Errors-To: admin at elephant-talk dot com Reply-To: newsletter at elephant-talk dot com Sender: moderator at elephant-talk dot com Precedence: bulk From: moderator at elephant-talk dot com To: newsletter at elephant-talk dot com Subject: Elephant Talk #1040 E L E P H A N T T A L K The Internet newsletter for Robert Fripp and King Crimson enthusiasts Number 1040 Saturday, 5 October 2002 Today's Topics: Re: Jobson w/KC/Schizoid Band/help w/ET Starting to get excited... Re: KC in south africa / Peter Gabriel Eddie Jobson in Crimso 21st CSB Reviews GIG REVIEW: Schizoid band 21st century schizoid band Jobson vs Cross 21st. Century Schizoid Band vs King Crimson 21st Century Schizoid Band ot re peter gabriel's new CD and tour 21st Century Schizoid .. BAND tour review etc Re: "fripp-like moby" Re: metal, metallica, and tull Re: Schizoid Band/Jeff Beck Jobson vs Cross Slightly off topic: Jeff Beck, Peter Gabriel and Tony Levin. Plus rant... ------------------ A D M I N I S T R I V I A --------------------- POSTS: Please send all posts to newsletter at elephant-talk dot com To UNSUBSCRIBE, or to CHANGE ADDRESS: Send a message with a body of HELP to admin at elephant-talk dot com or use the DIY list machine at http://www.elephant-talk.com/list/ To ASK FOR HELP about your ET subscription: Send a message to: help at elephant-talk dot com ET Web: http://www.elephant-talk.com/ Read the ET FAQ before you post a question at http://www.elephant-talk.com/faq.htm Current TOUR DATES info can always be found at http://www.elephant-talk.com/gigs/tourdates.shtml You can read the most recent ten editions of ET at http://www.elephant-talk.com/newsletter.htm THE ET TEAM: Toby Howard (Moderator), Dan Kirkdorffer (Webmaster) Mike Dickson (List Admin), and a cast of thousands. The views expressed herein are those of the individual authors. ET is produced using John Relph's Digest system v3.7b (relph at sgi dot com). ------------------ A I V I R T S I N I M D A --------------------- Date: Thu, 3 Oct 2002 13:02:19 -0700 (PDT) From: Steve munari Subject: Re: Jobson w/KC/Schizoid Band/help w/ET Hello All; I just wanted to chime in about Eddie Jobson. I too would have loved to hear what KC would have sounded like w/Jobson over time, & maybe an album?? In my eye's Jobson is a virtuoso, especially at the Keyboards! he can play a mean violin as well as other instruments. If anyone thinks he's underqualified as a musician, think only of just 3 bands Eddie was in: FZ-Jethro Tull & UK!! I love UK! Have you any idea of what it would take to pass an audition for any of those 3 bands? Even though I loved the 1st album w/Holdsworth & Bruford, give me a 3 peice UK of Wetton-Bozzio & Jobson, anyday! I've always thought that "Night After Night" was the best "live" recording of the early 80's!! So clean & the vocals, bass, drums sound so clear! Hearing the Japanese audience yelling, "UK-UK! was/is a blast! I've had the "21st Century Schizoid Band" debut cd for less than a week(well actually I had it 3 weeks but just got home to listen to it in the last wk)and listen to it everyday! I think, "A Man A City"("Pictures of the City")is the best cut on the cd, it is a killer! I keep singing it to myself...While I don't have "ITWOP" cd/album close to me, does'nt the line, "A Man A City" appear in the liner notes or as a subtitle, something? The idea of using 2 saxophones was brilliant, as two great player's, at least in this case, are better than 1!! I'm sure some ET'er's will let me know that indeed the Giles ARE brother's...because I said something like, "Mike & Peter Giles sound so good together they could be brother's whom have played together constantly for many years".It was totally "tounge in cheek"! While indeed they played on separate projects over the yrs.(This rythym section kicks ass!!) I often find myself laughing aloud while it's playing, it's that appealing! While i've expressed my thoughts on the "SB" cd here before, I must again mention Jakko. This "kid" is so talented, he can go anywhere he wants musically! I know i'll be buying 1 of the 3 solo cd's he's done thusfar, so can anyone out there tell me which I should add to my long list(short of cash)of musicial wants? I hear they'll tour the US in 2003, sure hope so. I already want to hear another cd by them already! A friend in England(PB)e-mailed me this morning, telling me he had read my post in ET 1038. Well, I checked my mail no ET 1038. I gave it 2 hours & decided to write to, help at elephant-talk dot com to see if there was a problem. All i'd get each time was the old, mail "undeliverable" line. I checked my spelling, ect & everything was correct! Anyway 5-6 hours after my friend in England had his, I received mine. While I don't expect to have to use the Help address for ET again, could someone pls let me know if anything has changed as far as where to write if subscription or other problems should arise? I mean why would'nt my e-mail get through? Thanks in advance guys at ET! This is the 1st time anything like this has happened. [ Sorry, I don't know what the problem was. My apologies, anyway. -- Toby ] Also, after my bitching about, "not enough European Et'er's writing reviews" on the "SB"things have finally picked up, altho i'd still expect more! Hey Tobey, did you go? If so i'd love to hear your reveiw/overview. Just because you moderate the newsletter does'nt prevent you from adding to it's content does it? Anyway, thanks to all at ET, I really look forward to every issue. Thanks everyone. Steven Munari ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 03 Oct 2002 09:28:35 -0400 From: "Ryan Tassone" Subject: Starting to get excited... I'll admit, when I first heard the new King Crimson album title, I thought, "This is a big mistake. King Crimson is finally at the end of their rope." Because, honestly, on face value, "The Power to Believe" sounds like something you might hear from the likes of Yes, John Tesh, or Celine Dion. There must be a catch, I thought. And, sure enough, there's a catch: that chilling, broken-up image that's been on the KC homepage for so long isn't just wallpaper--it's the cover! Look at the two men in gasmasks holding bloodhounds, and the woman about to operate on an infant in the foreground, see the sillhouettes of huddled masses in the distance, and the black smoke billowing from smokestacks far above...then look at the title again. It hits, and hard. The power to believe can also be the power to destroy. Has anybody else noticed how gracefully the endless "Kc" song titles have been phased out and replaced? Akin to the Larks'/Starless/Red trio of albums and the Discipline/Beat/Three trio, we can now look back at The ProjeKcts, The ConstruKction of Light, and Level 5 as the experimental beginnings, calculated climax, and transitional conclusion to this particular period of KC history. Furthermore, it seems now as if VROOOM, THRAK and, in my eyes, Nashville Rehearsals are similarly laid out...fleshing out themes in VROOOM, full-blown studio treatment in THRAK, and leading from the Double Trio into the FraKctal phase in Nashville Rehearsals. All three have onomatopoeia in their song titles. And now, Happy With What You Have To Be Happy With begins a new era, with new conventions. You don't see titles like "SPLAX" or "DistinKction" in there. There are two Japanese ones, though, both of them haiku, as I understand. Could this be indicative of the album's sound? King Crimson has now moved to Sanctuary, which to me is almost like cutting the umbilical cord from DGM and its associations (including the past King Crimson, for that matter). And yet another landmark: The Power to Believe will be the first King Crimson studio album to have a P.J. Crook painting on its cover. Think about it...all the other ones were live albums or EP's. So, I'm convinced that we're all witnesses to King Crimson's next landmark. Ryan ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 03 Oct 2002 15:37:45 +0000 From: "Anna Rose" Subject: Re: KC in south africa / Peter Gabriel King Crimson in Africa - some chance! I lived there myself until a few months back, so i know how annoying it is that you can never get to see anyone live. If they do go there I will be incredibly irritated that I missed them. About UP - I am listening to it right now and it is definitely excellent. In the opening track 'Darkness' there is almost certainly some KC influence. However, all the reviews I've read say unflattering things about 'The Barry Williams Show', can anyone tell me why this is? I quite like it, and it's essential to break up two very dark and disturbing tracks (possibly the two best), 'I Grieve' and 'My Head Sounds Like That'. Thanks - Anna. ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 3 Oct 2002 12:23:16 EDT From: DrumSci at aol dot com Subject: Eddie Jobson in Crimso About USA, Ryan Tassone writes: > Anybody else wonder what a KC with Jobson might have sounded like? As I recall, wasn't Eddie slated to join the band after RED and then Fripp up and packed things in... Michael Bettine Drummer/Composer/Writer/Poet/Dreamer (www.homepage.mac.com/mbettine) updated 9/30/02 The true artist is a man who believes absolutely in himself, because he is absolutely himself. Oscar Wilde ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 03 Oct 2002 12:10:48 -0600 From: Phoenix Subject: 21st CSB Reviews Hi! Wondering if anyone is interested in provide me with reviews of the 21st Century Schizoid Band shows, I'd like to post them all on my site to fast reference. Please contact me. -- Phoenix 4eigner.net The Foreigner Website http://www.4eigner.net ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 3 Oct 2002 18:30:32 +0100 (BST) From: Kevin Marriott Subject: GIG REVIEW: Schizoid band The show I saw was actually a few weeks ago (Bilston, near Dudley, UK), so apologies for the lateness. First impressions of the band themselves: Peter Giles looks a little bit like David Bowie, no wait- Mel Collins IS David Bowie! Cool... Basically, Mel stole the show, he is a fantastic player, playing just as well (if not better) than on the available shows form the 70s. I reckon he was 'on' on this particular night even more so than on the CD. Formantera Lady was a real highlight. I thought it was an odd choice for the set until I heard it. Jakko's vocals are much better than the original. He's changed the phrasing ever so slightly, so it sounds slightly jazzy instead of being a bit sort-of epic and pompous. Epitaph was quite an emotional experience. I didn't realise what a big deal it would be to hear these songs played live by actual members of the band. Great stuff. Got the CD at the end of the show. 60 minutes, only the KC stuff minus Epitaph. I can't see why. The version I saw was fantastic. ===== -- Kev Music reviews: www.deepthought3.supanet.com/music ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 3 Oct 2002 10:33:44 -0700 (PDT) From: Michael Stack Subject: 21st century schizoid band Delurking long enough to make a statement... james.gemma1 said: > I am listening to the 21st Century Schizoid band - > this is fabulous music > but it is played under the wrong name. This name for > this band should be > King Crimson. King Crimson Musicians playing King > Crimson Music to a King > Crimson Audience = KING CRIMSON Bryan Lea said: > Make no mistake, this is no tribute band. These > musicians have as much > right to the name King Crimson as do Robert Fripp's > occasional ensemble. Two quotes from the most recent ET, basically implying that this band is King Crimson. I disagree. McDonald & Giles left on their own accord in '69, Collins left in '72, again of his own accord. Peter Giles and Jakko were never actually in Crimson. It is my feeling that they left hte band of their own accord, they should move on with their life. I've watched over the years the neverending complaints about Fripp-- "he never plays the old songs", "he changed directions and I dislike it". These are what makes the band interesting to me. Tribute bands have always bored me, and quite honestly, I can't imagine being very interested in seeing this bunch playing old songs. Why not do something new instead of just living in the past? But let's be honest, would they have as big of an audience if they called themselves something else and played only new material? Music these days seems to be nothing more than regurgitating the same songs over and over again, be it jazz, rock, classical, it doesn't matter. Do audiences really want musicians to sit still? I for one feel the name King Crimson is where it belongs, with the band that does what the '69 band did-- challenge the music of the time to be more than it currently is, not rehash old ideas over and over again. mike ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 03 Oct 2002 11:18:00 -0700 From: "Scott Steele" Subject: Jobson vs Cross >I was wondering if Eddie Jobson's "remix assistance" on USA was done because David Cross was ACCIDENTALLY mixed down on certain tracks, or if David Cross was INTENTIONALLY mixed down because he was no longer contractually a part of the band? The latter explanation doesn't make much sense, because Cross can clearly be heard in other places on the album (albiet mostly on Mellotron). There were portions of the original tape where Cross was drowned out, so they took the original tape to the studio and Jobson supplied the parts where Cross was inaudible. >That being said...wow! Jobson is WAY better than Cross at both violin and keyboards. Have you heard any David Cross records lately? He plays pretty great. Have you heard any Eddie Jobson records lately? There are none! - S. np: Dick Heath's radio show at http://www.lcr1350.co.uk/ - 11am PST to 1pm every Thurs scottst at ohsu dot edu ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 3 Oct 2002 22:09:32 +0200 From: "Ignacio Carlos Romeo Puolakka" Subject: 21st. Century Schizoid Band vs King Crimson Hi to all ET readers. There have been some postings suggesting that the 21st. Century Schizoid Band is more King Crimson than the actual King Crimson. It is completely absurd. No band without Robert Fripp could be named King Crimson. You know this by history and all the work that King Crimson has done though all these years. The 21st. Century Schizoid Band could be seen as a nostalgia act, such as seeing Yes in concert today, playing two or three new tracks (most of it real crap) and indulging themselves (and their audience) with a complete nostalgia trip to nowhere. And I love Yes.... and King Crimson. I don't doubt the power of the 21st. Century Schizoid Band on stage. I admire the work of most of the musicians involved, but I don't believe that the new record that they want to record could equal such works as In the Court of the Crimson King or McDonald & Giles. (What have they done in the past?) Wait and see... I dislke most of McDonald's Drivers Eyes but perhaps it may work well. Off Course it's terrific, even in my mind, because I haven't seen this band live, the idea of Mel Collins and Ian McDoanld working together with Michael Giles in a crimsonesque musical context. But by no means this could be call King Crimson, at least not without Robert Fripp. Carlos Romeo, Madrid (Spain) ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 3 Oct 2002 21:25:16 +0100 From: "Waen Shepherd" Subject: 21st Century Schizoid Band Hello all Long time lurker here, been itching to post on various topics for a while, including: Why do so many have it in for the brilliant TCOL? Why do so many people have it in for the brilliant Lizard? Why did so many people hate the brilliant title Nuovo Metal? And why has the brilliant title Nuovo Metal been ditched in favour of a title which sounds like a Michael Bolton song? But the thing which bothers me today is the number of people who have started saying that 21st Century Schizoid Band deserve to be referred to as King Crimson. I saw them this week at the Queen Elizabeth Hall on London's South Bank and they were brilliant, of course, but no way were they King Crimson. There were four ex-Crims in it, yes, and their set did include about eight King Crimson songs. But it wasn't King Crimson, not by a long shot. I really don't want to sound negative about them at all - it was a privilege to see them do these songs, an opportunity which I never thought I'd have, and this is why I went. The performance was riveting, all five performers were superb, the dual flute stuff was great, Jakko fit the bill perfectly and Michael Giles is an absolute drumming genius. Formentera Lady was incredible, Ladies of the Road really ripped the paint off the walls, and Epitaph was exceptionally powerful. The versions on the 21CSB CD don't convey the sheer force of these songs in the flesh. But however much I'd like it to have been, it wasn't King Crimson - it was, as the guy who introduced the evening said, "a tribute to the music of King Crimson". King Crimson, to me, has come to represent an ongoing body of work which consistently challenges the limits and preconceptions of what passes as music in a rock framework. This band doesn't do that. King Crimson shifted up a gear in 1972/3 with Larks' Tongues in Aspic to become a much darker, more expressive and more powerful entity, and has never looked back. For this band to deserve the name King Crimson it would surely have to show something of that development. But it doesn't, so it isn't. King Crimson, even if concentrating on 69-71 material only, would have played Mars. King Crimson would never have played If I Was. Perhaps I'm too much of a Fripp-head or something, but despite the fact that I liked this band very much, I believe the true spirit of King Crimson is and always has been faithfully carried by the band that carries its name, and just playing King Crimson songs does not King Crimson make. Cheers Wafo ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 03 Oct 2002 22:39:23 +0000 From: "Spear man" Subject: ot re peter gabriel's new CD and tour $130/ticket for peter gabriel's US concert tour--ridiculous. you get gabriel, levin, rhodes and some pg newbies. no jerry marotta, no larry fast, hell even no manu katche. you only had to pay about $20 to see levin, fast, marotta, and gress aka tonylevinband such a short while ago. but hey Robert LePage productions apparently don't come cheap--it's about the spectacle after all.... --spearman (basement dweller yet moving on) np KC live in hyde park ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 4 Oct 2002 00:01:03 +0100 From: "Amos_Brailey" Subject: 21st Century Schizoid .. BAND tour review etc I believe in this band and the recent tour has given me immense pleasure. I attended 9 out of the 10 shows they performed in the U.K. (including their Canterbury festival appearance) I could not make the Corn Exchange in Cambridge. The second I heard about the concerts I immediately went out and got myself tickets, I was stoked for months thinking about this tour. Each gig began with "Pictures", it really is a great opener and I simply love to hear that riff played on the sax. Actually, at Croydon there was a backing tape playing which they walked on stage to and then they went into "Pictures". At each show the intro to Formentara Lady gave Peter chance to do a small solo spot, the QEH I feel was his best shot. He is often overlooked and seldom given sufficient credit ; a talented bass player. Formentera Lady itself at most gigs was somewhat of show piece despite numbers like "Epitaph" and I Talk To The Wind" being played every night. Ian and Mel shone on this and Jakko gave a little tease at various shows .... "will they, wont they" with The Sailors Tale theme towards the end. The set is basically circa 1969-71. Plus "Progress" (excellent btw) the title track of Mikes newly released cd and performances of "If I Was" (sung by Ian) and "Let There Be Light" (sung by Jakko) from Ians solo cd Drivers Eyes. In concert Ians songs come to life, especially the latter (of which I enjoy the intro especially). I liked the way the newer material (Mike and Ians) separated the KC numbers and helped to create an even balance. The band also play "Tomorrows People" from McDonald & Giles, I enjoy the blast of power with the saxes on this. Mel is a monster on the sax, Id forgotten what a blast he is live, HOLY MOSES that guy ROCKS THE HOUSE !!. Ladies Of The Road is simply awesome, and with Mike Giles on the drums this lifts the tune to new heights!. This band just seemed to get BETTER !! Mike Giles really is both a remarkable and remarkably under rated drummer :period !. I never ever thought Id bear witness to that guys playing, it is a true privilege. After bearing witness to nine concerts, Im left very impressed. The walk back on stage for the encore was always "Schizoid" or "Birdman" followed by "Schizoid" , I preferred the latter idea, for me the contrasts worked very well. Much better than walking back on stage and straight into Schizoid. Id like to see and hear them play "The Letters" and "Circus" and it would certainly be interesting to hear anything the Schizoid band may come up with in the way of their own material :) I understand that they are going to do some writing and may ask Peter Sinfield to handle the lyrics. The concerts that stood out were Milton Keynes, Crewe, Edinburgh, Southampton and London. Perhaps the most enjoyable version of Schizoid Man was performed in Edinburgh, its very difficult to say really. I think just maybe as an overall concert experience the London show was probably my favourite and therefore I guess the best. London was a tight strong gig and a tad faster paced (though probably given impetus by knowledge of the curfew) Jakkos vocal chords took a bit of a beating on tour, unfortunately he was suffering from a sore throat and it showed at a few of the concerts ( anybody can get a sore throat though, but he just had to get one whilst on tour didnt he ! ) Newcastle was a bit iffy, so was Wolverhampton. Kudos to Jakko though, he has what I call a "Crimso voice" , and full marks to him for taking on board the role of both singer and guitarist, no mean feat, not only is it a lot to learn but a very difficult role to play. Not that Im suggesting he should be (or is) a Fripp clone, hes himself playing Crimso music in the spirit of 2002 .... well done Jakko :) I went to the gigs with an open mind, I didnt notice a huge vacuum at all. I thoroughly enjoyed all the shows, each had their merits and great moments. I was too young to have seen "Crimso The Great" so maybe I appreciate this "line-up" more. I think it is about "contemporary interpretation". Aside from anything else, I think it would be virtually impossible to replicate the old 1969 sound anyway using todays technology, by that I mean the p.a. systems of today and to an extent the instruments etc too have moved on so much and of course there were no mellotrons. I suspect the use of the Korgies (Korg synthesisers) was down to reliability and portability issues,the irony here though is that at Canterbury Ians packed up just at that vital moment .... the crescendo to "Epitaph" which to my ears left a gaping great hole : ( Ian was visibly upset. I got a kick out of talking to people before and then after each gig, especially if they were sceptical. It was fun listening to there before and after thoughts, I suppose it was a little perverse of me really :) On the whole I think everyone enjoyed the shows and quite a few people had a pleasant shock :) I cant wait to see them again ! ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 4 Oct 2002 12:16:30 -0400 From: "Jordan Clifford" Subject: Re: "fripp-like moby" "You can't stop us now. We are all made of stars." That happens to be the new single from Moby. It is a song that I absolutely hate. I used to like Moby for different reasons, but I liked his more electronic dance stuff. His new album seems to be an album of him playing instruments, who would have thought? Well, I don't care for it. It never occured to me that the guitar playing in that song sounded remotely close to anything Fripp-like, and I'd give it a second listen, but I don't really want to since I hear the song on TV far too much. ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 4 Oct 2002 12:22:38 -0400 From: "Jordan Clifford" Subject: Re: metal, metallica, and tull >And the "three chord formula" belongs to punk, not metal (not even thrash metal). Let's not start trivializing Metal, its a whole subject I don't think we need to get into, but metal is not punk, and it is far more complex. As far as Tull winning that award, as far as I know (and admitedly I am not a fan and know very few songs of theirs) they have never been a metal or hard rock band. I don't think they deserved it. Maybe fans think they deserve an award, but this may not have been it. ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 4 Oct 2002 10:52:43 +0100 From: "Tony Burton" Subject: Re: Schizoid Band/Jeff Beck >To my knowledge this historic pair of gig's WAS NOT recorded, or >filmed which is a shame as Jeff Beck is one of the greatest, >inovative, influential guitarists of all time, & this is something I >wish people all over ther world could experience, and keep. I was at the third and last Jeff Beck gig at the RFH. It was truly a stunning gig, with John McLaughlin, Paul Rodgers, Tony Hymas, Terry Bozzio, Imogen Heap and more all joing Jeff's regular band. As I left the venue, I passed one of those huge mobile recording trucks that you see around. I suspect the gig may well have recorded (but it wasn't filmed as fatr as I could tell). >Go ahead & buy the "Schizoid Band" cd, you'll love it, & they'll >love it, and they deserve alot of OUR attention!! I saw the Schizoid Band in London on monday, again a fantastic gig. I didn't manage to get a copy of the bootleg, but I think they plan to sell it mail order. Is this right? Also, I met Michael Giles before the gig. What a lovely chap. Tony ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 04 Oct 2002 13:58:41 +0400 From: "George Khouroshvili" Subject: Jobson vs Cross Hi, Some statements in recent ET issue regarding David Cross made me feel that some comments are necessary >From: "Ryan Tassone" >I was wondering if Eddie Jobson's "remix assistance" on USA was done >because David Cross was ACCIDENTALLY mixed down on certain tracks, or if >David Cross was INTENTIONALLY mixed down because he was no longer >contractually a part of the band? <...> That being said...wow! Jobson is >WAY better than Cross at both violin and keyboards. Well, first of all Id like to admit that Im a huge fan of the UK and Eddie Jobson work. Anyway, I believe Ryans statement doesnt do justice to the King Crimson violinist. First of all, I agree that Eddie probably WAS better at violin back in 1974, though I always thought that though Jobsons playing was technically perfect Davids performances were by far more charming And if you have heard any of David Cross solo works youd notice that he greatly improved his playing skills since mid-70s. By the way, David himself was never satisfied with his playing. I once asked him why his parts on USA were overdubbed and he replied (quote): I've always assumed that my performance was crap so it had to be replaced. You can read my interview with David at the Interviews section of the Elephant Talk web-site. Next, your statement regarding keyboards doesnt make sense at all. One may say that Emerson is way better than Fripp at keyboards. Does it mean that Keith is a better musician? The answer is clear. Thats why I believe that David was a perfect choice for the King Crimson back in 70s at least Robert thought so then. IMHO, Fripps choice was determined not only by the technical skills or virtuosity but by the attitude to the creative process of making music. On the other hand, I cannot imagine anyone whod be able to replace Eddie in the U.K. So the dispute who is the best is absolutely pointless. Best regards, George ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 04 Oct 2002 10:13:09 +0000 From: "lawrence moseley" Subject: Slightly off topic: Jeff Beck, Peter Gabriel and Tony Levin. Plus rant... Hi all, I too had the enjoyable privilege to be at the third night of the Beck-fest at the South Bank and can happily report that recording was most certainly going on. The mixing desk had 4 engineers who must have been doing something. Not to mention those fellers with cameras. If I'm not such an anticipatorist (is that a word?) then I would anticiptate a forthcoming live album and DVD. John Mclaughlin was brilliant (however one pronounces his name), Beck great as well, no Roger W. on the last night, and Beck'sthe band were fantastic. I had the privilege of hearing Terry Bozzio in concert for the first time and I was totally awestruck. (doesn't happen a lot these daze).I swear I've never heard a roll of continuous thunder on so many levels at once. Now I know why there was no bass player on 'Guitar Shop'. He would have needed about 3 or 4 to match his rhythms. So that was Beck, Bozzio and the great Tony Hymas' set, Guitar Shop tracks. (Ironically I did not really like that album, my problem, might have to rethink that one...). But they were mindblowing. The only downer of the evening was this guest duo. White Stripes I had not heard of before this and have no wish to hear from them again. The sister drummer looked and sounded feeble with a splashy, all the same approach more akin to a kid with it's mum's pots and pans. Older? brother on punk style vox and guitar and an accurate (guest?) bassist. They made garage band renditions (if correctly played ie chord wise) of Yardbirds classics. I hope this gets edited off the DVD etc. Beck played with them making them sound good (not surprising really) in the guitar department. Trendiness at it's most intrusive... Boys to men and girls to women as Beck's crew including his female guitar counterpart so amply demonstrated, returned to the stage and proceeded to (effortlessly) blow White Stripes off their stage. For 2 and 3/4 hours, guests including Paul Rodgers (Goin' Down), Terry Bozzio popping up (like the Devil) here and there, HI Ho Silver Lining (raspberry from Beck at the groovvy bit...), McLaughlin. Oh what a night... Oddly all this and nothing from Blow By Blow! My hits of the night, Beck's Bolero (opener) and Blue Wind. (For that riff alone !!) And Bozzio's solo... I must have had good seats as none other than Jimmy Page was just in front being two rows ahead of me. He walked past, just a Yardbird away... Shame no duel on 'Train Kept A Rollin'. Now that would have been Something Else... All in all a most enjoyable night of music and most definitely recorded. The bootleg T-shirts were much superior to the 4x more expensive and boring official ones... South Bank would be a good arena for either of the Crimsons to play here. Get either (both) onto that Jools Holland show... Yes I emailed them request gig etc. Will it happen?, will it buggery...(fume).. Incidetally Peter Gabriel turned up on Top Of The (yecchh!!) Pops. Point being, so did Tony Levin (naturally). Sorry PG fans but I (it's only me) cannot get worked up over this material. Sounds like prog for REM / U2/ Radiohead fans. Worthy but not challenging enough musically. Good in it's way but musically (too)light, they looked and sounded as though they could sleep walk through this stuff.... Is it too subtle for me? Not a slag off but a bit one dimensional (IMHO). The last song Levin hardly had much to do, though he did it well. It was all very well executed and Mr G sounded very good but still I think it needs a Fripp type intensity to really blaze (or get Levin's chum Belew along , ...let him loose... to fire things up!!) rather than just groove though some rather simplistic material. Look what Fripp did to Bowie' songs when he appeared on them. Having said that PG and co blew the spots off the rest of the programme's content... Then I've heard buskers do that as well... Rant so slightly... KC now, (either of them) but Fripp in particular would knock the bejesus out of what passes for contemporay flatulence oops I mean pop(urgh) and rock. Is that why they (industry) try to keep him quiet (!)? Fripp and (either) KC would show everybody else up for the charlatans and not so great deceivers they are... Enough for now idf not earlier... ;D take care all Lawrence ------------------------------ End of Elephant Talk Digest #1040 *********************************