Join Prog, Record Collector, Classic Rock, MOJO and The Wire journalists Jo Kendall and Mike Barnes – and a digital, but not AI, Sid Smith – for our third King Crimson celebration: a listening party for the 2025 stereo mix of their second album, In The Wake Of Poseidon. We will be joined by a very special guest, Peter Giles.
In Part I, from 1pm, Jo, Mike and Peter will discuss the making of the record, with a little contextual help from Digital Sid (who can’t be with us due to overseas commitments). Audience thoughts and questions are encouraged!
After a refreshment break – with Peter’s wife Yas supplying some tasty half-time Poseidon fairy cakes – in Part II, from about 2.15pm, we’ll have a full playback of Steven Wilson’s 2025 stereo mix, and we’ll have thoughts and reactions from the panel and from you, the audience.
Make sure you bring some dosh as Flashback Records will have a compact and bijou King Crimson-themed record stand at the back of the venue and Peter and Yas will be selling their Planet Giles CDs.
Yas and Peter present a show once a month on Brooklands Radio. Listen to previous programmes here: www.mixcloud.com/YPG25/
Robert Christagu, in a review from 1970, said: “For a long time I thought this was the worst rock band in history simply because it was the most pretentious, but sometimes pretensions are (at least partially) earned. Their second album is more muddled conceptually than In the Court of the Crimson King, quite a feat. But they’re not afraid to be harsh, they command a range of styles, and their dynamics jolt rather than sledgehammer (properly electric, that). Also, they can play: kudos to drummer Michael Giles and guitarist Robert Fripp, who also illustrates the old adage, ‘Better a Mellotron than real strings.'”
Melody Maker headline, 1970: If Wagner were alive he’d work with King Crimson”.
Mike Barnes says: “This was certainly King Crimson’s “difficult second album”. The band had essentially fallen apart: multi-instrumentalist Ian MacDonald had quit, as had drummer Michael Giles, although he helped out with the recording; Greg Lake was on his way out to form ELP, and so Peter Giles depped on bass. Stylistically it echoed the grand designs of In The Court Of The Crimson King, but the addition of winds player Mel Collins and pianist Keith Tippett also steered it towards exploratory jazz. There were near-pop elements, some wistful ballads and the weirdest classical adaption in 70s progressive rock. Its reputation continues to grow.”
Sid’s book is available here: In The Court Of King Crimson
Mike’s book is available here: A New Day Yesterday Remastered, with a foreword by Steve Hackett
Jo’s 2024 Record Collector King Crimson Bookazine is on sale here: Record Collector Presents King Crimson