When Steven Wilson first mixed Lizard in stereo and 5.1 with Robert Fripp in 2009, he commented: “For me Lizard has always been an album that was too big for stereo to contain. I’ve always felt that if presented in the right way, I could make a case for this being the most experimental rock record ever made. It’s extraordinary what they’re doing on this album. In terms of fusing free-jazz with progressive rock for me there’s almost no parallel.”
Now, in 2025, Steven has returned to that album and the new mixes merely serve to confirm that analysis.
The 2009 mixes – released at the same time as the much better known Red and In The Court of the Crimson King, did much to focus fan attention on an album which was sometimes overlooked in the Crimson catalogue; Red, Court, Larks’ Tongues in Aspic, Discipline – the various KC incarnations all seemed to have definitive albums which represented certain periods in the band’s ever-changing development but Lizard - a single album group with an expanded line-up which was never played live, a healthy infusion of jazz players and influences, a radical departure from the two previous Crim album releases and more musical ambition than many band’s entire careers - seemed almost forgotten.
But if any album was going to benefit from the more detailed audio that Hi-Resolution and 5.1 Surround created, it was Lizard, and fans old and new eagerly embraced it. By 2016, the latest touring incarnation of the band began to play pieces from the music on stage for the first time with original members from the original recording - Robert Fripp and Mel Collins visibly enjoying playing Cirkus and parts of Lizard. By 2018 Almost all of Lizard was being played as a complete suite, frequently to the sort of reception normally reserved for the likes of Epitaph or the best known of the Crimson songs.
Now, in 2025, Lizard appears in its most complete form yet. Steven Wilson’s new stereo and 5.1 mixes reveal fresh details in the original recordings, the Atmos mix is one of his most ambitious yet working with a recording that always has more to give to en expanded soundstage. If Steven’s mixes detail the best that can possibly be had from the album as presented, then David Singleton’s Elemental mixes probe the nuances of the original recordings and sessions, bringing (previously) background performances to the fore, adding alternate takes of individual performances and exploring different angles for mixing each piece. Working separately and with different remits, the producers bring fresh perspectives to this most intriguing of recordings.
Complementing all of this material, the Blu-ray disc also features Alex R. Mundy’s mixes of every single session from the original 1970 recording sessions along with the original 30th anniversary stereo master.
Disc 1
1Cirkus
2Indoor Games
3Happy Family
4Lady of the Dancing Water
5Lizard
6Cirkus
7Indoor Games
8Lizard - Prince Rupert Awakes
9Bolero - The Peacock's Tale
10Dawn Song
11Last Skirmish
12Prince Rupert's Lament
13Big Top Pass II
Disc 2
1Cirkus
2Indoor Games
3Happy Family
4Lady of the Dancing Water
5Lizard
6Lady of the Dancing Water (Alt. Take)
7Cirkus 2025
8Indoor Games
9Happy Family
10Lady of the Dancing Water
11Lizard
12Cirkus
13Indoor Games
14Happy Family
15Lady of the Dancing Water
16Lizard
17Cirkus Backing Track
18Cirkus Overdubs 1
19Cirkus Overdubs 2
20Cirkus Overdubs 3
21Cirkus Early Vocal/Rough Mix
22Lady of the Dancing Water Flute Pass 1
23Lady of the Dancing Water Flute Pass 2
24Lady of the Dancing Water Flute Pass 3
25Lady of the Dancing Water Piano & Mellotron Pass 1
26Lady of the Dancing Water Piano & Mellotron Pass 2
27Lady of the Dancing Water Guitar Overdub
28Lady of the Dancing Water Vocal & Trombone Overdub
29Prince Rupert Awakes Backing Track With Guitar & Vocal Overdubs
30Prince Rupert Awakes Piano & Mellotron Overdubs
31Dawn Song Cor Anglais Pass 1
32Dawn Song Cor Anglais Pass 2
33Dawn Song Vocal Take 1
34Dawn Song Vocal Take 2
35Dawn Song Vocal Take 3
36Last Skirmish, Including Prince Rupert's Lament Backing Track
37Prince Rupert's Lament Backing Track - Segment
38Last Skirmish, Including Prince Rupert's Lament Overdubs 1
39Last Skirmish Overdubs 2
40Prince Rupert's Lament Solo 1
41Prince Rupert's Lament Solo 2
42Prince Rupert's Lament Solo 3
43Prince Rupert's Lament Solo 4
44Bolero Backing Track With Piano
45Bolero Overdubs
46Big Top Bass, Drums, Mellotron
47Big Top Overdubs 1
48Big Top Overdubs 2
49Big Top Piano Overdub
50Indoor Games Backing Track - Segment
51Indoor Games Backing Track
52Indoor Games Vocals & Overdubs
53Happy Family Bass, Drums & Guide Piano
54Happy Family Guitar, Flute & Sax Overdubs
55Happy Family Vocals & Overdubs
A CD is also included featuring Steven Wilson’s 2025 stereo mixes of the album and a selection of the Elemental mixes – including the title track.
