The Night Watch (album)
Encyclopedia
The Night Watch is a live album (2CD set) by the English rock band King Crimson
, released in 1997.
This album contains an important performance in King Crimson's career, being the source of the improvisations "Trio" and "Starless and Bible Black", the Fripp instrumental "Fracture" and the intro to the song "The Night Watch", all of which were included, with some editing, in the 1974 album Starless and Bible Black
. The bulk of the concert was also broadcast at the time by the BBC
and was subsequently heavily bootlegged. This led to the concert acquiring a legendary status among fans of the band, and eventually to it being one of the first archive releases from Robert Fripp
's label DGM.
Cover painting is The Nightwatch by P.J. Crook. The sleeve design was provided by Bill Smith Studio, London.
At the very end of "21st Century Schizoid Man", listening carefully it is possible to hear an excerpt of "(No Pussyfooting)
", which also appears at the beginning of USA.
King Crimson
King Crimson are a rock band founded in London, England in 1969. Often categorised as a foundational progressive rock group, the band have incorporated diverse influences and instrumentation during their history...
, released in 1997.
This album contains an important performance in King Crimson's career, being the source of the improvisations "Trio" and "Starless and Bible Black", the Fripp instrumental "Fracture" and the intro to the song "The Night Watch", all of which were included, with some editing, in the 1974 album Starless and Bible Black
Starless and Bible Black
Starless and Bible Black is an album released by the British progressive rock band King Crimson in 1974. Most of the vocal pieces on the album are satires and commentaries on the sleaziness and materialism of society...
. The bulk of the concert was also broadcast at the time by the BBC
BBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
and was subsequently heavily bootlegged. This led to the concert acquiring a legendary status among fans of the band, and eventually to it being one of the first archive releases from Robert Fripp
Robert Fripp
Robert Fripp is an English guitarist, composer and record producer. He was ranked 42nd on Rolling Stone magazine's 2003 list of the "100 Greatest Guitarists of All Time" and #47 on Gibson.com’s "Top 50 Guitarists of All Time". Among rock guitarists, Fripp is a master of crosspicking, a technique...
's label DGM.
Cover painting is The Nightwatch by P.J. Crook. The sleeve design was provided by Bill Smith Studio, London.
At the very end of "21st Century Schizoid Man", listening carefully it is possible to hear an excerpt of "(No Pussyfooting)
(No Pussyfooting)
is a 1973 ambient music album by the British musicians Robert Fripp and Brian Eno. was the first of three major collaborations between the musicians, growing out of Eno's early tape recording loop experiments and Fripp's electric guitar playing. was recorded in three days over the course of a year...
", which also appears at the beginning of USA.
Disc 1
- "Easy Money" (Robert FrippRobert FrippRobert Fripp is an English guitarist, composer and record producer. He was ranked 42nd on Rolling Stone magazine's 2003 list of the "100 Greatest Guitarists of All Time" and #47 on Gibson.com’s "Top 50 Guitarists of All Time". Among rock guitarists, Fripp is a master of crosspicking, a technique...
, John WettonJohn WettonJohn Kenneth Wetton is an English bassist, guitarist, keyboardist, singer and songwriter. He was born in Willington, Derbyshire, and grew up in Bournemouth. He has been a professional musician since the late 1960s...
, Richard Palmer-JamesRichard Palmer-JamesRichard Jeffrey Charles Palmer-James was lyricist for the progressive rock group King Crimson in the early 1970s....
) 6:14 - "Lament" (Fripp, Wetton, Palmer-James) 4:14
- "Book of Saturday" (Fripp, Wetton, Palmer-James) 4:07
- "Fracture" (Fripp) 11:28
- "The Night Watch" (Fripp, Wetton, Palmer-James) 5:28
- "Improvisation: Starless and Bible Black" (Bill BrufordBill BrufordWilliam Scott "Bill" Bruford is an English drummer, percussionist, composer, producer, and record label owner. He was the original drummer for the progressive rock group Yes, from 1968-1972. Bruford has performed for numerous popular acts since the early 1970s, including a stint as touring...
, David CrossDavid Cross (musician)David Cross is an electric violinist born in Turnchapel near Plymouth, England, best known for playing with progressive rock band King Crimson during the 1970s...
, Fripp, Wetton) 9:11
Disc 2
- "Improvisation: TrioTrio (song)"Trio" is an improvisation by the British progressive rock band King Crimson. It was released on their sixth studio album, Starless and Bible Black.The piece was recorded live at the Amsterdam Concertgebouw, on November 23 1973...
" (Bruford, Cross, Fripp, Wetton) 6:09 - "Exiles" (Cross, Fripp, Palmer-James) 6:37
- "Improvisation: The Fright Watch" (Bruford, Cross, Fripp, Wetton) 6:03
- "The Talking Drum" (Bruford, Cross, Fripp, Jamie MuirJamie MuirJamie Muir is a UK painter and former percussionist, best known for his work in King Crimson.-Biography:Muir attended Edinburgh College of Art during the 1960s and began playing jazz on trombone before settling on percussion....
, Wetton) 6:34 - "Larks' Tongues in Aspic (Part II)" (Fripp) 7:51
- "21st Century Schizoid Man21st Century Schizoid Man"21st Century Schizoid Man" is a song by progressive rock band King Crimson from their debut album In the Court of the Crimson King.-Personnel:* Greg Lake – Vocals, bass guitar* Ian McDonald – saxophone* Robert Fripp – guitars* Michael Giles – drums...
" (Fripp, Michael GilesMichael GilesMichael Giles is an English drummer, best known as a co-founder of King Crimson in 1969...
, Greg LakeGreg LakeGregory Stuart "Greg" Lake is an English musician, songwriter and producer, best known as a vocalist and bassist of King Crimson, and the bassist, guitarist, vocalist, and lyricist of Emerson, Lake & Palmer.-1960s: King Crimson:...
, Ian McDonaldIan McDonald (musician)Ian McDonald is an English multi-instrumental musician, best known as a founding member of progressive rock group King Crimson, formed in 1969, and of the hard rock band Foreigner in 1976. He is well-known as a rock session musician, predominantly as a saxophonist...
, Peter SinfieldPeter SinfieldPeter John Sinfield is an English poet, lyricist and artist, most famously known as the lyricist and co-founding member of early incarnations of King Crimson, whose debut album In the Court of the Crimson King has been regarded as one of the most influential progressive rock albums ever...
) 10:38
- Recorded at the ConcertgebouwConcertgebouwThe Concertgebouw is a concert hall in Amsterdam, Netherlands. The Dutch term "concertgebouw" literally translates into English as "concert building"...
, AmsterdamAmsterdamAmsterdam is the largest city and the capital of the Netherlands. The current position of Amsterdam as capital city of the Kingdom of the Netherlands is governed by the constitution of August 24, 1815 and its successors. Amsterdam has a population of 783,364 within city limits, an urban population...
, NetherlandsNetherlandsThe Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
, November 23, 1973
Credits
- Recording Engineer: George Chkiantz
- Mixing Engineer: David Singleton.
- Assistant Engineer: Alex Mundy.
- Mixed at DGM World Central by David Singleton & Robert Fripp during July 1997.
Personnel
- Robert FrippRobert FrippRobert Fripp is an English guitarist, composer and record producer. He was ranked 42nd on Rolling Stone magazine's 2003 list of the "100 Greatest Guitarists of All Time" and #47 on Gibson.com’s "Top 50 Guitarists of All Time". Among rock guitarists, Fripp is a master of crosspicking, a technique...
- guitarGuitarThe guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with...
, mellotronMellotronThe Mellotron is an electro-mechanical, polyphonic tape replay keyboard originally developed and built in Birmingham, England in the early 1960s. It superseded the Chamberlin Music Master, which was the world's first sample-playback keyboard intended for music... - John WettonJohn WettonJohn Kenneth Wetton is an English bassist, guitarist, keyboardist, singer and songwriter. He was born in Willington, Derbyshire, and grew up in Bournemouth. He has been a professional musician since the late 1960s...
- bass guitarBass guitarThe bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
, vocalsSingingSinging is the act of producing musical sounds with the voice, and augments regular speech by the use of both tonality and rhythm. One who sings is called a singer or vocalist. Singers perform music known as songs that can be sung either with or without accompaniment by musical instruments... - David CrossDavid Cross (musician)David Cross is an electric violinist born in Turnchapel near Plymouth, England, best known for playing with progressive rock band King Crimson during the 1970s...
- violinViolinThe violin is a string instrument, usually with four strings tuned in perfect fifths. It is the smallest, highest-pitched member of the violin family of string instruments, which includes the viola and cello....
, violaViolaThe viola is a bowed string instrument. It is the middle voice of the violin family, between the violin and the cello.- Form :The viola is similar in material and construction to the violin. A full-size viola's body is between and longer than the body of a full-size violin , with an average...
, keyboardsKeyboard instrumentA keyboard instrument is a musical instrument which is played using a musical keyboard. The most common of these is the piano. Other widely used keyboard instruments include organs of various types as well as other mechanical, electromechanical and electronic instruments... - Bill BrufordBill BrufordWilliam Scott "Bill" Bruford is an English drummer, percussionist, composer, producer, and record label owner. He was the original drummer for the progressive rock group Yes, from 1968-1972. Bruford has performed for numerous popular acts since the early 1970s, including a stint as touring...
- drumsDrum kitA drum kit is a collection of drums, cymbals and often other percussion instruments, such as cowbells, wood blocks, triangles, chimes, or tambourines, arranged for convenient playing by a single person ....
, percussionPercussion instrumentA percussion instrument is any object which produces a sound when hit with an implement or when it is shaken, rubbed, scraped, or otherwise acted upon in a way that sets the object into vibration...