30 years ago King Crimson released ''Three Of a Perfect Pair''

Three of a Perfect Pair is the tenth studio album by the band King Crimson, released in 1984. The album is a balance between the experimental Discipline, and the more commercially accessible Beat. Tony Levin had more input than on any other King Crimson album It is divided into a "left" and "right" side, with a third side added in 2001. One of the bonus tracks is a barbershop a cappella in which all four members supposedly sing but is really Levin's voice overdubbed to create harmonization. Following the book theme of the last two albums, the album title may be a subtle nod to the novel Nineteen Eighty-Four, the year it was released. The album and title song's concept is based on the idea of perfect opposites and "three sides to every story", or His, Hers and an objective truth. The front cover designed by Peter Willis is a reference to the Emerald Tablet, or the maxim "As Above, So Below" and portrays the male solar deity on the bottom while the small crescent on top represents the female lunar deity. The back cover illustration is the same but adds a third element to reconcile the opposing forces. It continues the theme of Larks Tongues in Aspic.

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