Live In Japan - 1995 (Video)
From ETWiki
Originally released: 1996
Personnel
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Tracks
(Note: click on title for lyrics)
All songs written by King Crimson.
- VROOOM
- Frame By Frame
- Dinosaur
- One Time
- Red
- B'Boom
- THRAK => Reviews
- Matte Kudasai
- Three Of A Perfect Pair
- VROOOM VROOOM
- Sex, Sleep, Eat, Drink, Dream
- Elephant Talk
- Indiscipline
- Talking Drum
- Larks' Tongues In Aspic Part II
- People
- Walking On Air
Reviews
Reviews are listed in chronological order within each section. Please retain a chronological order when adding new reviews.
Entire Video
Date Submitted: 22-Nov-96
By: Gerard M. Coughlan (gcough at acadamh dot ucd dot ie)
"Just a couple of comments regarding the new KC video. The comments from Simon & Glen Brough (ET #317) do have a lot of truth in them. Indeed the camera work is a bit dodgy in places. There are many instances during songs such as Vroom, Vroom vroom, Red, etc where the camera is shaking. The music isn't that loud!! The lighting also seems to really put the picture out of focus too. In Elephant Talk Belew is just like a fluorescent blue light. I was really looking forward to getting a close-up on his solo but you could barely make out the guitar let alone his fingers.
"The video does have its good points though. There are some very good renditions of various tracks. The version of Red is especially good with the whole band giving it loads. The version of people is very good also, a lot tighter than on the B'boom CD. I was a bit disappointed at the seriously truncated version of Talking Drum although Larks Tongues was spot on.
"Overall, if you're a Crim-phile the video is definitely worth having, although I wouldn't recommend it for introducing people to the band."
Date Submitted: 27-Nov-96
By: John Kannenberg (jwk at csd dot uwm dot edu)
"After a bit of a shaky start camerawise, the new King Crimson Live in Japan video does nothing short of amaze. I was a bit nervous at some of the pseudo-hand-held camera effects that were employed during VROOOM, because they didn't really cover the band very well and were a bit distracting...but the camera work goes on to be some of the best I've seen in a concert video. Most of the footage is excellently composed, showcasing the musicians and their instruments very well. The normally unilluminated Fripp gets incredible coverage, so you get to see just what he does back there in the darkness. Best of all, the video doesn't contain extraneous shots of the audience bouncing their heads or mouthing along to the lyrics--this is purely a video of the band and their performance, and the lack of audience shots does wonders to help create the illusion that you're at the show.
"As for the performance itself, it's nothing short of extraordinary. Everyone in the band seems to be in a good mood and at their best. There's a great deal of subtle humor involved as well, what with some attempts at one-upsmanship by various members of the band (Bruford's antagonism towards Tony Levin at the beginning of "Indiscipline" as an example) and some just plain goofiness (Belew's use of the drill during THRAK, along with some great hamming at various moments); the band just seems to be having a great time playing their hearts out, and it shows.
"The song selection is nearly perfect: a good overview of old (80s) material, plus most of the best material from THRAK, plus a few older songs for good measure. I think it pleases both old fans and newer converts alike. To be nitpicky, I would have liked to see the double trio's version of "Sleepless," but that's just personal preference.
"All in all, I think it's worth picking up by anyone even remotely interested in the band. After viewing it, if you like them you'll love them, and if you love them you'll worship them."
Date Submitted: 4-Mar-97
By: Arne Olsson (comphoto at mbox300 dot swipnet dot se)
"Anyone who has seen the video knows it's a masterpiece. I think every one in the band gives it all and you can see the happiness in them (even Fripp pulls a little smile).
"To give all you who hasn't seen the video a reflection. I think the songs they play is a very good selection of their work since 1969 (although I miss "Schizoid man"). I think Levin play as heavy as he can and it's quite funny when he tries to keep the beat upright in the beginning of "Indiscipline", where Bruford shows that he surely is the one and only drummer in the world. He has it all inside his head and it ain't easy stuff he plays.
"Even though it's six members in KC today you can clearly see and hear who's the boss: Robert Fripp. His frippertronics in the beginning of B'Boom is the greatest I've heard."
Date Submitted: 31-Jan-98
By: Eric Kearns (ekearns at connect dot net)
"I just saw this show on Laser Disc. Wow! I could care less about what the camera work does for me. The music coming out of my speakers was nothing short of brilliant. The gentle touch and heavy bash of this band has yet again amazed me. How can you go from one end of the spectrum to the other like these guys. "Walking on Air" to "Thrak." Now that is something. The section with Bill and Tony having a bit of a blow before "Indiscipline" is simply super! I saw this monster back in '95 in Atlanta and I was instantly transported back. Worth the price of admission!"
Date Submitted: 17-Apr-99
By: Stephen De Prospero (StephenfromNY at webtv dot net)
"Awsome!! Truely a must for any fan of the mighty King Crimson. Although the band has lost touch wth playing anything live from the earliest incarniations. Albums such as "In the Court", "In the Wake", "Lizard", or "Islands". Thats the only thing thats disappointing, the band dips into their progressive history with faithful versions to "Red", and "Larks Tongue's" part one, even in some ways surpassing the originals. But the foucs here is "Thrak" and the pop orianted tunes from the 80's albums. Never the less, this video is outstanding. Its just that the first four albums are my favirite, and I was hopeing that would paly something from those days. Otherwise, this is a remarkable video!!!"
THRAK
Date Submitted: 27-Jan-98
By: Sandy Starr (alexander.starr at mansfield dot oxford dot ac dot uk)
"Just a thought - when I saw Belew take a drill to his guitar during Thrak, I immediately thought of the legendary German band Einsturzende Neubauten and their antics (on the Nick Cave song The Moon Is In The Gutter, Blixa Bargeld of Neubauten played his guitar solo using an electric razor). Any other fans of both KC and EN get excited, or is it just me?"
