The Art of King Crimson

I have just posted a review of “Pictures Of A City” by 21st Schizoid Band on Amazon.co.uk. This has been a very surprising and hugely enjoyable listen. What a band. I am hence looking forward to Jakko’s solo album, “The Bruised Romantic Glee Club” which should be out end of August. A 2 CD affair, with the second CD covers of tracks by the likes of Crimson and Henry Cow. He has produced a version of “Islands” which has the legendary Dave Stewart (Hatfield and the North, National Health) playing on it.

Thinking about early Crimson brings me to a recurring idea I have had. Why hasn’t anyone produced a book around Crimson’s album cover artwork? Their albums have always featured stunning artwork, some by well renowned artists. The stories of these sleeves, how they came about and the artists involved would be something worth telling. We are talking about the likes of Barry Godber, Tom Phillips, Fergus Hall, P J Crook, Gini Barris. My personal favourite Crimson covers have been “Larks Tongues In Aspic” and “Lizard”.

Coincidently in a recent entry on Sid Smiths blog (sidsmith.blogspot.com), he mentions that Fergus Hall is now at the same Tibetan monastery in Scotland in which Jamie Muir fled to after leaving Crimson. What is it about that band?