Errors-To: et-admin at blackcat dot demon dot co dot uk Reply-To: et at cs dot man dot ac dot uk Sender: et at cs dot man dot ac dot uk Precedence: bulk From: et at cs dot man dot ac dot uk To: et at cs dot man dot ac dot uk Subject: Elephant Talk Digest #362 E L E P H A N T T A L K The Internet newsletter for Robert Fripp and King Crimson enthusiasts Number 362 Tuesday, 18 March 1997 Today's Topics: DGM USA Book on progrock Guitar Craft supplies Re: Fripps quiz A Cloud Corsage Epitaph The anagramatical King Crimson Artwork Trivia Fripp Quote K-THRaKK & Notes Concertgebouw Release date for Epitaph? Re: Elephant Talk Digest #361 Re: I am What I am in _Gridlock'd_ John Wetton Live Tribute Albums? Re: Possible Productions Epitaph Playback -- original line-up reunites ------------------ A D M I N I S T R I V I A --------------------- POSTS: Please send all posts to et at cs dot man dot ac dot uk To UNSUBSCRIBE, or to CHANGE ADDRESS: Send a message with a body of HELP to et-admin at blackcat dot demon dot co dot uk, or use the DIY list machine at http://www.cs.man.ac.uk/aig/staff/toby/et/list/ to ASK FOR HELP about your ET subscription: Send a message to: et-help at blackcat dot demon dot co dot uk ETWEB: http://www.cs.man.ac.uk/aig/staff/toby/et/ (partial mirror at http://members.aol.com/etmirror/) You can read the most recent seven editions of ET at http://www.cs.man.ac.uk/aig-bin/newslet.pl THE ET TEAM: Toby Howard (Moderator), Dan Kirkdorffer (Webmeister) 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 3.0 package. ------------------ A I V I R T S I N I M D A --------------------- From: be82842 at binghamton dot edu@cs.man.ac.uk Date: Sun, 16 Mar 1997 14:39:50 -0500 (EST) Subject: DGM USA query I know this was posted before, but could someone please repost the address and phone number to order CD's from DGM USA? [ See the next message! -- Toby ] Thanks! Lev Kalman-Blustein be82842 at bingsuns dot cc dot binghamton dot edu ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 17 Mar 1997 13:45:39 -0500 (EST) From: CATMASTERS at aol dot com Subject: DGM USA -- the contact details Hello, fans may call Discipline Global Mobile INC. to purchase King Crimson items direct from the source!! Their phone number is (310) 937-3194. The number should be up and running at the end of the week. The address is P.O. Box 5282 Beverly Hills, CA 90209-5282 Best wishes, Cath Masters-Plen ------------------------------ Date: Sun, 16 Mar 1997 12:09:05 -0500 (EST) From: Gideon B Banner Subject: Book on progrock Was just looking through the Oxford University Press "Books on Music" catalogue, and found the following: _Rocking the Classics: English Progressive Rock and the Counterculture_, Edward Macan (Dec 1996, doesn't list the publisher but probably Oxford) Description goes as follows: "In _Rocking the Classics_, the first comprehensive study of progressive rock history, Edward Macan draws together cultural theory, musicology, and music criticism, illuminating how progressive rock served as a vital expression of the counterculture of the late 1960s andf 1970s." Doesn't say whether or not Macan discusses Crimson at all, but I bet he does. Gideon Banner ------------------------------ Date: Sun, 16 Mar 1997 08:20:28 -0500 From: rmenger at groupz dot net Subject: Guitar Craft supplies Hopefully someone will be able to help me...my supply of Guitar Craft strings and picks is dangerously low and i need to stock up..anyone know where i can get some more? I seem to have lost the address....I'm down to my last set of strings!:( your help is most appreciated, Rich If you have an unpleasant nature and dislike people this is no obstacle to work. --J.G. Bennett ------------------------------ Date: Sat, 15 Mar 1997 19:07:24 -0800 From: Herb Boardman Subject: Re: Fripps quiz Organization: Not Much After reading the letter from Mike Holst in ET 356 "Fripps Quiz", One thing became obvious: This Holst fella is some sort of Lunatic. How can one believe that the "audient fan", as he put it, has no rights? We pay their salaries, and I expect a professional performance. HE must be a wannabe Fripp to say something like that. Probably a drummer. And he probably still listens to Asia. Musicians aren't better people than the fans just because they can play an instrament. ------------------------------ Date: Sat, 15 Mar 1997 20:22:20 -0800 From: "Jeffrey A. Weinberger" Subject: A Cloud Corsage I'm glad that the KC tribute project is motion. For several months now, I have been thinking about initiating "A Cloud Corsage: Tribute to Fripp and Eno". The idea is to assemble an amateur tribute to the spirit of the Fripp and Eno recordings, but without covering any of their compositions. Is this concept of interest to members of the ET audience? ------------------------------ Date: Sat, 15 Mar 1997 15:42:53 -0500 (EST) From: David Subject: Epitaph Dear Elephant Talkers, I read somewhere that Epitaph will also be released as a four CD box set. Please tell me if I was imagining this or not. If I'm right, how can I get it in Canada? Thanks. David. ------------------------------ Subject: The anagramatical King Crimson Date: Mon, 17 Mar 1997 10:33:21 +0000 (GMT) From: Tony Burton Hi Team Part of Joe Brancaleone's recent post (ET361) got me thinking... all the following are meant in good humour... honest ! Tony Levin... Nylon Viet Vinyl Tone Lint Envoy Vet in Lyon Robert Fripp... Prep Orb rift Fret rib prop Rib pert Prof Adrian Belew... A bald wiener Bear in a Weld We'd line a bra Brew a denial A wail bender Ariadne blew Bin Delaware Deniable war Bill Bruford... Florid blurb Lord fir bulb Fur drill Bob Trey Gunn... Yen grunt Gnu entry Pat Mastelotto... A stool attempt Palmetto toast Teat stamp tool Tattoo pest Lam Malt potato set King Crimson... Nick song rim Sick Gin morn Gin smirk con I'm scorn king There's plenty more of each out there - I think I got the good ones though. T. *----------------------------------------------------------------------- Tony Burton ... AI Software Engineer Research Student Bassist http://www.ee.surrey.ac.uk/Personal/A.Burton/ +-BEGIN GEEK CODE BLOCK------------------------+ | Version: 3.12 | "If you ever drop your | GMU/CS/E d-(---)>$ s+: a- C+ US++$ P? L E--- | keys into a river of | W++>+++ N++(+) o? !K-- w !O M--- V-- PS+>++ | molten lava - let | PE- Y+ PGP--- t+(++)@ !5-- X- !R tv b+ DI? | them go ... cos man, | D+(++) G++ e++>++++ h-- r++ y++*(**)>$ | they're gone ...." +-END GEEK CODE BLOCK--------------------------+ ------------------------------ From: mnolan at pdd dot pioneer dot co dot uk (Matthew Nolan) Date: Mon, 17 Mar 1997 12:22:27 +0000 Subject: Artwork Trivia Has anyone else noticed that the 'black bits' on the mainly red THRaCKaTTaCK cover are made up from corruptions of the 'Crown Logo' as used on the TGD box set and elsewhere? Well, I said it was trivia! Matt Nolan. ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 17 Mar 1997 07:06:35 -0600 From: medtek at ghg dot net (Sandra J. Prow) Subject: Fripp Quote > "Music is the cup that holds the wine of silence ... (blah, blah > and then..) noise is that cup, but broken." Music is the cup that holds the wine of silence. Sound is that cup, but empty. Noise is that cup, but broken. Sandra ------------------------------ From: Alex Moseley Date: Mon, 17 Mar 1997 13:57:01 +0100 (BST) Subject: K-THRaKK & Notes Three notes (and one perfect pair?): First off, for those THRaKKers amongst us, Peter Hammill (mentioned from time to time here) has released a double CD of a recent concert performed in a London church, featuring himself, Guy Evans and a number of VdGG and other cohorts in a 2-hour improvisation (2 drummers, one organ, sax/flute, noises etc...) which incorporates some pH/VdGG songs within. I thought this might be of interest to some here, just to see what the THRaKKing of another great band sounds like. More info/the CD from Sofa Sound, PO Box 66, Freshford, Bath, UK. Second, this may have been brought up a while ago so apologies in advance. On disc 3 of The Great Deceiver (I took the plunge and, like many others, heartily recommend the hole in the pay packet) at the end of the final improvisation, my CD carries on for another 3 minutes with a good deal of silence (I thought my CD was playing up to start with) and then a rather hilarious announcement from Robert about kicking sleeping violinists (!) before the first two notes of Lament appear; then the CD stops. Has anyone else found this uninvited guest? Third, just a comment: after listening to The Great Deceiver and The Great Starless, which appears to have acheived god-like status at ET; and then returning to the version on Red, it occured to me that: a) I have always found the violin to be one of the most moving instruments when played in a calm and flowing way; and b) that Robert's guitar solo at the opening to Starless on Red, is phenomenally more moving than David Cross's violin solos to Starless on TGD. I wouldn't have thought it possible. Alex. *------------------------------ Alex Moseley, Computer Officer (Arts & Law), University of Leicester. ------------------------------ Subject: Concertgebouw Date: Mon, 17 Mar 97 07:20:14 -0000 From: Your Name In ET 361, Robert Cambra of San Francisco wrote: >The Concertgebouw show of November 23, 1973 was the first KC I ever heard. >I can't express in words how happy I am that this show will be released by >DGM - I'll have to do a little dance! Perhaps I've been dormant for too long, what with PossProd being in transition to DGM, but what release is this in reference to? Not USA II? It's not even _in_ the USA. Is this a _new_ slated release of the 73/74 stuff above and beyond both The Great Deceiver AND USA II? If so, I too, am delighted. Please enlighten me. - Tommy Kochel "Entertainment is about telling everybody that everything's alright but music is on the side of the upsetters and that's where I'm at." - Bill Bruford, Sounds, April 10, 1976 "English teachers do it real good" - the licence plate frame on my car ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 17 Mar 1997 13:13:34 -0500 (EST) From: whitmd at email dot uc dot edu (Mark D. White) Subject: Release date for Epitaph? Does anyone know a release date in the US (or anywhere else, for that matter) for Epitaph? I can't wait... Mark D. White Cincinnati, OH ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 17 Mar 1997 14:34:27 -0700 From: "Eric D. Dixon" Subject: Re: I am What I am in _Gridlock'd_ dumela at nicom dot com (tj) wrote: >A few weeks back I went to see _Gridlock'd_ the new movie with Tupac Shakur >(peace) and Tim Roth. At one point you can hear "I am What I am" as heard >on Adrian's _Young Lions_. It was mixed in heavily with all sorts of other >noise so I couldn't actually decipher whether it was just a recording of >the voice heard on that track or the entire song from his LP. I have always >loved that song and it was cool to hear it unexpectedly. It certainly threw >me for a loop. Any better clues about this? dumela at nicom dot com tjm4 at cdc dot gov >tj That was "Shag," one of the three tunes by Critters Buggin that were used in the movie (all off of the album _Guest_). I don't know anything about why Critters Buggin decided to sample that voice in their piece, but as far as I can tell from their liner notes, they sampled the original Prophet Omega speech, and not the music from Belew's album -- at any rate, the Prophet Omega is credited and Belew isn't. _Guest_ is a great album, by the way. I picked it up a couple of years ago on a friend's recommendation and it's well worth it -- mostly hard, screaming punk jazz. It was a surprise when I found out later that all of the members of the band (minus the sax player) used to be in the New Bohemians with Edie Brickell, and the drummer was also in Pearl Jam, until Vedder decided to replace him, or something. _Guest_ was produced by Stone Gossard, also of Pearl Jam, if anyone cares... Eric D. Dixon |\|\//\|\| "Making the world safe humbaba at bigfoot dot com |/|/\\/| | for radical capitalism" http://www.geocities.com/SoHo/Lofts/6072 "The objection to Puritans is not that they try to make us think as they do, but that they try to make us do as they think." -- H.L. Mencken ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 17 Mar 97 18:56:04 GMT From: KIM_FYSON Subject: John Wetton Live Does anyone out there have any news of John Wetton playing live in the UK this year? Kim Fyson CAMBRIDGE England ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 17 Mar 1997 15:25:53 -0500 From: "Weissenburger - Jeremy S." Subject: Tribute Albums? I was informed recently that there are King Crimson tribute albums that are currently in the works. Yes, albums as in plural. One will be from Cleopatra Records (I think) and the other will be from Magna Carta records. Any one have other information about this? You know, I don't know if this is something that's really needed. I mean, the Magna Carta Yes & Genesis tributes were OK, but they weren't spectacular. I would assume a Crimso tribute would be more of the same... --Jeremy ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 17 Mar 1997 23:13:17 -0500 (EST) From: Otherroad at aol dot com Subject: Re: Possible Productions In a message dated 97-03-17 04:22:32 EST, Don wrote: > > Hi, > Does anyone know how to contact Possible Productions nowadays? I, > too will miss Mark Perry. As of 3/11/97, the phone number given in the > recording as the new number, was disconnected. Directory assistance was no > help, since they gave the old fax number as a phone number. I want to buy > some KC stuff. And not every store carries their catalog, as we know. > Thanks, > Don To Don and anyone else missing Mark: You'll find the entire Discipline catalog at The Artist Shop with cover graphics, soundbites and more. I have to say that I count myself as among those that will miss Mark. It was through him that Discipline came to be a part of The Artist Shop and I will forever be indebted to him for that. I spoke to him not too long ago. He said his plans now include a much needed vacation after which he hopes to go into an entirely new vocational direction. He seemed happy with his decision. Gary ************************************************************** Gary Davis The Artist Shop The Other Road http://www.artist-shop.com OtherRoad at aol dot com SUPPORT THE INDEPENDENT ARTIST!!! ************************************************************** ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 18 Mar 1997 01:57:41 -0800 (PST) From: Robert Cervero Subject: Epitaph Playback -- original line-up reunites March 15 was a very special, glorious day for die-hard fans/enthusiasts of the original KC line-up like me. In the Grand Ballroom of the Intercontinental Hotel, Hyde Park Corner, the 5 original KC members were in the same room together -- indeed side-by-side for awhile -- for the first time since December 1969. We all celebrated the release of heretofore unreleased live materials from the Filmore East and West shows (Nov. & Dec. 1969). I got to chat with all 5 members, shake their hands (except, as ET readers understand, Fripp's), get my CD boxsets (I picked up 4 -- couldn't resist) and poster autographed -- I felt like a middle-age groupie, which I guess is what I was! For me, this was an incredibly emotional and memorable moment that I won't soon forget. I was 18 when ITCOTCK first came out, just entering college. This album had a profound effect on me that continues to this day. One of my deepest regrets is not having caught a show of the 1969 band. Attending the Epitaph playback some 28 years later, however, in some way helped to fill this void. The ~400 folks in attendance sat around large round tables that filled the ballroom. I was fortunate to be in a middle table right in front of the microphone. I chose this table because it was next to the reserved table for Ian McDonald, my personal hero of the '69 line-up. Also at Ian's table were John Wetton and Steve Hackett (who teamed up a few months earlier for the Genesis Revisited tour). Next to their table was Greg Lake's (he had the largest entourage, getting two tables). Behind Ian's table was Pete Sinfield's -- which also included Vic and Dick (the band's roadies) and Judy Dyble. Behind them sat Mike Giles and his friends, and in the very back was Fripp with the DGM staffers. Among the no-shows (expected to attend) were Bill Bruford, Peter Giles, and Peter Townsend. Fripp's soundscapes filled the air while people entered the room, sat, and waited. Band members were in the backroom conducting interviews. They arrived one by one -- first Lake (to a loud applause), then McDonald (also loud applause), followed by Fripp (very loud applause), Sinfield (light applause because most didn't recognize him) and Giles (no applause because he hurriedly slipped into his seat just when things were starting). Robert opened the playback by noting the afternoon's format and sharing his thoughts about the original band. He said he symphasized with the view that the only real KC was the original band, and stressed that he was not the leader of this band ("I'm not the Crimson Kingpin") or any other incarnation, sounding almost apologetic. He then asked a photographer to stop taking flash photos, upon which Ian piped in, "one more", and proceeded to take his own polaroid of Robert -- to which Robert gave a "your naughty" look and Ian responded with a "got ya" smile. Then the musical celebration got underway -- in order: from Filmore -- ITCOTCK, Drop In, A Man A City; from Chesterfield -- Get They Bearings; BBC Top Gear -- Epitaph; Filmore -- Schizoid Man and Mars. After "A Man A City", David Singleton explained the process of resurrecting these almost forgotten tapes to near pristine quality using digital technology -- he first played samples of original tapes (in several cases from bootlegs) and then the digitally remixed versions. I was generally persuaded of the improvements, except for "Get Thy Bearings" -- I honestly felt the original analogue Chesterfield tape recording sounded better (or at least more in tune), a view echoed by others. Regarding the "Get Thy Bearings" playback, I must share what was for me an amusing encounter. After "Get Thy Bearings" played, I had to split for the men's room, my bladder bursting from a morning of beer and tea. I was quickly joined at the head by Mike Gile, Pete Sinfield, Vic, and Dick, who evidently had the same calling as I. Pete mentioned something to the effect that the "Get Thy Bearings" recording really stunk, which was seconded by Mike, Vic, and Dick. I was like a fly on the wall -- trying to look indiscrete but taking it all in. Then Mike pulls out a flask and takes a hit. Still at the head, Pete pulls out his own flask. They all four start passing their flasks around, seemingly as in the good old days. I wanted to join in, but felt I really wasn't a member of this fraternity of close friends. Still, it was neat to be there. (While in the head, I did ask Vic whether he had lots of live recordings of the original band, to which he responded that most of the 8-track tapes from Filmore East were misplaced and remain lost.) I couldn't help but study expressions on the band members' faces as the music was playing -- hell, I came all the way from San Francisco for this -- and I had an excellent vantage point to do so. I could tell that for Ian, the playback was a very emotional -- the crescendo to Epitaph in particular seemed to touch him. (After Get They Bearings played, both Wetton and Hackett gave Ian a thumb's up for his stellar sax jamming.) Greg Lake pretty much looked straight ahead during the playback, with his manager talking to him from time to time. On a few occasions, I caught Lake wincing upon hearing some off-key vocals, though all and all, he had a lot to be proud of -- his vocals were as powerful and regal as ever. The few times I saw Robert, he was staring straight with a seemingly satisfied expression on his face. Pete Sinfield smiled to his friends on a number of occasions, but seemed not all together interested in or engaged with what was going on, as did Mike Giles. The afternoon ended with the 5 band members patiently and amiably signing autographs for the throngs (sitting from left to right, Sinfield, Giles, Fripp, McDonald, Lake). After it was over, the band members and their friends and families slipped into a private room. After chatting with Wetton and Hackett, along with many others, I went off to a nearby pub with some 30 crazy Crimson fans from Britain -- I was the only American (in fact, I didn't meet any other Americans at the playback, though there were a number of Germans and others from the continent as well as a couple of Japanese guys; almost all attendees were guys -- the few women I met were largely in tow with their husbands/significant others; let's face it, Crimson's pretty much a "guy's band".) Mike Giles joined us at the bar with his wife and son later on, and we got to share drinks and small talk with him, as well as get a few photos in. I could tell Mike was not use to this amount of attention and adulation, and was probably a bit uncomfortable with it all, though he like others seemed very grateful for having such dedicated fans after all these years. I listened to the Epitaph CDs many times during my flight back home. It contains: Vol. 1 -- BBC 1. Schizoid Man 2.ITCOTCK 3.Get Thy Bearings 4. Epitaph; Filmore East -- 5.A Man A City 6. Epitaph 7. Schizoid Man; Filmore West 8.Mantra; 9. Travel Weary Capricorn; 10. Improve - Travel Bleary Capricorn 11. Mars Vol. 2 -- Fillmore West 1. ITCOTCK 2. Drop In 3. A Man A City 4. Epitaph 5. Schizoid Man 6. Mars Vol. 3 -- Plumpton 1. Schizoid Man 2. Get Thy Bearings 3. ITCOTCK 4. Mantra 5. Travel Weary 6. Improve 7. Mars Vol. 4 -- Chesterfield 1. Schizoid Man 2. Drop In 3. Epitaph 4. Get Thy Bearings 5. Matra 6. Travel Weary Capricorn 7. Improv 8. Mars The BBC stuff is some of Crimson's strongest. Lake's voice is youthful and stunning. The Filmore East and West shows are both excellent -- far better than Plumpton and I feel even better than Chesterfield. Fripp, Singleton, and others mentioned the Filmore West show was one of Crimson's weakest on the American tour since the band members knew they were splitting up. I thought the performance was outstanding. For me the highlight is "A Man A City" -- the precursor to Pictures of a City, and a clue as to what the second album of the original band might have sounded like. It has the power and raw energy of Schizoid Man, with more of a free-form jazz touch. McDonald's sax playing is outstanding (to me easily matching Collins' playing on Poseidon), and in the Filmore East take, they end it with an instrumental blitzkreig. The oft-bootlegged Plumpton and Chesterfield shows are solid, but to me less interesting since I've heard them so much. (It's the complete Plumpton show, including Schizoid and Get They Bearings, unlike bootlegs; however, it's the incomplete Chesterfield show, unlike bootlegs such as Dead Fucking Bullocks -- I was disappointed that I Talk to the Wind, which doesn't appear anywhere among the 4CDs, and ITCOTCK were cut from the Vol. 4 Chesterfield CD; they're great on bootlegs.) The Epitaph boxset is smartly and compactly design (all cardboard, no jewel cases, yeah!). The cover painting seems hauntingly appropriate for a set called Epitaph -- bizarrely Crimsonesque with shadowy figures standing in the windows of a parlor/crematorium? set in a cemetary? filled with statutes? A highlight of the boxset is a delightful tell-all booklet detailing life in the original band, written personally by each of the band members and Vic, replete with memorabilia. Fripp's insights, as always, are intriguing and perplexing. He also has a long passage about the cutthroat business of the music industry and his dealings with EG Management, and one Mr. Alder, clearly a painful episode of his life. I enjoyed Ian's hilarious snippets about the band's American tour. I loved Pete Sinfield's comment about why he deserved to be considered a member of the band -- one only needs to juxtapose "The Cheerful Insanity of Giles, Giles, and Fripp" against "ITCOTCK", released within a year of each other, to realize what an integral part Sinfield played in this band's metamorphosis. The booklet also gives thanks to one Angus Hunking (RIP), who advanced some 7,000 pounds (> $40,000 today) in his pension funds so the band could buy equipment. I was also elated to see Ian McDonald write: "There may never be a second album from the first band....", which I take to mean at least one of the original members would like to keep the door open and perhaps even give it a second go. How about it, Robert, Greg, Michael, and Pete? Sorry about overextending my fair share of bandwidth, however I'd like to offer the following to those ETers who, like me, are huge fans of the original KC line-up, but couldn't attend the Epitaph playback. Others please skip over the rest. Here's a few other tidbits to share. 1. This trip being a bit of a pilgrimage for me, I decided the evening before the playback to achieve my own version of "spiritual oneness" with KC, so I took the Tube to Queens Park and proceeded to 93A Brondesbury Road, where KC was conceived in Nov. 1968. Nice flat that just sold. I then proceed to 193 Fulham Palace Road, where KC first played. It's no longer a Cafe but rather a Kebab House (try the chicken kebabs). The basement was locked, but I peered in the window; too dark to see much. I strolled by the garage door leading to the basement; a lot of grafitti was scrolled on the door, but nothing about KC. I changed that -- adding, Here King Crimson was born, January 13, 1969. 2. I got to the Intercontinental Hotel early, and proceeded to make new Crimson friends as well as meet each member of the original band. I thanked Ian for his beautiful music and confided the huge impact ITCOTCK had on me. Both he and Mike seemed astounded by the attention they were getting. I got them both to autograph my McDonald and Giles CD cover. Talked to Wetton several times and got him to autograph Red, and discuss ProgFest '97 (where he headlines). Engaged Fripp about bootlegging (he remembers me from ET) and my encounters with him at Madame Wongs in '78. I shook hands and thanked Greg Lake for coming (many didn't think he would). My most friendly encounter was with Pete Sinfield. He's aged quite a bit, but in a gentlemanly way. Got to discuss PFM, Still, and other tidbits with him -- by the way, straight from his mouth, "Under the Sky" was written by him and McDonald, not Fripp. Steve Hackett was also friendly, discussing the Genesis Revisited work with a bunch of us. 3. I managed to hear interviews given by Lake and McDonald. Lake eloquently described how special and unique KC was, speaking of the band reverently. McDonald was hounded mainly by questions about why he left the =band, causing its break up. He admitted it was a mistake, but said he can't rewrite musical history. 4. There were all kinds of "ghosts from the past" around, including Judy Dyble, David Enhoven and John Gaydon (E & G fame), and even Charlotte (the woman on the MacDonald and Giles album cover who, some might say, Ian left the band for in order to spend more time with). There was even a relative of Barry Godbar, the creator of the Schizoid Man and Crimson King album cover, who died a year later. The relative left a cake with his photo on it as well as a press clipping for Fripp, asking that Robert add it to his KC memorabilia collection. 5. After the playback, a bunch of us sat around a pub reminiscing about early Crimson. Surprisingly, almost no one was from London -- mainly Brits from other parts of the country. I met a guy who saw 3 Crimson shows in '69, and proceeded to pick his brain. It was a blast drinking with Mike Giles. A bunch of us got our photos taken with him. I asked him why Crimson never released "Travel Weary Capricorn", which Giles sings, on a studio album, and he responded "because it's a crappy song". The crowd erupted into applause when Mike left the pub with family in tow, obviously a bit shocked, embarrassed, but please with the sudden celebrity status. His wife and 17 year old son seemed particularly astonished and amused by what took place. 6. Epitaph seemed a befitting title for this 4 CD compilation. The song Epitaph ends with "I fear tomorrow I'll be crying", with McDonald's crescendoing and chilling mellotron whaling in the background. I still get chills when I hear Lake's powerful closing vocals on this song. I almost feel this lyrical passage was a presage about the band's future -- fear of crying....crying that this incredible musical burst of energy and creativity would be short-lived and would not have a chance to repeat itself. However, we now have Epitaph to rekindle our memories and spirits. I am grateful to DGM for pulling together this playback. It was a glorious celebration to be a part of. ------------------------------ End of Elephant-Talk Digest #362 ********************************