Scooter Chronicles

King Crimson - “Discipline”

Tracks:

1. Elephant Talk
2. Frame by Frame
3. Matte Kudasai
4. Indiscipline
5. Thela Hun Ginjeet
6. The Sheltering Sky
7. Discipline

My introduction to King Crimson came from reading. Yes, that’s correct. At a time when I had discovered Asia, Yes, and ELP, I had read that John Wetton (Asia), Bill Bruford (Yes), and Greg Lake (ELP) had been members of Crimson at one point or another. So it was a natural progression (no pun intended) to start listening to these guys. Though only Bruford appeared on this album.

(From left): Adrian Belew (guitar, electronics, vocals), Robert Fripp (guitar, electronics), Bill Bruford (drums), and Tony Levin (bass, stick)

For those that don’t know, there are three distinct versions of King Crimson. This was the second version that recorded and toured from 1980 to 1984. When this version formed their intention was not to be King Crimson. But it eventually morphed into it. It is probably the most dynamic and respected version of the band in it’s history.

Fripp was always known as a strong guitar player, but wanted to dabble with new sounds. Belew was (and still is to a point) a very experimental guitar player. The two of them together, along with Bruford’s experimental electronic drums, and Levin’s stick (for those that don’t know, it is like a guitar and bass put together that is all neck, and the strings are tapped, not plucked or strummed), it made for one of the most bizarre and progressive albums to date.

Added to the sound, there are some crazy lyrics, and even spoken word. Like the famous lyrics/words of “Indiscipline” (”I repeat myself when under stress / I repeat myself when under stress / I repeat myself when under stress / I repeat …”).

“The Sheltering Sky” comes across as almost ambient, though with a broader experimental rock appeal. It is a wonderful instrumental. “Thela Hun Ginjeet” is another classic from the album, with Adrian talking about his “research” of crime on the streets of New York when he comes across two thugs that take him for a cop.

Other then “Indiscipline”, my favorite track has to be the album opener, “Elephant Talk”. The lyrics are just a bunch of words that have something to do with talking, yet he keeps each verse starting with the same letter. (”Babble, burble, banter, bicker bicker / brouhaha, balderdash, ballyhoo / it’s only talk!”) One of the best parts of the song though is a guitar sound that Belew (?) makes, sounding almost exactly like an elephant.

Throughout the album all four musicians shine. I was particularly taken though by Levin and Bruford when I first heard this album. I had no idea what the Chapman Stick was. I also didn’t realize for a while that some of the sounds that I though were a guitar was actually Levin on the stick. And Bruford’s drumming at times is rather powerful, quite different from his jazz influenced playing with Yes. Yet at other times it goes in the other direction and doesn’t follow typical rock rhythms or beats.

Here it is 25 years later and yet this album doesn’t sound outdated. It’s a real stunner.