King Crimson, “Red” is about to turn 50: a box set is coming out
To celebrate the fiftieth anniversary of King Crimson’s landmark 1974 album, “Red“, the release of a new and special edition of the album which will be available as a box set from next October 11th via DGM and Panegyric Records.
The album, originally released on October 6th fifty years ago and often considered by critics one of the greatest masterpieces of progressive rock, will be celebrated with a 4 disc box set (2 Blu-rays and 2 CDs) and from 2 vinyl records from 200 grams.
As per the DGM website, the four-disc version will include the album reissue “Red” remastered by Steven Wilson – already working on the reissues of “Red”, “In the Court of the Crimson King” and “Lizard” in 2009 for the fortieth anniversary – in Dolby Atmos, 5.1 DTS-HD MA, Surround and Hi-Res Stereo. “What I hear on ‘Red’ is the best representation of the ’72-’74 era lineup in the studio. This is really a power trio record and their sound is just huge,” Wilson said.
The new 50th anniversary release of “Red” also includes a full album of “Elemental mixes” by the historic producer (and manager) of King Crimson, David Singletonwho created these mixes from the original multitrack recordings to offer a very different audio version of the album, with greater separation of instruments and using many elements recorded for the album, but not included in the original mixes.
As King Crimson biographer Sid Smith says in his new album notes: “David Singleton’s ‘Elemental mixes’ lift the veil on the original sessions and act as a kind of alternative account, a ‘Red’ that might have been, revealing the different passes and takes that the band, along with Collins, Charig and McDonald, made as they grappled with the material.”
The 50th anniversary box set presentation also states that “Red” was recorded immediately after King Crimson’s final US tour in 1974 and the 50th anniversary edition reflects that. including all three Hi-Res Stereo editions of the live album “USA” in its complete concert versions. Also included are a quintet of restored audio bootlegs, released on disc for the first time, along with a bootleg of the band’s final US concert in New York in 1974, which Robert Fripp described as: “The first concert since 1969 where the base of my spine registered the same level of ‘out of this world’.”
Here is the tracklist of “Red (50th Anniversary)”:
Blu-ray 1
2024 Steven Wilson mixes in Dolby Atmos, DTS-HD MA Surround (5.1) & 24/96 or 24/192 Hi-Res stereo.
Blu-Ray 2
David Singleton Elemental mixes, session material, 3 x USA album mixes, 5 x bootleg concert recordings from 1974, instrumental mixes and more… all in Hi-Res Stereo.
CD 1
2024 Steven Wilson mixes in stereo and instrumental forms
CD 2
2024 David Singleton Elemental mixes and session material.
Vinyl disc A
1. Red
2. Fallen Angel
3. One More Red Nightmare
Vinyl Disc B
1. Providence
2. Starless
LP1 – All new 2024 mixes by Steven Wilson.
LP2 – New elemental mixes by David Singleton.
