Peter Sinfield, songwriter and King Crimson lyricist, dead at 80
Peter Sinfield, the songwriter and lyricist best known for his work with pioneering prog-rock band King Crimson, has died at the age of 80.
Sinfield’s work was instrumental in King Crimson finding success, as well as helping establish some of the key tenets of the prog genre. He co-founded the group in 1968, was responsible for naming them, and found their first rehearsal space in the cafe basement on Fulham Palace Road.
Demonstrating his broad impact on the group, he also sourced the iconic artwork on the cover of King Crimson’s 1969 debut album, In the Court of the Crimson King, the record that produced ’21st Century Schizoid Man’. The artwork was by his friend Barry Godler, who died from a heart attack not long after the record arrived.
The track typified the surreal lyrics that Sinfield would become famed for, and he contributed words to all five songs on the album. Elsewhere, the sprawling ‘The Court of the Crimson King’, features some of his finest lyrics, including the classic opening line, “The rusted chains of prison moons /Are shattered by the sun”, which aptly set the scene for the mysterious world of the medieval-based number.
Sinfield later contributed lyrics and to the production of the ensuing King Crimson albums, 1970’s In the Wake of Poseidon and Lizard and the 1971’s Islands. However, as time wore on, Sinfield and band leader Robert Fripp’s relationship disintegrated. On January 1st, 1972, following a US tour, Fripp informed Sinfield he could no longer work with him and asked him to leave King Crimson.
Later that year, Sinfield produced the self-titled debut album by glam rock pioneers Roxy Music, a record featuring classics such as ‘Virginia Plain’ and ‘Re-Make/Re-Model’. This gave him the idea to craft his own body of work. Accordingly, Sinfield released his sole solo album, Still, in 1973, which saw him sing, play the 12-string guitar and synthesiser, produce and design the cover.
During this era, he was recruited by fellow prog pioneers Emerson, Lake & Palmer, with him working on the lyrics for ‘Benny the Bouncer’ and ‘Karn Evil 9 3rd Impression’ for Brain Salad Surgery. He contributed lyrics to the later 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.
In the late 1970s, Sinfield moved to Ibiza, Spain, to live as a tax exile due to overestimating his wealth and underestimating his royalties from the trio. When he returned to London in 1980, he was shocked to discover that prog-rock was no longer cool and that punk had taken hold of culture. This wouldn’t stop him from working, though.
That year, he met composer and songwriter Andy Hill, and together they worked on hits such as pop band Bucks Fizz’s number one ‘The Land of Make Believe’. The pair also wrote songs for Leo Sayer and Celine Dion. After his divorce, he left the UK for Majorca for a time, before moving back to Holland Park in 1990. It was that year Dion’s ‘Think Twice’, by him and Hill became a global hit, and he won an Ivor Novello Award for ‘Best Song Musically and Lyrically’.
Due to the demand, Sinfield tried to work on a second solo album, but it was a struggle for various reasons, including his 2005 quadruple heart bypass operation. He eventually put it to bed for good, and instead started writing haiku and other forms of literature. For the last part of his life, he lived in Aldeburgh, Suffolk. In 2014, Fripp even invited Sinfield to update the lyrics for ’21st Century Schizoid Man’.
Peter Sinfield died on November 14th, 2024, at the age of 80. He had been suffering declining health for several years, although at the time of writing, no cause of death has been confirmed. The news was broken by Robert Fripp on social media.
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