Mel Collins (born Melvyn Desmond Collins on 5 September, 1947, in the Isle of Man) is a British saxophonist and flautist and prominent session musician. He has worked with an extensive number of musicians, including Alexis Korner, Clannad, Eric Clapton, Bad Company, Dire Straits, Bryan Ferry, Marianne Faithfull, The Rolling Stones, Tears For Fears and many others, but his most important work was as a member of progressive rock bands King Crimson, Camel, Caravan, and The Alan Parsons Project. For King Crimson he was Ian McDonald's replacement, playing the same three instruments as him on In the Wake of Poseidon, Lizard and Islands before re-appearing as a session musician on the Red album.