What's the best King Crimson live album?

Same for me; would probably put Radical Action first since it covers all KC periods.

Hi,

Very nice and enjoyed that a lot ...

When comparing this to the 3 (more recent) version with 3 drummers, this is a vastly superior concert.

The big unit with the drummers was outstanding, but it was almost "mechanical" in comparison to what is here on this concert, and I think that BB and Adrian Belew were the difference. There were moments when they were out experimenting and adding things that made it all better ... as opposed to the more recent version where there is no room for free lancing, and seeing it here is  exceptional ... and much better from a live perspective.

The recent version felt more like a classical music concert .. .tight as heck, and mechanical ... as opposed to seeing this earlier version which showed what rock music can do and how ... turn them loose! And it was neat.

Thx for posting ... this was far out.

omphaloskepsis wrote: I want to get the best live recordings/DVDs from each incarnation of KC. I don't have any Poseiden, Lizard, or Island Live-era material yet.   ...

There are subtleties that are seen in all of these live shows, and they demonstrate something very different each time. By 21st century standards, the 3 drummer version is better, because it generates more power and boiling sound ... which is what many bands these days do, loud, louder and noisy ... and the power drumming making it look better than it really is. Of this modern version the only drummer I do not exactly care for was Gavin Harrison, who for my tastes was too mechanical ... which might make it easier for RF that could have wanted things to be nice and tight ... and Gavin added that, but I thought it worked in some things, and not in others. For example, in softer material, I thought Gavin was very weak as he does not have the "touch" and "feel" that the other 2 drummers had, something which came from Bill Bruford and his amazing ability to add bits and pieces all the time, something which might have bothered RF some, since it was unexpected and made him aware of it, which takes a wee bit from his concentration on his own guitar playing, which is not easy stuff ... you don't go around teaching that to anyone at all! It's not a riff on a hit song, meaning less within the structure of the piece.

As an example, listen to Rachel Flowers doing Starless, and she accentuates the little touches that the various mixes of KC have left behind, and the little touches that BB adds are far out ... and they can not exactly be heard on any of the other KC mixes. 

I have not heard a lot of the shows from the earlier days with the original line up ... and I think I remember looking for some shows with Greg Lake and I am not sure that I found many ... though some clips from somewhere or other. My guess is that while their 1st album exploded (not immediately btw), in the end it took a bit before folks came around to appreciate it ... in Madison, WI one DJ, said that RF was doing a cheap JImi Hendrix impression and that the big piece (Schizoid Man) was just a loud bruhaha about nothing. I don't think any of us think or see that at all, today.

The majority of bootlegs from KC, that I remember started with Bill Bruford ... for some reason, I think he helped upgrade the status of the band some, and it might not have been taken as seriously before ... but I have to find the write ups from those early days to verify that ... 

My take is that the three drummer version is more what RF has wanted for KC ... very tight and well played classical music like material ... giving rock music a new meaning for what it can do, something that a lot of bands are too lazy to ... as an excuse for their inability to play better and tighter.