20 Sept 2011: Children of the Bong & King Crimson

Children of the Bong was an electronic band formed in the early 1990s by Rob Henry and Daniel Goganian. They signed to Planet Dog Records in 1994 and released one album, Sirius Sounds, as well as a couple of tracks on Planet Dog compilations. The band recorded a Peel Session for DJ John Peel on BBC Radio 1 on 26 April 1994 [1]
The group split up shortly after the release of the album. Rob Henry went on to form a band called Euphonic and now plays in a band called Neech. Daniel Goganian went on to study at the National Film and Television School and now works in the film and television industry for Savalas Audio Post Production in Glasgow, Scotland. He also plays samba percussion for the Paraiso School of Samba in London.

Larks' Tongues in Aspic is the fifth studio album by the English progressive rock group King Crimson, originally released in 1973. This album is the debut of King Crimson's third incarnation - arguably their most forward-thinking thinking version yet, featuring original member and guitarist Robert Fripp and new members John Wetton (vocals, bass guitar), David Cross (violin, Mellotron), Jamie Muir (percussion), and Bill Bruford (drums), as well as lyricist Richard Palmer-James. Bruford had just left his previous band, Yes before they embarked on their "Close To The Edge" tour. Bruford felt that he had done all he could with Yes at this point and thought the more jazz oriented King Crimson would be a more expansive outlet. The album sees the band incorporate into its sound violin and also various exotic percussion instruments, including sheet metal and mbiras, all courtesy of the newly arrived Muir.
The album opens with a long experimental instrumental piece titled "Larks' Tongues in Aspic, Part One." After that there are three vocal pieces, "Book of Saturday", "Exiles" and "Easy Money." These are followed by two more instrumentals, "The Talking Drum" and "Larks' Tongues in Aspic, Part Two." The instrumental pieces on this album have strong jazz fusion influences, and portions have an almost heavy metal feel.
The album spawned the concert staple "Exiles", whose Mellotron introduction had been adapted from an instrumental piece called "Mantra" the band's original line up performed throughout 1969. At that time, as well as in late 1972, the melody was played by Fripp on guitar.
It is the only studio album with this 5-man line up. Muir left the group while on tour promoting this album in 1973. Attrition took this incarnation of King Crimson through the next several albums until Fripp's "retirement" in 1975.
In the Q & Mojo Classic Special Edition Pink Floyd & The Story of Prog Rock, the album came #22 in its list of "40 Cosmic Rock Albums". (from Wikipedia)