Errors-To: admin at elephant-talk dot com Reply-To: newsletter at elephant-talk dot com Sender: newsletter at elephant-talk dot com Precedence: bulk From: newsletter at elephant-talk dot com To: newsletter at elephant-talk dot com Subject: Elephant Talk Digest #451 E L E P H A N T T A L K The Internet newsletter for Robert Fripp and King Crimson enthusiasts Number 451 Wednesday, 14 January 1998 Today's Topics: Gordon Haskell Pete Sinfield "Under The Sky" Where is NYGCirlce? Re: Fripp & Bruford, again - The "Infidel" Does anyone know where I can buy Damage? Could Soundscapes Be Improved Upon? bill nelson -> DGM YoLa a really cool idea Two Versions of Matte Kudasai Nightwatch Eno installation in NYNY The Great Deceiver Box First Post...sort of Iona (not completely Irish)/Fripp 21st Century Roxy Man UNPRONOUNCEABLE Tommy Cobel and Sir Michael Tippett The Night Watch: Revisionist history? Trey Gunn CD Astro-Fripper-Troniks... Re: Fripp & Bruford, again FS: Full set KC LP's GIG REVIEWS =========== Space Music 1/12/98 - ParkWest, Chicago Soundscapes in Chicago Review by Jim DeRogatis - Chicago Sun Times - Park West 1/12 Fripp in Milwaukee and . . . . . . and Fripp in Chicago Gig Review: Space Music Warms Milwaukee and Chicago Gig review: King Crimson au Pavillon Pollack Fwd: Fripp Review in the Trib not a gig review: Fripp at Park West in Chicago ------------------ 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 ETWEB: http://www.elephant-talk.com/ You can read the most recent seven editions of ET at http://www.elephant-talk.com/cgi-bin/newslet.pl IRC: Regular get-togethers at #ElephantTalk on Undernet Sundays at Noon PST / 3pm EST / 8pm GMT Mondays at 6pm PST / 9pm EST / 2am GMT 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: "NICHOLAS JOHN EDWARDS" Subject: Gordon Haskell Date: Mon, 12 Jan 1998 00:56:45 +0100 Dear Mr. Elephant Whilst staying at my mum's house over Christmas, I came across a virgin-vinyl copy of a Gordon Haskell LP titled 'It is and it isn't', which is surprisingly quite good. Does anybody in the human race know anything about this release, and is it worth anything ? Jolly good KC site, by the way. nidkedwards at mx3 dot redestb dot es ------------------------------ From: NProc35042 Date: Sat, 10 Jan 1998 12:05:36 EST Subject: Pete Sinfield "Under The Sky" You know what it's like. You're in the loft/attic marvelling over accumulated junk when suddenly you find buried treasure. Pete Sinfield "Under The Sky", a collection of lyrics and Poems, dating from 1974( although it has been signed "Pete Sinfield 1973"!) and contians lyrics to all early KC recordings, is beautifully illustrated in black and white, with a colour dust-jacket, in reasonably fine condition.Offers please? ------------------------------ Subject: Where is NYGCirlce? Date: Sat, 10 Jan 1998 10:27:54 +0100 Hello ET'rs ! and Crafties :) Who knows where New York Guitar Circle has moved? NYGCircle at aol dot com doesn't work..... Please, email me at mkopczak at usa dot net if Toby prefers this way... :) [ I soyt-tent-ly do -- Toby ] "If we can define our aim, we are in halfway to achieve it" Guitar Craft Aphorism ------------------------------ From: Camzone Date: Mon, 12 Jan 1998 15:27:16 EST Subject: Re: Fripp & Bruford, again - The "Infidel" Let's go through this letter shall we?? >>> IMHO the reasons why Fripp continues to play with Bruford are several. >>> Bill is the best damn drummer he's ever played with, and probably the >>> best musician he's ever played with. Um... no. Although Bill is the greatest drummer alive (have you seen some of the things he does on stage!?!) the fact is that he doesn't compare to Tony Levin, John Wetton or Adrian Belew, to name a few. >>> Secondly,after 25 years, Bill is as much King Crimson as Fripp is, if not more, >>> as he is the engine that makes the machine go. ROFL! 25 years, maybe, but no one is as Crimson as Fripp. Fripp founded it, has been in every incarnation and every seperate group. Fripp IS King Crimson. The proof that he could function without Bill Bruford?? In The Court Of The Crimson King, In The Wake Of Poseidon, Lizard, Islands, Earthbound & ProjeKCt 2. >>> Lastly, who is going to take his place? He wouldn't dare leave. >>> Make no mistake, the best musican in King Crimson is Bill Bruford. That's >>> why Fripp plays with him. He makes him work. Best?? Certainly not. Although Bruford is a spectacular drummer, Fripp doesn't need him to perform to the standards he does, as proven in.. well... just about everything he does solo. Why does Bruford make him work?? Fripp isn't out to prove he's better than them all, he's out to be THE founder of the most important band of Progressive Rock in the world. Cameron Devlin http://www.geocities.com/Hollywood/4472/kcrimson.html ------------------------------ From: "Mark Fenkner" Subject: Does anyone know where I can buy Damage? Date: Mon, 12 Jan 1998 18:09:19 -0500 I used to own the Damage CD but sadly, I lent it to a friend that then disappeared. Now, I have looked high and low and have not been able to find another copy. It is one of my favorite CDs, so I would appreciate any help in finding it. Thanks! Sincerely, Mark Fenkner markf at bellatlantic dot net ------------------------------ From: Lutegirl Date: Mon, 12 Jan 1998 18:20:42 EST Subject: Could Soundscapes Be Improved Upon? How can Soundscapes be improved? I have a thought in what ways an audience who is asked to "talk amongst themselves" and feel free to "venture about the room "while listening to the music "in a non- western context" are participating as well as listening. I have another thought that the architecture of the venue heavily plays into this as well. The soundscapes are more than the unusual old man on the guitar manipulating a mass network of electronic devices. You are part of the music, even if you went to the show with your ears full of beans. Sound to me is more than the picture it places in your mind but also a physical, tangable, moveable, formable thing made of moving air. Resonance finds you an obstacle, partly a sponge, you become part of the instrument the stoppages, membranes and relays interacting with this body of sound. Your actions and movement around the room as well as your speech are all part of the songs performance. The venue is the inside of the instrument, the inside of the guitar. The venues with the sticky, accoustic sprayed on ceilings, carpetted floors and walls, is like a guitar or instrument which is stuffed with cotton candy. (ie. The Birchmere, or The House of Blues) Cathedrals with thier stone work, glass windows and spacial architecture make ideal instruments because they reflect instead of absorb the sound. Sound is additive and subtractive depending on the direction it is travelling. Your speech is either moving with, adding to the pitch, or moving against it, as a stoppage having a subtractive effect on the overall sound. I have witnessed pitch working over an audience. The audience's rumbling chatter creates a pitch that you can hear in a room if you are far enough away from the conversations not to be involved or distracted by them, like a balcony in a concert hall, if you are high up enough you can hear the pitch bounce back off of the ceiling and it is an entirely seperate creation from the small talk that set it in motion. In the same way a breeze moving through a harp vibrating the strings makes resonance.So setting about listening to the music in a non-western context can be a more meaningful and humble expirience, only if both the artist and the audience is without pretentsion and truly humble in service to the sound. Soundscapes would better fullfill its' potential using the architecture that bests compliments it. Andrea (Is it by careful thoughtful choice, or availability that the artist plays the venue?) ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 13 Jan 1998 10:04:59 +1100 From: j dot keens at rmit dot edu dot au (Jeremy Keens) Subject: bill nelson -> DGM there is a rumour, which i read on the bill nelson web site, that bill is moving from resurgence to DGM. the move would be interesting, if true, and could lead to some more direct collaborations between these two, i would hope (they have had some interaction through sylvian at least - any others?) their shared interest in (and move beyond) mystical esoterica and desire for creative control gives them more than just the guitar in common. jeremy ------------------------------ From: "D . K." Subject: YoLa Date: Mon, 12 Jan 1998 18:32:18 -0500 > Date: Tue, 06 Jan 1998 01:23:40 -0500 > From: Noah Green > Subject: MBV / SoundLovelessScapes > Keep speaking upon this topic! And to throw another monkey wrench into > the mix....are there any Yo La Tengo fans out there? I have only met > one person in my life who loves them and KC both...they are very much > inheritors of the VU/MBV legacy, and Ira Kaplan's guitar cries out the <> Certainly there're fans of both KC and YLT, and I ham amongst them. The VU comparison is ofcourse totally valid, but I'm skeptical about the comment of them inheriting the MBV legacy, it doesn't hold water. YLT have been around for many years and have produced many more records. YLT tip their guitars at VU, Neil Young and the flower power music of the San Fran 60s. An American band that's far more indebted to Loveless would be Sugar; on their last album Bob Mould wrote and recorded at least two songs that sound like homages. ------------------------------ From: "Johannes, Gary" Subject: a really cool idea Date: Mon, 12 Jan 1998 18:53:46 -0500 First of all, this posting has nothing in it which would interest Robert Fripp in the least, and since he admits that he doesn't like wading through these digests any more than the rest of us, it would definitely be a waste of his time to read any further, especially since the next posting might be something that would really interest him, like a newly-discovered Gurdjieff manuscript or an advert for a new delay unit with a maximum repeat time of two weeks or an obituary for his former manager or... ...okay, here's what we'll do. First, we'll all show up for Robert's last (?) soundscape show on January 19 in Montreal. Early of course, so we can catch the usual preliminaries. As the official showtime nears, we'll all get progressively more earnest-looking and tranced-out and into it, we'll smile and nod gravely when Robert urges us to behave normally during the course of the performance. And then, at the exact moment that the show proper begins... The entire crowd of audients whips out flash cameras and begins snapping away for all it's worth! Several dozen hand-held mics appear magically and point to the stage! Four mobile video units swing into action, each with its own phalanx of blinding kleig lights! No one will be admitted to the Club Soda without an audio or visual recording device of some sort! Fifteen A&R men from mega-labels wave lucrative recording contracts and generous distribution deals for DGM! Over the ensuing uproar a voice can be heard through the house PA: "Don't mind us! Carry on! We just need to get a few pictures here!" Yes, I know it's risky. Yes, I know that Robert may never appear onstage again. But you never know, he might just stare back into our collective face and play something really AMAZING. Just a thought. No pressure. Gary Johannes ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 12 Jan 1998 22:05:06 -0500 (EST) From: "Alexander L. Kaufman" Subject: Two Versions of Matte Kudasai Dear ETers I have come across something which may be known to many, however I was thoroughly floored upon my discovery. During my radio show at Millersville University I had a request from somthing Crimson, perferably off of _Discipline_. I had forgotten my copy but realized the station had the album on vinyl. So, being in a mellow mood at the time I threw on "Matte Kudasai". What I heard threw me off, for it was clearly not the same song as I had been listening to for the past six years or so. The LP was numbered US E'G (Warner Brothers) BSK 3629. Throughout most of the song is a jaw-dropping Fripp solo which sounds similar to the phrases he played on the _Fripp-Eno_ song "Evening Star". This solo adds a whole new dimension to the song; I had been used to the Definitive Edition version with Fripp playing the rhythm and Adrian supplying the slide quitar/bird sounds. After my show I drove home, got my cd copy of _Discipline_ (The Definitive Edition), and went into the production studio to compare the two songs. On the LP, Fripp plays both rhythm and solo guitar, unlike the _Definitive Edition_ where he only plays rhythm The unknown (to me) solos appear at the following times in roughly 15 second increments: 00:15-00:30 01:43 (after Addrian sings "sad America") 02:33 (after Adrian sings "sad America") 03:15-end The most impressive of these solos is the one which begins at 02:33. On the _Definitive Edition_ this is where Adrian has his slide solo. On the LP, Adrian solo is still present, however it is more sparse and it volume is lowered considerably; it is overshadowed by Fripp's solo. The times are also different: the CD has a running time of 3:45, and the LP 3:46. If anyone can shed new light on this matter, since I could not find any regarding this particular subject of "Matte Kudasai", it would be much welcomed. In the light of the catalogue being reissued again, this different version MUST be considered as a bonus track. If anyone comes across this version of the LP in a used shop (I am unsure if the other _Discipline_ Lps: UK E'G EGLP 49 and WG E'G (Polydor) 2302 112 have the same version of the BSK 3629 LP) grab it, the different version of "Matte Kudasai" will astound you. Alex ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 12 Jan 1998 22:07:48 -0500 (EST) From: Andy Subject: Nightwatch Just my thoughts, as we are on the eve of NIGHTWATCH. First, let me say bravo to Robert Fripp and Disipline Global Mobile for signing distribution in the United States with Ryco-Disc (which is distributed in the US by PGD or Polygram Records). This will make DGM material more readily avaiable to those not in major markets. In Philly it is easy to get small record labels from major record stores.... in small cities it is not. This will also lead up to a question, does KC still have a NEW album deal with Virgin/Capitol Records? I assume they do. But that's not what I am hear for. Let me just say that working at a record store has its benifits, and having heard disc one of NIGHTWATCH let me offer a quick review. This would help if you own the 73-74 box, but all others may read on. This, to my enjoyment, is a disc (most likly two) of complete music... the way it was heard some 20 odd years ago. I feel more a part of the Crimson music than before, and a part of the audience which as Robert stated would make ME part of the Crimson writing style and the final product of a new King Crimson album.... In this case "Starless & Bible Black". I know I am not a part of that album, but DGM did the best they could to make the listener feel like that where there, helping to shape the new music of King Crimson. For any Starless fan this is a great companion to the album, and for anyone who has not heard live King Crimson of the time period this is a chance to do it, and do it right. As for the individual songs and performances on the album, this is live King Crimson... always different one night to the next... always an enjoyment.... and always something you can sit back and tap your foot to. In closing the band seems very tight....and I can definatly see why we got the album that we did out of the recording process. --andy Andrew Miller I'm not frightened anymore ytsejam at Udel dot Edu I'm learning to survive Without you in my life Til you come knocking at my door....... ------------------------------ From: "Alias" Subject: Eno installation in NYNY Date: Mon, 12 Jan 1998 21:09:09 -0600 For you New York ETers also interested in Eno: "There will be an installation of Brian's Generative Music at the Winter Garden of The World Financial Center in New York from January 27 to February 7 1998, open from 5 to 11pm. Admission is free. Brian will be presenting five pieces, including two new ones created for the Winter Garden. Visit http://www.worldfinancialcenter.com for more information -- they plan to have a downloadable extract while the installation is running." I'd appreciate it if one of you would send me airfare from Texas. ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 12 Jan 1998 22:27:34 -0800 From: Michael Adashefski Subject: The Great Deceiver Box This is an open question which has been bugging me for a few days now. Over this past weekend I received the latest flier from DGM concerning the current releases and there was a notice in it about the Great Deceiver box being "improved upon" before it is re-released. What sort of improvements are we talking about? The 4 dicsc in that box were absolutely stunning in their performances and packaging so there doesn't seem to be any room for improvement. As the saying goes,"If it isn't broken, don't fix it!" Let the box be and just re-release it for those who missed it the first time. ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 13 Jan 1998 02:33:23 -0500 From: Chris Calabrese Subject: First Post...sort of Hello. I just made a post yesterday and realized it was my first post here. I thought I'd just say something about myself now. I've been getting ET for a few months now, but I feel now is the right time to say something. I first got into KC about 2 years ago. I was (and still am) into all sorts of stuff like Kansas, Thin Lizzy, Iron Maiden, Queen, Pink Floyd, Dream Theater, and Queensryche. What else would you expect from an 18 year old? Around that time, a friend, (and fellow Et'er), who was already into Crimson for a while, told me about them. So shortly after that, I went out and bought "The Compact King Crimson"...on cassette, which included an extra track, CAT FOOD. I listened to it a few times and didn't think about it much. I put it down for a while. A few months later I started getting more into progressive music, in general. I started listening to the KC tape again. I really started to enjoy it. Today, in addition to that tape, I own the following albums on CD: "In the Court of the Crimson King," "Lark's Tongues in Aspic," "Discipline," and "Thrak." I must say that King Crimson is now one of my favorite bands. KC really helped me get into bands like Yes and Marillion as well. My favorite KC album to date would have to be LTIA. I also like stuff from the Discipline Era but I really enjoy the stuff before it. One of the reasons I love KC so much is that they can put out music that is so diverse as time goes on. I mean ITKOTCK, Discipline, and Thrak all sound so different...yet they sound alike in some ways, so that they don't sound like an entirely different band. I'm really happy that I have been turned onto such a great band. I find it VERY difficult to find kids my age that know who KC is...or even more popular bands like Yes and Rush for that matter. In general, it's almost sad to see the state of music today in America. I'm glad to see that bands like KC can still go on and continue to pick up fans like myself. And with that, I bid you farewell. And is Robert is out there reading this (yah right!) I'd just like to say thanks for making me a happy man. :) Chris ------------------------------ From: "Jason Bell" Subject: Iona (not completely Irish)/Fripp Date: Tue, 13 Jan 1998 09:30:43 -0000 >If anyone goes to a Robert Fripp or King Crimson concert could they >please ask him if he will ever play with the band Iona again? Iona is >an Irish band that is fantastic. For those not in the know, Robert played soundscapes two Iona albums, "Beyond These Shores" and "Journey To The Morn". Also, to Kosh, the members of Iona are from all over the place, not just Ireland. Which other band could have a guitarist from Otley in West Yorkshire ? Jason Bell - Web Designer/Chapman Stick Player Email : jason dot bell at dial dot pipex dot com http://ds.dial.pipex.com/jason.bell ICQ : 4409821 ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 13 Jan 98 09:01:27 EST From: "Kevin Rowan" Subject: 21st Century Roxy Man I may be licked to death by llamas for bringing up Roxy Music items for a second time in row (see #448) but I read recently that when Mr. Fripp was auditioning singers for the original King Crimson (ITCOTCK) one of those who auditioned was Bryan Ferry. Somewhere there exists a demo of Mr. Ferry singing 21st Century Schizoid Man. Apparently Mr. Fripp thought it was " a hoot." Had Mr. Fripp chosen Mr. Ferry that would have been a completely different album. I'm a big fan of Roxy Music, but Mr. Ferry on ITCOTCK would NOT have worked. By the way, my office is closing for good on 1/16/98 which means I'm e-mailless and (gulp) ETless indefinitely Thank you all for sharing you thoughts, observations, and love letters for the most original and innovative band in the world. And thanks Toby for the best rock newsletter there is, hands down. Kevin Rowan Washington, DC ------------------------------ From: brad_jacobs at stercomm dot com Date: Tue, 13 Jan 98 12:44:53 -0500 Subject: UNPRONOUNCEABLE Please help me resolve confusion over the release "Unpronounceable" from the Discipline era. At the very point in time that I became aware of King Crimson, my favourite record shop (ca. 1984--I had no CD player) stocked a bunch of monochromatically-adorned LPs, all with similar typography and design elements, which I bought. The 4th one was cryptic and did not mention the name of the band or the surnames of the players, but the titles and graphics made it, obviously, King Crimson. I have assumed for years that it was a sanctioned KC release, but recently someone indicated their belief that it is a bootleg. Who can settle this? Having not listened to Unpro. for a few years (turntable on injured reserve), I'm not sure, but didn't some of these tunes make it on Disc 4 of FxF? Please give us the real story. C. Bradley Jacobs ------------------------------ From: Nst848 Date: Tue, 13 Jan 1998 15:35:39 EST Subject: Tommy Cobel and Sir Michael Tippett Now , this is funny..(hahaha). The very first vinyl album I ever bought was the John Ogden Recording of Tippett's Piano Concerto, way way back in the early '60s when I was a Beatles Fan!!! I kid you not (because I've always digged Classical Music). Tippett only died last weekend at the grand old age of 93, a little bit pissed off because he was hoping to see in the millenium. His very last orchestral work was The Rose Lake ('94 I think) which with its brittle textures and tinkling sonorities (on Marimba like gamelan combinations with celestas and ethereal harmonics) does sound vaguely Thrakkish in places. My favourite piece by Tippett is perhaps the Third Symphony which juxtaposes the Blues with Beethoven's 9th in its final movement (odd, but most effective), but a nice way into his stuff is through the Fantasia Concertante on a theme of Corelli, of which there are several nice recordings. I never met Tippett but got his autograph when he was appearing at a local msic festival at Malvern, Worcs. Finally, a new swearword we use at work and home. 'Oh, Fripp', or 'What the fripping hell are you doing?' I laughed out loud when my girl assistant came out with that one last week. Hello, Goodbye... ------------------------------ From: ganderso at notes dot cc dot bellcore dot com Date: Tue, 13 Jan 1998 15:32:02 -0500 Subject: The Night Watch: Revisionist history? Was at the new mega-Virgin records in Roosevelt, Long island the other day and saw The Night Watch peering out at me from the import section......... The thing sounds fantastic (for digital, that is!), and in some ways i almost prefer it to S&BB, despite the fact that some of the songs are the same, but without overdubs. Particularly with wetton's voice, you can really hear the hall. And in the context of the live performance, even the parts we have in theory heard before on S&BB sound new, and certainly more alive. Rock in the 70s (and Fripp's productions were no exception) seem to cherish that padded-studio, music-born-of-a-vacuum sound that in recent years i have come to dislike (unless they go all the way, like "OK Computer" by radiohead). Fripp mentions in the liner notes that this production reflects a set of values that he seems to feel anachronistic (because through the DSP availbel in some steroe stuff you can place any recording into the hall-ambience of your choosing). I'd like to point out, however, that there is a rapidly expanding tribe of audiophiles who take the exact opposite approach--every additional circuit in the signal path degrades the sound and feeling of the original recording. (My pre-amp, for instance, does not have base and treble knobs, and I use the "direct" input that bypasses even the balance control!) This minimalistic Hi-Fi approach really pays off when you have source material that sounds this good (much better than The GD, I'd say). But more than merely a CD of much-beloved tunes, it is truly interesting to find one re-assimilating this music in an almost historic fashion. Fripp mentions how the 'Crimhead Ghetto' and bootleggers seemed to always have been aware that KC was really always more of live band, but merely listening to the albums gave no real hint of this (or did, as it turns out!). The Night Watch makes this abundantly clear, and in that sense is almost more important than S&BB itself. But then again, if we didn't have S&BB in the first place, The Night Watch would not be as meaningful! And if i haven't blabbed enough, I again find it interesting to see Fripp sort of working out this issue in public: sometime around The Great Deceiver, he seems to have had a shift in perspective about live recordings, and their impact on the collective impression a group or artist has on the collective conciousness of its audience. In a way, Fripp is almost more of a public figure than any of the other KC members (particularly if you count the writings), but on terms that are strictly his own (for better or worse). I have thought for a while now that on the day that fripp dies, the world will be a slightly less interesting place! -Emory ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 13 Jan 1998 18:06:57 -0500 From: ke4hyv at gate dot net (Gregory Watts) Subject: Trey Gunn CD On 1/12/98, I purchased the Trey Gunn CD. Trey did a good job when I heard him during the King Crimson tour, but his CD sucks. The music is boring, and the you could take the vocalist talents, put them in a thimble, and have enough room left over for the Chinese army. I recommend that persons interested in this CD should listen to it before buying. Greg, Florida ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 14 Jan 1998 00:26:11 -0500 From: CHARLIE BARBER Subject: Astro-Fripper-Troniks... Robert, What you must try is inputting into your hardware real recorded radio-astronomy/science 'noize'. Or dub and mix it in with what you create now. I truly wonder what real space music would sound like, and I think Mr. Fripp may have the answer at his finger-tips! How to obtain this is really simple.. Just contact the Jet Propulsion Lab folks in Pasadena Ca. Projekts such as Galileo feature radio science activities (such as plasma wave, magnetic fields and so on). When I was a Galileo Mission Kontroller, we routinely would play back this sort of 'stuff', and be amazed at the sounds, i.e. passing through the magnetosphere. It's NOT such a quiet event as one would think. Just an idea. Regards, Charlie Barber ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 14 Jan 1998 10:47:01 -0800 (PST) From: Joe Brancaleone Subject: Re: Fripp & Bruford, again You say that Bruford is the best damn drummer around because of his ability to manipulate the time. And because of this, drummers that are all chops are predictable and therefore not as good (or suitable I guess). However, to determine a good drummer, you need to start with predictability, with the deceptively simple. Don't you know that, given a drum chart of the most basic straight-ahead rock beat, you let 5 different drummers play it, you will hear 5 different interpretations of it, even though the chart consists only of quarter notes and eigth notes? Frankly, Bruford is NOT a pocket player, I hear no superior control of the groove in his rhythms (maybe just a very little). It's vital to first be able to harness that evasive pulse before beginning the task of manipulating it. I remembering reading something interesting and valuable in a Stewart Copeland interview (who is a great example of a pocket player). He remarked about giving a drum clinic, and told the audience something like "I will now play the most difficult thing possible on the drums." And he simply played a straight 4/4 rock beat. This is the gist of what I am trying to say. I don't think Bruford's rhythms are lifeless, I do hear organic-ness and personality in it, but it does not stay true to the groove, it ain't in the pocket. Technical command of polyrhythms and time manipulation make no lasting impression on me (as a critic of other drummers) without the more important groundwork. So, what would I prefer for Fripp, then? I have no major complaints with what he already has. The 70's Crimson is tough on my ears because of Bruford, he really seemed to compromise the groove SO much, for the sake of cramming in more notes per bar or what (the example that comes immediately to mind is "Red"). But the new Crimson has a more tame Bruford. But still he's far from my dream drummer for the band. I would prefer a groove-monger along the lines of Ben Perowski of Lost Tribe (does anyone know what happened to this amazing band?), who knows about time manipulation as well as playing in the pocket. jOE bRANCALEONE ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 14 Jan 1998 14:44:59 -0500 From: Mark J Sandford Subject: FS: Full set KC LP's I'm not sure weather sales ads are allowed in this mailing list if not please ignore. I am not a private indivual and these albums have been in my personal possession since '83-'84. As with most people I do not have a turn table any more but over a period of years aquired what I beleive to be the complete colection of King Crimson 12" albums (I also have a near complete set of CD's but am not interested in selling). As far as I know this is every album released ('69-'84) as follows In the Court of the Crimson King ('69) In the Wake of Poseidon ('70) Lizard ('70) Islands ('71) Earthbound ('72) (Italian Import, never released in US) Lark's Toungues in Aspic ('73) Starless and Bible Black ('74) Red ('74) USA ('75) Young Persons Guide to King Crimson ('75) (not available on CD) Discipline ('81) Beat ('82) Three of a Perfect Pair ('84) Sleepless - Maximix (12" single two "dance mix" versions) ('84) (Rare) I no longer own a turn table so can not speak as to exact condtion of each album. All covers are in near perfect condition some with my name in small print on top right of album covers. There is no warping. Most records should be in perfect condition with the exception of Discipline which I played near continousily and is moderately worn. I would like to sell as a complete set if possible to a collector that still owns a turn table if no one is interested in the complete collection I will sell as indivual albums. If interested email me at mailto:sandford at tridsys dot com Thanks - Mark Sandford Principal Engineer Trident Systems Inc. Fairfax, VA 22030 USA ------------------------------ GIG REVIEWS ------------------------------ From: Miles Tee Date: Tue, 13 Jan 1998 12:17:22 EST Subject: Space Music 1/12/98 - ParkWest, Chicago Robert Fripp - Space Music/Soundscapes - ParkWest, Chicago - January 12, 1997 I will leave the equipment & set for others more technical & analytical than I. Projekt Two music filled the air pre-performance. I did not exactly know it was Projekt Two as I had never heard it, but Robert's guitar is so distinctive that I knew it was a Projekt. Not realizing Adrain's full ability on percussion, I thought the recording was Projekt One with Bruford. I believe the recording will be released in March. It is recommended, especially to the Crimson in you. The Space Music was emotional. At first I could feel myself hiking on the lip of the Grand Canyon with headphones on. That fact that I have never been to the Grand Canyon yet I was placed there was special. As I listened I could feel myself floating in a hot air ballon at night, sky clear and stars/planets bright. Again, I have never been in a hot air ballon, but the anticipated sensation was received. Robert was part of the audience and was received well by the audience. There was some rudeness, perhaps to be expected from Americans, but in general the mood was received as a group; performer, preformer/audience and audience. Soundscapes are intimate to me. If I was not with my kindred soul, at my side, I may have felt out of place as I personally have difficulties with intimacy in a group/the audience. Robert did provide intimacy from his position. I could have chatted with him for hours on thought, direction, and the state of the world after the show. One question that was not answered, "Who is your inspiration?" There was a pause and no answer as other questions streamed out of people's mouths. I wanted to yell out, "It doesn't have to be a musician!" I didn't. A lost opportunity, yet I didn't feel intimate with the audience as a whole. The only part that I would have enjoyed more in the evening would have been variation of the theme. The theme remained the same. Robert stated that he prepares himself before the performance, hence I trust the theme remained consistent with his preparation, expression and performance, therefore I have no complaint. From my point of view, wanting more is good when it comes to music and love. I always come back for more. Robert had a second guitar on stage. I believe it was a styth (spelling?) guitar. I would not have been disappointed at all if he would have picked up that guitar after Space Music and ripped off classic Crimson or improv. This may have taken way from the feel of Space Music and perhaps not possible due to the change in direction in the mind of the performer, but it would have sounded nice, to me, in variation. Lastly, someone asked Robert why he plays music. His response, "I have to". I understand this well as love of something or someone comes naturally and is the root of the soul. If Space Music is available to you, I strongly suggest attending especially with a loved one. ------------------------------ From: Goodcraker Date: Tue, 13 Jan 1998 12:45:58 EST Subject: Soundscapes in Chicago I write this letter the morning after Robert Fripp's Soundscape concert at the Park West in Chicago. I would have written this when I came home last night, but because of a little bit of celebration after the show, sleep was in order. Some day. I had taken the day off to help set up an early arrival for the show, hearing from others that they often started before the ticket time. Well thanks to bad timing, bad traffic, and a dose of bad luck, we arrived at 7:15PM 15 mins before the show. The place was jammed. There was no chance of getting close to the stage and the only seats to be had were in the balcony. My heart sunk. Robert Fripp was already on stage and had begun his first bit of music. A beautiful piece, very moving. Immediately my mood started to change. The song continued for what seemed like 20 mins, with Robert occasionally stepping away from the guitar and controls , standing to the side,very still and observing the audience. The crowd itself was very receptive throughout this song. Very quiet, very respectful of the music. Then Robert walked to the mike and began to speak. This in itself was one of the biggest thrills for me, because I had never heard his voice live before. He went on to explain what he felt the evening held for all of us, and that we were to enjoy the music, walk around , talk to one another, become a part of what was happening. And advised us to lighten up. And we did. Throughout the evening the music changed, climbed , ebbed, crashed together. To me there was a visibility to the music. You not only listened to it build, you felt it, and in my case, saw it in my minds eye. Occasionally there was the rude shout of "No Pussyfooting!!" ( at least there wasn't a shout of FREEBIRD!!) and at least three flashes of cameras. Robert would shake his head and keep playing. The music itself lasted over 2 hours. 2 quick-over-too-soon hours. I think it is important to mention one thing. I brought two people with me to the concert. One had seen Crimson at the Nov 95 show in Chicago. The other had heard some "Exposure" before. Neither had any idea that this is what the show was. and were both completely unfamiliar with Robert's Frippertronics and Soundscapes. I was a little worried for their boredom, but was shocked at their reaction. They were both drawn in by the music and Robert himself. After the show, we stopped for a beer and I listened to their take on the show. I am very happy to report that Fripp has two new fans. After the music came to a close, Robert stepped to the front of the stage and offered himself up to questions, comments, etc. I am sorry to say I can't remember some of what was said. I do remember an idiot flashing his camera during an answer to a question. We were all verbally spanked, and rightly so. It was very little to ask of an audience. When I saw the flash, all I could think of was Oh No. He's gonna walk. But he didn't, and finished his answer. The reason I can't remember some of the give and take with the audience was not because of beer or other(!) stimulants. It was the fact that I was in awe of seeing a performer up close for the first time. I have been a fan of Roberts since I was 15 years old. Almost 20 years now. I have waited many many years for this night. I was sitting and taking in everything I could. Maybe that's sounds juvenille. Who knows. It's not something that can be easily explained. Oh well. The Park West facilities were excellent by the way. Accoustics were great, and a no lines anywhere. My only complaint might be that Discpline and Fripp merchandise were not very well displayed. Other than that an incredible evening. I won't go into the questions asked or answers given. I didn't feel there were any bad or dumb questions, though I am sure some of you will feel otherwise. I left the venue with a new understanding because of some the "dumb" questions,ie."Why don't you play some more?". Anyone who was there heard that answer. It answered the question, and opened up the man answering it. He revealed alot of himself. What an amazingly warm, honest performer. I'll close out now, even though I'll think of a million more comments after I send this. My high high high recommendations to see the show if you are lucky enough for it to come close to you. It was a truly moving experience. Thank you Robert. Thank you very much. Sadly I know your music won't be on the radio. Your music can be hard to find in most music stores. And to be honest, most people I know have never heard your music(or don't realize they have). But you moved two people who were ignorant of your world last night. And you made the year for me. So thanks again from Terry Murphy, of Chicago. PS.......this may sound stupid, but I think a great name for a movie would be "When Robert Fripp Lived in New York" Doesn't have to be about Fripp at all. Just thought it would be a cool title........ ------------------------------ From: Miles Tee Date: Tue, 13 Jan 1998 13:55:55 EST Subject: Review by Jim DeRogatis - Chicago Sun Times - Park West 1/12 Robert Fripp at the Park West - Chicago Sun-Times - Tuesday, January 13, 1998 review by Jim DeRogatis, pop music critic 'Robert Fripp's pal Brian Eno once defined ambient music as "music that rewards close attention but does not demand it." That description certainly fit the improvised soundscapes that Fripp and his machines generated for a packed crowd at the Park West on Monday night. At points, I was struck by the simple beauty of the bell-like tones and waves of effected chords produced by the cult-hero guitarist and sometimes leader of King Crimson. They brought to mind "The Heavenly Music Corporation," a piece from his 1973 colaboration with Eno, "No Pussyfooting." At other times, I found himself thinking about grocery shopping and doing the laundry, or wishing that the Park West had those comfy reclining seats they have at the planetarium. To his credit, Fripp encouraged the crowd to walk, talk, read a book or snooze if they wished during his performance. He certainly didn't expect anyone to stay riverted to the stage, and he provided almost nothing to look at. Mostly he sat on a stool in a pool of dim blue light, tweaking his guitar or fiddling with his effects. Occasionally he got up and stood with his hands folded over his black kimono at stage right, looking like a cross between a Buddhist monk and a computer geek. But this was a crowd of hardcore devotees, and many hung raptly on the master's every note and gesture. They knew to arrive early - Fripp got things rolling more than an hour before the schuduled starting time of 7:30 p.m. - and they were primed with queries for phase two of the performance, a question- and -answer session that began at 8:34. Though he has a reputation as something of a stuffed shirt, Fripp was actually a funny and provocative speaker, telling guitarist jokes ("How do you get a guitarist to stop playing? Put the sheet music in front of him") and taking DePaul University Professor Bill Martin to task for comments about King Crimson in his recent book about progressive rock.' ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 13 Jan 1998 14:03:59 -0600 (CST) From: flaherty michael w Subject: Fripp in Milwaukee and . . . Because I have so much to say and hate long posts, I am splitting up my Soundscape reviews. Toby and Dan may do with them as they wish . . . I had the pleasure of seeing Robert Fripp two nights in a row: Jan. 11 at Milwaukee and Jan. 12 in Chicago. The concerts were very different: the Milwaukee club date had the feel of an art opening, the Chicago date was more like a traditional concert. I should add that my perspective may be different than many in that I am a Fripp enthusiast first and KC second. Given a choice, I would rather see a Fripp solo show than a KC show any time or place. That in mind . . . When we got the club we could see Mr. Fripp through a (later to be covered) window tuning his guitar. The doors opened one hour before the "starting time", and the "walking in" music had already started. People unfamiliar with Fripp's recent approach understandably thought they were listening to recorded music--one problem with this approach. At 7 the concert proper began with Fripp starting with deep drones and then adding the more bell-like sounds of his recent work. I was far to involved in the moment of these soundscapes to give a detailed description of the music itself. I sat in front of the speakers, directly turned toward Fripp as he played. It was facinating to see what movement of the strings and what foot movement caused these wonderful sounds. He occasionally left the stage, even venturing into the crowd--Milwaukee is the kind of place where one can do such things and have his or her space respected. At the end of the performance there was a polite and interesting question and answer session, my favorite comment being that with Soundscapes the consequences of one's actions are seen in 62 seconds, and that this is how life should be. At the end they played the new Project 2 (refuse to cap the way he does, sorry) release. The first disc reminds me of late John McLaughlin (except for Belew's drumming being more rock). The second disc is more space-like. On the way out I was amazed to find "Gates of Paradise" on sale. I immediately purchased a copy which I hope to review for ET at a later time. To Milwaukee ETers: it was a wonderful evening. I always enjoy my too infrequent visits to your city. Michael ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 13 Jan 1998 14:41:44 -0600 (CST) From: flaherty michael w Subject: . . . and Fripp in Chicago The Chicago concert was at Park West, a venue that is, I would guess, three times bigger than Milwaukee's Shank Hall. Our expectations were that this concert could not possibly live up to the intimate show from the night before. In some ways this was true. In others, this was the better show. Unlike Milwaukee, in Chicago the people were (as, sorry to say, is my usual experiene) rude--shoving and cutting in front of each other. On the way in my wife tripped and had a nasty fall. Most people did the typical Chicago thing: they ignored her. One young man stood there having a good laugh (until he saw her 6' 3' husband glaring at him). If he's reading he'll be delighted to know that she is having difficulty walking and may need ex-rays. Ha-ha, how funny. Amazingly, we still found two seats in the front--again facing Fripp directly (most headed for the centre seats). Projcet 2 was playing on the PA. Fripp came out 45 minutes early and began. It was simply the most amazing sounds I have heard in a very long time. The audience was stunned into silence by these deep, dark, beautiful drones. We found him to be far more in focus than the previous night, and the music to have a greater depth. Before Fripp would start playing he would close his eyes and breath deeply, only starting (I would guess) when he felt the perfect moment. When he stopped, he would stand at the back of the stage, eyes closed, perfectly straight. I was reminded of the concentration of Glenn Gould, (who I know only from recordings and stories.) At this point is his career Fripp has reached a level of artistry that few can match. (I know he would be embarrassed by this, but there it is). The opening 45 minutes brought my wife (who gave me permission to include this) to the point of tears: not because of the content or "sadness" of the sounds, but as a pure reaction to Mr. Fripp's dedication to his art. The performance was almost ruined. Someone flashed a picture. Fripp stopped and shook his head in disgust (the no camera policy was CLEARLY posted). He shooked his head while he happened to be looking in our direction. I held up a hand and said "Don't leave!" I have no idea if he heard me or not, but for whatever reason, he stayed. The spoken portion was a waste of time as audience members inturrupted Fripp, took his picture (for which they were scolded) and competed to see who could be the most rude person in the room. I've lived in this area for 3 1/2 years and I've met many fine people, but I'll never call it home. People demanded that Robert play again, made it clear that they would prefer a KC show, and generally showed a lack of respect for the performer and each other. Michael ------------------------------ From: "Dan Kirkdorffer" Date: Tue, 13 Jan 1998 15:56:39 +0000 Subject: Gig Review: Space Music Warms Milwaukee and Chicago This Winter's deep freeze having finally arrived in the region, it seemed appropriate that Robert Fripp would pay us a visit. In preparation I made a copy of the gig reviews at ET Web (thru digest #449) for all the Soundscapes and ProjeKct One shows from last year to give to someone in Fripp's entourage to give Robert himself. Having never been to a Soundscapes show I must admit I was dubious as to whether I would enjoy them live, but after the two nights I am sold! What amazes me most is how very different both shows were. The Milwaukee show was in a small roadhouse like place. Low ceiling, dank, a little rundown, no pretenses of being anything other than a large room with an island bar at one end and a slightly raised small stage at the other. I arrived around 7:15pm (ticket said show time was 8pm) and a third of the eventual crowd was already there as Fripp was already playing. After presenting my large envelop with the ET gig reviews to John Sinks, Fripp's equipment/sound man, I took a seat on a bar stool level with the soundboard on the right wall. The eventual crowd of about 200 maximum generally either sat and watched up front or stood and talked, drank and smoked at back near the bar behind the soundboard. The Soundscapes were serene. Mostly layers of long notes with occasional light plings interspersed. I intently watched the crowd and was increasingly encouraged that there would be no "incidents" this night. RF twice came back to the soundboard to discuss a problem with John Sinks who would then take a look at his equipment while RF stood and watched from the soundboard. Or he would stand to the side of the stage, observing his audience and how we were reacting. Only one time did anyone approach him to speak to him, at which, fleet footed, he darted back in the direction of the stage, no harm done. I sensed these moments were tests of sorts: could we resist the urge to approach him, could we make like he wasn't there? With the one exception this audience passed that test with flying colors. As reported at other shows, at the ticketed start time (8pm) Robert invited us to do as we pleased during this non-western style event. I sensed that in his observations of this audience he was pleased that in general people followed his suggestions, and the nature of the Soundscapes seem to give credence to that thought as they remained calm and serene throughout, with very few filler flourishes of note. At about 9pm he again approached the microphone and entertained questions in a most amiable fashion. I moved forward to a seat closer to the stage at this point. Whatever you may think of Wisconsinites, these cheeseheads were very well behaved and asked many good questions. There were the few "tech head" questions about his equipment setup that Fripp begrudgingly obliged, and he did yearn for questions from women (a couple were asked). I myself asked if he ever thought to "pre-arrange" or write Soundscapes, to which he replied that he wished he could but that the nature of Soundscapes and the difficulty of controlling them made that almost impossible. There was one ET referencing question asked by a member of the audience: "Robert Fripp: shaman or shameless promotor?" RF took the chance to inquire about how many ET subscribers were in the audience, and a smattering of 20 odd hands were raised. He then asked how many had no idea what ET was. A few more hands than before were raised. "So you're outnumbered!" Fripp exclaimed with glee. He then explained what ET was, an internet newsletter for enthusiasts of King Crimson and Robert Fripp, "although when reading it you wouldn't necessarily think so". Infer what you will. I thought the original "shaman" question was pretty stupid anyway (oops! there goes my impartiality in these pages). The Q&A session lasted about 35 minutes at which point we were thanked for our generosity and invited to listen to the just completed ProjeKct Two CD as exit music. He left the stage to warm applause. More on the P2 music later. The Chicago Park West show the next night was like being in another world. In the heart of the rich Lincoln Park neighborhood, the crowd was more upscale/trendy, the ceiling way higher, the room larger and darker and the layout more detached with booth seating and tables. Unlike any other Soundscapes show I have read a review of in these pages, RF did not actually start playing until 1 hour after the doors opened. (During that time, as after the Milwaukee show, they played the new ProjeKct Two CD. Hard to describe it, but it sounded like jazz fusion with a KC edge. I'd guess Trey Gunn laid down the primary grooves. Prepare yourself for xylophone sounds. Not sure if that was Adrian, Robert or Lionel Hampton playing them.) Meanwhile RF sat unnoticed in the balcony preparing himself to be played by music. At 7pm, 30 minutes minutes before ticket time, he began the first Soundscapes. It was extremely moving and beautiful. He was able to create a veritable piece of music that repeated perfectly as he watched to the side of the stage. At 7:30pm the "official" show began. Robert approached the microphone and again we were told to do whatever, and to "lighten up!". I cannot remember exactly when but sometime after that a flash went off. To RF's credit he continued playing with only a disapproving shake of his head to the offending photographer (actually he had just sat down after standing to the side of the stage, so he wasn't interrupted mid pick). The Soundscapes soon started sounding ominous and darker (the lights had been turned down even further by this time). The final piece was a step further down this dark and scary path, ending in an ever growing loudness of doom and gloom, drowning out all the audience's chatter, and a final flourish of stereo panning that enthralled. He then took questions from the boisterous crowd, by now pretty well liquored up and restless, and perhaps a little on edge from the final Soundscapes. The questions were mostly KC related unlike the mostly Soundscapes related Milwaukee questions. RF seemed visibly and audibly emotional when answering why he played music ("because I have to"). Unfortunately soon after another flash went off from the balcony. This time he stopped mid sentence to chastise the offender saying, "that was inappropriate and rude", and explained to the audience that he did not perform for the money, and as a performer had to put up with such things as flash photography, when notices explicitly asked patrons to not take photographs. Robert explained that he felt that this was a breach of trust between him and the audience. To his credit he was able to continue answering the question at hand although he again showed emotion talking about the flash issue. After a few more questions he thanked us, applauding the crowd, and received a standing ovation in return. The venue emptied into the frozen Chicago streets to the sounds of ProjeKct Two once again. A few tidbits of info, as I can remember them: - ProjeKct Two's double CD was completed Jan 7th, and is due to be released in March. Fripp spoke of P2 doing a West Coast USA tour in April and one of Japan after that. He also spoke of a one week tour of Nashville - "do the possible, and a one week tour of Nashville is definitely possible, before doing the impossible". - The next ProjeKct may be called ProjeKct Four or Five the way things have been numbered - he indicated there were no end of possible combinations the "fractal" KC could take. He indicated it was far more interesting doing these fractal projects that writing music, but he does seem to be convinced that where they are leading is where they want to be. - No plans for upcoming work with Eno who is apparently on sabbatical with his family in St. Petersburg, Russia. - No plans for upcoming work with David Sylvian. RF tried to call him to wish him a "Happy Christmas" but apparently he has changed his phone number. - When asked about Tony Levin, RF said he was the best musician he has ever played with! - When asked what his aim was, he answered, "To be true." - At both shows he explained that he is left handed, but plays right handed. This was mentioned while talking about a book he had recently come across at Barnes and Noble in Philadelphia called "Listening to the Future : The Time of Progressive Rock" by Professor Bill Martin. It has an inverse photo of RF floating above Jethro Tull on the cover (see http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ats-query/1181-7568680-948794 for details). Since the author was a professor in Chicago, Fripp asked if he was present (if he was he did not make himself known), and then quoted directly from the book to comment about a passage that inferred KC was not so much a band structure, but run by Fripp himself. RF made a number of good arguments to the contrary, but allowed for the Lizard/Islands era as being perhaps the one exception, although he said that at that time he was in a partnership with Peter Sinfield. With the current band he suggested that Adrian Belew's decision back in 1994 that 4 months of KC a year was enough, was an example of other's making band decisions, although he did concede that this was the first band that saw him as the one holding the band's general vision. Well, as Fripp thanked his audiences for their generosity, I thank you for reading all of this. Winter may make it frigid in the Midwest these days, but Fripp's passage through these parts warmed my heart and showed him to be friendly, funny, thoughtful and congenial. Hardly the terrifying, cold, aloof and rude individual some here would make him out to be. Dan ET Web ------------------------------ From: "Louis Courteau" Subject: Gig review: King Crimson au Pavillon Pollack Date: Wed, 14 Jan 1998 02:38:27 -0500 Gig review: King Crimson au Pavillon Pollack, Sainte-Foy, November 27, 1971 Just seventeen days after Pink Floyd's one and only visit to Quebec City (three and a half hours of quadraphonic sound in a smoke-filled small arena where KC would perform two years later), the Islands band played the Grand Salon of Pavillon Pollack, a hall that would be the first host in Quebec City to several other innovators in the years to follow, from Gentle Giant to Philip Glass. Luckily for the young crowds that gathered for the 7:00 and 10:00 shows (I was at the latter), it was cold outside, so almost everyone came in with their big parka and could sit on it rather than directly on the terrazzo floor, all seats having been taken out in order to lodge more people. There were maybe 700 of us huddled inside when the house lights went out and the show began. And indeed, what a show it was. My knowledge of Crimso at the time was limited to the first album (mainly the title piece) and a few hearings of Islands. So I had never heard most of what I heard there, but that night quite a few riffs drilled into my mind for good. The first piece I remember of was Pictures of a City. On our left, tall and thin in his white salopette, Mel Collins caught the best of our attention in this song with his inimitable way of swaying that huge baritone sax from side to side while playing. You all know that big riff. On stage, its energy rises exponentially, an all-time Crimso trademark. Then there was Cirkus, one of Pete Sinfield's best-ever poems for KC, which Boz Burrell, also all clad in white except for a long pair of boots and a little woolen round hat, certainly rendered at least as well as the original. This piece also has an unforgettable riff. Again the energy of the live performance added to it and more than counterbalanced the absence of the impossible acoustic guitar part, which you couldn't miss if you had never heard it anyway. Again, Mel played beautifully his baritone and alto saxes. I also remember quite well the little three-voice chorus on Ladies of the Road and the feeling that song carried through. Boz was perfect for that song too, and Robert Fripp (the only one dressed in black) and Mel Collins were very impressive. There was improv too, of course. And KC probably played The Letters and A Sailor's Tale. Mel Collins also played two or three flutes (I'm quite positive there was an alto an a bass flute somewhere). Maybe they played The Battle of Glass Tears, and certainly 21st CSM. My memories get dimmer in this area. These guys were playing inimaginable things and opening vast new horizons. One more piece from that concert I do remember quite well is Groon. This was the setting for Ian Wallace's drum solo, as everybody knows. On disc, it does tend to be longish, because you only hear the sound. You don't see what was going on. When Pete Sinfield turned the VCS3 on, he also turned all lights out and started a strobe light. So we poor young crimheads (by that time, that's what we all were) heard drums filtered through a synthesizer (nobody knew what it was) while watching the drummer through a strobe light. Yeah. Cheap thrills. But this is 1971, mind you. Pink Floyd is revolutionizing the rock world by making us hear echoes all around the hall and playing 15 minutes with that axe on a single chord. What we saw and heard that night was as much avant-garde as anything at the time. And I remember little Pete Sinfield coming to take a bow at the end of the performance. Or was it Bernie Taupin at the end of Elton's 72 Montreal Forum concert? Oh well... louis courteau ------------------------------ From: Miles Tee Date: Wed, 14 Jan 1998 06:11:06 EST Subject: Fwd: Fripp Review in the Trib Rock review, Robert Fripp at Park West By Greg Kot Tribune Rock Critic Robert Fripp, one of the most innovative guitarists of the last 30 years, promised an evening of ``bleeping and groaning,'' and he delivered. In a solo performance Monday at Park West, Fripp rarely plucked the strings of his instrument, and at times stood off to the side of a stage like a spectator, watching the audience as it watched him while ambient, enveloping waves of electronic sound pulsed from the public address system. If Fripp's ``space music'' venture at times resembled an experiment more than a concert, it wasn't by accident. The guitarist has demonstrated a profound distaste for convention in a career marked by brief ``retirements'' and wholly uncommercial detours. Most famously associated with the British progressive rock band King Crimson, Fripp last performed with the group a few years ago shrouded in near darkness, seated at the back of the stage while the other band members exerted themselves in the spotlight. That self-effacing attitude was much in evidence at Park West; the guitarist did not so much command the stage as drift onto it, an unassuming presence perched on a stool in jeans, untucked shirt and a vest. It might as well have been a Saturday afternoon in front of the Fripp hearth in England. While peering through wire-rim glasses, the 51-year-old maverick tweaked knobs, tapped on foot pedals and generated reverberant waves of sound by bending the guitar strings. This was not a display of virtuosity in the conventional sense--Fripp clearly has no interest in demonstrating the speed, fluidity or dexterity of his ``chops.'' Instead it was an extended exercise in mood manipulation, as waves of sound veered from thick, atmospheric drones to more dissonant textures that even at their loudest caressed rather than pummeled the senses. Though Fripp encouraged the audience to talk and move about while the music poured over the room, his fans would have none of it. Their respectful attention verged on reverence. A 60-minute improvised section of soundscapes was bookended by a recording of new, unreleased King Crimson music that greeted the early arrivals and a 30-minute question and answer session that closed the evening. When asked what his aim has been as a musician and performer, he answered simply: ``To be true.'' But whether Fripp's particular brand of truth on this evening was worth the rather stiff price of admission ($20) was debatable. Perhaps anticipating such grumbling, Fripp has said in recent interviews that he is not out to entertain and that his sole responsibility is to the music. Too bad the music he served was more like an intriguing but skimpy appetizer rather than a multifaceted feast. Copyright Chicago Tribune (c) 1998 ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 13 Jan 1998 10:42:54 -0600 (CST) From: Ethan Taylor Sellers Subject: not a gig review: Fripp at Park West in Chicago Spoiler: This is not a gig review. I did enjoy the show, but the reviews of other Fripp Soundscape gigs have fairly adequately described my experience at his Park West performance. In a way - and with all deference and goodwill towards the reviewers - reading the reviews set abnormally high expectations for my experience. Frankly, I think that the careless (but well-intentioned) use of superlatives in describing an event makes it impossible to experience the Soundscapes for what they are, since one is constantly mentally comparing the events of the present to the descriptions of past events. I blame no one but myself for this - I didn't have to read the reviews. I just wish that I hadn't, because (and I do think that this is some sort of Guitar Craft-ism, albeit worded differently) expectation tends to deafen one to what is happening in the moment. This being said, I'm going to pass over the musical portion of the event and move directly on to the question and answer session. ____________________________________________________________________________ At one point in his answer to a question regarding Crimson, Fripp said that the current six-piece line-up is a group, insofar as it operates (and I am loosely paraphrasing) by consensus. Fripp gave examples of travel arrangements being altered for Bruford's comfort and more strikingly, stated that the band deferred to Belew's desire that KC be a 4 month a year endeavor than a 12 month a year gig. Fripp stated that KC's willingness to accomodate Belew's desires is indicative of a more group-like approach. I have a number of problems with this second example - and none of them have to do with how soon Crimson will release a new studio album. On the one hand, it certainly is a very noble and - dare I say it - idea that Crimson should place such a high value on the individual. On the other hand, I think it is important that the individuals involved in a group be willing to make certain sacrifices for the good of the whole. Both notions have to be ordered in careful balance, and I think it is worth pointing out that Crimson has a certain number of circumstances which work in favor of the approach which Fripp endorses. King Crimson has luxuries that many bands do not. These luxuries make it possible for Crimson to go on hiatus for 8 months a year or more. They are: * A healthy discography. Though Crimson does not have albums with stellar sales on the order of the Beatles or Fleetwood Mac or other bands with strong catalogs, they do sell (from what I understand) a relatively steady stream of product. Assuming that the advances have been repaid on these record releases, the players in the band can expect a certain amount of money in royalties. * A name with a certain amount of bankability. This discussion group is ample proof that there is a sizeable minority who will regularly purchase products created by Fripp and company. There is a demonstrated demand for Fripp-product, and it appears to be understood that only products either created by Fripp or endorsed by him vis a vis Discipline Global Mobile can satisfy this demand in any sort of "legitimate" fashion. In other words, there is a Fripp/Crimso name brand in DGM. * A sort of fashionability at the moment. Crimson seems to be more in vogue in various music magazines than many of their peer bands (Genesis, Jethro Tull, Yes, ELP, et al). A name recognition factor and the ability for music reviewers to cite KC in reviews of bands like Radiohead as a non-pejorative point of reference indicates to the "hip" record-buying set that listening to KC and being "cool" are not mutually-exclusive. Why do I present what I describe as two "luxuries" to you? The answer is that I wish for you to understand (and Mr. Fripp, if he's listening) how - though this philosophy towards the group dynamic is noble, it has problems for musicians and groups of lesser status in the world of professional musicians. In a nutshell, if a far less well-established (commercially and artistically) band had a member who claimed that he/she could only give 4 months out of 12 per year, it would be utterly impracticable. Without residual income from royalties, a devoted fan base willing to wait years for new product or concert appearances, and a certain amount of press exposure vis a vis "hipness name-dropping", most smaller bands would fold entirely in an 8-month gap, or would be forgotten and would be forced to rebuild their fan-base almost from scratch. I certainly hope that Fripp would not condemn a group for replacing a member whose commitment only extends to 4 months out of 12 in a year. I don't expect that he would. I also hope - and daresay perceive - that Fripp realizes the position of privilege which he enjoys in his career at the moment. As he said during the question and answer session, he was tone-deaf and rhythmically deficient when he began playing guitar 40 years ago. In the intervening years, through his own efforts, he's not only created worthwhile music on his own, but he's managed to forge an aesthetic and correlative artistic products over which he is the sole authority. Respectfully yours, Ethan * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * Ethan Taylor Sellers etseller at midway dot uchicago dot edu - http://student-www.uchicago.edu/users/etseller * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * ------------------------------ End of Elephant-Talk Digest #451 ********************************