Legendary King Crimson Drummer Michael Giles Makes Surprise Return With First Album in 25 Years
Michael Giles, the founding drummer and percussionist of King Crimson, has returned with his first new album in more than two decades. Titled Shadows/Solo, the release gathers previously unheard recordings into a double CD collection, marking his first major project since 2001’s Progress. The album also launches a broader archival series focused on Giles’ long and varied musical career.
Giles described the project by saying, “the release feels less like looking back and more like completing a circle,” reflecting how the material connects different periods of his life in music. Rather than presenting a single recording session, the album combines works created across several decades, carefully assembled into a unified listening experience.
A Collection Years in the Making
Many recordings included in Shadows/Solo date back years, while others were completed more recently. Despite the time gaps, Giles recognized a shared musical direction running through them. He decided the material deserved to be finished and heard rather than remaining stored away in archives.
The project grew from Giles’ personal recordings kept at his studio in Dorset, England. Over time, he revisited these sessions, refining and organizing them into a cohesive release. The result offers listeners insight into his evolving style, blending structured percussion with experimental ideas that defined much of his earlier work.
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Expanding the Archive Series
The album is only the beginning of a larger archival effort. Upcoming releases will include Giles & Pert and Giles & Muir, which document collaborative studio sessions recorded around 1982. These projects feature percussionist Morris Pert and drummer Jamie Muir, who later joined King Crimson during the early 1970s.
Later in the year, Giles plans to release a five-disc box set presenting his complete studio recordings. The collection aims to preserve lesser-known material alongside familiar works, offering a detailed record of his contributions both as a solo artist and collaborator.
From King Crimson to New Collaborations
Michael Giles first gained recognition as a founding member of King Crimson, performing on the band’s influential early albums In The Court Of The Crimson King (1969) and In The Wake Of Poseidon (1970). Before that, he worked with Robert Fripp in Giles, Giles & Fripp, a project that helped shape the progressive rock sound emerging in Britain at the time.
After leaving King Crimson, Giles continued an active career across different musical styles. He released McDonald and Giles in 1970 with the late Ian McDonald and later collaborated with artists including Anthony Phillips, Kevin Ayers, Greg Lake, Bryan Ferry, and The Penguin Cafe Orchestra. In 2002, he co-founded the 21st Century Schizoid Band, bringing together former King Crimson musicians along with Jakko Jakszyk, who would later become a member of King Crimson himself.
