustic and electronic drums, percussion
Trey Gunn – bass guitar, stick
Tony Levin – bass guitar, stick, backing vocals
Pat Mastelotto – acoustic and electronic drums, percussion
John Wetton – vocals, bass guitar
David Cross – violin, keyboards
Jamie Muir – drums, percussion
Mel Collins – flute, saxophone
Boz Burrell – vocals, bass guitar
Ian Wallace – drums, percussion
Greg Lake – vocals, bass guitar
Ian McDonald – saxophone, flute, mellotron
Michael Giles – drums, percussion
Production
King Crimson
Track list
CD 1: 67:43
1. Dinosaur (5:05)
2. Thela Hun Ginjeet (5:15)
3. Red (6:09)
4. B’Boom (4:51)
5. THRAK (1:05)
6. 1ii2 (2:44)
7. Neurotica (3:44)
8. Indiscipline (6:36)
9. Vrooom Vrooom (4:40)
10. Coda: marine 475 (2:37)
11. the deception of the thrush (6:03)
12. Heavy construKction (3:50)
13. Three of a perfect pair (4:22)
14. Sleepless (6:09)
15. Elephant talk (4:33)
CD 2: 76:00
1. 21st century schizoid man (9:26)
2. Ladies of the road (5:59)
3. A man, a city (9:59)
4. In the court of the Crimson King (6:50)
5. Fracture (11:02)
6. Easy money (6:11)
7. Improv: Besancon (1:34)
8. The talking drums (6:25)
9. Larks’ tongues in aspic part II (6:29)
10. Starless (12:05)
