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The 1980s version of King Crimson (pictured above) with Robert Fripp on guitar, returning drummer Bill Bruford, Tony Levin on Chapman stick, bass and vocals, and guitarist/singer/songwriter Adrian Belew represented the most radical overhaul to date of the group’s approach. And that’s saying something.
'Sheltering Skies' was recorded on August 27th 1982, at the Amphithéâtre Les Arênes De Fréjus, France, but not released until September 2024.
The album captures the raw energy and innovative sound of King Crimson’s 1980s lineup during their European tour, co-headlining with Roxy Music. The tour was promoting their albums 'Discipline' from 1981, and 'Beat' from 1982, which was the first King Crimson album recorded with the same band lineup as the album preceding it. The band’s dynamic stage presence and powerful live renditions of their music are fully highlighted in this recording, featuring classic King Crimson instrumentals such as "Red" and "Larks’ Tongues in Aspic Part Two".
Fun Fact: in 1984 Robert Fripp dissolved King Crimson for the second time, exactly ten years after dissolving the previous group. Adrian Belew was unaware of this, until he read about it in Musician magazine.
For the freeload, what are some of your favorite personnel changes in rock bands?
Going with a couple of obvious ones here: the Stones switching out Mick Taylor for the more vibes-compatible Ronnie Wood; The Beatles bringing in Billy Preston who fit in very nicely.
ReplyDeletegood evening everyone, the first thing that comes to mind after Brian Jones died is the arrival of Mick Taylor. In my opinion, the Stones had the best phase of their long career with him. There were constant personnel changes at the Mothers of Invention. What I found most enriching was the approach of Ruth Underwood, Napoleon Murphy Brock and Chester Thompson. Also the change of Andy Summers for
ReplyDeleteHenry Padovani on Police was brilliant. Last but not least, the change from Richard Starkey for Pete Best comes to mind; the rest is history... Have a nice evening, kind rega,rds, Mike
Yup, I'll go with Mike's take here. The Mick Taylor years were the ones were they produced their best music.
DeleteI agree with Mike and OBG. Mick Taylor single handedly improved the sound of the band. Ron wood may be more compatible as a personality but in my view he's added exactly nothing in a creative sense.
DeletePatrick Moraz brought a very welcome fizz of jazz-rock fusion to Yes. Too bad he didn't remain.
ReplyDeleteUnderrated, if short-lived line-up change:
ReplyDeleteJohn York in the Byrds. He brought the high-voice harmony that went out with Crosby, was a pretty good singer and might've developed into a pretty decent songwriter, but given that he was out after a year or so in the band...
Blondie Chaplin and Ricky Fataar coming in to form the Durban Beach Boys. My favorite era of the 'Boys with a freshness to their sound they wouln't have at any other time...
ReplyDeleteWilliam Campbell or his pseudonym, Billy Shears.
ReplyDeleteBut seriously folks…
DeleteGrace Slick replacing Signe Anderson, in Jefferson Airplane.
I agree that Grace Slick and Mick Taylor are the most glaringly obvious examples but I would put King Crimson in a slightly different category; they're really more like Jethro Tull. A strong leader and whoever his bandmates are at any given time. It's not that the other members aren't important, but they are ultimately dispensable in a way that the leader is not.
DeleteLegally, the band Bon Jovi only has one member, Jon Bon Jovi. Whom, by all accounts, is one of the nicest people in showbiz, and made every single "band member" quite wealthy.
DeleteIf you can get Saturday's FT, he features in "Lunch With..."
DeleteIron Maiden dramatically improved when Bruce Dickinson came in
ReplyDeleteSome good bands like The Fall or The Pretenders or The Gun Club and Butthole Surfers had numerous band changes;
becasue the main artist was strong enough their music continued.
The shift in The Buzzcocks from Howard Devoto to Steve Diggle saved that band.
Long-suffering Fall fans know that not every change was for the better. I agree about the Buzzcocks and the Pretenders. At one point it seemed unlikely that the Pretenders would survive the deaths of two founding members.
DeleteAnd speaking of saving a band, the departure of Brian James was thought to doom The Damned until Captain Sensible moved over from bass and revealed himself as a guitar hero. He and Dave Vanian also proved that they could write great songs without Brian.
Bob Dylan has changed bands several times, I have liked most of them but I especially like when Charlie Sexton is in Bob's band. The Allman Brothers, Warren Allen & later Derek. And Grateful Dead too, added to & replaced members, but I like the original group best. Thanks Babs
ReplyDeleteI had forgotten about The Allman Brothers! I know that it's heresy to say this, but I think that Derek Trucks and Warren Haynes were very strong replacements for Duane and Dickie. Maybe not exactly better but by no means a step down.
ReplyDeleteApart from those already mentioned - Martin Barre replacing Mick Abrahams in Jethro Tull & Buckingham/Nicks in Fleetwood Mac - might not have been better but boy it was more successful!
ReplyDeleteI know this may sound odd, but I do think Fripp is underrated...
ReplyDeleteMick Taylor is too obvious but also too right.
Long shot, more rock-adjacent than rock, but the near constantly rotating cast of the various and varied versions of The Flying Burrito Brothers over the years woulda made an epic Pete Frame's Rock Family Tree.
Two more: Sid Vicious and Travis Barker
Eric,
Deleteif you have some time to kill:
https://www.burritobrother.com/BurritoFamilyTree.htm
There's 52 (!) line-ups for the Flying Burrito Brothers alone, plus another dozen or so for spin-offs
Stone.Cold.Amazing. Thank you so much. Who knew. This place is just the best.
DeleteLike the changing from Signe Anderson to Grace Slick in Jefferson Airplane, that Babs mentioned, I would also say, that the changing from Judy Dyble to Sandy Denny in Fairport Convention was a great win for the band and their music.
ReplyDeleteNever one to shy away from controversy I'm not going to say Mick Taylor because firstly I don't agree with it. Without Brian Jones the Rolling Stones would never have existed (he put out the Newspaper ad that brought the band together and he thought up the name) and Jones multi instrumental talents and trailblazing use of the slide guitar (in British Rock music) were revolutionary for the time and I just don't see Taylor was ever as influential. By 1968 Jagger and Richard dominated the Stones direction and it was their immersion in US counterculture of the time that changed the Stones sound making it much more 'Americanised', the irony being it was Jones's drug taking (a foundation stone of that counter-culture) that was a major driver in his sacking from the band.
ReplyDeleteSecondly, I think there is a much clearer one.
So I take the replacement of one Brian Jones from the Stones and raise you the replacement of Eric Clapton from the Yardbirds by Jeff Beck which augered in the most successful period of the Yardbirds relatively short existence. The Yardbirds were a fine R&B band but they were a better Freakbeat / Psych band. Its not about the skills of the guitarist in that case but how they fitted into the band and Beck was a better fit than Clapton.
Not to disagree with the Phantom, just wanted to point to the additional irony of the Stones becoming "more Americanised" without Brian Jones, when the band was founded on a love of American blues and R&B. I do recognize that British blues took its influences in other directions, especially during the 1960's.
DeleteInteresting concert recording here -- Keith gets onstage with The Faces for a few numbers in 1974 (while the Stones were considering their next move after Mick Taylor's departure). The concert was broadcast on "The Midnight Special":
Deletehttps://albumsthatshouldexist.blogspot.com/2025/11/the-faces-with-keith-richards-midnight.html
The Eagles is a band that comes to mind, with guys like Joe Walsh and Timothy B. Schmitt cycling through. Oh course, the ultimate would be Fleetwood Mac.
ReplyDeleteHard disagree on that one. The Eagles stopped being the Eagles without Leadon, and then definitely without Meisner.
DeleteHi, good morning, Phantom of the Rock Opera, I completely agree with you. I once read that Brian often went into the studio at night and completely rearranged new songs. His skills were very important for the development of the Stones, and I think he never received the appreciation he deserved from his bandmates. Nevertheless, I still consider the time with Mick Taylor, who was/is a virtuoso on his instrument, to be the best of the Stones' career. Just like Brian, he apparently often went into the studio in the evenings and completely changed songs as they were later released. His ideas were still being used by the Stones long after he had left the band. Unfortunately, he never received the appreciation he deserved from the others either. The difference between Mick Taylor and Ron Wood is like night and day. And you're certainly right about "the other reasons" as well. 😏 Have a great day, best regards, Mike
ReplyDeleteSeems as though Mick & Keef couldn't deal with having a strong third musical voice in the band. Ron Wood seems content to be no more than part of the rhythm section, as long as the money keeps Rolling in.
DeleteLink
ReplyDeletehttps://workupload.com/file/fNYEV8mUpQz
Discipline is far and away my favorite King Crimson album, especially the scorching "Indiscipline," but I've never heard this live album from that period with this line-up. Looking forward to it -- thanks!!
ReplyDeleteWilko Johnson leaving Dr Feelgood in 1977 and getting replaced by John Mayo...
ReplyDeleteThanks for this great live album Babs!