BoffoBits #8- John Wetton (RIP) on "Red", Ian McDonald, Roxy Music and a call from Robert Fripp.

In 1974, King Crimson's John Wetton was pleased that the band had come full circle with the return of founding member, Ian McDonald. He loved the "Red" album and felt the band was ready for a wider audience. What does Roxy Music have to do with it? Watch this latest BoffBit for the answer.

[@martinmoffitt4702]

King Crimson is just King Crimson .nothing more nothing less....they are and were perfect just the way they were and are nothing more nothing less They are King Crimson how lucky we are to have had such visionary musicians grace the musical universe...

[@WarhawkBeyond2040]

Ian Mcdonald rejoining King Crimson with the lineup of Robert Fripp, John Wetton and Bill Bruford would have been tremendous especially as they would have had not only an original member back in the band but one of the main guys who co wrote 'in the court of the crimson king', such a shame that never happened. If they didn't break up after the Red album and stayed together, I do believe that they would have become even bigger and the music they could have made would have been legendary.

[@davidryan7386]

fripp went to JGB's school instead. this filtered deeply into: Bowie, Eno, Byrne and who knows whom else. PG for instance. Fripp took the depest departure from the rock star world and needed too.

[@misfit2022]

Red - What a great, great album

[@mrp356b]

Had the pleasure of seeing Mr. Wetton is the 1973 King Crimson, a couple Asia tours and the first UK tour. John had an amazing voice and second to none on bass. Mr. Fripp compared him to Jaco Pastorius. There is another youtube video of Robert talking of John, and Robert is almost brought to tears.

[@funkster007]

I saw Robert's little speech about John. I've never seen him choked up before. Pretty moving.

[@hfhifi6878]

​@@funkster007Yes. I think Fripp has finally grasped that he made an awful mistake. No other lineup came close to Wetton/Bruford in terms of improv, power and energy.

[@jdmresearch]

@@hfhifi6878 I don't think he regrets his decision though. In fact, I don't think they were close at all by the time this interview was taped (as can be inferred by watching this whole interview). They became close friends much later, after the year 2000 I believe. And the reason he choked wasn't because he ended KC in 74 -- it was because of John's final days.

[@atlasking6110]

One of the great missed opportunities - Red-era KC plus with Ian McDonald would have been amazing!

[@briane5706]

R.I.P. John Wetton and Ian MacDonald.

[@MediaWest]

i'm so old, i remember buying 'red' at my local record store the day it came out in the states... and of course, we always bought the import versions for its superior vinyl! still on my playlist.

[@zigzag2510]

My favourite bass&voice 💓🙏

[@AlmostEthical]

Damn. I'm Australian. I had no idea how close I was to seeing thee classic Crimson.

[@theo9952]

In my opinion it would not be much closer than the 7-piece Elements Of King Crimson was. But it would be interesting.

[@petemarr824]

WHere is the rest of this interview please.

[@sidewalkfins]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/e4XJf6SVYtx4qrc

[@AstronomyDomine]

God if they went through with it they could have been in Pink Floyd territory

[@m1losk1]

I sure love pink floyd, but i dont know if thats the right path for them

[@Slappaccino]

Glad they sidestepped that landmine, then, cause that would have been terrible.

[@firebrand4074]

@@m1losk1 I think they meant the band could’ve broken out from a cult following to an international name like Pink Floyd did if they didn’t break up

[@flyingfreerv8007]

People seem to think bringing McDonald back would make some good records. With all the hostility, it would add to Wetton's problems with substance abuse. It would not make a worthy Epitaph only a Fracture

[@colinslant]

They could have been as big as Pink Floyd...

[@oupahens9219]

Na, Bobby was at that time chasing the blond girls, and he wanted them all for himself.

[@dtchinacat3973]

You call "In the Court of the Crimson King" commercial, really?

[@greyever7820]

For 1974 yes, for 1978 no.

[@hfhifi6878]

It got an enormous amount of airplay and press coverage. It was the"hit" of that record.

[@Kreb99]

Fripp can be somewhat of a flake. Most geniuses are.

[@theo9952]

Robert Fripp said he needed at least one year break and it took him more than three to return to music and about seven to restart King Crimson.

[@pluggotic]

an immensely productive break. out of the scenes and into the future.

[@9Universe757]

I remember those days but back then after '74 you never thought you'd hear from Crimson ever again.

[@Jlipnicki]

Obviously had no need of the income. Continually moans about royalties but lives in a big house with a large garden in some desirable town.

[@theo9952]

@@Jlipnicki Yes indeed it looks pretty much like a posh place, which however he feels entitled to own and enjoy for his contribution to music.

[@Jlipnicki]

@@theo9952 He was training in estate management prior to forming the group.

[@theo9952]

In my opinion RED was a dynamic but strangely austere album, as black and white as its record sleeve.

[@joeyoungs8426]

Absolutely agree.

[@jdmresearch]

Well, compared to SABB and LTiA, yes.