another of the had not heard before-so...thanks!-Excellent

Close...

King Crimson = (Tool / 2) + (Porcupine Tree - Opeth) 

I've been a huge KC fan for decades- one of the odd ones that enjoy all phases of their music. I agree that for someone just getting into them Discipline would be a great jumping off point.

I assume that all the hardcore KC fans out there already know that they are playing some live shows this August in Chicago, NYC, and Philly. The 2 Nashville warm up shows are already sold out but there may be some tickets available for the other shows. I bought tickets for me and my hubby the day they went on sale so we'll be at the Thursday night show in Chicago at the Park West.

The lineup this time is-

Robert Fripp
Adrian Belew
Tony Levin
Pat Mastelotto
and
Gavin Harrison (the drummer from Porcupine Tree)

They've already completed the first of 3 rehearsal sessions and apparently the double drumming (or sonic fury as Fripp puts it) of Harrison and Mastelotto is promising to be very formidable

I dug this album...a lot.  Saw the Crim in NYC that tour.  Incredible.  Not long after that I saw Fripp, Belew, and Levin at Valentines in Albany (some sort of Crim side project...think it was called Project X or something).  Still can't believe I got to hear Robert Fripp in that tiny club!

King Crimson = Tool - Porcupine Tree?

King Crimson = Tool - Porcupine Tree?

While the true blue KC fan will love LTIA and S&BB, these albums are not for the faint of heart. That stuff is VERY experimental and qualifies as "difficult listening hour" to coin a Laurie Anderson phrase. I would stay away from the older KC stuff until you've gotten used to their more accessible later work. Rare are the KC fans that enjoy the old stuff (like Bible Black and Lark's Tongue) and also like the new yellow-red-blue albums. They are like two different groups that happen to share one common member. To me, they are two different bands and two different sounds.
Thrack, BTW, is kind of a throwback to the old days. It reminds me of a metallic (and more creative) Porcupine Tree. It may be hard to believe that there are better progrock bands than PT, but King Crimson is superior IMO.

Nice!!

I've been a huge KC fan for decades- one of the odd ones that enjoy all phases of their music. I agree that for someone just getting into them Discipline would be a great jumping off point. I assume that all the hardcore KC fans out there already know that they are playing some live shows this August in Chicago, NYC, and Philly. The 2 Nashville warm up shows are already sold out but there may be some tickets available for the other shows. I bought tickets for me and my hubby the day they went on sale so we'll be at the Thursday night show in Chicago at the Park West. The lineup this time is- Robert Fripp
Adrian Belew
Tony Levin
Pat Mastelotto
and
Gavin Harrison (the drummer from Porcupine Tree) They've already completed the first of 3 rehearsal sessions and apparently the double drumming (or sonic fury as Fripp puts it) of Harrison and Mastelotto is promising to be very formidable

King Crimson can do no wrong in my opinion, although I prefer their pre-Yellow-Red-Blue albums. Lark's Tongue in Aspic and Starless & Bible Black were great heavy prog albums way ahead of their time.

I'd start with Discipline, because I think it's the most accessible introduction. An excellent CD, and much of it is more easy to listen to and enjoy as a starter. There's sweet ballads like the lovely ballad "Matte Kudasai" which anyone is likely to like, similar to "One Time" but much prettier in my opinion.

There's a few rockers like Elephant Talk and Discipline which feature the unique KC twist on rock, all in all a likeable CD most non KC fans would probably like. This CD features the great Adrian Belew on lead vocals and guitar, former Yes drummer Bill Bruford, and bass stick genius Tony Levin-- an incredible supergroup lineup.

The other suggestions people have made are all excellent, but I think this CD is the best to start with if you're not yet a full familiar fan of the band.

saw them open for TOOL at Red Rocks in CO, first show of the Lateralus tour, when Danny Carey revealed his solid gold drum set!!!!

I don't own any KC, but eveytime I hear one of their songs, I am taken in. What's the best KC album to own?

But this song is still really, really bad.