Ian McDonald Talks About His King Crimson Days

[konked]

OT but read the Andy Summers memoir One Train Later in which he gives an impression that Mike Giles was in backing band for Neil Sedaka's UK tour around 1973 and recommended Andy to him.

[DarkeningSkies1]

I love how Ian speaks of Crimson for 5 1/2 minutes in this interview and Foreigner for 2 1/2. When there is nearly nothing to say, best to say nearly nothing....

[1herbiekritzer]

I love the first King Crimson line up.

[JohnGLewis1964]

Ian: Will there ever be a follow-up to "In the Court of the Crimson King" (with you and Robert, et alii) ?

[Sylvain894]

I'm the 40 000th watcher of this video, do i win something ??

[Raelspark]

Nice interview, but I'd like to hear about Ian's contribution to Kg. Cr. with his flute. He was one of the few flute players in rock at the time, along with Ian Anderson, Chris Wood, and Peter Gabriel. His solo on "I Talk to the Wind" is smooth.

[yes4545]

sczen...you need to do some homework...Giles played the bass on this album, and Lake did the vocals, along with one song sung by Gordon Haskell. Get your information straight, helps when you actually know what you are talking about.

[DAVWAVE]

@yes4545 Non-sense, lol.

[kristoscan]

played sax on t-rex's bang a gong! amazing sax breaks for foreigner. i always liked his stay in foreigner. poor ian mac the same keeps happening to him; lead guitarist is there bye bye ian. stevie w and traffic would of been a great home for him but they had chris wood so no home for him pretty much invisible for 30 years until recently unless i'm wrong.

[DAVWAVE]

@kristoscan only top ten usa hit for T-Rex.

[kristoscan]

@DAVWAVE correct sir.

[kristoscan]

ian is great as was that 1st version of KC. right down the line: mellotron,sax,flute,lyricist as group member, early prog guitar, short songs +long songs that looked like outlines for english class,jazzy drum fills, and the whole british nature of it. this version could of should of been huge but now it's better that it lasted in short version it seems so special.

[jwild611]

The original line-up is brilliant and I wish they continued on because they were perfect for each other musically. They were different but the differences added to the overall blend. Too bad egos ruined it.

[sczen]

no--check the credits artrock... i had it then-- 2nd album-wake of poseidon--lake still did bass and vocals.

[SuperNevile]

Thanks for posting, Ian was a multi instrumentalist like Roy Wood and Mike Oldfield. Doesn't seem to be many around today. On COTCK ~ Sax 21st CSM, Flute ITTTW, mellotron E and COTCK, reeds, vibes, keyboards, vocals. On McD and Giles ~Guitar, Piano,Organ,Sax, Flute, Clarinet, Zither, Vocals. That's impressive. A lot of guys can only play guitar/piano. RW could also play across the family of instruments. Interesting ~ both RW and IM were born the same year and their best stuff in their early 20s

[nasmformyzombie]

In 1974 McDonald was set to re-join Crimson after the trio of Fripp-Bruford-Wetton recorded the album Red. Fripp-Bruford-Wetton-McDonald even had a working title for the next album: Blue.

[kristoscan]

@nasmformyzombie really...never heard that 1.

[brdcrp]

the complete Monty Python DVDs on the bookshelf!

[pilesovinyl]

I echo the previous comment. Neat to hear Ian McDonald who was on some really great progressive records, but had never heard him before.

[lovesGenet]

What a group of people .amazing that they lasted as long as they did.Music that takes you aloft!!!

[tony9L9L]

Batty man squeak batty slang

He has fat hands for cheeky batty glands

It's a shame Ian decided not to go on. Sadly missed

[musicmommary]

My first love took me to his house...Sept. '72 and played McDonald and Giles for me...fell in love...I think the music was a great background for it!

[Gruntol5]

Never seen him interviewed before, but somehow I knew he would be well-spoken, intelligent, modest and sensitive. How else could he compose and play so brilliantly?

[mhndshr]

I think -with an extreme respect to all of above comments- that all of Fripp, Greg Lake, McDonald and Pete Sinfield are all impeccable great musicians regardless of who played in whatever part of any track in Krimson's early albums...

[leentje1510]

Hy Ian its a long time ago

Welcome back

Musch Greetings from Belguim

Dannielle

[UrbanSpaceEpics]

"McDonald and Giles" CD was re-released 2002 on Virgin records, it's a jewel, Steve Winwood guests.

[pazzensutra]

"McDonald and Giles" is a great album.

[newvintage69]

I LOVE THAT ALBUM!

My band might cover "Tomorrow's People"

[zaneknight]

so was he the singer for king crimson

[domack]

No, Greg Lake was the singer in that line up. Greg Lake didn't play bass on the first album Peter Giles did.

[artrock101]

Nope. Peter Giles played bass on the 2nd record, In The Wake of Poseidon. GL played bass and sang on the first album and subsequent tour. He left the band, but agreed to sing on some of the 2nd record. Ian McDonald was the flute/sax player, and wrote a good portion of the music on the first record.

[domack]

Your right artrock101, with a name like that should you be reviewing Roxy Music or something,

[FinnMove]

Ian McDonald was somehow the leader of

King Crimson instead of Robert Fripp.

Check his multi- instrument capibility on the first album. And two songs were written alone

by McDonald. I guess In the Wake of Poseidon was Fripp´s answer to McDonald after he had quitted. First three songs are amusing similar

in style of Crimson King album.

[frymahhide1982]

this guy's era of Crim was not self conscious put it that way

[emadmadi]

1969 unforget.....

[tomk773]

Wish we had Ian, John & all the true members of the band now.. this stuff their making w/Belew (plus, his awful voice) sucks..

[bmarrero]

they're just doing different things but with the Robert fripp input still very present.have you got your hands on the last album(2003)"The power to believe" and the dvds "deja vroom" and "live in Tokyo2003"? These are,I think,masterwoks too.

Besides from that, Robert is the only one who can carry on the name of King Crimson;not to deny the other originals but....

[angelicb4me]

gossip also was that they brought greg in cos not only did he fit the bill musically, he was cute also (replacing him with wetton (also cute). fripp et al obviously had the musical creds but their business brains were working, they knew ppl were ready for something new.

[maida1982a]

The musicality of the 1st 2 KC albums and the McDonald & Giles album largely due to Ian. I saw 21st Centruy SB 2 times and they were epic.

[54spiritedwill54]

I always had the feeling that if it weren't for Ian McDonald, we might have never heard of Bob Fripp.

[beaverteeth92]

Ian McDonald needs to rejoin King Crimson along with Michael Giles and Greg Lake as soon as possible!!!

Come on. It's their 40th anniversary.

[JupiterIsland91]

what about pete?!

[beaverteeth92]

True. But I wouldn't care if they remained instrumental.

[JupiterIsland91]

I think he contributed alot more than lyrics to the band

[beaverteeth92]

I don't think he played anything though.

[kfsfkakf]

@beaverteeth92 how bout the whole original line up of Fripp, Lake, Giles, McDonald, n Sinfield if they make a new album

[TuneInTurnOnDropOutt]

@beaverteeth92 It'll never happen because Fripp isn't interested in nostalgia. McDonald and Co. (minus Fripp and Lake) have formed The 21st Century Schizoid Band.

[MrLizardisle]

@TuneInTurnOnDropOutt indeed he is not until now, although in the new ''King Crimson Project'' -jackzyk, colins & fripp, which is obvious that it will form the basis of the new KING CRIMSON, there is definately an ''aura'' of nostalgia in the title song (a scarcity of miracles). We will find out about the rest of the album as soon as it becomes available.

[TuneInTurnOnDropOutt]

@MrLizardisle That's great! Fripp and Jackzyk together? I guess he liked what he heard from the Schizoid Band and asked him to join, great!

[MrLizardisle]

@TuneInTurnOnDropOutt

Ιndeed ! But it should have been in the market by now and i don't know why everytime i check at DGM mail order it's still on pre-sale... I'm going to check again ! I can hardly wait !

[berne9]

my names ian mcdonald series

[vicpf51]

Great musician. Hard to believe he would go on to form Foreigner-totally different music.

[stokepogue]

Having a "laugh"?

[zappatx]

I met him at a mellotron convention in Toronto shortly after 911. Ian, if you are reading this, I was the guy who mad you mad by asking all those Fripp questions and I am VERY VERY sorry.. I did a lot of growing up since then but thanks for signing my mellotron end block and thanks for the presentation. It was a great pleasure to meet you!!

[crimson6]

man id love to see/hear one of those drum solo's hes talking about!

[mrnachobar]

rest in peace, my man.

[Darrylizer1]

He's not dead. The music critic Ian McDonald is however.

[mrnachobar]

i read an article in drum! that said he did die, but you are right and they and i are wrong.

[talkingwall]

You're definitely wrong dude. I heard from Ian as late as last December.

[telemacherT2]

I believe the RIP is for Ian Wallace

[Ptrgamb]

Thanks...I have it on vinyl, but I'm looking for a CD

[Ptrgamb]

Of all the records that have not been available on CD in the U.S., "McDonald and Giles" may be the one I most want. I know there is an expensive Japanese import, but I don't understand why there's never been an American CD edition.

[riverzen]

I have the record....do you need a copy on CD?

[EnnesymousError]

talk to the wind...best flute solo ever

[mschujkm]

Agree with pobinr..

[sundaramusic]

Ian is so musical, his melodies are up there with the best.

Sadly, during their USA tour of 1969, the combination of too much drugs, home and love sickness, musical disatisfaction and the influence/prompting of Michael Giles brought him to the descision to leave the band. Something he has always deeply regretted!!!

I had the honor of meeting Ian in London and also was able to have a telephone interview/conversation in 2001... thanks Ian for the inspiration!

[pobinr]

"I always had the feeling that if it weren't for Ian McDonald, we might have never heard of Bob Fripp."

That's absurd. I hardly think Fripp would have been so succesful in the 30 years since he parted company from Mac Donald, if he didn't have a lot of talent himself.

[bradominus]

Pobinr - Obviously, twtom doesn't know JACK about Crimso! ;)

[drhowarddrfinedrhowa]

Dude, there are tons of talented groups out there. Fripp himself has often published that talent is only half of the equation.

[twtom]

I always had the feeling that if it weren't for Ian McDonald, we might have never heard of Bob Fripp.

[bradominus]

With all due respect, do you know anything about King Crimson? I think you missed the boat on this one...

[drhowarddrfinedrhowa]

I agree. The original Crimson of Fripp, Macdonald, Lake, Sinfield & Giles caught lightning in a bottle. They were the right group at the right time. Any other combination might not have made such an impact, and we wouldn't know of any of them.

[johnbrobst]

Yeah, and the more you hear, the more it looks like Michael Giles was the one who broke up that magic original lineup. Funny how he's also the only one of the four that didn't go on to a brilliant career. Karma.

[talkingwall]

Mike's had a great career as a studio man. Lake has suggested the breakup had more to do with Giles' fear of flying. Notice how Giles left the 21st Century Schizoid Band just prior to the American tour? I think there may be something to this. I used to be petrified of flying myself - funny since I now work for an airline. Actually, knowing what I know, I should now be scared to death!

[lalalalala5151]

um over 40 studio albums as a session drummer, partly responsible for the first kc album, session drummer on the 2nd, the music of giles giles and fripp and mcdonald and giles,,,one of the best and most underated drummers of all time, in interview with robert fripp he says that michael giles was pretty much concentrating on bein a family man,,oh yeah karma there,,,its not all about appearing on nme covers or having some mystique form around your rep that makes u have a career thats brilliant

[JosephNScott]

"I always had the feeling that if it weren't for Ian McDonald, we might have never heard of Bob Fripp." I know what you mean. Imagine if Lizard had been the first King Crimson album. Might have sold about as well as Cheerful Insanity. What kind of foundation would that have been to build a more-famous-than-Sonny-Sharroc­k career on, compared to McDonald's melodies?

[talkingwall]

McDonald and Sinfield were the heart and soul of Crimson Mk I. No question. That line-up of the band would have gone on to even greater magnificence had it lasted. Such a pity. I've had lots of correspondence with Ian over the past 10 years. What a great guy. He's helped me with my own music (more jazz oriented). Ian has told me that Eric Dolphy was one of his greatest influences in making the ITCOTCK. It's good to know Ian is still in the world today :)