Fifty Shades of Crimson: Robert Fripp and King Crimson

Features interviews with Bill Bruford, Peter Giles, Gordon Haskell, Judy Dyble and more.

In 1969, five young Englishmen calling themselves King Crimson altered the course of rock music. Despite a revolving-door line-up, the band has continued to innovate and inspire for over fifty years. Fifty Shades of Crimson tells the story of this legendary band and of the unique English guitarist Robert Fripp around whom it revolves. With a deep passion for the music, author Pete Tomsett celebrates the achievements of Fripp and the array of incredible talent that has passed through Crimson, while not shying away from the many behind-the-scenes difficulties.

Having secured a record deal after supporting The Rolling Stones at Hyde Park, Crimson shot to fame with their debut album, In the Court of the Crimson King. This made them one of the most influential bands of that era and triggered the rise of prog rock. While going through countless personnel changes, including Greg Lake, Bill Bruford, and John Wetton, and even rejecting Elton John and Bryan Ferry along the way, they have released many highly acclaimed albums and to this day maintain a significant international following.

In their early years, Fripp's band reached the same commercial heights as acts like David Bowie and Pink Floyd. However, as an intellectual who despised the practices of the music business, Fripp prioritised innovation over chasing big sales. In 1974, he withdrew from mainstream music, becoming involved with the Fourth Way philosophy, but was eventually tempted back and reformed Crimson to much acclaim in the eighties. As well as collaborating with Brian Eno, Andy Summers, and others, Fripp has created new forms of instrumental music, run his own idiosyncratic guitar courses, and established an ethical record company. Both a genius and 'a special sort of awkward', Fripp has never been afraid to take his music where no one has gone before, and Crimson have been a powerful influence on everyone from Genesis and Yes to Roxy Music and Radiohead, creating a legacy that will endure for decades more.