King Crimson - "Thela Hun Ginjeet" on "Fridays" (12/4/81) - Audio from the ABC network feed

Please enjoy "Thela Hun Ginjeet," performed by King Crimson on ABC's "Fridays." Although this clip may exist elsewhere, this is unique in that the audio is sourced from a half-track 7.5ips reel-to-reel recording made from the ABC network satellite feed.

[@somarriba333]

Fripp looks like he's trying out a guitar at a music store when suddenly 3 other guys show up and crank shit up.

[@ckallaher]

He even looks a bit like he was there doing the accounting for the store. They are an interesting collection of personalities.

[@daveguitarnowski4402]

Haha! that's awesome!

[@somarriba333]

@@ckallaher Awe man. He just wanted to relax during his hard earned 15 minute break from accounting and be at peace playing some music.

[@jayem1826]

If I'm not mistaken that's a Roland Synthesiser Guitar

[@rkm3]

I saw Fripp touring with Peter Gabriel. He had long hair and he stood for the whole show. He's good.

[@elchungo5026]

You can be cool, but you will never be adrian belew prancing around on stage wearing a pastel pink suit while singing about the time he nearly got his skull bashed in

[@Unicorns8myPoo]

Tell that to Buford sitting there in clothes that match his Simmons pads…

[@harounel-poussah6936]

You've never seen Belew wearing a dress when he was with Frank Zappa...

[@lobserve1]

With white shoes, and he's killing it.

[@rhythmfield]

@@harounel-poussah6936 I saw it, at the Palladium in 1979-Belew was wearing a U.S. Army surplus dress, no less !!

[@MichaelMut]

AND making a dastardly Roland Jazz Chorus feedback noise!

[@landy-gyebnar]

I have no idea how Tony does this but he looks exactly the same today, in 2024.

[@greg-warsaw4708]

Check out Leland Sklar - he does the same trick.

[@Eumesmo_123]

He is a vampire

[@atomusbliss]

Do what you love exceptionally well while avoiding the spotlight. 😃

[@michael1]

The same way that Dara O Briain has looked 55 years old since he was 25.

He does cycling with Manu Katche every day

[@Frankincensedjb123]

What I loved about King Crimson is that the corporate office always sent someone down to play guitar with Adrian Belew.

[@shable1436]

Don't know much about them, so are you saying they were a industrial studio group

[@juliangonzalez2953]

​​@@shable1436 Nah he's saying robert fripp looks like an average office guy in this video

[@afreakinsando]

I sometimes think he looks like a vampire who accidentally ended up in Miami Beach in the 80s

[@mrbunghole]

He looks like an accountant in this one.

[@ROLtheWolf]

I think Fripp looks spiffy!

[@gravl1]

Wow. Just got my tix to the Beat Tour with Belew, Levin, Vai, and Carey. Can’t wait!

[@darcyperkins7041]

Check out the Rick Beato with the 4 of them, plus his separate interview with Vai and Satriani.

[@ikkenhisatsu7170]

I'm envious. O hope I can see them!

[@SenseiNWDA]

I'm pissed. Closest the BEAT tour gets to me is Denver.

[@alexismoma]

@@SenseiNWDA Yeah, it sucks right? Closest to me is Vegas and I'm in central Mexico, I will miss this great reunion along with so many others I have missed because they only play in their countries :(

[@SenseiNWDA]

@alexismoma I'm 35 minutes from Seattle. Still trying to figure why NO Pacific NW shows.

[@gaultadam]

This and Elephant talk from the same broadcast, are still to this day, FAR AND AWAY the greatest live performances I've ever seen.

[@devolve42]

Fripp looks like the substitute teacher you had in math class who made math actually interesting for like 2 days before your regular boring teacher came back.

[@kipponi]

😂😂❤

[@Eleventhearlofmars]

Nah he hasn’t got any elbow pads on his jacket, or is that physics teachers? 🤔😂

[@talkingmudcrab718]

@@Eleventhearlofmars yeah. the one who talked about laissez-faire economics and passed out flyers for his run as Libertarian candidate for the State Senate.

[@MichaelSheffield-ox8yd]

@@talkingmudcrab718 Wow -- YT is not all stupid.

[@KevinScherrer]

Hard to believe that this was on broadcast TV on a Friday night. We were so cool back then but we didn't even know it.

[@dthorne4602]

Fridays was a great show

[@cortical1]

You're being modest. We knew it. We just didn't flaunt it like they do now. 😉

[@snapfinger1]

So hot Fripp almost came up off his stool.

[@franciskhoury4288]

Ha ha, fuck yeah!

[@autpt]

Lllloooll, just don’t take his pic

[@infrequentvlogs4433]

it's a HOT ROCK JAZZ STOOL, to be fair

[@doctorpatient519]

ooh- that would be unfortunate, as it would disconnect his "secret" anal probe from controlling his effects pedals

[@billyz5088]

Adrian Belew predicted the 'Miami Vice' look several years before the series started ..

[@michael1]

The person who made the suit would probably have something to say about that

[@user-vn1zb9ov8d]

Sometimes it's better to lag fashion than pre-empt.....pink pastel eeeek!!!

[@erickpahr31416]

The best king crimson line up ever, long live to the King Crimson.

[@josjanssen6733]

Truly "Heat in the Jungle". More than 40 years old and still unbeatable. Talking about "beating", any more addicts here to Bill's snare drum sound?

[@davidmarkspeer7730]

One of the strongest sets ever recorded. Beautiful.

[@boondoggle4820]

I can’t believe I found a live performance of this song when they were promoting the release of this album. You have no idea how elated I am as this is my favorite incarnation of Crimson and these guys were unbelievably skilled musicians.

[@devolve42]

As far as I'm concerned this is the definitive version of King Crimson.

[@toniearl3497]

I loved this version of King Crimson so much I went to Robert Fripp's Frippertronics lecture on March 28, 1983 at UWO Althouse Theatre. And yes it was a lecture demonstrating how he uses tape loops. OMG that was 41 years ago today...I still have the souvenir t-shirt "The Lecture 1983 Contents: One small, mobile, intelligent unit. Robert Fripp.".

[@nodularification]

Frickin' supergroup, right there.

[@damnvoid6603]

complete badasses, workin' like a gotdamn machine

[@Eviloverlord545]

I am sure you heard about Beat. No Frip but he gave his blessing for it to happen

[@televisiondevil5235]

The cut to Bruford mouthing thank you was hilarious. 😂

[@rainydayofficial8767]

The best King Crimson performance I have ever seen, Tony Levin and Andrew Belew - WOW!, they are from a different planet!!

[@thomasbrown9402]

Fripp looking positively crafty

[@theworldaccordingto4555]

What a band. Probably one of the GOAT. Every musician was at the top of their game. Simply awesome, as awesome as any band can be.

[@andrewmcgee1001]

I remember this night! I came home and looked in the tv guide for what was on and I saw Friday's with musical guest King Crimson...WHOA!! They opened with 'Elephant Talk'..I was blown away..

[@hifibrony]

I remember seeing this when it was broadcast. Great stuff! Been a Crim freak for 50+ years.

[@antoniodalfonso]

Only four of the finest musicians can produce such an experience!

[@anothercitizen4867]

Miami Vice Adrian Belew wrote the best King Crimson lyrics ever(and to this day doesn’t get credit) while singing and playing some of the most original guitar licks ever.

[@MDK2_Radio]

Cool, watching this 42 years to the day later. Discipline was my introduction to King Crimson.

[@kallymavromatis123]

I saw them in concert on that tour! Really amazing. Love them.

[@JulesN580]

Discipline was my intro to KC as well. We had a tiny independent record rack inside a mainstream electronics store in small town Tasmania - had no idea what l was buying in my late teens but loved the cover; so worth it. I then bought ‘Lone Rhino’ and ended up amassing a huge chunk of Eno/Bowie/Frip as well as psych, punk etc. Human creativity - it’s effin’ endless! My understanding is that the band wanted to call the album ‘Discipline’ without the KC, but that the record company wouldn’t have it.

[@ShiroiTengu]

As a KC fan who came to the band from David Bowie by way of Belew, it was a thrill to see Adrian using the same guitar to make the same wild noises he would do while playing the intro to Bowie's Station to Station

[@rubintuesday]

Crazy how Fripp and Belew both played with Bowie in the late 70s but had no overlap on his albums (Fripp - Heroes & Scary Monsters, Belew - Lodger) and then they formed this lineup of Crimson. I wonder if Bowie had anything to do with them discovering each other?

[@3264headtrip]

SO GREAT! Brings me back to the musically diverse and fabulous 80s and 90s. Looking back....Innocent Times.

[@chiplarison1914]

I was a student at Musicians Institute (GIT) in LA in 1981. Bill Bruford came in to do a drum seminar which was very impressive. He mentioned that he would be performing with King Crimson on the Fridays show. I watched that and it was mind blowing. I’d never heard anything like it before.

[@martinscholes2023]

That would blow peoples minds if it was on tv today. Awesome

[@gregbolles7170]

I was at the Seattle stop of this tour at the Showbox and will never forget Adrian Belew pointing at the sleeve of his red jacket and saying, "This is RED!" before they launched into Red. Best concert ever!

[@tonyrapa-tonyrapa]

Great song, great band, great performance, and 2 wonderful Roland JC-120s in the background.

[@jmason61]

All the vintage gear is so cool

[@SoundOldies]

cristal clear and finally well supporting tons of saturation sound :-)

[@StuartConstantine]

The dueling JC 120's are my favorite part!

[@SoundOldies]

@@StuartConstantine 😁

[@SkiRedMtn]

These guys are like if The Talking Heads thought they were making Metal

[@damnvoid6603]

exAAAAAAACTly

[@donsurlylyte]

heads and this and a couple others sort of in the same motel of zeitgeist

[@DosEckesProductions]

Best copy of this video out there. Great sound.

[@VPR2B]

Still kicking myself for not rolling a 1-inch on this …

[@DosEckesProductions]

Ha! Keep kicking!

[@davidkinnear5792]

Just excellent excellent excellent fun... Some of my favourite players. But it's the ease with which you gel that's most impressive. Robert from Accounts does a great job of steering the good ship Crimson. Adrian, love the loose limbs & Barbara Cartland pink. Tony, always Mr Cool. Right notes, right time, right rig. You da man... & Bill... well, what a fine drummer this young fella has been for many years. Toot sweet, lads! You all deserve your pensions...

[@sawboss216]

Tony Levin...what a bad ass bass player! One of the best.

[@JohnnyNation]

No shortage of cool sounds from that solid state Roland Jazz Chorus !!!###

[@PatrickOwen-z9i]

No High Hat!! Ever!! Turned out to be an amazing rule. This music is so organic - there are no canned keyboard arpeggios or MIDI sequences controlling this chaos - this video yrs before MIDI was even invented. Robert is **playing** those notes!!! So good, every time I watch it.

[@giork2828]

Tony Levin looks the same since 1908

[@Pwecko]

I didn't know he was born in 1908. Amazing.

[@giork2828]

@@Pwecko He wasn’t. Born in the 1800’s, he looks old and bald since 1908 😀

[@Pwecko]

@@giork2828 Ah, I see. That makes much more sense.

[@RJWPG]

Musicianship is mind blowing

[@joeday9333]

Actual music!

[@Philip-sz6mj]

I Was at that Fridays show that night. ABC Prospect Studios in Los Angeles. Great Times!

[@VPR2B]

Nice! Two of my brothers were there too, which is what prompted me to roll an audio tape on the network feed.

[@rhythmfield]

@@VPR2Bhow did you access that network satellite audio feed? It’s a bit raw and funky but that’s probably EXACTLY what the band sounded like live on the stage itself - amazing recording !

[@VPR2B]

@@rhythmfield I was working at an independent TV station at the time and for an unknown reason, AT&T would often feed ABC down our (seldom used) network feed line. I was fortunate that they were doing so on this night!

[@Stratmanable]

"Great times"...? Something remarkable happened to you, and ALL YOU HAVE TO SAY ABOUT IT IS "Great times"...?

[@scottgregory6129]

In the recent Rick Beato interview featuring the re-birth of King Crimson (Vai, Belew, Cary, Levin) Adrian laughed about how he played thru a Roland Jazz Chorus. 02:55 Something like "When it was my turn to solo, I would just run back to the amp and start twisting knobs!" Of course I paraphrase, but he made it sound funny, and this is epic. I just hope I get a chance to see the American version of King Crimson in person.

[@kipponi]

Yes watched it too funny man❤😂.

[@stevebourne6826]

I looked this video up after hearing his comment about his solo.. Who plays behind the nut? Great interview I love what Rick is doing.

[@johnnyxmusic]

@@stevebourne6826Bill Bruford?

[@steelewheels1365]

I had a Jazz Chorus. Those were amazing amps. So clean and loud!

[@EleanorPeterson]

​@@johnnyxmusic​- "Who plays behind the nut?" [Unusual guitar-playing technique.] "Bill Bruford?" [At the back, on drums.] Oh, that's brilliant, dear boy! Belew is indeed bonkers, but I'm afraid your observation may be too droll for KZbin.😁

[@ikkenhisatsu7170]

I've been a Crim fan since 1971, through all the iterations, but this was probably them all playing at their peaks. Loads of positive energy.

[@artysanmobile]

Robert’s counter-tempo playing is just magic here.

[@veerchasm1]

Fridays always had the cutting edge artists

[@SenseiNWDA]

Remember when they had The Plasmatics with Wendy O. Williams on? Fridays was (for Friday) what SNL was for Saturdays.

[@franciskhoury4288]

Discipline is one of my favorite albums, and this performance kicks ass. But, this would make a hilarious "shreds" video.

[@rhythmfield]

I’d LOVE to see that !!!!

[@marshallross3373]

Ya, that was good. Very cool to see the lads young and excited, charting new ground, and experimenting. It takes me back to the time I got to see them live for the first time, probably in 83, for the Three of a Perfect Pair tour. I'd literally just bought the album, and only listened once or twice, so it was pretty radical stuff. I was unfamiliar with all of the music. It was at the SDSU Amphitheater, and the crowd was tiny. We got to move down to the middle of the row, and watch and listen from a perfect position. One of the all time best musical experiences for me. Being a recreational bass player myself, Levin inspired me to purchase a Chapman Stick when I could eventually afford it, which didn't happen for several years. Thanks for posting this clip.

[@andyharman3022]

I used to deliver travel trailers for a living, and in 2017 had a delivery to Kingston, NY. I stayed the night in a Super 8 motel and at breakfast in the morning I noticed that a lot of the guests were wearing King Crimson t-shirts and carrying Chapman Sticks in their carrying cases. I asked one of the guys and he said "we are here for the summer seminar that Tony Levin puts on every year." What are the odds of that happening to a King Crimson fan?

[@marshallross3373]

@@andyharman3022 Very cool. Ya the camp still happens every year. Would love to go myself, but it's not feasible. As you point out, we do live in a small world, made smaller by the internet, even. Thanks for sharing your encounter.

[@andyharman3022]

This is an awesome video. Ade on his classic beat-up Strat mesmerizing the audience with controlled feedback.

[@DavidBaumgarten-jg6wo]

When I saw them twice, they came out with the Yellow album. Belew had the sound bar by the mike stand and Bruford had the stand up drum set

[@jamesabrams6908]

I liked the Fridays show. It had Michael Richards, Larry David, and some people who appeared on Seinfeld later like Bruce Mahler and Melanie Chartoff. This King Crimson set was the kick ass thing and made me a KC fan after that.

[@andyharman3022]

Melanie Chartoff I still remember when she wore that fur coat. I wanted to take her home and kiss her all over.

[@frankierodriguez8661]

ABSOLUTELY MAGISTERIAL, not o mention they are coming back somehow with Steve Vai and Tool's Drummer, I can'¡t wait to see them live oh yah

[@danoaudio9896]

got my Houston tix yesterday....

[@Sargebri]

Interesting how someone mentioned the Talking Heads. In a video on prog in the 80's someone said that had Franz and Weymouth had their way they would have kicked out David Byrne and replaced him with Adrian Belew.

[@devolve42]

This is correct. Belew got all integrity-filled and didn't want to do it. So they formed Tom Tom Club instead.

[@jeffreykinart8858]

@@devolve42 And were given a song by Adrian which became their biggest hit and they stiffed him on royalties

[@johnnyxmusic]

@@jeffreykinart8858What song?

[@jeffreykinart8858]

@@johnnyxmusic Genius of Love

[@johnnyxmusic]

@@jeffreykinart8858 Thank you.

[@victoonix2802]

the guitar tone is godlike

[@bluecrueful]

I am proud to say I had the three albums of this KC configuration back in the 1980s when I was a teen...it was the kind of thing we did before the internet

[@dholliday7700]

Had the pleasure of meeting Mr Levin this year while touring with Gabriel. A genuinely nice guy.

[@harrydavis8851]

ive know tony and steve gadd since 1969

[@harrydavis8851]

Remembering The Other Side of the Tracks Steve Gadd Tony Levin Gap Mangione

[@patrickcollins6830]

Saw them on their "Discipline" tour with this lineup and this and the other awesome tunes from that period. What a phenomenal band just blowing the lid off. Nothing like it.

[@davidanderson-wn4ep]

That accountant can really play guitar.

[@MerkinMuffly]

great stuff, hadn't seem this one before

[@bryantukmusic]

This studio audience got more than they bargained for that day…

[@jmason61]

BRAVO! Us young stoners would grok on these players on vinyl.... seeing them on TV was so cool

[@jwmeirose]

It's a nice touch that God decided to make himself visible and put on a suit and tie for this performance.

[@fabrikk60]

Many here are pointing out the obvious Talking Heads influence. I think that Tony & Robert's previous work with Peter Gabriel should also be factored in to this version of KC.

[@jeremyhopkins577]

I think Brian Eno is also part of the DNA.

[@jamespuleo3269]

Saw this back when. This audio has much more "Umph!" in the bass and drums~~~ Thanks for posting !!

[@Roddy1965]

A pivotal performance in my appreciation of music when I witnessed this broadcast.

[@JulesN580]

Yes - moments like these - like seeing the fascinating, delirious ‘Once in a Lifetime’ first viewed on Countdown - set me on a musical course for life, with ‘music on the radio’ simply a detail.

[@martydotzone]

Thank you for uploading this :)

[@9750939]

Every guitarist who saw this in 1981 had his mind blown. Maybe even sold his guitar the next day and took up the French horn.

[@Pat_11131]

Love Bill riding on the roto like there’s no tomorrow.

[@rhythmfield]

I dug that Roto riding very much. Bill was probably very frustrated, being forbidden to use high hats by the professor (Fripp)… But I really like the primal sound, and forcing limitations can lead to wonderful new things.

[@deruberschwarze3943]

Those are actually octobans.

[@boysherman]

@@deruberschwarze3943 He rode on both for this song. FYI, Danny Carey but 3 of them from a Bruford Auction and will be using them for the Fall '24 Beat tour.

[@deruberschwarze3943]

@@boysherman Nice catch. He did. BTW, Fripp endorsed the tour.

[@williamweiss6128]

Love that lp and Fridays, of course.

[@phillippitts6294]

It was a seriously underrated show .

[@ministrychicago1]

Going to be interesting what Vai and Carey bring to the new Crimson.

[@consulentecomunicazionestr3072]

With Fripp blessing

[@SwampEye1]

great song ... killer performance

[@rsbff4521]

This should have way more views

[@specialkonacid6574]

saw this when it aired , went out and bought the album the next day

[@francoisjaunasjaunas]

Superbe groupe, quel enthousiasme, quel son torturé !!!

[@01goldg1]

insidiously good!

[@aeropilot4419]

Bruford kills it here ... five stars

[@8amhotdogz]

glad this got reposted

[@artysanmobile]

Yes, it was that good.

[@quinsattorney]

Wow. Can't wait for BEAT in Indy.

[@alejandropalmapastrana8527]

Just Love’em 😂😂😂😂❤❤❤❤🎉🎉🎉🎉😊

[@christinapeter1001]

Great, have 👁️there moire times, also two drummer and bassmen....... Gooooooood👏👏👏👏👏

[@olafdietrich9269]

A perfect take !!

[@SurferJoe1]

A few weeks earlier they were in a bar in Atlanta and I snuck past the bouncer (with a ticket) at sixteen. November 13, 1981, I think. It's still the best show I ever saw. And I taped this live on the family VCR...

[@rickmiller7884]

So good, thanks KROQ for introducing me.

[@rockturtleneck]

I remember watching this live on Fridays--I was sleeping over at a friend's house and we were both blown away. Probably bought Discipline the next day.

[@robertnobody]

"They wanted to kill me, tear my limbs off"...lol.

[@ajpoltz]

This song kicks ash!!

[@tomstiel7576]

saw this tour in Royal Oak Mich,,,,,,,awesome

[@BigJohnnyMoe]

Scorching. Fire in musical form.

[@domingospoetalopes3923]

Where have ALL THE good times gone!!

[@kellykidder5262]

I remember watching this live. I taped it with a dictation cassette recorder and played it constantly.

[@derekmoss7286]

Take a bow, gentlemen!

[@cliffordsalmon6342]

I watched this when it first aired and went out and bought the Discipline lp the next day...

[@geargeekpdx3566]

Adrian Belew is the arc angel of meta musical cool

[@craigburner1296]

What a performance! WOW!

[@surfercrow]

💗Fantastic!!🔥

[@ColinBaugh]

Electric performance!!!

[@roqueiii645]

grandes KC

[@ulfingvar1]

One of the few Crimson songs I do not like, but is still fun to watch them play.. and enjoy it..

[@chicklets4ever51]

Great stuff. This is a shortened version of the song, however. I saw this formation of King Crimson at a small venue in NYC, playing the "Discipline" program. It's the kind of stuff that gives the lie to the cliche that "rock n roll is easy to play."

[@RJ-pu6nc]

Love the Roland jc 120s scattered

[@user-kz8wf7yz7s]

Amazing !

[@gatorlover1969]

Just got tickets for the BEAT tour and found this post 2 days later lol.

[@elchungo5026]

Dear god, how can i get his swagger?