King Crimson Debut-Original Master Edition

I’m quite pleased with the 30th anniversary mixes of the studio albums. The Wilson mixes I’ve not heard but if parts are omitted, I really don’t need them or want them. I have all of the original US issued LPs when I feel like vinyl… love em!

Edited by Valdez - February 10 2025 at 22:25

I have both versions. Regarding the Steve Wilson remixes of the early King Crimson ... It took a while for me to appreciate it. For example LIZARD was quirky with Pete Sinfield's VC3 ?? Synthesizer? alongside Gordon Haskell 's hellish scream in CIRKUS and possibly Fripp wanted Wilson to mix that stuff down or editing its presence out of the mix completely. Imo..it gave the record character and now I get the impression that Fripp was disenchanted with it...but I do not know. But I wonder why the choice to mix things out was important and in the end...I enjoy the original mix more.

The bonus material on the Wilson remix is priceless and on the remix editions of Lizard, Islands..and In The Wake Of Poseidon as well.

The live recordings of the 1969 band turned out to be disastrous imo. The only recording I know of which has some type of clarity is The Fillmore West concert...however the performance is not up to par with the Fillmore East performance.

Supposedly the tape was in Pete Sinfield's possession..but he misplaced it at an airport in Morroco...Robert Fripp had stated in a few interviews that it was the band's best performance. Then you fast forward to the 90s when Michael Giles discovered a cassette in his attic. It turned out to be the Fillmore East performance but unfortunately an audience recording and certainly not the entire show. Giles contacts Fripp ...they play the tape and EPITAPH box set was born. But it's unfortunate that there is nothing recorded live to bring this band justice.

Several songs written during the 69' tour surfaced on McDonald And Giles and In The Wake Of Poseidon. It's been an observation of mine for years and having curiosity about how the second album would have sounded if McDonald and Giles had remained in the band. I've played these albums endlessly and often wondered if the two merged ...as they did on the COURT..would the "Good Fairy" had produced a different kind of album. Maybe symphonic ?

This album has been re-issued an insane 400 or so times. I originally got the 2005 re-issue(DGM0501) which was great. Thick liner notes and I liked the sound quality. I did buy the 40th anniversary remix done by Steven Wilson which is now my go-to. Nice to have both though.