Rock 'n' Roll Antics: King Crimson's Wild Adventures on the Road
John Wetton shared a memorable encounter in Italy where a young girl proposed marriage to him, surprising him with her seriousness. Despite their reputation for being too cerebral for typical rock star behavior, King Crimson had their fair share of wild adventures on the road. Wetton recounted a food fight incident in Avignon where the band and crew engaged in a messy food fight at a hotel, much to the confusion of the staff.
While King Crimson didn't have the same reputation for wild antics as some other bands, they did indulge in their fair share of rock 'n' roll behavior, just in a different manner. Wetton emphasized that the band had their moments of sex, drugs, and rock 'n' roll, but it was done in their unique way. Despite their technical music style, they were not as studious as people might have assumed.
The band's live performances were not devoid of more scandalous incidents, with tales of backstage antics that are best left untold. While sex and drugs were part of the rock 'n' roll lifestyle of the era, not everyone in King Crimson partook in all aspects of it. Robert Fripp, the guitarist, was known for his openness about his sexuality, even declaring his availability to young ladies in the press.
The band's music, like "Larks' Tongues In Aspic, Part Two," was unexpectedly used in the soft-porn movie Emmanuelle, leading to a copyright breach case that King Crimson won. Despite their image as a cerebral band, King Crimson had their share of adventures and unexpected encounters on the road, making their journey as a band all the more colorful.