“If he felt the bass parts while he was singing, it could only be a matter of time before it crept down from his head into his fingers”: How Boz Burrell saved King Crimson when Robert Fripp had lost hope
In 1970, Robert Fripp was close to ending King Crimson as the line-up behind the band’s third album, Lizard, fell apart. The arrival of singer Boz Burrell helped keep the group alive, and he later became its bassist despite initially having no experience on the instrument; this unexpected change proved crucial to the next phase of the band.
Burrell had already attracted music-industry attention after being linked with a possible move to The Who in 1965. He joined King Crimson during a period of upheaval, when Fripp had already rebuilt the group once and found the latest collapse emotionally draining. The article recalls how Burrell’s singing experience and ability to feel bass parts helped him develop into the role, contributing to the line-up behind 1971’s Islands.
- Boz Burrell helped prevent King Crimson from collapsing in 1970.
- Hired as singer, he unexpectedly became the band’s bassist.
- His arrival supported Robert Fripp during a difficult rebuild.