“Radical Action to Unseat the Hold of Monkey Mind” is a live box show from King Crimson, released September 2nd, 2016. It’s the first full-length release of the seven-member incarnation of the group that formed. in 2013. When it comes to quality live material, there’s never been a better time to be a King Crimson fan than the 2010s. In addition to the exhaustive 40th anniversary boxes, there have been multiple releases from the 2014-2015 seven-piece band culminating with “Radical Action to Unseat the Hold of Monkey Mind”, a set that features every song performed on the tour in excellent audio and video quality.
The box set was recorded during King Crimson’s 2015 tours of Japan, Canada and France, mainly in Takamatsu, Japan. The material performed is mostly from the 1969-1974, and most hadn’t been performed live since the 1970s, although the songs were rearranged to accommodate the current formation. Also included are some parts from 1995 onwards, along with new material. The title comes from a song of the same name that the band has been playing in concert.
The set was released in two editions: a 4-disc standard edition featuring the full concert on a Blu-ray disc and three CD (“virtual studio albums” with individual tracks without an audible audience); and a 6-disc deluxe limited edition, which includes the same as the standard edition plus two DVDs with the full concert and an extended brochure. The Blu-ray disc has a “image disabled” mode that allows you to listen to music without the video.
The CDs dispense with the running order of the show (and the audience!) in favour of slightly arbitrary thematic groupings: “Mostly Metal,” “Easy Money Shots,” and “Crimson Classics.” These are different mixes than those on the Blu-ray set, specifically for audio-only. The different mixes and running order provide a different feeling to the sets, but both are equally powerful. This band is a juggernaut and hearing them tackle not just the ’70s repertoire they hadn’t performed in decades, but some ’90s tracks as well, is something fans could not have dreamed of at the turn of the century. Rarely has a band that’s been around for 45-plus years sounded so vital. This is essential for fans.
The Fat Angel Sings 