Watch the trailer for King Crimson doc ‘In the Court of the Crimson King’

"This is the first King Crimson where there's not at least one member in the band that actively resents my presence, which is astonishing." That's King Crimson bandleader Robert Fripp in the new documentary about his band. He's joking, but there is definitely an "it's funny 'cause it's true" air here, as In the Court of the Crimson King looks back at 50 years of the band and the many musicians who've been part of the lineup. Here's the official synopsis:

What began as a traditional documentary about the legendary band King Crimson as it turned 50, mutated into an exploration of time, death, family, and the transcendent power of music to change lives; but with jokes.

In the Court of the Crimson King is a dark, comic film for anyone who wonders whether it is worth sacrificing everything for just a single moment of transcendence. It explores the unique creative environment of King Crimson, one in which freedom and responsibility conspire to place extraordinary demands on the band’s members - only alleviated by the applause of an audience whose adoration threatens to make their lives even harder. It's a rewarding and perilous space in which the extraordinary is possible, nothing is certain, and not everyone survives intact.

Directed by Toby Amies, In the Court of the Crimson King will premiere at the 2022 SXSW Film Festival in March, and you can watch the trailer for it below.

Robert Fripp's sense of humor has been more on display during the pandemic. His Sunday Lunch YouTube series with wife Toyah Wilcox, featuring saucy cover versions filmed in their kitchen, have become a viral sensation. They've been on a punk kick lately, with covers of The Stooges, Ramones, The Undertones and The Clash.

You can pick up In the Court of the Crimson King on vinyl in the BV shop.