Discipline (King Crimson album)

1981 studio album by King Crimson

Discipline

Studio album by

King Crimson

Released| 2 October 1981
Recorded| May and June 1981
Studio| Island (Notting Hill, London)
Genre|

* Art rock
* progressive rock
* new wave
* post-progressive
* dance-rock

Length| 38:15
Label|

* E.G.
* Warner Bros.

Producer|

* King Crimson
* Rhett Davies

King Crimson chronology
| A Young Person's Guide to King Crimson
(1976)  | Discipline
(1981)  | Beat
(1982)

|
|

King Crimson studio chronology
| Red
(1974)  | Discipline
(1981)  | Beat
(1982)

|
|

Singles from  Discipline

1. "Matte Kudasai"
Released: November 1981
2. "Thela Hun Ginjeet"
Released: 1981 (Spain)

Discipline is the eighth studio album by English progressive rock band King Crimson, released on 2 October 1981 by E.G. Records in the United Kingdom and by Warner Bros. Records in the United States.[1]

This album was King Crimson's first following a seven-year hiatus. Only band co-founder and guitarist Robert Fripp and drummer Bill Bruford remained from the previous incarnation. They were joined by two American musicians: vocalist, guitarist and frontman Adrian Belew, previously a member of Frank Zappa and David Bowie's backing bands and a touring member of Talking Heads, and bassist, Chapman Stick player, and backing vocalist Tony Levin, a session musician Fripp had met while both were working with Peter Gabriel.[2]

The album introduced a new sound for the band, influenced by new wave, post-punk, minimalism and Indonesian gamelan music,[2][3] while retaining an experimental character, helping lay the groundwork for what would eventually become known as post-progressive rock.[4] Music publications have described Discipline as having elements of art rock,[5] progressive rock,[5] new wave,[6] and dance-rock.[7]

## Background

[edit]

After the release of Red in 1974, Fripp decided to disband King Crimson, saying that the band was "completely over for ever and ever."[8][9] In the interim, Fripp collaborated with various musicians and released a series of albums. A King Crimson reunion was considered in 1977 but ultimately rejected by Fripp, so the two other members from the Red lineup, Bill Bruford and John Wetton, formed the band UK. In 1979, Fripp released the solo album Exposure, which kickstarted a period that Fripp dubbed the Drive to 1981, which concluded once his band The League of Gentlemen had dissolved.[8]

Fripp sought to assemble a band that would grant him "access to the latest, current ideas, [and] the best musicians" while still touring with The League of Gentlemen.[10] He then recruited Bruford, Tony Levin, and Adrian Belew to form the band Discipline, which performed live with the Lounge Lizards throughout parts of 1981.[11][12] Fripp later opted to rename Discipline to King Crimson after concluding that "there was no doubt that the band playing was King Crimson."[10]

## Composition and recording

[edit]

The title of the ballad "Matte Kudasai" means “please wait” in Japanese (待って下さい). The original release of Discipline featured a guitar part on this track by Robert Fripp that was removed from the 1989 "Definitive Edition" remaster and most subsequent editions. The 30th and 35th anniversary editions of the album include both versions of the song.[13]

The lyrics of "Indiscipline" were adapted from a letter written to Adrian Belew by his then-wife Margaret concerning a painting that she had made, with all direct references to its subject removed.[14]

The title of "Thela Hun Ginjeet" is an anagram of "heat in the jungle", itself a euphemism for city-based crime. When it was first performed live, some of its lyrics were improvised around an illicit recording made by Robert Fripp of his neighbours having a vicious argument when he was living in New York; this recording is featured on the track "NY3" on Fripp's solo album Exposure.[citation needed] While the track was being recorded for the Discipline album, Adrian Belew, walking around Notting Hill Gate with a tape recorder looking for lyrical inspiration, was harassed first by a gang that took and played the tape and then by police who searched the tape recorder for drugs. On returning to the studio, he gave his bandmates a distraught account of what had just happened to him. Fripp covertly signaled to the recording engineer to record Belew, and this recording is featured on the Discipline version of the track.[15]

"The Sheltering Sky", which heavily features Belew and Fripp on the Roland GR-300 guitar synthesizer,[16] is named after and partially inspired by the 1949 novel of the same name by Paul Bowles. Bowles is often associated with the Beat generation, the writings of which would inspire King Crimson's subsequent studio album Beat.

Later versions of Discipline featured this design by Steve Ball.

Some live versions of "Elephant Talk", "Indiscipline", and "Thela Hun Ginjeet" included partial vocal improvisation during the spoken-word sections.[17]

The back cover features the statement, "Discipline is never an end in itself, only a means to an end". The original front cover features a variation on a copyrighted Celtic knot design by George Bain.[18] As it was found to be used without proper licensing, it was replaced on later releases by a knotwork designed by Steve Ball on commission from Robert Fripp.[19][20] Ball's design is also used as the logo of Fripp's record label, Discipline Global Mobile.

## Reception

[edit]

Professional ratingsReview scores

Source| Rating
All About Jazz| [21]
AllMusic| [22]
The Encyclopedia of Popular Music| [23]
Mojo| [24]
MusicHound Rock| [25]
Q| [26]
Record Mirror| [27]
Rolling Stone| [28]
The Rolling Stone Album Guide| [29]
The Village Voice| B[30]

Discipline reached number 41 on the UK Albums Chart[31] and received mixed to positive reviews. John Piccarella's review in Rolling Stone praised King Crimson's talent and artistry, particularly Belew and Fripp's "visionary approach to guitar playing", but criticised the "arty content" of the album itself, hoping that "this band of virtuosos [would stay] together long enough to transform all of their experiments into innovations."[28] Record Mirror's Alan Entwistle was generally enthusiastic, writing that the band "tests new ground and revitalises older ground"; he highlighted the "more mature" second side of the album, noting its "distinct songs that are danceable as well as disciplined".[27] Robert Christgau of The Village Voice described the album as "musically, not bad—the Heads meet the League of Gentlemen".[30] In The Village Voice's year-end Pazz & Jop poll, Discipline was voted by critics as the 35th best album of the year.[32]

Greg Prato's retrospective review in AllMusic commended the album's "inspired performances", particularly applauding the unexpectedly successful combination of Belew and Fripp's disparate playing styles. According to Prato, "the pairing of these two originals worked out magically."[22] Trouser Press characterised the album's songs as "unfolding musical sculptures, played with precision and rare imagination" and "a mostly successful synthesis of ambition, simplicity and Kraftwerkian clarity."[7]

## Legacy

[edit]

In 2002, Pitchfork ranked Discipline at number 56 on its list of "The Top 100 Albums of the 1980s"; in the album's entry on the list, staff writer Dominique Leone cited it as an influence on math rock and called it "as angular and tense as any post-punk group while as precise and rhythmically propulsive as a Bartók string quartet."[33]

In 2024, Adrian Belew and Tony Levin formed BEAT with Steve Vai and Tool drummer Danny Carey, performing music by the 1980s incarnation of King Crimson. This included material from Discipline as well as the subsequent albums Beat and Three of a Perfect Pair.[34][35]

## Track listing

[edit]

All music written by Adrian Belew, Robert Fripp, Tony Levin and Bill Bruford; all lyrics written by Adrian Belew.

Side ANo.| Title| Length

|
|

1.| "Elephant Talk"| 4:43
2.| "Frame by Frame"| 5:09
3.| "Matte Kudasai"| 3:47
4.| "Indiscipline"| 4:33
Total length:| 18:12

Side BNo.| Title| Length

|
|

5.| "Thela Hun Ginjeet"| 6:26
6.| "The Sheltering Sky" (instrumental)| 8:22
7.| "Discipline" (instrumental)| 5:13
Total length:| 20:01

## Personnel

[edit]

King Crimson

* Adrian Belew – electric guitar, Roland GR-300 guitar synthesizer,[16] vocals
* Robert Fripp – electric guitar, Roland GR-300 guitar synthesizer, devices
* Tony Levin – Chapman Stick, bass guitar, backing vocals
* Bill Bruford – drums, Simmons electronic drums,[36] slit drum, percussion

Production personnel

* Rhett Davies – production
* Nigel Mills – assistant engineer
* Graham Davies – gear
* Peter Saville – graphic design
* John Kyrk – knotwork[37] (uncredited; 1981, 1986 and 1989 issues only)
* Steve Ball – knotwork (2001 issue onwards)
* Paddy Spinks – strategic management

## Charts

[edit]

Chart (1981–82)  | Peak
position

|

Canada Top Albums/CDs (RPM)[38] | 18
Dutch Albums (Album Top 100)[39] | 43
French Albums (SNEP)[40] | 17
Japanese Albums (Oricon)[41] | 33
New Zealand Albums (RMNZ)[42] | 13
Swedish Albums (Sverigetopplistan)[43] | 37
UK Albums (OCC)[44] | 41
US Billboard 200[45] | 45

## References

[edit]

1. ^ "Music Week" (PDF). p. 31.
2. ^ a b "King Crimson, Discipline, 1981". DGM Live. 31 October 2016. Retrieved 16 January 2024.
3. ^ Tamm, Eric (1990). Robert Fripp: From Crimson King to Crafty Master. Faber and Faber. p. 117\. ISBN 978-0571129126.
4. ^ Bruford, Bill (2009). Bill Bruford: The Autobiography : Yes, King Crimson, Earthworks, and More. Jawbone Press. ISBN 978-1-906002-23-7.
5. ^ a b Dome, Malcolm (29 January 2019). "King Crimson: a guide to their best albums". Classic Rock Magazine. Retrieved 29 June 2019.
6. ^ Prato, Greg. "Beat – King Crimson". AllMusic. Retrieved 30 July 2016.
7. ^ a b Grant, Steven; Fleischmann, Mark; Robbins, Ira. "King Crimson". Trouser Press. Retrieved 30 July 2016.
8. ^ a b Banks, Joe (27 September 2021). "Robert Fripp's Drive To 1981: King Crimson's Discipline at 40". The Quietus. Retrieved 7 July 2025.
9. ^ Fripp, Robert (18 October 1974). "Robert Fripp Would Like a Word". Trouser Press (Interview). Interviewed by Ihor Slabicky. New York. Archived from the original on 22 April 2021. Retrieved 7 July 2025.
10. ^ a b Grabel, Richard (February 1982). "Robert Fripp's Chocolate Cake Discipline". Creem. pp. 22–23. Retrieved 7 July 2025.
11. ^ Fripp, Robert (7 September 2005). "Robert Fripp's Diary: DGM HQ". dgmlive.com. Archived from the original on 24 February 2021. Retrieved 24 February 2021.
12. ^ Brown, Mick (11 May 1981). "Robert Fripp's Discipline, the Lounge Lizards: Her Majesty's Theatre, London". The Guardian. Archived from the original on 21 April 2021. Retrieved 24 February 2021.
13. ^ Fripp, Robert (9 January 2001). "Chop Em Out Mastering Olympia". Robert Fripp's Diary. DGM Live. Retrieved 29 July 2017. "We are listening to the alternative version of "Matte" with RF on sustained guitar lines and solo. This is the version included on the original 1981 "Discipline" release, and was later replaced by the original pre-overdub minimalist mix on releases after 1989. In Island studios, recording and mixing of the album completed, Adrian & I agreed that something more was needed for "Matte". He left it to me to come up with something, flew home, but when he heard my contribution wasn't convinced. I agree. This new re-release gives us the opportunity to include both versions, in accordance with a suggestion made a while ago on the Guestbook."
14. ^ Fricke, David (March 1982). "Interview with King Crimson in Trouser Press". ET Wiki. Trouser Press. Retrieved 29 June 2019.
15. ^ Belew, Adrian (3 April 2007). "elephant blog: Anecdote # 808". elephant blog. Retrieved 13 December 2017.
16. ^ a b Joness, Wayne Scott. "Roland GR-300 Vintage Analog Guitar Synthesizer". Vintage Roland Guitar Synthesizer Resource. Retrieved 16 January 2024.
17. ^ "13 August 1982: The Greek Theatre Univ. Cal". DGM Live. Discipline Global Mobile. Retrieved 30 March 2021.
18. ^ Bain, George (1951). Celtic art: The methods of construction. London: Constable Press.
Bain, George (1973). Celtic Art: The Methods of Construction. Dover Publications, Inc. ISBN 0-486-22923-8.
19. ^ Ball, Steve (1 October 2001). "Saturday September 29". Steve Ball diary. SteveBall.com. Retrieved 29 February 2012.
20. ^ Ball, Steve (21 May 2009). "Steve Ball extended history: Side note". Steve Ball Roadshow: Extended press-kit. SteveBall.com. Retrieved 28 February 2012.
21. ^ Kelman, John (8 October 2011). "King Crimson: Discipline (40th Anniversary Series)". All About Jazz. Retrieved 31 July 2020.
22. ^ a b Prato, Greg. "Discipline – King Crimson". AllMusic. Retrieved 25 July 2011.
23. ^ Larkin, Colin (2011). "King Crimson". The Encyclopedia of Popular Music (5th concise ed.). Omnibus Press. ISBN 978-0-85712-595-8.
24. ^ Barnes, Mike (July 2019). "The Crown Jewels". Mojo. No. 308\. p. 55.
25. ^ Holtje, Steve (1996). "King Crimson". In Graff, Gary (ed.). MusicHound Rock: The Essential Album Guide (1st ed.). Visible Ink Press. pp. 385–86\. ISBN 978-0-7876-1037-1.
26. ^ "King Crimson: Discipline". Q. No. 179\. August 2001. p. 150.
27. ^ a b Entwistle, Alan (17 October 1981). "Disciplined Crimson". Record Mirror. p. 18.
28. ^ a b Piccarella, John (18 February 1982). "King Crimson: Discipline". Rolling Stone. Archived from the original on 2 May 2008. Retrieved 25 July 2011.
29. ^ Considine, J. D. (2004). "King Crimson". In Brackett, Nathan; Hoard, Christian (eds.). The New Rolling Stone Album Guide (4th ed.). Simon & Schuster. pp. 456–58. ISBN 0-7432-0169-8.
30. ^ a b Christgau, Robert (12 January 1982). "Christgau's Consumer Guide". The Village Voice. Retrieved 7 December 2020.
31. ^ "King Crimson". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 7 August 2016.
32. ^ "The 1981 Pazz & Jop Critics Poll". The Village Voice. 1 February 1982. Retrieved 7 December 2020.
33. ^ "The Top 100 Albums of the 1980s". Pitchfork. 21 November 2002. p. 5. Retrieved 19 May 2018.
34. ^ "BEAT Tour Site". Archived from the original on 28 June 2024. Retrieved 11 March 2025.
35. ^ "Rolling Stone Article for 'BEAT' Tour". Rolling Stone. April 2024. Archived from the original on 15 May 2024. Retrieved 11 March 2025.
36. ^ Bruford, Bill. "Drum Equipment & Setup". Retrieved 27 January 2024.
37. ^ ""Discipline" Celtic Knotwork". et.stok.ca. 22 December 1998. Archived from the original on 30 July 2019. Retrieved 29 June 2019.
38. ^ "Top RPM Albums: Issue 0414". RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved 7 December 2020.
39. ^ "Dutchcharts.nl – King Crimson – Discipline" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved 7 December 2020.
40. ^ "Le Détail des Albums de chaque Artiste – K". Infodisc.fr (in French). Archived from the original on 22 October 2014. Retrieved 9 June 2012. Select King Crimson from the menu, then press OK.
41. ^ Okamoto, Satoshi (2006). Album Chart Book: Complete Edition 1970–2005. Oricon. ISBN 978-4-87131-077-2.
42. ^ "Charts.nz – King Crimson – Discipline". Hung Medien. Retrieved 7 December 2020.
43. ^ "Swedishcharts.com – King Crimson – Discipline". Hung Medien. Retrieved 7 December 2020.
44. ^ "Official Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 7 December 2020.
45. ^ "King Crimson Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard. Retrieved 14 November 2017.

## External links

[edit]

* Discipline at Discogs (list of releases)
* Wiki with song lyrics at fan-site Elephant Talk (inspired by Discipline's "Elephant Talk")

* v
* t
* e

King Crimson

* Robert Fripp
* Mel Collins
* Tony Levin
* Pat Mastelotto
* Gavin Harrison
* Jakko Jakszyk
* Jeremy Stacey

* Peter Sinfield
* Michael Giles
* Greg Lake
* Ian McDonald
* Peter Giles
* Gordon Haskell
* Andy McCulloch
* Boz Burrell
* Ian Wallace
* Bill Bruford
* John Wetton
* David Cross
* Jamie Muir
* Adrian Belew
* Trey Gunn
* Bill Rieflin

Studio albums|

* In the Court of the Crimson King
* In the Wake of Poseidon
* Lizard
* Islands
* Larks' Tongues in Aspic
* Starless and Bible Black
* Red
* Discipline
* Beat
* Three of a Perfect Pair
* Thrak
* The Construkction of Light
* The Power to Believe

ProjeKcts albums|

* Space Groove
* Heaven and Earth
* A Scarcity of Miracles

Extended plays|

* Vrooom
* Happy with What You Have to Be Happy With

Live albums|

| Standard release|

* Earthbound
* USA
* The Great Deceiver
* B'Boom: Live in Argentina
* Thrakattak
* Epitaph
* The Night Watch
* Absent Lovers: Live in Montreal
* Live in Mexico City
* The ProjeKcts
* Live at the Jazz Café
* Heavy ConstruKction
* Vrooom Vrooom
* Ladies of the Road
* EleKtrik: Live in Japan
* Live at the Orpheum
* Live in Toronto
* Radical Action to Unseat the Hold of Monkey Mind
* Live in Chicago
* Live in Vienna
* Meltdown: Live in Mexico City
* Music Is Our Friend: Live in Washington and Albany

|

Collector's Club|

* Live at the Marquee
* Live at Jacksonville
* The Beat Club, Bremen
* Live at Cap D'Agde
* On Broadway
* Live in San Francisco: The Roar of P4
* The Vrooom Sessions
* Live at Summit Studios
* Live in Central Park, NYC
* Live at Moles Club, Bath
* Live in Hyde Park
* Nashville Rehearsals
* Live at Plymouth Guildhall
* Live in Mainz
* Live in Berkeley, CA
* Live in Detroit, MI
* Live in Nashville, TN
* Live at the Zoom Club
* Jazz Café Suite
* Rehearsals & Blows

Compilations|

* A Young Person's Guide to King Crimson
* The Compact King Crimson
* Heartbeat: The Abbreviated King Crimson
* Frame by Frame: The Essential King Crimson
* Sleepless: The Concise King Crimson
* Cirkus: The Young Persons' Guide to King Crimson Live
* The Deception of the Thrush: A Beginners' Guide to ProjeKcts
* A Beginners' Guide to the King Crimson Collectors' Club
* The Power to Believe Tour Box
* The 21st Century Guide to King Crimson Volume One: 1969–1974
* The 21st Century Guide to King Crimson Volume Two: 1981–2003
* The Condensed 21st Century Guide to King Crimson: 1969–2003
* The Elements of King Crimson

Major Box Sets|

* In the Court of the Crimson King
* Larks' Tongues in Aspic
* The Road to Red
* Starless
* THRAK
* On (and off) The Road
* Sailors' Tales
* Heaven & Earth
* The Complete 1969 Recordings

Singles|

* "The Court of the Crimson King"
* "Epitaph" / "21st Century Schizoid Man"
* "Matte Kudasai"
* "Thela Hun Ginjeet"
* "Heartbeat"
* "Sleepless"

Other songs|

* "I Talk to the Wind"
* "Moonchild"
* "Islands"
* "Larks' Tongues in Aspic"
* "Fallen Angel"
* "Starless"

Videos|

* Déjà Vrooom
* Neal and Jack and Me
* Eyes Wide Open

Related|

| Articles|

* The Cheerful Insanity of Giles, Giles and Fripp
* Discography
* Members
* Discipline Global Mobile
* In the Court of the Crimson King: King Crimson at 50

|

Bands|

* Giles, Giles and Fripp
* Yes
* McDonald and Giles
* Emerson, Lake & Palmer
* U.K.
* Bruford Levin Upper Extremities
* Tuner
* HoBoLeMa
* Stick Men
* TU
* 21st Century Schizoid Band
* Crimson Jazz Trio
* Crimson ProjeKct
* The Vicar

* Category

Authority control databases |

* MusicBrainz release group

|

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