USA is a live album by the English progressive rock band King Crimson, released in April 1975, some seven months after this incarnation had disbanded. It was recorded at the Casino, Asbury Park, New Jersey, United States on 28 June 1974, except for âÂÂ21st Century Schizoid ManâÂÂ, which was recorded at the Palace Theatre, Providence, Rhode Island two days later. The live recording was recorded by George Chkiantz and David Hewitt using the Record Plant Remote Truck. Violin and electric piano overdubs were added to three tracks at Olympic Studios, London in early 1975 and Chkiantz mixed the album at Olympic with Robert Fripp and John Wetton.
The album opens with a brief excerpt of "The Heavenly Music Corporation" from (No Pussyfooting), an experimental album which Robert Fripp had recorded with musician and producer Brian Eno in 1972. While it was not listed as a separate track on the original album, it is present on all releases.
Eddie Jobson, then a member of fellow E.G. artists Roxy Music along with Wetton, performed violin overdubs on âÂÂLarksâ Tongues in Aspic (Part II)â and âÂÂ21st Century Schizoid Manâ and electric piano on âÂÂLamentâ to improve the poor sound quality of the original parts played by David Cross, who had been fired from the group shortly after the live recordings were made.
âÂÂAsbury Parkâ and âÂÂEasy Moneyâ were edited to about half their original lengths for the LP release. The unedited versions were released digitally on DGMLive.com in 2005, along with the rest of the show in its original running order.
Original vinyl releases contain audio content in both the lead-in grooves to both sides of the album, and in side two's run-out groove. In the latter case, the audience's applause following "21st Century Schizoid Man" continues through side two's final locked groove, causing the applause to continue on manual turntables as long as the phonograph needle remains on the record.
There have been four releases of the album:
The cover is a photograph by British fashion photographer and film director Willie Christie, who also photographed the cover of the Fripp & Eno (No Pussyfooting) album. The idea for the cover came from Wetton and was inspired by the Statue of Liberty.