King Crimson

King Crimson were an English band formed in London in 1968, built around guitarist and chief composer Robert Fripp, the only member present throughout their history. Their debut, In the Court of the Crimson King (1969), was an immediate success and remains a cornerstone of progressive rock. From there they kept reinventing themselves, drawing on classical, jazz, folk, heavy metal, gamelan, post-punk and industrial music.

The mid-1970s line-up of Fripp, Bill Bruford and John Wetton leaned into free improvisation and produced Larks' Tongues in Aspic and Red. A new line-up with Adrian Belew and Tony Levin returned in 1981 with Discipline, a sharper, more minimalist sound. Later years brought a "Double Trio", heavier industrial-edged records and a three-drummer touring band, before the group ended after a Japanese tour in December 2021.