King Crimson - (1976) A Young Person's Guide To King Crimson

Young Person's guide to King Crimson

Young Person's guide to king crimson

This superb compilation probably took its title from one of Benjamin Britten’s works, ‘A Young Person’s Guide to the Orchestra’. One of Robert Fripp’s little jokes, I guess. As a two-LP overview of King Crimson’s career until 1974 this set just couldn’t be bettered, but when it appeared many critics complained about the absence of “Schizoid Man”, which many considered to be KC’s signature tune. I don’t think A YOUNG PERSON’S GUIDE has ever appeared in the CD format. The packaging really only comes into its own when you can admire the original gatefold sleeve. The cover pictures are delightful; I like to think the little man on the mountaintop is actually playing a mellotron!

The extensive booklet showed us for the first time how thoughtfully Fripp would handle the “King Crimson inheritance”. Not only did he include a detailed family tree and a superb collection of black and white photographs, he also printed virtually all the reviews Crimson albums had received through the years (or at least the ones he got hold of), both positive AND negative. How many artists would dare to do that in a compilation of their best work? Fripp’s tactics certainly paid off: the reader commiserates with critics bemoaning the low quality of albums such as EARTHBOUND, and sniggers at idiots who, all of thirty-five years ago, failed to appreciate the splendour of LARKS’ TONGUES IN ASPIC.

(Fripp would later extend the YOUNG PERSON’S booklet, as well as its selection of tracks, for the first King Crimson CD box set, FRAME BY FRAME, which appeared in 1991.) (Prog Archives)

Boxset/Compilation, released in 1976

Track List :

1. Epitaph (8:52)
From the album In the Court of the Crimson King (1969)
2. Cadence and Cascade (3:36)
From the album In the Wake of Poseidon (1970)
3. Ladies of the Road (5:27)
From the album Islands (1971)
4. I Talk to the Wind (3:15)
This version differs from the version released on In the Court of the Crimson King. The most notable difference is in the vocals, which are sung by Judy Dyble (Fairport Convention) rather than Greg Lake. Recorded at 93A Brondesbury Road, London, UK, July 1968
5. Red (6:18)
From the album Red (1974)
6. Starless (12:17)
From the album Red (1974)
7. The Night Watch (4:38)
From the album Starless and Bible Black (1974)
8. Book of Saturday (2:52)
From the album Larks' Tongues in Aspic (1973)
9. Peace: A Theme (1:14)
From the album In the Wake of Poseidon (1970)
10. Cat Food (2:43)
From the single Cat Food/Groon (1970)
11. Groon (3:30)
From the single Cat Food/Groon (1970)
12. Coda from Larks' Tongues in Aspic (Part I) (2:09)
Abridged, from the album Larks' Tongues in Aspic (1973)
13. Moonchild (2:24)
Abridged, from the album In the Court of the Crimson King (1969)
14. Trio (5:36)
From the album Starless and Bible Black (1974)
15. The Court of the Crimson King (9:21)
From the album In the Court of the Crimson King (1969)


Total Time: 74:14
Line-up/Musicians

- Bill Bruford / drums, percussion (5, 6, 7, 12 & 14)
- Boz Burrell / bass, vocals (3)
- Mel Collins / saxes, flute (2, 3 & 6)
- David Cross / violin (7, 8 & 14) viola & voice (12)
- Judy Dyble / vocals (4)
- Robert Fripp / guitars, mellotron, devices (all)
- Michael Giles / drums, percussion, backing vocals (1, 2, 4, 10, 11, 13 & 15)
- Peter Giles / bass (4, 10 & 11)
- Gordon Haskell / vocals (2)
- Greg Lake / bass, vocals (1, 10, 13 & 15)
- Ian McDonald / woodwinds, reeds, keyboards, mellotron, vocals (1, 4, 6, 13 & 15)
- Robin Miller / oboe (6)
- Jamie Muir / percussion, voice (12)
- Peter Sinfield / words (1, 2 & 15)
- Keith Tippett / piano (2 & 10)
- Ian Wallace / drums (3)
- John Wetton / bass, vocals (5, 6, 7, 8, 12 & 14)