Rude awakening: Greg Lake with King Crimson
Greg Lake has revealed he only moved from guitar to bass because it helped Robert Fripp keep his record deal. And his first reaction was, ‘How hard could it be?’
He quickly found himself living through a “rude awakening” in 1969 – but the result was his trademark approach to playing, which helped define the music of King Crimson, ELP and all the bands influenced by their work.
Lake tells EntertainmentTell: “Robert and I grew up together. We went to the same guitar teacher so I knew everything he knew, and he knew everything I knew.
“When it came time to form King Crimson, Robert had a band called Giles, Giles & Fripp. They were a wacky bunch – very strange! There was a bit of the Monty Python about it.”
Fripp’s label weren’t happy with that band’s off-the-wall approach, Lake recalls. “They said, ‘Look, unless you get some sort of relevant music going, and you’re able to have a broader appeal, we’re not going to be able to work with you.’
“Robert said, ‘What do we need?’ They said, ‘You need a lead singer.’ I was the only lead singer he knew – he called me and said, ‘Greg, would you consider forming a band together?’”
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