King Crimson - Sailors’ Tales (1970 – 1972) - Limited Edition 27 Disc Boxed Set

With much of the material from In The Wake Of Poseidon, Lizard and Islands now being performed by the current King Crimson line-up (2014 - ), it is only in recent years that the wider world has begun to realise what fans have always known: this era’s recordings are as vital as any other segment of the King Crimson catalogue.

Recorded between the dazzling impact of In The Court Of The Crimson in 1969 and the startling reinvention of the band in 1973’s Larks’ Tongues In Aspic, this boxed set documents a crucial period in King Crimson’s history and shows it to be brimming with innovation, experimentation, and boundary-pushing energy.

With a wealth of previously unheard studio recordings from band rehearsals to full alternate mixes and a vast array of live material, much of it on CD/Blu-Ray for the first time and including four recently found, never before released concerts, this set presents the complete King Crimson recorded history of the period in the best quality audio possible.

• The complete 1970-72 King Crimson boxed set: 21CDS/4Blu-Rays/2DVD – all audio.
• 3CDs feature Steven Wilson & Robert Fripp stereo mixes of In The Wake Of Poseidon (1970), Lizard (1970) & Islands (1971) + additional tracks.
• 6CDs feature the Islands line-ups early concerts from Germany (new to CD) & the UK (1971).
• 9CDs feature live recordings (several new to CD and/or previously unreleased in any format) from the 1972 US tour, including a new stereo mix of Summit Studios & an expanded Earthbound.
• 3CDs feature auditions for the Islands band & two further, as yet, unidentified concerts from 1972 (all previously unreleased)
• 3 Blu-Ray discs contain the main studio albums in 5.1 Surround Sound & recent stereo editions mixed by Steven Wilson & Robert Fripp + 30th anniversary masters of the original stereo albums mixes (all in 24/96 hi-res), plus extensive additional material with each disc also featuring a complete alternate album + a further selection of additional, related studio/live material in hi-res.
• Lizard Blu-Ray: also contains the audition material from CDs19/20
• Islands Blu-Ray: also contains the following concerts in stereo Zoom Club (4 shows), Marquee Club, Plymouth, Glasgow, Detroit all from 1971.
• Earthbound Tour: Blu-Ray features an expanded version of the original album, Summit Studios gig in Stereo & Quadraphonic (newly mixed), the Schizoid Men sequence from the Ladies of the Road album, 2 newly discovered concerts in hi-res stereo & every existing soundboard concert recording from the 1972 US tour: Wilmington, NYC (2 shows), Chicago (2 tracks only), Detroit, Jacksonville, Orlando, Pittsburgh, Milwaukee, Peoria, Indianapolis & Denver (2 shows).
• 2 DVDs feature the expanded Earthbound, Summit Studios, Schizoid Men, New York 1972 & the recently discovered live concerts.
• 12” box with booklet, memorabilia, a further downloadable concert, new sleeve-notes by Sid Smith, Jakko Jakszyk & David Singleton

No track listing yet.

Amazon USA
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B075GBPPXB/?tag=imwan-20

Amazon Canada
https://www.amazon.ca/dp/B075GBPPXB/?tag=imwanca-20

Amazon UK
https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B075GBPPXB?tag=imwan-21

DGM.com
http://shop.schizoidshop.com/king-crims ... p1699.aspx

umm...gulp

Some of my favorite KC comes from these 3 albums. I was hoping for more studio stuff, but this is heavy on live stuff. Already have the 2-disc remix versions of all 3 albums. Also have some of the better-sounding live releases from this period. Too bad KC doesn't do 2 or 3 CD distillations of these huge boxes, like some other bands have done. Pass.

If I was a rich man..................

If I get the $ for 1 mega box this Fall/Winter it will be the Wishbone Ash 32 cd set (unless it's just a catalog repress, which I don't think will be the case)

Yes please! Grazie.

Bump: There will be a general release of this on November 3rd. Pre-order links are up in the USA and Canada, and it will be available in the UK soon as well:

Amazon USA
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B075GBPPXB/?tag=imwan-20

Amazon Canada
https://www.amazon.ca/dp/B075GBPPXB/?tag=imwanca-20

Full track list now available:

https://www.dgmlive.com/news/Sailors’%20Tales%20track%20by%20track

Rick & Everyone,

Very quickly, received the KC ‘Islands’ Box Set yesterday along with the 'Earthbound' Deluxe Edition (even though I'm sure it’s repeated in the box). After a quick glance at the listing on the back, Discs 4 – 16 include nine shows (performances from the Zoom Club are on four discs with the Marquee on two). Since one of the shows as far as I can remember on the original ‘Earthbound’ release (I think it was the show with ‘21st Century Schizoid Man’), hasn't been released as part of DGM’s Collector’s Club, I’ll check to see if this is one of the shows on the box when I go through everything.

I could care less about all the other sites commenting on the majority of these recordings coming from board cassettes. As far as I'm concerned, Ian Wallace’s drumming with Boz is beyond ferocious (in a great way!). Also, just my opinion but DGM does an excellent job with shipping.

After work I’ll break everything down & give all of you a comparison with the KC Collector’s Club releases & all of the previous import & deluxe editions I can find (remember those Mini-LP sleeves years ago from Holland with the Bonus Tracks?).

BTW … was extremely fortunate to receive a copy of Bill Bruford’s ‘Seems like a Lifetime Ago’ Box. Even though I totally panicked after seeing that the box was open (learned that this was way they were shipped), everything was perfect. Will report on that in a different thread with comparisons to all the old EG releases.

Take care, long live Prog Rock & thanks again,

BG

Thanks BG for remembering about the comments we requested. Look forward to your review(s). And Yes, Long Live Prog!

I'll 2nd the thanks & look forward to more of your comments!

Hey, bcg, can you determine/confirm that Earthbound is repeated in this box set? I"m likely to eventually order the box and would like to avoid wasting money on the duplication if possible...

Everyone,

Quick Update.

Here's the basic contents from the individual disc titles & yes, ‘Earthbound’ is included & is the same as the 40th Anniversary release & then some with the Blu-Ray Disc that's only included in this set & not the CD/DVD 40th Anniversary release that I looking at as I'm sending this (please see contents of Discs (18), (22) & (23) below). If you have all of the other KC Super-Deluxe Editions, the graphics, font size, etc. are the same.

I still have to go back to the digipaks that house the discs (everything's now in jewel cases) to pull out the complete info, source, track highlights, etc. (the last three discs were housed in an LP-sized cardboard holder whereas Discs (1) - (24) are in triple digipacks - the booklet BTW is fantastic with great photos (as if KC were photogenic & there's a generous amount of other items [the oversized playing card is actually a booklet, etc.).

Anyway, here's the basic contents from the disc labels:

Disc 1 In The Wake of Poseidon - Remaster of Original Release
Disc 2 Lizard - Remaster of Original Release
Disc 3 Islands - Remaster of Original Release
Disc 4 The Zoom Club, Frankfurt - April 12th, 1971
Disc 5 The Zoom Club, Frankfurt - April 13th, 1971
Disc 6 The Zoom Club, Frankfurt - April 14th, 1971
Disc 7 The Zoom Club, Frankfurt - April 15th, 1971
Disc 8 The Marquee, London - August 10th, 1971
Disc 9 The Marquee, London - August 10th, 1971
Disc 10 The Armoury, Wilmington - February 11th, 1972 (Early Show)
Disc 11 The Academy of Music, New York - February 12th, 1972 (Early Show)
Disc 12 The Academy of Music, New York - February 12th, 1972 (Late Show)
Disc 13 Cinderella Ballroom, Detroit - February 18th, 1972
Disc 14 Stanley Theatre. Pittsbough - March 6th, 1972
Disc 15 Riverside Theatre, Milwaukee - March 8th, 1972
Disc 16 The Barn, Peoria - March 10th, 1972
Disc 17 Summit Studios, Denver - March 12th, 1972
Disc 18 Earthbound - Remaster of Original Release
Disc 19 In The Wake of Poseidon - Blu-Ray Disc
Disc 20 Lizard - Blu-Ray Disc
Disc 21 Islands - Blu-Ray Disc
Disc 22 Earthbound - Blu-Ray Disc
Disc 23 Earthbound (Extended) - DVD
Disc 24 King Crimson 1972 Live - DVD
Disc 25 Auditions / Rehearsals - Various
Disc 26 Auditions / Rehearsals & Unknown Show No. 1 - Various
Disc 27 Unknown Show No. 2 - Various

More info to follow, to include my comparison with the KCCC releases & yes Geff, if it's Brickwalled after I copy segments to Sound Forge to view!

Thanks again everyone, sorry for my usual spelling & grammar mistakes & please have a great weekend,

Bob G

Everyone,

As a follow-up, the following information for the twenty-seven discs is from the digipaks & the bonus disc holder:

Disc 1: In the Wake of Poseidon
Eighteen-Track Edition with Eighteen Bonus Tracks
Disc 2: Lizard
Twelve-Track Edition with Seven Bonus Tracks
Disc 3: Islands
Eleven-Track Edition with Five Bonus Tracks
Disc 4: The Zoom Club, Frankfurt, April 12th, 1971
(Nine-Track Soundboard (sounds like a Reel-to-Reel) Performance available previously as a DGM Download
Disc 5: The Zoom Club, Frankfurt, April 13th, 1971
Ten-Track Soundboard (again, probably Reel-to-Reel) Performance available previously as a DGM Download
Disc 6: The Zoom Club, Frankfurt, April 14th, 1971
Eight-Track Soundboard (once more, probably Reel-to-Reel) Performance available previously as a DGM Download
Disc 7: The Zoom Club, Frankfurt, April 15th, 1971
Five-Track Soundboard (again, probably Reel-to-Reel) Performance with one Track from the April 13th Performance available previously as a DGM Download
Disc 8: The Marquee, London, August 10th, 1971
Six-Track Soundboard Performance (First Part of This Concert) previously released as KCCC No. 46
Disc 9: The Marquee, London, August 10th, 1971
Four-Track Soundboard Performance (remainder of This Concert) previously released as KCCC No. 46
Disc 10: The Armoury, Wilmington, February 11th, 1972 (Early Show)
Eight-Track Cassette Soundboard Performance available previously as a DGM Download
Disc 11: The Academy of Music, New York, February 12th, 1972 (Early Show)
Eight-Track Previously Unreleased Cassette Soundboard Performance
Disc 12: The Academy of Music, New York, February 12th, 1972 (Late Show)
Ten-Track Previously Unreleased Cassette Soundboard Performance
Disc 13: Cinderella Ballroom, Detroit, February 18th, 1972
Eight-Track Cassette Soundboard Performance available previously as a DGM Download
Disc 14: Stanley Theatre, Pittsburgh, March 6th, 1972
Eight-Track Cassette Soundboard Performance available previously as a DGM Download
Disc 15: Riverside Theatre, Milwaukee, March 8th, 1972
Eight-Track Cassette Soundboard Performance available previously as a DGM Download
Disc 16: The Barn, Peoria, March 10th, 1972
Seven-Track Cassette Soundboard Performance available previously as a DGM Download
Disc 17: Summit Studios, Denver, March 12th, 1972
Eight-Track Live Radio Broadcast from The Multitrack Recordings previously released as KCCC No. 9
Disc 18: Earthbound (Various Live Performances from the below-listed Venues)
Eight-Track Compilation of Cassette Soundboard Performances including Three Bonus Tracks, all from either The Wilmington, Peoria, Jacksonville, Orlando & Milwaukee Concerts also included in This Box
Disc 19: In the Wake of Poseidon (Blu-Ray Disc) Studio Material
Original, New Stereo & 5.1 Mixes, Alternate Album, Additional Material in 5.1 & Needle Drops
Disc 20: Lizard (Blu-Ray Disc) Studio Material & Rehearsals
Original, New Stereo & 5.1 Mixes, Alternate Album, Additional Material in 5.1, Needle Drops & '71-72 Rehearsals
Disc 21: Islands (Blu-Ray Disc) Studio Material & Live Performances
Original, New Stereo & 5.1 Mixes, Alternate Album, Additional Material in 5.1, Needle Drops & '71 Live Material
Disc 22: Earthbound (Blu-Ray Disc) Various Live Performances plus Additional (Please refer to Disc [18] for the primary performance venues)
New Sequence Stereo, New Stereo & Quadraphonic Mix of Summit Studios Performance, Needle Drops, Two Unidentified '72 Shows plus Stereo 'Schizoid Men' & Soundboard Concerts
Disc 23: Earthbound (Extended) (DVD) Various Live Performances plus Additional (Please refer to Disc [18] for the primary performance venues)
New Sequence Stereo, New Stereo & Quadraphonic Mix of Summit Studios Performance, Needle Drops, Stereo 'Schizoid Men' & 'Earthbound' Needle Drops
Disc 24: King Crimson 1972 Live (DVD) Various Live Performances
Two Unidentified '72 Shows plus the Early & Late February 12th, 1972 Academy of Music, New York Performances
Disc 25: Auditions / Rehearsals Miscellaneous Auditions / Rehearsals
Material entitled ‘Blow No. 1’ & ‘Blow No. 2’ from a Reel-to-Reel Recording (First of Three Bonus Discs)
Disc 26: Auditions / Rehearsals & Unknown Show No. 1 Miscellaneous Auditions / Rehearsals & Live Performance
Material entitled ‘Blow No. 3’ sourced from Reel-to-Reel & a Six-Track Previously Unreleased Performance sourced from a Cassette Soundboard Recordings (Second of Three Bonus Discs)
Disc 27: Unknown Show No. 2 Live Performance
Second Previously Unreleased Six-Track Previously Unreleased Performance sourced from a Cassette Soundboard Recording (Third of Three Bonus Discs)

Please note that some of the tracks are actually announcements made by Robert Fripp. Also, there are a number of tracks throughout the set that are incomplete. Steve Wilson did a lot of work on the mixing as did David Singleton. Finally, as I’m listening to ‘Earthbound’, even though the quality is the best I’ve heard so far (The EMS VCS 3 synthesizer ‘Treatments’ will have your dog running around the house howling), with the full concerts now included in this box, the release now seems more like a sampler rather than a stand-alone release.

Geoff, I’ll let you know if there’s any Brick Wall signs at a later date. Finally, if anyone needs any specific song titles by show I can go back to the box & post these separately. Otherwise, I hope this helps for now.

In short, if you love this incarnation of the band, my opinion is that this is well worth the investment & an excellent snapshot of the band between ‘71 & ’72 prior to the next line-up.

Thanks again & once more please have a peaceful weekend,

Bob G

Brickwalled KC is a first, ouch! Thanks for all the info!

I read him to say, not that it's brickwalled, but that he'll tell you if he finds it to be.

Agree.

My bad! I've never heard a KC album that I believe was brickwalled. That doesn't mean it's never happened, but I've never noticed it.

This box set is currently $177.67 at amazon. Is that an all time low? I'm inclined to pull the trigger at that price point...

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B075GBPPXB/?tag=imwan-20

I purchased mine with a coupon and free shipping from Import CDs for about $140.00.

Thanks for the tip, Rick. I see it on that website for about $30 less than the amazon price!