In conjunction with the upcoming 40th Anniversary of its original release (Oct 12, 1969) as a track on King Crimson’s first album, entitled “In the Court of the Crimson King,” the iconic rock anthem “21st Century Schizoid Man” has been re-recorded and re-released by “The Human Experimente,” a multi-faceted project based in Santa Monica, CA. “The Human Experimente” has been founded by Emmy® Award winning musician/composer/executive producer Jeffrey Fayman, and also includes as guest artists original “King Crimson” guitarist and founder Robert Fripp and vocalist Maynard Keenan of “Tool” and “Puscifer.” Fayman made the announcements.
To preview the new single “21st Century Schizoid Man,” the first release from The Human Experimente, please click here or visit www.thehumanexperimente.com. The single is now available to download digitally via iTunes, AmazonMp3, eMusic, Rhapsody, Napster and others.
(SIDE NOTE: Activision’s recently released “Guitar Hero 5” videogame features the original King Crimson version of “21st Century Schizoid Man” as a playable track.)
ABOUT “THE HUMAN EXPERIMENTE”
The Human Experimente has been designed by Fayman as a unique recording project utilizing the talents of a compilation of various, high profile music artists, much in the style of a collective series release usually found in Chill-Out or Lounge House genres like Buddah Bar or Cafe Del Mar.
However, in this case, instead of contemporary electronic dance, down-tempo and/or exotic world music, The Human Experimente collection presents grandly cinematic structured songs—songs conceived to sound like music for imaginary films.
The songs that will be presented by The Human Experimente — with “21st Century Schizoid Man” representing the first — will have no specific agenda, style or thematic genre. Instead, they are simply meant to be listened to on an individual basis– purely predicated upon the merit of each song itself. The styles of the songs that will be included within the first compilation from The Human Experimente (slated for early 2010) will range from intensely dramatic industrial rock, to beautifully melodic– and almost operatic—themes.
“If within our collective consciousness, the muse of musical inspiration strikes, and angels blowing golden trumpets lead us astray from our Earthly sleep, then ‘that’ song may be considered a prime candidate for production by The Human Experimente,” remarks Fayman.
The executive producer/composer/creator behind The Human Experimente is Emmy Award winning musician/composer Jeffrey Fayman. Fayman primarily works in the motion picture industry with his company Immediate Music, composing cinematic trailer music for the advertising campaigns that promote many of Hollywood’s biggest blockbuster feature films and highly rated television programs, TV movies and specials.
The major contributing artists involved with The Human Experimente include Robert Fripp (“King Crimson,”) John Wetton (“ASIA”/”King Crimson,”) Maynard Keenan (“Tool,” “Perfect Circle,” “Puscifer,”) Adrian Belew (“King Crimson,”) Anneke Van Giersbergen (“The Gathering,”) and Dann Pursey (“Globus” and “Vantan.”) Various additional artists will be joining the collective within the near future.
For more information, please see: www.thehumanexperimente.com
ABOUT THE GENESIS OF THE NEW “SCHIZOID MAN” PROJECT”
Jeffrey Fayman’s passion for emotionally moving and visual film music, combined with his love for powerfully dramatic contemporary songs, inspired him to create a hybrid form of both. It began by Fayman’s experimenting with restructuring into "songs" some cinematic orchestral and choir music he had composed–and it grew from there.
Fayman has long felt that King Crimson’s 1969 album “In the Court of the Crimson King” (from which “Schizoid Man” was the opening track) was an iconic album and presented a musical style that defined “progressive rock” at the time–40 years ago!! For Fayman, that album and memorable song created a benchmark marriage of incredibly complex technical playing, visual poetry, political and sociological messages—all combined within an unbridled and highly inspired creative expression.
Says Fayman, “I have always loved the song ’21st Century Schizoid Man,’ and I felt that now would be the time to update it, incorporating the sound of a full symphony orchestra, as the song always seemed to have been constructed with a real orchestra in mind. I went to Seattle along with Robert Fripp and re-recorded his guitar parts for the song, and then later added the recording of an orchestral arrangement that I had composed earlier.”
Fayman further explains, “Just say the title – ’21st Century Schizoid Man’ –out loud, and then take a look at the times in which we’re all living. Originally, the lyrics to this song were a reflection of the Vietnam War: ‘Blood rack, barbed wire…Politicians funeral pyre…Innocents raped with napalm fire…Twenty first century schizoid man.’ But even today, with global warfare being waged and nuclear buildups threatened, all alongside a worldwide economic meltdown, it seems to me that those lyrics were something more than prophetic. Today, we are ALL potential ’21st Century Schizoid’ men and women!”
ABOUT KING CRIMSON’S “21ST CENTURY SCHIZOID MAN”
Originally the opening track on progressive rock/jazz fusion/hard rock band King Crimson’s debut album entitled “In the Court of the Crimson King,” released Oct. 12, 1969 by Atlantic Records, “21st Century Schizoid Man” was written by band members Robert Fripp, Greg Lake, Ian McDonald, Michael Giles and Peter Sinfield. The song’s lyrics consist of a short poem with one or more metaphors in each line.
“Schizoid Man” made references to the Vietnam War, which was still raging at the time of its release. Before a live performance of the song in December 1969, Fripp sarcastically remarked that it was “dedicated to an American political personality whom we all know and love dearly. His name is Spiro Agnew.”
Musically, “Schizoid Man” is notable for its heavily distorted vocals sung by a pre-“Emerson, Lake and Palmer” Greg Lake. The song featured a driving mechanical rhythm and piercingly loud saxophone and guitar, along with its instrumental, percussion-heavy middle section, called “Mirrors.”
“Schizoid Man” has previously appeared on four live albums from various music artists: By Greg Lake on “Epitaph,” by Boz Burrell on “Earthbound,” by John Wetton on “USA,” and by Adrian Belew on “Vrooom Vrooom.” The song has also been covered by other musicians, including, most notably, Ozzy Osbourne, April Wine and Forbidden. The band Bad Religion offered an homage to the song with their release entitled “21st Century Digital Boy,” and the tune has also been featured within the videogame “Guitar Hero 5.”
ORIGINAL LYRICS TO “21ST CENTURY SCHIZOID MAN” (To preview click here)
“Cats foot, iron claw
Neuro-surgeons scream for more
At paranoia’s poison door.
Twenty first century schizoid man”
“Blood rack, barbed wire
Politicians 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”
