When King Crimson unleashed their debut album, In the Court of the Crimson King, in October 1969, the world of music stood still. Pete Townshend of The Who famously declared it an “uncanny masterpiece.” This groundbreaking record, a potent cocktail of psychedelic rock, jazz improvisation, folk melodies, and classical grandeur, immediately set a new standard for progressive rock. Central to this sonic revolution were the evocative lyrics penned by Peter Sinfield. His words painted vivid tapestries, rich with imagery that swung from the savage and the mystical to the profoundly melancholic.
Peter Sinfield, who sadly passed away at the age of 80 after a period of declining health, was more than just a lyricist. He was the architect of King Crimson’s very identity, even coining the band’s enigmatic name. Furthermore, he was instrumental in shaping the album’s visual identity, enlisting his friend Barry Godber to create the iconic and unsettling album artwork. Tragically, Godber’s life was cut short shortly after the album’s release.
Peter Sinfield in Genoa, Italy, 2010. His lyrics were an integral part of King Crimson’s success, and they teemed with imagery by turns savage, mystical or melancholy
While In the Court of the Crimson King remains a towering achievement, arguably unmatched by King Crimson’s subsequent work, Sinfield’s influence within the band only deepened across their next three albums: In the Wake of Poseidon, Lizard, and Islands. He stepped into the role of co-producer for the first two of these, further solidifying his creative input. Though not a musician in the traditional sense, Sinfield’s contributions extended beyond lyrics. He orchestrated the band’s mesmerizing light shows during concerts and manipulated a VCS3 synthesizer to weave in distinctive sonic textures, adding layers to their complex soundscapes.
However, the creative partnership between Sinfield and Robert Fripp, King Crimson’s guitarist and dominant force, became increasingly strained due to diverging artistic visions. By early 1972, Sinfield’s journey with King Crimson reached its end. As Sinfield recounted, Fripp made it clear: “one of us has got to go, and I’m not leaving.”
But Sinfield’s talent was highly sought after. EG Management, King Crimson’s management team, promptly connected him with their new signing, Roxy Music. He took the production helm for their debut single, “Virginia Plain,” and their self-titled debut album. Both releases became significant hits, marking the beginning of Roxy Music’s glamorous ascent.
Seeking new avenues for his own artistic expression, Sinfield ventured into solo work with the album Still. On this project, he showcased his musicality by playing 12-string guitar and synthesizer, with production assistance from Greg Lake, his former King Crimson bandmate. This collaboration with Lake paved the way for Sinfield’s next major role: lyricist for Emerson, Lake & Palmer (ELP), Lake’s burgeoning progressive rock supergroup.
Sinfield’s lyrical handprint is evident on several pivotal ELP albums, including Brain Salad Surgery (1973), Works Volume 1 and Volume 2 (both 1977), and Love Beach (1978), which marked the band’s initial disbandment before their later reunion in the 1990s.
His creative reach extended to international collaborations. Sinfield penned lyrics for two albums by the acclaimed Italian progressive rock band PFM (Premiata Forneria Marconi): Photos of Ghosts (1973) and The World Became the World (1974), both released under ELP’s Manticore label. He also collaborated with Gary Brooker of Procol Harum, co-writing tracks for Brooker’s first solo album, No More Fear of Flying (1979). In 1974, Sinfield’s poetic output was further recognized with the publication of Under the Sky, a collection of his lyrics and poems, offering a deeper insight into his artistic mind.
Born in Fulham, London, Peter Sinfield’s early life was shaped by his parents, Deirdre and Alan Sinfield. Following their divorce, he resided with his mother, a woman he described as eccentric. She ran a hair salon and a burger bar, and young Peter was often under the care of their German housekeeper, Maria Wallenda. Intriguingly, Maria was part of the renowned Wallenda family of high-wire artists and acrobats, adding an element of circus flair to his childhood.
Reflecting on “I Believe in Father Christmas,” the iconic song he co-wrote with Greg Lake that reached number 2 in the UK charts in Christmas 1975, Sinfield revealed its personal roots. He connected the song to “a loss of innocence,” stemming from his realization of his unconventional family structure. “The people surrounding me were all my mother’s friends,” he explained. “Our German housekeeper kept up the spirit of Christmas and then suddenly it was taken away from me at the age of eight when I was sent off to boarding school.” Despite its poignant origins, “I Believe in Father Christmas” became a perennial Christmas favorite, generating an estimated £20,000 annually in royalties for Sinfield.
His boarding school years at Danes Hill in Oxshott, Surrey, proved formative in his intellectual development. Encouraged by a teacher, John Mawson, he cultivated a passion for literature, particularly the works of visionary poets like William Blake, Paul Verlaine, and Arthur Rimbaud. He later attended Ranelagh grammar school in Bracknell, Berkshire, but left formal education at 16. His early career path included a stint as a trainee travel agent before he found himself working for a computer company. There, his role involved scrutinizing printouts from Pye Records, detailing the earnings of their recording artists. “It’s possible that planted a seed, though it was certainly not the main reason I became a songwriter,” he mused.
Inspired by friends immersed in the artistic atmosphere of Chelsea School of Art, Sinfield took up guitar and dedicated himself to poetry. He spent time exploring Spain and Morocco, absorbing diverse cultural influences. Returning to Britain in 1967, he formed a band named Creation (distinct from the Creation known for the 1966 hit “Painter Man”). This band included Ian McDonald, who would later become his King Crimson collaborator. Sinfield’s early enthusiasm for McDonald’s musical talent was immense: “I thought I’d found Mozart,” he recalled, impressed by McDonald’s versatility.
Interestingly, McDonald’s initial assessment of Sinfield’s band was less complimentary. He reportedly told Sinfield, “I don’t think your band is much good but you write some interesting words,” a critique that spurred Sinfield to concentrate more intently on his songwriting craft.
In 1968, McDonald joined forces with brothers Michael and Peter Giles (drums and bass respectively) and Robert Fripp (guitar) in the band Giles, Giles and Fripp. Later that year, Peter Giles departed, and Sinfield and Greg Lake joined the lineup, marking the genesis of King Crimson. Sinfield humorously described his early role in the band as “their pet hippy,” owing to his knowledge of contemporary fashion trends from his time selling handmade clothing at market stalls: “I became their pet hippy, because I could tell them where to go to buy the funny clothes that they saw everyone wearing.”
In the late 1970s, Sinfield relocated to Ibiza with his first wife, Stephanie Ruben, and for a period lived as a tax exile. In 1979, he lent his voice to Robert Sheckley’s In a Land of Clear Colors, an audio science fiction story set to music by Brian Eno, showcasing his diverse artistic pursuits.
He returned to London in 1980 with his second wife, a Spanish model, and a pivotal introduction by his music publisher to songwriter Andy Hill initiated a new chapter in his career. This partnership with Hill yielded a string of major pop hits, including Bucks Fizz’s chart-topping “The Land of Make Believe,” Leo Sayer’s “Have You Ever Been In Love” (which earned them an Ivor Novello award), and Celine Dion’s global smash “Think Twice,” another Novello-winning success.
Further expanding his songwriting portfolio, Sinfield collaborated with Billy Livsey to create Five Star’s hit “Rain Or Shine.” They also co-wrote “Love in a World Gone Mad” for Agnetha Fältskog’s album I Stand Alone, demonstrating his ability to navigate diverse musical genres.
Peter Sinfield underwent heart surgery in 2005. In 2014, Robert Fripp reached out to him to update the lyrics for “21st Century Schizoid Man” for a new iteration of King Crimson, a testament to their enduring creative connection despite past differences.
At the time of his passing, Sinfield resided in Aldeburgh, Suffolk. Reflecting on his life and legacy, he once remarked that he would like his gravestone to bear the inscription “I Talk to the Wind,” the title of a poignant ballad from King Crimson’s debut album. He explained the song’s significance: “It’s about the young men we used to be in ’69, struggling to wake up and wondering what to do with the day, as if nothing mattered and everything mattered at the same time.” This epitaph encapsulates the poetic depth and philosophical musings that Peter Sinfield brought to the world of music, leaving an indelible mark on progressive rock and popular culture alike.
