Actually, I have very little to add to the fine recommendations that have already appeared here -- though of course I'll add my long-winded bit anyway. Joseph quite correctly knew that my pet topic would draw me out despite the late hour and overwhelming work load -- but then, he's seen the roughly three feet of shelf space in my apartment exclusively devoted to Crimson releases, legit and otherwise... I think, given the presence of Andy Summers, David Torn and Primus on AM's list, that the '80s band is the place for him to begin, but I'll break with tradition: Instead of starting with 'Discipline' (which is undeniably a classic album), why not consider the live set from that band, 'Absent Lovers'? You get an overview of the band's three albums in performances that are faithful to the studio versions but add a bit more heat. At first, I had issues with the way Fripp mastered the thing with the guitars panned hard left and hard right, but you know, it does afford a pretty remarkable view of the way the two guitarists played distinctive lines that, added together, formed something else. Likewise, instead of 'Larks' Tongues in Aspic' or 'Starless and Bible Black,' consider getting to know the mid-'70s version of the band through 'The Night Watch,' a nearly complete, classic live show from Amsterdam. You get a better sense of that band's emphasis on free improvisation, both within the context of the songs from the two albums I mentioned, as well as the free-standing improvs that made up a large portion of the band's live sets. Quite a bit of the 'Starless and Bible Black' LP actually comes from this very concert recording, and it's more economical and sensible for the beginner than 'The Great Deceiver' would be. Continuing in that vein, 'Vroom Vroom' is the best way to get to know the '90s band, and 'Heavy ConstruKction' is the choice for the current band; while the bulk of the material on the latter comes from the lifeless 'The ConstruKction of Light,' at least the live performances breathe some real fire into it, and you get some impressive improvising as well. (A live set from the current tour might be even better, and one such set will be coming on DVD video before long.) The bluesy early '70s band remains problematic: The studio recordings don't accurately reflect the live band, which was at heart a "jamming" unit, even "funky" in a classic white British r'n'b sense at times. But the recently released 'Ladies of the Road,' ostensibly an attempt to present that band in a showcase on a par with all of the sets I've just mentioned, fails to do so precisely because Fripp still seems to have absolutely no faith in that band's value. Several of the tunes are butchered horribly, with entire verses omitted, and the second disc, a long meta-version of "21st Century Schizoid Man" that strings together many of Fripp's and Mel Collins's solos in one long, epic rendition, sounds good on paper but wears out its welcome quickly. It, too, is oddly edited. It's a shame, really... I've heard boots that make this band sound as wooly and dangerous as Last Exit. 'In the Court of the Crimson King,' yes, yes, a drop-dead classic, but also miles away from the specific things that AM mentioned. Unless you've got an appreciation for other prog rock of that particular era -- by which I mean peers like Yes and Genesis, as well as offshoot Emerson, Lake and Palmer -- I'd actually suggest trying to hear it before you buy it. At the very least, pick up 'The Night Watch' first -- it's a good indicator of the way in which the band moved forward from its symphonic and jazzy roots to a more unique and integrated sound. It might be heresy to admit this, but of all the Crimson albums, 'Court' is probably the one I go back to least (beside 'ConstruKction,' anyway); it's a masterpiece, for sure, but it also feels a bit dated, whereas most of the others are too weird and genuinely "other" to have done so. Your mileage will likely vary. Steve Smith ssmith36@sprynet.com (... who firmly believes that the new 'De-Loused in the Comatorium' by The Mars Volta is the best prog CD in years...)