Lauren Rettig November 17th, 2024 - 3:28 PM
NME reports that Peter Sinfield, songwriter and lyricist for King Crimson, has died at age 80.
The band’s original roadie, lyricist, lights operator and live sound engineer passed away on November 14. The news was shared by King Crimson and guitarist Robert Fripp on social media.
Although no cause of death was announced, Sinfield was said to have been suffering from declining health for several years.
He was imperative to King Crimson’s success, as he co-founded the band and was responsible for naming them and finding their first rehearsal space in the cafe basement on Fulham Palace Road.
Peter Sinfield, King Crimson’s original roadie, lyricist, lights operator and live sound engineer passed away yesterday on the 14th of November 2024 aged 81.https://t.co/LVD478RTAb
— KING CRIMSON (@DGMHQ) November 15, 2024
Peter Sinfield, King Crimson’s original roadie, lyricist, lights operator and live sound engineer passed away yesterday on the 14th of November 2024 aged 81.https://t.co/AxjByWRVZa pic.twitter.com/20BMA4vguI
— Robert Fripp (@frippofficial) November 15, 2024
Sinfield also sourced the artwork by his friend Barry Godber for the front cover of King Crimson’s 1969 debut album In The Court Of The Crimson King.
From 1969 until 1971, Sinfield provided the group’s lyrics and took on the role of art director commissioning the covers of the albums Court, In The Wake Of Poseidon, Lizard and Islands, which he also co-produced with Fripp.
Sinfield departed from the band a year later, after Fripp asked him to leave, but he went on to produce Roxy Music’s self-titled debut album before releasing his own solo album Still in 1973.
That same year, he was recruited by fellow prog-rock pioneers Emerson, Lake & Palmer, with whom he contributed lyrics for “Benny The Bouncer” and “Karn Evil 9 3rd Impression” for their fourth studio album Brain Salad Surgery.
He contributed further lyrics to their albums Works Volume 1, Works Volume 2 and Love Beach. In 1975, he also co-wrote the UK Number Two hit “I Believe in Father Christmas” with Greg Lake.
During the 80s and 90s he was responsible for co-writing successful hit singles for the likes of Cher, Bucks Fizz, Five Star, Cliff Richard and Celine Dion.
In 2014, Fripp invited Sinfield to provide an updated take on the lyrics of “21st Century Schizoid Man.”
The announcement of Sinfield’s death follows the announcement of Ian McDonald’s death in 2022 and both Gordon Haskell and Bill Rieflin in 2020.
