McDonald
and Giles
Founding Members Of King Crimson
McDonald and Giles is an album of music released by British musicians Ian
McDonald and Michael Giles in 1971. The album was issued as Cotillion Records SD
9042, on a division of Atlantic Records.
Ian McDonald and Michael Giles were members of the original King Crimson
lineup, and were featured performers on the band's debut album, In the Court of
the Crimson King (1969). Both left the group at the end of its first North
American tour in 1969, although Giles appeared on the second King Crimson album,
In the Wake of Poseidon (1970), as a session musician. Two other King Crimson
members also worked on the album: Peter Giles and Peter Sinfield.
The music on McDonald and Giles contains many of the pastoral and musically
complex elements of King Crimson, while generally avoiding that band's darker
tendencies. The song "Flight of the Ibis" has the a similar melody and rhythm to
King Crimson's "Cadence and Cascade", with different lyrics.
The album was recorded at Island Studios between May and June 1970.
Although McDonald and Giles remains popular among King Crimson fans, its
commercial success was limited. The duo did not record a second album.
Track listing
"Suite in C" including "Turnham Green", "Here I Am"
and others (words and music by Ian McDonald) 11:14
"Flight of the Ibis"
(words: B.P. Fallon; music: Ian McDonald) 3:11
"Is She Waiting?" (words and
music by Ian McDonald) 2:36
"Tomorrow's People - The Children of Today"
(words and music by Michael Giles) 7:00
"Birdman" involving "The Inventor's
Dream (O.U.A.T.)", "The Workshop", "Wishbone Ascension", "Birdman Flies!",
"Wings in the Sunset", "Birdman - The Reflection" (words: Peter Sinfield; music:
Ian McDonald) 21:22
"Suite In C" was written by Ian McDonald in Detroit, Los
Angeles and Earls Court between December 1969 and February 1970. "Is She
Waiting?" was written in Earls Court in the summer of 1969, between King Crimson
gigs. "Birdman" was mostly written in the spring of 1968, except for the
"Birdman Flies!" section in 1970. The original idea was from Peter
Sinfield.
"Tomorrow's People" was written by Michael Giles in 1967, and expanded and
arranged in 1970. The song was dedicated to Tina and Mandy, his children.
Personnel
Ian McDonald: guitar, piano, organ, saxes, flute,
clarinet, zither, vocals and sundries
Michael Giles: drums, percussion
(including milk bottle, handsaw, lip whistle and nutbox), vocals
Peter
Giles: bass guitar
Steve Winwood: organ, and piano solo on "Turnham Green"
Michael Blakesley: trombone on "Tomorrow's People"
Arranged and produced
by Ian McDonald and Michael Giles. Engineered by Brian Humphries. Assistant
engineer: Richard Digby Smith. Strings and brass on "Birdman" and "Suite in C"
arranged and conducted by Mike Gray.