King Crimson - Dinosaur (Live At The Warfield Theatre, San Francisco, 1995)
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Published 2024-05-03
To stand up in front of thousands of rock fans and call yourself a dinosaur is bound to be a risky business. By 1995, progressive rock was viewed with great suspicion by both critics and Commentariat, seen as bloated, pompous and preening - barely able to walk, like a dinosaur on the verge of extinction. If you call your song ‘Dinosaur’, you’d better be good with irony and making sure the listener gets it. I winced when I heard the plan, and gave it a low estimate of success. Actually, I thought we’d be murdered.
I needn’t have worried. Happily, Belew’s masterful lyric is full of self-deprecating, deeply ironic humour (just like an honorary Brit), but at the same time painfully honest:
“Ignorance has always been something I excel in
followed by naiveté and pride
doesn’t take a scientist to see how
any clever predator could have a piece of me
standing in the sun, idiot savant,
something like a monument.”
Excellent stuff. As the song progresses, the grain of Belew’s voice gets progressively and spectacularly gritty on the title line, showing this guy ain’t messin’ around.
Meanwhile, down in the Crimson engine-room, Pat Mastelotto and I were finding it hard to find fresh things to do, particularly on a fairly straight 4/4 backbeat song like this. We’d already used all the obvious strategies in the band’s repertoire: two different meters at the same time (Sex, Sleep, Eat, Drink, Dream); playing the same thing as the other guy, but a quarter- or eighth-note later (Vrooom Vrooom); improvisation (Thrak); my small percussion to Pat’s groove (People, One Time); improvising with meters over one constant meter from Pat (B’Boom). Several of these approaches had been influenced by the work of one Gavin Harrison, shortly to become a Crimson drummer himself.
But, by Dinosaur, the rhythm tank was running on low. On the album ‘Thrak’, we had opted for the displaced thing for two drummers in the chorus of the song, and a pleasantly displaced backbeat by one drummer in the verses, until the last two lines, where you get a straight backbeat. Three variations then, so a decent bang for your buck.
Here though, live at the Warfield, and listening for the first time in years, I hear we’ve mostly abandoned the album version, and I potter along comfortably in a straight 4/4 with an underrepresented Pat playing along as second percussion. So, I guess we thought the album version didn’t translate as well on stage, at least as far as the drumming was concerned. The re-entry for Fripp’s guitar solo after the percussion-free rubato section is satisfyingly huge though, on both album and Warfield theatre versions.
The song reached peak exposure on ‘Late Night with Conan O’Brien’, a national US TV show. I remember a heavily-edited, pretty feeble version of it limping out of the speakers. This was another episode in King Crimson’s long-standing stand-off with mass media.The band’s occasional confrontations with the Big Time usually ended in tears. On that occasion, Mr O’Brien won hands down, but there is plenty of strength left in it here. Hope you like it!
#billbruford #tamadrums #paistecymbals #jazzdrumming #drumsolos #improvisationmusic #yes #rockdrummer #electronicdrumkit #
All Comments (21)
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The best band most people haven't heard in their lives. so sad...
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The best song on a tremendous album. In the drums, I hear buried dinosaurs smashing their ways to the top, among other things. Phenomenal ❤
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This song was on the British Airways in flight musical selection on my flight in the mid 90s.
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This snare, Jesus Christ🥁👌👌🥁
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I had this album on cassette when it came out. Forgot how much Iloved it. Belew's vocals, as with everything Crimson, were over the top!
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I saw King Crimson in 95 at the Wiltern. That was the best concert I’ve ever seen so far. Second was the Discipline tour.
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My journey to KC started with this song. Long ago and far away...
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That snare drum…………!
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Just phenomenal. A completely original composition. The band and rhythm section were locked. Belew's vocals were way beyond what I expected.
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It's such a pity that the cameraman at the Warfield Theatre thought this was an Adrian Belew solo concert. All videos from this gig seem to suffer from this misapprehension. The double trio was such a fantastic group. But as all Crimson incarnations, it was exactly that – a group. A fascinating, magical ensemble working together as a team. Not a singer-songwriter supported by a backup band.
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Saw them at the Pier in NYC. Miss these days and this music!!
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Everyplace I've lived since "Thrak" was released, the mini-poster of the fire bucket was on my living room wall, just as it is this very moment! Still one of my favorite albums. I as well thank you, Bill, for these gems and insights.
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I was there with my brother. Awesome show!!!
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One of my favorites. Saw this tour in LA at the Wiltern. Magnificent !
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A truly formidable performance… a freight train with attitude. And, as always, I really appreciate your commentary and illumination.
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was thrilled to catch this +2 reunion in Detroit! also played the cd on my community college radio show
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I adore Thrak and this banger particularly. Thanks for the video and insightful description as always Bill! 🙏
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This is wonderful. I’m seeing Beat in October, and really looking forward to the new incarnation of “Crimson” playing the 80s stuff. I’ve never seen ANY variation of KC, ever, so this will be an experience. And I know that this particular song was from the 90s, but I am hoping that they throw in a couple of curveballs in the setlist or encore. Would absolutely love to see this one live.
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Killer! Was looking for an inspirational piece of music to help motivate me to practice bass guitar for my church rehearsal later tonight. FOUND IT. Bill- you are awesome, sir!
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Marvelous performance by the double trio!
