Michael Giles


Michael Rex Giles is an English drummer, best known as a co-founder of King Crimson in 1969. Prior to the formation of King Crimson, he also co-founded the short-lived Giles, Giles and Fripp with his brother, Peter, and Robert Fripp the previous year.

Life and career

Giles was born in Waterlooville, Hampshire, England.
His drumming technique is complex and polyrhythmic, based primarily on the jazz tradition, but also on a developing heavy rock tradition. He orchestrated much of the compositional structure of the first King Crimson album In the Court of the Crimson King, Giles's compositional skills are evidenced by his ability to weave challenging yet seamless tempo changes and subtle melodic deviations in his drumming on the album.
Giles left King Crimson in December 1969, though he played as a session musician on the band's second album, In the Wake of Poseidon. He later joined Ian McDonald to record an album called McDonald and Giles, which was lighter in style than King Crimson, but just as demanding musically. Giles then worked as a session musician for the duration of the 1970s, working with many popular artists including Steve Winwood, Leo Sayer, and Yvonne Elliman. He also contributed to Ian McDonald's 1999 solo album Driver's Eyesalso
Giles also released a solo album, Progress'', which was recorded at his home studio in 1978, but not released until 2003.
In 2002, he co-founded the 21st Century Schizoid Band, a group composed mostly of former King Crimson members, but which also included his son-in-law, Jakko Jakszyk, who himself later joined King Crimson on several albums, but after one tour, Giles tired of touring and passed the drum stool over to the late Ian Wallace, another former Crimson drummer.
In late 2008, a new venture was announced, Michael Giles' MAD Band, with Adrian Chivers and Dan Pennie.
He was often cited by the late Rush drummer Neil Peart as an influence.

Selected discography

[Giles, Giles and Fripp]