Is King Crimson the best rock music has to offer?

[Lake Swan]

I suppose (the thread title notwithstanding) I am well content with what the Crimsos do, even if it be not rocking : )

Of course. 

[71 dB]

Shouldn't rock music...um...rock? 

What does it mean when something rock? Does Elvis Presley rock? I think music can rock in different ways.

If you don't like a style of music, then how can you compare a style that you never liked with a style you actually enjoy? Apples and oranges, my friend. Alternative rock was another path in rock and it really needed it after many years of stagnation. Anyway, King Crimson isn't the only rock band that ever existed. Quite frankly, I find it amusing that you don't recognize this and insist that they're somehow the one golden truth in rock. The reality is there's a lot of great music in the rock idiom that ISN'T progressive rock.

Yes, apples and oranges. Still you where the one comparing alternative rock and KC. All I said was that these examples didn't seem better than KC's music to me. I honestly told that I am not into "grunge". Maybe I would like another tracks from there bands more that these? I think I will check out Sonic Youth more because that track you linked wasn't bad. Most probably I will find out that Sonic Youth isn't interesting enough but you never know..

Yes, King Crimson isn't the only rock band (I mentioned Lowgold and Kashmir as my other favorites) but it is by far the best I know. Henry Cow's complex rock is close to KC but I haven't explored it much...

King Crimson is in my opinion so great rock music that there's much room for quality rock music below it.

[Lake Swan]

What does it mean when something rock?

If you have to ask...

[71 dB]

If you have to ask...

...it means I know the term isn't precisely defined and constantly getting new meanings with time. 

[Mirror Image]

Yes, apples and oranges. Still you where the one comparing alternative rock and KC. All I said was that these examples didn't seem better than KC's music to me. I honestly told that I am not into "grunge". Maybe I would like another tracks from there bands more that these? I think I will check out Sonic Youth more because that track you linked wasn't bad. Most probably I will find out that Sonic Youth isn't interesting enough but you never know..

Yes, King Crimson isn't the only rock band (I mentioned Lowgold and Kashmir as my other favorites) but it is by far the best I know. Henry Cow's complex rock is close to KC but I haven't explored it much...

King Crimson is in my opinion so great rock music that there's much room for quality rock music below it.

I don't think you understand. Alternative rock music is different from progressive rock. I never compared these Alternative bands to King Crimson, I said that KC aren't the best that rock has to offer. What you're reading into my posts is of your own making. I clearly stated that I like both styles of music and feel that comparisons would be apples/oranges. You clearly like KC and that's your right, but they're NOT the best that rock music has to offer. That's my two cents.

But since we're discussing progressive rock, I would take Genesis (especially Gabriel-era Genesis) over KC any day of the week.

[Karl Henning]

Well, but per Heavy Metal Dave's point, it cannot be argued but that Fripp & al. out-rock Genesis. (It's a solo album, but "You Burn Me Up (I'm a Cigarette)" and "Chicago" on Exposure rock as energetically as the best of them.)

King Crimson in my view (apart, perhaps, from early albums which aren't quite to my taste) are overall too nervy for the Prog bucket.

[71 dB]

I don't think you understand.

A sentence often said online... ...it's so convenient to claim monopoly on understanding.

I understood you posted those youtube videos in order to prove that King Crimson is not the best thing rock music has to offer. If you had another reason for doing so you could have perhaps made yourself more clear about it?

Alternative rock music is different from progressive rock.

Yes it is. There's tons of subgenres. If we ask whether King Crimson is the best rock music has to offer it means we must compare it to ALL KIND OF rock music ever produced. It is apples and oranges (and bananas, mandarins, pears etc.) if we ask such a thing, isn't it?

I never compared these Alternative bands to King Crimson

You didn't make that very clear until now. Good, now we can go forward.

I said that KC aren't the best that rock has to offer.

Okay but I for one am interested to hear what is best rock music has to offer if King Crimson is not?

What you're reading into my posts is of your own making.

Yes, because I had to fill the gaps in your information myself. Sorry about less than perfect work.

I clearly stated that I like both styles of music and feel that comparisons would be apples/oranges. You clearly like KC and that's your right, but they're NOT the best that rock music has to offer. That's my two cents.

I agree with you about the apples/oranges things except that I am not that much into alternative rock. In fact I don't listen to rock music that much and I seem to enjoy only a few subgenres. I like King Crimson's progressive rock for it's sophistication and mastery of performance. I also like Lowgold's and Kashmir's soft rock for their beauty, originality and raw talent.

But since we're discussing progressive rock, I would take Genesis (especially Gabriel-era Genesis) over KC any day of the week.

So you say Genesis is best rock music has to offer? Not a bad choice at all. Personally I think King Crimson is superior to (even) Genesis.