Adrian Belew led his talents to Frank Zappa, Talking Heads AND Tom Tom Club, David Bowie, Peter Gabriel, Paul Simon’s Graceland, and scores of others, but it’s his three LP run in the early eighties with King Crimson, with which his name is most widely associated. Robert Fripp dissolved Crimson in 1974, which is how it remained until 1981, when he recruited Belew, Bill Bruford and Tony Levin for the trio of LP’s, Discipline, Beat, and Three of A Perfect Pair. The hiatus and new lineup served King Crimson well, as the band redefined it’s very period specific Prog, into a contemporary powerhouse that still appealed to fans of their original sound. Belew’s nimble playing and distinct vocal delivery came to exemplify that era of King Crimson’s sound.
I had the privilege of seeing the Adrian Belew Trio, maybe 6 or so years ago, and they were great, and Belew was very personable. On the other hand, I saw a Fripp solo performance a year or two later and left after twenty minutes.
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