Beat (King Crimson album)

Beat is the ninth studio album by the British rock band King Crimson, released in 1982 by record label E.G. It is the first King Crimson studio album to feature a band line-up identical to that of their previous album.

"Neal and Jack and Me" redirects here. For the live DVD, see Neal and Jack and Me (album).

Beat
Studio album by
King Crimson
Released18 June 1982
RecordedMarch - April 1982
StudioOdyssey Studios, London, England
GenreNew wave, progressive rock[1]
Length35:19
LabelE.G.
ProducerRhett Davies
King Crimson chronology
Discipline
(1981)		 Beat
(1982)		 Three of a Perfect Pair
(1984)
Singles from Beat
  1. "Heartbeat" / "Requiem"
    Released: 1982

Background and production

According to the Trouser Press Record Guide, the album focused on the twenty-fifth anniversary of the publication of the novel On the Road by Jack Kerouac.[2] The album makes several references to the writings of the Beat Generation:

  • "Neal and Jack and Me" is the track most obviously inspired by Beat writers. The 'Jack' of the title is Beat writer Jack Kerouac, while 'Neal' is Kerouac's best friend Neal Cassady. Besides On the Road, the lyrics make references in French to other significant Kerouac works; Les Souterrains, Des Visions du Cody and Sartori a Paris. The song was released as a B-side to "Heartbeat". Musically it picks up where the album and song Discipline left off, with Fripp and Belew's dueling guitars weaving in and out of patterns in 5
    4     and 7
    8     time signatures.
  • "Heartbeat" is also the name of a book written by Neal Cassady's wife Carolyn about her experiences with the Beats.
  • "Sartori in Tangier" derives its title from Satori in Paris and the city of Tangier in Morocco, where a number of Beat writers resided and which they often used as a setting for their writing. Writer Paul Bowles was associated with the Beats, and his novel The Sheltering Sky, which provided the title for a track on King Crimson's previous studio album, Discipline, is partly set in Tangier. Bowles's novel is further referenced on the King Crimson song "Walking On Air", from their 1995 album Thrak. "Sartori in Tangier" was first released as a b-side to the Heartbeat 12" single in 1982. It is entirely instrumental with the intro performed by Tony Levin on the Chapman Stick.
  • "Neurotica" shares its title with Neurotica, a Beat-era magazine.[3][4] The Frippertronics intro is lifted directly from the beginning of "Hååden Two" off Fripp's 1979 solo album Exposure. During the Discipline tour, before the song had been recorded in the studio, Belew introduced it as being titled "Manhattan".[5]
  • "The Howler" refers to the Beat poem Howl by Allen Ginsberg, which Fripp suggested to Belew as inspiration for the lyrics. The 15
    8     guitar riff heard halfway through the song can be likened to the one Belew played on the Tom Tom Club single "Genius of Love" in 1981.

Although not an obvious reference to any Beat-related writings, "Requiem" is notable for the drama it caused within the band. It is an improvisation set to the backdrop of a Frippertronics loop from Fripp's 1979 tour. Levin and Bruford recorded the rhythm tracks, and Belew returned to the studio alone to record more guitar overdubs. Fripp later did the same, and when the group had re-convened in the studio, Belew told Fripp to leave. He did, and was visibly upset. Fripp headed for Wimborne, and was not heard from for around three days. Bruford wrote a supportive letter and the group's manager at the time, Paddy Spinks, had a phone call with Fripp, where they managed to "piece it all back together". Belew would later apologise, but the group had broken up and didn't reunite until the 1982 tour.

Fripp has said this about the album's production: "At the time, Bill and Adrian thought that Beat was better than Discipline. For me, this is an indication of how far the band had already drifted from its original vision. The group broke up at the end of Beat... I had nothing to do with the mixing of Beat, nor did I feel able to promote it. Somehow we absorbed that fact, and kept going." Belew would later go on to say, "Beat was the most awful record-making experience of my life and one I would never choose to repeat." Both Belew and Bruford have said that "Heartbeat" and "Two Hands" shouldn't have been on the album. Regardless, the album was commercially successful and the group was well-received on tour.[6]

Album cover

The halftone quaver image on the cover was designed by artist Rob O'Connor.

Release and reception
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[1]
Rolling Stone[7]
Trouser Pressfavourable[2]

Released on 18 June 1982, Beat reached number 39 in the UK Albums Chart.[8] Trouser Press wrote that "the players push their instruments into a new form, akin to fusion and art-rock, but miles beyond either, and beyond description as well."[2]

A new 5.1 surround sound mix by Steven Wilson and Robert Fripp, started in 2009[9] and finished in 2013,[10] was released on October 2016 for the 40th Anniversary Series as a standalone CD/DVD package and as part of the On (and off) The Road (1981 - 1984) boxed set.

Legacy

The Chapman Stick introduction to "Sartori in Tangier" is featured in the first scene of the premiere of the MTV show The Maxx.

Track listing

Lyrics by Adrian Belew, except "Two Hands", by Margaret Belew; music by Belew, Bill Bruford, Robert Fripp, and Tony Levin.

Side A
No.TitleLength
1."Neal and Jack and Me"4:22
2."Heartbeat"3:54
3."Sartori in Tangier" (instrumental)3:34
4."Waiting Man"4:27
Side B
No.TitleLength
5."Neurotica"4:48
6."Two Hands"3:23
7."The Howler"4:13
8."Requiem" (instrumental)6:48

2016 40th Anniversary edition
Disc one - CD - Original Album 2016 Stereo Mix - bonus tracks
No.TitleLength
1."Neal and Jack and Me" (2016 Stereo Mix)4:24
2."Heartbeat" (2016 Stereo Mix)3:51
3."Sartori in Tangier" (2016 Stereo Mix - instrumental)3:35
4."Waiting Man" (2016 Stereo Mix)4:27
5."Neurotica" (2016 Stereo Mix)4:49
6."Two Hands" (2016 Stereo Mix)3:22
7."The Howler" (2016 Stereo Mix)4:13
8."Requiem" (2016 Stereo Mix - extended version, instrumental)12:15
9."Absent Lovers" (Bonus Track - instrumental, bonus track)4:11
Total length:45:10
Disc two - DVD-A (various mixes and bonuses)
No.TitleLength
1."Neal and Jack and Me" (MLP Lossless 5.1 Surround - DTS 5.1 Digital Surround - Original Album)4:24
2."Heartbeat" (MLP Lossless 5.1 Surround - DTS 5.1 Digital Surround - Original Album)3:51
3."Sartori in Tangier" (MLP Lossless 5.1 Surround - DTS 5.1 Digital Surround - Original Album - instrumental)3:35
4."Waiting Man" (MLP Lossless 5.1 Surround - DTS 5.1 Digital Surround - Original Album)4:27
5."Neurotica" (MLP Lossless 5.1 Surround - DTS 5.1 Digital Surround - Original Album)4:49
6."Two Hands" (MLP Lossless 5.1 Surround - DTS 5.1 Digital Surround - Original Album)3:22
7."The Howler" (MLP Lossless 5.1 Surround - DTS 5.1 Digital Surround - Original Album)4:13
8."Requiem" (MLP Lossless 5.1 Surround - DTS 5.1 Digital Surround - Original Album - extended version, instrumental)12:15
9."Absent Lovers" (MLP Lossless 5.1 Surround - DTS 5.1 Digital Surround - Bonus Track - instrumental, studio recording)4:11
10."Neal and Jack and Me" (MLP Lossless Stereo (24/48) - PCM Stereo 2.0 (24/48) - 2016 Stereo Mix)4:24
11."Heartbeat" (MLP Lossless Stereo (24/48) - PCM Stereo 2.0 (24/48) - 2016 Stereo Mix)3:51
12."Sartori in Tangier" (MLP Lossless Stereo (24/48) - PCM Stereo 2.0 (24/48) - 2016 Stereo Mix - instrumental)3:35
13."Waiting Man" (MLP Lossless Stereo (24/48) - PCM Stereo 2.0 (24/48) - 2016 Stereo Mix)4:27
14."Neurotica" (MLP Lossless Stereo (24/48) - PCM Stereo 2.0 (24/48) - 2016 Stereo Mix)4:49
15."Two Hands" (MLP Lossless Stereo (24/48) - PCM Stereo 2.0 (24/48) - 2016 Stereo Mix)3:22
16."The Howler" (MLP Lossless Stereo (24/48) - PCM Stereo 2.0 (24/48) - 2016 Stereo Mix)4:13
17."Requiem" (MLP Lossless Stereo (24/48) - PCM Stereo 2.0 (24/48) - 2016 Stereo Mix - extended version, instrumental)12:15
18."Absent Lovers" (MLP Lossless Stereo (24/48) - PCM Stereo 2.0 (24/48) - Bonus Track - instrumental, studio recording)4:11
19."Neal and Jack and Me" (MLP Lossless Stereo (24/48) - PCM Stereo 2.0 (24/48) - Bonus Track - alternate take)6:14
20."Absent Lovers" (MLP Lossless Stereo (24/48) - PCM Stereo 2.0 (24/48) - Bonus Track - instrumental, live)4:58
21."Neal and Jack and Me" (30th Anniversary Remaster)4:24
22."Heartbeat" (30th Anniversary Remaster)3:51
23."Sartori in Tangier" (30th Anniversary Remaster)3:35
24."Waiting Man" (30th Anniversary Remaster)4:27
25."Neurotica" (30th Anniversary Remaster)4:49
26."Two Hands" (30th Anniversary Remaster)3:22
27."The Howler" (30th Anniversary Remaster)4:13
28."Requiem" (30th Anniversary Remaster)12:15
29."Neal and Jack and Me" (PCM Stereo 2.0 (24/48) - Alternate Album)4:23
30."Heartbeat" (PCM Stereo 2.0 (24/48) - Alternate Album)3:54
31."Sartori in Tangier" (PCM Stereo 2.0 (24/48) - Alternate Album - instrumental)3:33
32."Waiting Man" (PCM Stereo 2.0 (24/48) - Alternate Album)4:23
33."Neurotica" (PCM Stereo 2.0 (24/48) - Alternate Album)4:18
34."Two Hands" (PCM Stereo 2.0 (24/48) - Alternate Album)3:24
35."The Howler" (PCM Stereo 2.0 (24/48) - Alternate Album)3:50
36."Requiem" (PCM Stereo 2.0 (24/48) - Alternate Album - instrumental)6:43
37."Heartbeat" (Video Content - promotional video) 
38."Waiting Man" (Video Content - live at Alabamahalle, Munich, 1982) 
39."Heartbeat" (Video Content - live at Alabamahalle, Munich, 1982) 

Personnel
King Crimson
additional personnel

Charts

Album

Year Chart Position
1982 Billboard Pop Albums 52
UK Albums Chart 39

Single

Year Single Chart Position
1982 "Heartbeat" Billboard Mainstream Rock 57
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References
  1. Prato, Greg. "Beat – King Crimson | Songs, Reviews, Credits | AllMusic". AllMusic. Retrieved 30 July 2016.
  2. Grant, Steven; Fleischmann, Mark; Robbins, Ira. "TrouserPress.com :: King Crimson". TrouserPress.com. Retrieved 30 July 2016.
  3. "Neurotica". Landesmania. Archived from the original on 29 April 2009. Retrieved 20 March 2009.
  4. Chapter 10: Battling the Social Neurosis. The Culture of Spontaneity. University of Chicago Press. 8 June 1998. ISBN 9780226041889. Retrieved 20 March 2009.
  5. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QL26Lku0bBk
  6. Sid Smith - Arguments, agreements, advice, answers... On (and off) The Road. DGM Live.
  7. Stern, Chip. "King Crimson: Beat : Music Reviews : Rolling Stone". Rolling Stone. Archived from the original on 28 October 2007. Retrieved 30 July 2016.
  8. "King Crimson | Full Official Chart History | Official Charts Company". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 7 August 2016.
  9. Fripp, Robert (11 January 2009). "Bredonborough Snow The Minx was". DGM Live. Retrieved 27 August 2019.
  10. Fripp, Robert (25 June 2013). "Bredonborough Rising at Shopping for". DGM Live. Retrieved 27 August 2019.
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