Like many of you, I have a little more free time on my hands nowadays and that freedom tends to dictate my listening habits. I decided to take a break from "complete band runs" (listen to all the studio albums from an artist) and focus on my favorite band, King Crimson. But not focus by listening necessarily to King Crimson itself.

The rules: Any album by a musician who had been or, at the time, was currently in King Crimson. The musician must be a key writer or performer on that album. The album can be a solo affair under that musician's name or band project. Only one album under that performer's name or group name (so Bruford will show up on this list multiple times with multiple groups). There must be something that strikes me as Crimson-esque about the music or performance.

While I wanted to include something like Scary Monsters, it doesn't seem to fit the (arbitrary) criteria, but it would also open up a floodgate of possibilities. Should I also listen to Parallel Lines because Fripp guests on it? Thus, a line was drawn.

It made sense to organize chronologically. I am currently working my way through the '80s (with a bit of cheating). Here, then, is the first group of albums. Curious if I left something out (I'll get to Exposure . . . ) or if anyone has any recommendations for moving forward.

1960s and 1970s

Giles, Giles and Fripp, The Brondesbury Tapes: Indeed, I cheated with my very first selection (this won't be the only cheat). None of these musicians were in Crimson at the time of these recordings. Nevertheless, it was an obvious point to start and includes many Crimson-y moments.

Emerson, Lake and Palmer, self-titled debut: "Take a Pebble" has always felt a little like a KC song. I've never really felt like Emerson's writing was particularly influenced by Crimson, but "Pebble" fits alongside nicely with early KC tunes like "I Talk to the Wind" and "Cadence and Cascade."

McDonald and Giles, self-titled: These tunes sound a lot like what GG&F were doing once they added McDonald. Early KC songs like "Drop In" (a GG&F tune to begin with), "Travel Weary Capricorn" and KC's cover of "Get Thy Bearings" could be added to this album and make sense.

Peter Sinfield, Still: The reasons to not like this album are . . . obvious. But there are a lot of good tunes in here. I quite like Collins' contributions, particularly on "The Night People." Sinfield's version of "Under the Sky" (an old GG&F song) is quite good, too.

Fripp & Eno, No Pussyfooting: The reasons for inclusion are obvious.

UK, selt-titled debut: The opportunity to hear Wetton and Bruford work together again is the obvious draw in terms of searching for the KC sound. Not much more needs to be said. We all know what a great album it is.

Bruford, The Bruford Tapes: I'm rather unfamiliar with the band Bruford. I heard most of the band's work for the first time upon buying the boxset a few years back. "Beelzebub" has some nice Crimson crunch to it.

I'll post back once I have completed my '80s listening which, for reasons (!), includes Exposure.