No jokes here, my dudes. Peter Sinfield, an integral founding member of the progressive rock band King Crimson, sadly passed away at 80 on November 14. No cause of death has been determined or shared, though it is known that Sinfield had continual health problems the last few years of his life. His KC bandmate Robert Fripp confirmed his death yesterday, November 15, in a post on Twitter (X).
Sinfield was one of those multi-hyphenate types of people—a lyricist, poet, producer, master lighting technician, sound engineer, and so much more. When it came to his words, he didn’t shy away from the straight-up trippy shit, writing lyrics that can at the very least be described as offbeat and peculiar. It was a perfect match for King Crimson’s artfully weird progressive rock sound, with the band’s 1969 debut In the Court of the Crimson King regarded as the first full-blown progressive album. Sinfield also contributed his strangeness to his work with many other artists like Emerson, Lake & Palmer, Celine Dion, Roxy Music, Cher, and many more. Ol’ boy was clearly very artistically busy for damn near his whole life.
(I should also maybe mention how Sinfield’s influence found itself within the realm of hip-hop, with resident cuckoo bird Kanye West sampling “21st Century Schizoid Man” for his 2010 single “Power.” Also again, since we’re in the holiday season, lest we forget Sinfield’s contributions to Emerson, Lake & Palmer’s holiday hit of sorts, “I Believe in Father Christmas.”)
There aren’t enough words to really express Sinfield’s unending legacy, which will certainly live on for many decades to come. Rest in power, my guy. At least we’ll be able to hear your impact in much of what us rock and metalhead nerds listen to.
