King Crimson bassist Tony Levin has predicted that the band’s autumn tour dates will include new music.
Robert Fripp and co have 12 shows booked throughout Europe in September, kicking off with two sold-out appearances at the Waterside Theatre in Aylesbury.
The run will feature Jeremy Stacey as one of three drummers alongside Gavin Harrison and Pat Mastelotto, after Bill Reiflin decided to take a break from touring.
Levin tells UCR: “It’s been a wild couple of years working with the seven-player incarnation of King Crimson. Three drummers makes it quite different than anything I’ve ever done.
“Part of the challenge is just hearing what the drummers are doing. They brilliantly switch the bass drum function among them during each piece, not to mention being set up across the front of the stage.
“So our individual monitoring system has been very important to me. It’s all worked out happily – at least so far.”
Looking forward, he says: “This year we’ll rehearse a lot more before our touring. We’ll add some more material, old and new, although I don’t know what it is at this point.”
Meanwhile, he has a busy year planned with his band Stick Men, also featuring Mastelotto, and as a member of Peter Gabriel’s touring outfit on a double-header bill with Sting.
Levin says: “I have no inside information on what Peter will be playing, yet. I’d guess he’ll split tie show with Sting and his band, and they’ll each join the other for a song or more – but really I heard that online.
“It’s going to be fun regardless, and I’m looking forward to getting some good photos during the shows.”
Stick Men’s latest album Prog Noir will be available at their shows, with a wider release planned for later in the year. Levin says: “I’m feeling like it’s a milestone for the band. We’ve taken a lot of time to fashion our new compositions, to record it right and do some things that are pretty unique.
“I hope when people hear it, they’ll not only enjoy it, but recognise that it doesn’t really sound like what anyone else is doing.”
Stick Men tour North America starting on April 12. Gabriel and Sting tour North America during June and July. King Crimson released an official bootleg featuring the most recent lineup last month.
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