Ian McDonald, King Crimson and Foreigner Co-Founder, Dead at 75
Source: Rolling Stone
Ian McDonald, a multi-instrumentalist and songwriter best known for his co-founding roles in both King Crimson and Foreigner, died Wednesday at the age of 75. A rep for McDonald confirmed the musician’s death, adding that McDonald “passed away peacefully on February 9, 2022 in his home in New York City, surrounded by his family.” His son reported on Facebook that the cause was cancer.
McDonald was known as one of the key architects of progressive rock, playing both saxophone and keyboards in King Crimson and co-writing its iconic 1969 debut, In the Court of the Crimson King. The record’s opening track, “21st Century Schizoid Man,” featured McDonald’s wild double-tracked alto-sax solo, which he performed the same year at a famous concert in London’s Hyde Park. He left King Crimson before the year was over, moving on to a duo project with Crimson drummer Michael Giles. He would also appear as a session musician on King Crimson’s 1975 classic, Red.
Later, McDonald co-founded rock outfit Foreigner with guitarist Mick Jones, playing various instruments and singing on their first three LPs — all of which cracked the Top 10.
McDonald also performed as a session saxist on T. Rex’s classic 1971 album, Electric Warrior, and later reunited with part of the original Crimson lineup as a member of the 21st Century Schizoid Band. His final major project was the rootsy rock band Honey West.
Read more: https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-news/ian-mcdonald-king-crimson-dead-obit-1298588/
Tremendous musician. RIP.
= new reply since forum marked as read
I played a tape of that album in my car non-stop for a year. I drive much better when I listen to it for some reason. In fact, whatever I am doing is improved while listening to that album.
This live show is good and I think it is Ian McDonald playing the sax. 
As influential as “Schizoid Man” has been in the sphere of prog — a movement that Fripp, King Crimson’s sole consistent member since ’69, now views warily — its reach extends much further. Everyone from Ozzy Osbourne to the Flaming Lips, Gov’t Mule, Voivod, and even the Late Show With David Letterman house band has covered it, while outspoken punks Bad Religion riffed on it in their 1990 song “21st Century Digital Boy.” And in 2010, Kanye West prominently sampled “Schizoid Man” for his edgy anthem “Power” — in which he rapped, “I’m living in that 21st century, doing something mean to it” — underscoring its longevity and influence.
...
Reflecting on the the genesis of “Schizoid Man,” the guitarist discusses it as though it were a physical presence. “I can tell you when I first encountered it, or when it first encountered me,” he says. “Greg Lake said, more or less, ‘Come with me on this, guys, I have this idea. …'” Fripp then sings the first six notes of the song’s iconic verse riff: “Baaam, ba-dee-dee gah-kee …”
It was Ian McDonald who stepped in to fill in the musical blank.
“Greg came out with this six-note line in the rehearsal room,” McDonald says. “As soon as he played that, I went to the Mellotron and went ‘daaah-daaah-dah,’ the chromatic run-up that follows it.”
https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-features/king-crimson-interview-writing-21st-century-schizoid-man-891600/
... wish we still had variety shows like the old days. You could see music "stars" perform... from Kate Smith to Grace Slick and everyone in between... on Ed Sullivan and dozens of very popular TV shows.... Now we have Kardashions...
Last edited Fri Feb 11, 2022, 07:01 AM - Edit history (1)
King Crimson did a big reunion in the studio doing all their music. It will be shown at SXSW in March, so Ian McDonald lovers, keep your radar out.
Cat's foot iron claw
Neuro-surgeons scream for more
At paranoia's poison door.
Twenty first century schizoid man.
Blood rack barbed wire
Polititians' funeral pyre
Innocents raped with napalm fire
Twenty first century schizoid man.
Death seed blind man's greed
Poets' starving children bleed
Nothing he's got he really needs
Twenty first century schizoid man.
I had their albums back in the day, but didn't appreciate it as much until one of my favorite artists, Kanye West, referenced it in "Power."
There are other mashups, but this one is my favorite.
I'm living in that 21st century
Doing something mean to it
Do it better than anybody you ever seen do it
Screams from the haters, got a nice ring to it
I guess every superhero need his theme music
No one man should have all that power
The clock's ticking, I just count the hours
Stop tripping, I'm tripping off the power
21st-century schizoid man
The system broken, and the school's closed, the prisons open
We ain't got nothin' to lose, ma'fucka, we rollin', huh?
Ma'fucka, we rollin'
With some light-skinned girls and some Kelly Rowlands
In this white man's world, we the ones chosen
So goodnight, cruel world, I'll see you in the mornin', huh?
I'll see you in the mornin'
This is way too much, I need a moment
No one man should have all that power
The clock's ticking, I just count the hours
Stop tripping, I'm tripping off the power
'Til then, fuck that, the world's ours
And they say, and they say
And they say, and they say
And they say, and they say
(21st-century schizoid man)
Fuck SNL and the whole cast
Tell 'em Yeezy said they can kiss my whole ass
More specifically, they can kiss my asshole
I'm an asshole? You niggas got jokes
You short-minded niggas thoughts is Napoleon
My furs is Mongolian, my ice brought the goalies in
Now I embody every characteristic of the egotistic
He knows he so fuckin' gifted
I just needed time alone, with my own thoughts
Got treasures in my mind but couldn't open up my own vault
My childlike creativity, purity and honesty
Is honestly being crowded by these grown thoughts
Reality is catching up with me
Taking my inner child, I'm fighting for custody
With these responsibilities that they entrusted me
As I look down at my diamond encrusted piece
Thinkin', no one man should have all that power
The clock's ticking, I just count the hours
Stop tripping, I'm tripping off the powder
'Til then, fuck that, the world's ours
And they say, and they say
And they say, and they say
And they say, and they say
(21st-century schizoid man)
Colin Powells, Austin Powers
Lost in translation with a whole fuckin' nation
They say I was the abomination of Obama's nation
Well that's a pretty bad way to start the conversation
At the end of the day, goddammit, I'm killin' this shit
I know damn well y'all feeling this shit
I don't need your pussy, bitch, I'm on my own dick
I ain't gotta power trip, who you goin' home with?
How 'Ye doing? I'm surviving
I was drinking earlier, now I'm driving
Where the bad bitches, huh? Where y'all hiding
I got the power make your life so exciting
Now this could be a beautiful death
Lumping out the window
Letting everything go
Letting everything go
Mmm, now this could be a beautiful death
Jumping out the window
Letting everything go
I'm letting everything go
Now this will be a beautiful death
Jumping out the window
Letting everything go
Letting everything go
You got the power to let power go
21st-century schizoid man
I was out for a walk and that playlist just popped up for some reason. So I listened to it.
For the life of me, I don't recall adding that list to my collection.
Think I'll keep that one cued up for a while...
