Into the Crimson (not too serious)

richardh wrote: Weirdly, although not a really massive fan , I have acquired the Road To Red (24 disc box set) and the Heaven and Earth box set (similar number I think) as well as all the individual albums. I suppose they and Gentle Giant are the 2 bands I feel I have to like more than I really do possibly because of peer pressure. BTW there is nothing wrong with being a completionist as long as it is a band like Crimson. They never did any commercial pap like so many other prog bands (inc Giant even) and when you think about it thats pretty unusual for a band that has been around so long.

Grumpyprogfan wrote: Ghost Whistler wrote: That's not it at all. As I said, I'm already familiar with their work, I just don't own it.    If you're going to buy all their albums. Why does it matter where you start? Place all album titles in a hat and draw one. Repeat the process until you are finished.

Wasn't there also an EP they did called Vroom or Vroom Vroom (or whatever)? It had Sex Sleep Eat Dream and One Time on it iirc. 

Red, drastically stripped down of all the trappings but bolder because of it (and you get Mel Collins, David Cross, and Ian McDonald included in the bargain).

Ghost Whistler wrote: Wasn't there also an EP they did called Vroom or Vroom Vroom (or whatever)? It had Sex Sleep Eat Dream and One Time on it iirc.  I like Thrak, though mostly because Walking On Air is lovely. I just picked up Beat and 3PP. I really like thos records. So different and quirky. The pop sensibility (if indeed there is one) I think really works.  I think I'd like Red and Larks next, possibly Starless as well. I only hesitate because Amazon is so damned expensive. Unfortunately they are also the only game in town when it comes to decent albums. But that's another dsicussion. People are quite dismissive of Beat but despite a couple of weaker tracks, it really is quite good. Likewise Deconstruction of Light. The goofy lyrics work in context. While the vocal songs are the weaker part, they aren't that bad and the instrumentation/instrumentals are excellent. Shame Robert wanted to get rid of Adrian really.<span style="white-space:pre">          </span>

Well, I don't know about the EP (perhaps that's only Vroom?), but the live album is great. I have some two other live albums from that line-up, but this is the one that has my favourite versions... and I do like the versions of the 80's albums better with this line-up... as far as I have been able to hear (since I haven't actually bought those albums, having most of the best songs with the double trio, plus another pair of live albums from the 80's too). And about Adrian... well, it always bothers me when someone is kicked out of a band I like without good reason (like having real personal problems), but often enough it actually ends up being for the better development of the band (like when Yes replaced Peter Banks with Steve Howe, or Tony Kaye with Rick Wakeman). This time, I really liked seeing them perform mostly 70's material, and I don't think they would have done so much of that material with Adrian... plus, he may not have been suited for singing many of those songs anyway... still, it bothers me Fripp didn't even call him to tell him, or discuss the options with him, or anything. Also, I'm not sure about the time they dismissed David Cross... I still think the album might have been more interesting with him on board (even if that meant not getting Mel Collins nor Ian McDonald to play on some tracks), I do love Starless more on it's live version with violin instead of the studio version released.