b. 16 May 1946, Wimborne Minster, Dorset, England. Guitarist, composer and producer, Fripp began his diverse career in the small, but flourishing, circuit centred on Bournemouth, Dorset. He subsequently joined the League Of Gentlemen, a London-based outfit renowned for backing visiting American singers, and later founded Giles, Giles And Fripp with brothers Pete and Mike Giles. This eccentric trio completed one album, The Cheerful Insanity of Giles, Giles And Fripp in 1968 before evolving into King Crimson, the progressive act though which the artist forged his reputation. Between 1969 and 1974, Fripp led several contrasting versions of this constantly challenging ensemble, during which time he also enjoyed an artistically fruitful collaboration with Brian Eno. 1973's No Pussyfooting and 1975's Evening Star were among the era's leading avant garde recordings, the former of which introduced the tape loop and layered guitar technique known as "Frippertronics", which later became an artistic trademark.
During this period Fripp also produced several experimental jazz releases, notably by Centipede, and having disbanded King Crimson at a time "all English bands in that genre should have ceased to exist', Fripp retired from music altogether. He re-emerged in 1977, contributing several excellent passages to David Bowie's Heroes, before playing on, and producing, Peter Gabriel's second album. Fripp provided a similar role on Daryl Hall's Sacred Songs, before completing 1979"s Exposure, on which the artist acknowledged the concurrent punk movement. Simpler and more incisive than previous work, its energetic purpose contrasted the measured, sculpted approach of King Crimson, whom Fripp nonetheless surprisingly reconstituted in 1981. Three well-received albums followed, during which time the guitarist pursued a parallel, more personal, path leading an ensemble bearing another resurrected name, the League Of Gentlemen. Both units were disbanded later in the decade, and Fripp subsequently performed and gave tutorials under a "League Of Crafty Guitarists" banner and recorded with former Police member Andy Summers, and David Sylvian.
Now married to singer and actress Toyah, this highly talented individual has doggedly followed an uncompromising path, resulting in some highly individual, provocative music. He constantly seeks new and interesting musical ventures, including the various ProjeKct albums with latter-day King Crimson members Adrian Belew, Bill Bruford, Tony Levin, Pat Mastelotto, and Trey Gunn, and co-founded the Discipline Global Mobile label. He also reconvened King Crimson in the mid-90s and worked with Joe Satriani and Steve Vai in the guitar trio G3.
