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 #597 E L E P H A N T T A L K The Internet newsletter for Robert Fripp and King Crimson enthusiasts Number 597 Sunday, 4 July 1999 Today's Topics: Cirkus B.L.U.E Live live in Japan video for sale Jamie Muir @ Incus Records 1981, '82 setlists? Re: Impassioned plea Re: Russian Pirate CDs Sorry To See Eb Go.... Returning to King Crimson Damage -re-release The Becoming Bill Nelson; David Cross; KC 1981 live; disbanding in the live set lists Adrian Belew CD - Acoustic AB (best of) Prog rock fans really this nastolgic? "Islands" and start to cry clarifying some errors 1981 Set List More on Crimso/Dead Heads Rare Crimson related set sale list Grateful Dead & King Crimson Fracture is overrated ET 596, The Dead etc. Something Special ------------------ A D M I N I S T R I V I A --------------------- POSTS: Please send all posts to newsletter at elephant-talk dot com To UNSUBSCRIBE, or to CHANGE ADDRESS: Send a message with a body of HELP to admin at elephant-talk dot com or use the DIY list machine at http://www.elephant-talk.com/list/ To ASK FOR HELP about your ET subscription: Send a message to: help at elephant-talk dot com ET Web: http://www.elephant-talk.com/ Read the ET FAQ before you post a question at http://www.elephant-talk.com/faq.htm Current TOUR DATES info can always be found at http://www.elephant-talk.com/gigs/tourdates.htm You can read the most recent seven editions of ET at http://www.elephant-talk.com/newsletter.htm THE ET TEAM: Toby Howard (Moderator), Dan Kirkdorffer (Webmaster) Mike Dickson (List Admin), and a cast of thousands. The views expressed herein are those of the individual authors. ET is produced using John Relph's Digest system v3.5b (relph at sgi dot com). ------------------ A I V I R T S I N I M D A --------------------- Date: Tue, 29 Jun 1999 16:53:27 -0700 From: synthesis9000 Subject: Cirkus Has anyone attempted the transcription of "Cirkus?" I find it fascinating that Fripp can play like that on an acoustic guitar. b.b. -- Man who walk thru airport turnstile sideways going to Bangkok. ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 29 Jun 1999 17:09:49 PDT From: alexis rondeau Subject: B.L.U.E Live Hi! Well I've been thinking about Tony Levin. He is a busy man and that frightens me a bit. I remember he said he would like to release Upper Extremities Live someday. He as so much going on that I think he must have forgotten about that! The point is that UE Live has got to happen! Altough I don't read his diary every day, I'm pretty shur the subject hasn't come abbout lately. I only hope it's not because our Big Papa Bear is uncertain about the fans entousiasm for the project. Let's remind him that we're all diing to ear this. With a bit of luck, we might get the chance to listen to that Knitting Factory Improv somewhere in 2000! Alex ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 30 Jun 1999 09:44:22 +0200 From: "Christian Skina" Subject: live in Japan video for sale For those who did not turn to dvd, I have 2 original videos for sale (Japan 95). One is second hand (watched it 3-4 times), the other is brand new (it was my reserve tape). No fancy prices, just legal stuff. And I don't make copies so, please don't ask for that. I prefer to sell them to people in Holland, packing and posting will add too much to the cost. ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 30 Jun 1999 01:21:27 +0100 From: "D. Chinn" Subject: Jamie Muir @ Incus Records Just briefly - if anyone want to follow up Jamie Muir's duets with Derek Bailey (as discussed several ETs ago), Incus Records have a newish official website up at http://www.themoat.demon.co.uk/frames/incindex.htm cheers, Dann Chinn dchinn at btinternet dot com http://www.collective.co.uk/misfitcity ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 30 Jun 1999 10:10:41 -0400 From: "Paul A. O'Rear" Subject: 1981, '82 setlists? > The 1984 setlist is pretty well documented on the "Live in > Japan" video and "Absent Lovers", but not having heard any 'unofficial' > live tapes of the '80s incarnation I know little about the setlists for the 1981 and > 1982 shows in which Crimson was the major act on the bill. I don't > recall this being mentioned in ET before, and a quick search of the > archives is unsuccessful. What were the typical running > orders for these shows? Did they simply play the Discipline album live at the > 1981 shows or were there other songs or improvs? I saw Crimson back in '81 at a gig in NYC (I think it was the Ritz or the Palladium). One thing I remember distinctly and that I would love to get a recording of was a pre-Beat version of Neurotica that they were then calling Manhattan. There were no words at that time as far as I remember, but it was so powerful and intense, not to mention appropriate there in downtown Manhattan that I'll never forget it. Scary to think that was almost 20 years ago... Paul _______________________________________________________________ Paul A. O'Rear WUGNET/Help Authoring Forum Sysop & Microsoft MVP Sageline Software 717.502.1906 Fax: 717.502.1456 http://www.sageline.com email: pao at sageline dot com or porear at compuserve dot com ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 30 Jun 1999 13:00:50 -0400 From: "Eric D. Dixon" Subject: Re: Impassioned plea Jacques Wapner-Goutier wrote: >This whole DGM Collectors club gives me the runs. I agree >that it is a great thing for KC lovers everywhere, but...I >dont want anymore versions of Easy Money...I already have >12!!! My dilemna: I really would like a copy of Jacksonville >72 but I dont want any of the other crap. What do I do? When you join the Collectors Club, you can choose to buy or decline any of the releases offered. You can also spend any of the money invested in joining the club on purchasing non-club releases. Scenario: You join the club for $96. You purchase Jacksonville 72 for $16 from your club account. You decline all other club releases. You spend the remaining $80 of your club account on any of the other merchandise DGM has for sale, at your leisure (you can spend it on stuff that's already been released or wait until new stuff is released). If I were in your situation, that's what I'd do. Not only do you get a real copy of Jacksonville 72 from the deal, you also end up not ripping off DGM. Eric D. Dixon ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 30 Jun 1999 05:25:53 -0700 (PDT) From: George Khouroshvili Subject: Re: Russian Pirate CDs Be honest, Alex, You've forgotten to inform ETers that these are pirate releases and the inlay cards quality is worse than on the official releases. And the price for each doesn't exceed $3. And, please, stop trading pirate CDs here. You are stalling money from the musicians. ---Alexander Domrin wrote: >DAte: Sun, 20 Jun 1999 21:17:13 -0700 >Hello everybody - >I have several spare CDs and would like to offer them >for trade: >Fripp+Sylvian * Kings - Second Chapter >King Crimson * USA 1974; >King Crimson * Earthbound 1972; >Alan White * Ramshackled 1976; etc ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 30 Jun 1999 14:37:19 -0400 From: Ted White Subject: Sorry To See Eb Go.... A few responses to letters in #596, while it's fresh: Stephen T. Kilpatrick asks, "The 1984 setlist is pretty well documented on the "Live in Japan" video and "Absent Lovers", but not having heard any 'unofficial' live tapes of the '80s incarnation I know little about the setlists for the 1981 and 1982 shows in which Crimson was the major act on the bill. I don't recall this being mentioned in ET before, and a quick search of the archives is unsuccessful. What were the typical running orders for these shows? Did they simply play the Discipline album live at the 1981 shows or were there other songs or improvs?" When I saw the first tour (at the Warner Theatre in D.C.) they played a variety of material, including at least two songs from the Seventies Crimson, material from DISCIPLINE, and improvs. They also played a piece they called "Manhattan" which was Gershwinesque and bore no resemblence to any piece later recorded. After the show and after much of the audience had left, the musicians came back to the front of the stage and spoke briefly to those of us still hanging around. It was then that Mr. Fripp mentioned a show in Philadelphia where Belew and Levin lost all power and it was up to Fripp and Bruford to carry the rest of the show -- largely, I gather, with improvisations. Fripp described it as stimulating and a high point of the tour. My impression of the Eighties Crimso was that there were a lot of improvs during the live sets and that the band was considerably hotter and more interesting on stage than on record. Catherine Pellegrini wonders, "why did crimson keep breaking up during '70's? "I think it was a big mistake for crimson to keep on disbanding during the '70's. Just as they were at the peak of their carreer with the album RED, they decided to call it quits once more. They may have passed up opportunities that could have brokent them in to major heavy metal. "...Imagine what possibilities could have come if they would have toughed it out and not broken up. But I saw in the Frame by Frame box set that Wetton was beiong difficult to work with and Cross's violin was becoming a nuisance than an asset in the heavy metal industry. But look at the Dave Mathew's band. They play stuff similar to King crimson, albeit not as good, and they have a violinist. "Anyways imagine what might have been if Crimson would have set aside their differences, taken a brief vacation, and then shelled out some more albums from '75-79. They would be more widely recognizaed today." As a heavy metal band? Dream on.... It strikes me (and I may not be the only one to make this point) that you're betraying some ignorance about the Seventies Crimsons -- history which has been increasingly documented in the Collectors' Club releases. To briefly recapitulate: The original Crimson broke up after their final date at the Fillmore West in December, 1969. McDonald and Giles both bailed, unable to maintain the touring pace and perhaps unable to maintain the Crimson pace as well. Greg Lake left soon thereafter. But both Giles and Lake did return to the studio to help Fripp do the second album -- along with various others, including Mel Collins (who took over the sax parts from McDonald). The second and third albums were studio recordings; no live Crimson existed during this period. Then Fripp formed the ISLANDS band, with Collins. This band did two tours, breaking up after the first tour and agreeing to reform for the second (EARTHBOUND) tour, at the end of which all but Fripp collectively resigned and formed Snape, a blues band. Immediately following that Fripp formed the LARKS TONGUES band, with two drummers, Muir and Bruford (fresh from Yes). The band played a number of live gigs before recording its first album (Crimson's fifth studio album), and Muir split, returning to help record the album. For STARLESS & BIBLE BLACK the band was a quartet. Cross (on violin) had his own problems, and departed, leaving the trio of Wetton, Bruford and Fripp. This trio, augmented by both Collins and McDonald, as well as oboist Robin Miller (I think -- I'm incapacitated...broke my hip..and can't easily fish the CD from my shelf), recorded RED. There was no tour for this album. McDonald had been invited to rejoin the band and had accepted, but it was at this point that Fripp decided he'd hit the wall and "retired" from music, breaking up the band. That was the first and only decisive "breakup"/end to the Seventies Crimson. It had little to do with conflicts within the band and much to do with conflicts within Fripp. The rest of the band was very sorry when it occurred. Wetton joined Uriah Heap. Bruford played with Pavlov's Dog. McDonald helped found Foreigner. Later UK was formed. The key point to keep in mind was Fripp. Whether or not he was "band leader" can be argued, but he owned Crimson's name and had final say so over whether or not it existed. I believe, from my conversation with him in 1979 and from subsequent events, that Fripp had Moved On from Crimson and wanted to approach music from other angles and directions -- once he returned to music from his sabatical. I believe he still feels that way, and can deal with Crimson now only to the extent that it finds those fresh angles and directions. I await the Next Crimson -- which will be in instrumentation at least like the Eighties Crimson -- with curiosity and interest. But when I want ambitious music which does for me some of what the Seventies Crimson did for me, I listen to the Hungarian band, After Crying. I recommend them to all Crimson fans. They have seven albums out currently, with a live album in the wings. --Ted White (Dr P) ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 30 Jun 1999 20:16:58 +0100 From: "zenpi.freeserve.co.uk" Subject: Returning to King Crimson Recently, on a whim I bought a copy of King Crimson "Sleepless, the Concise King Crimson". I had been quite a fan during my mid to late teens (15 yrs ago) and had bought all the LPs. However, I don't think I had listened to any of their records for some 5 or six years, believe that they'd sound dated. I given away my LPs. I couldn't believe how good the songs were. I've within a fortnight of my whim bought four studio albums "Lark's Tongues in Aspic", "Red", In the Court of the Crimson King" and "Three of a Perfect Pair" and as soon as I can afford it will buy lots more. My favourite, always was and still is Epitaph, even with its rather grand words. I've never heard anyone play the drums like Michael Giles, whom I think must be the best drummer they ever had. I wonder what happened to him (owns a tobacconist in Redditch maybe?). Robert Fripp is a remarkable musician; perhaps I haven't heard enough music but is there anyone else who pulls such tension from a guitar? Incidentally, he was described as a "rock superstar" in the London Evening Standard this week; in connection with his selling a house he owns with Toyah Wilcox. Jonathan Andrews jonathan at zenpi dot freeserve dot co dot uk ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 30 Jun 1999 15:29:17 EDT From: MongoBoy at aol dot com Subject: Damage -re-release In ET 596 Dave Lane wrote: >"Damage" is not a laserdisc. It's a CD from shows that >took place in Britain. Fripp really ought to Re-release >this. Didn't RF make a brief mention in his diary some time in the past 6 months that this is in the works for re-release? Maybe another ET'er can confirm my recollection and even provide the quote. ML ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 30 Jun 1999 21:23:02 +0100 From: "John Stevens" Subject: The Becoming This book is by "A" Robert Fripp, but not by "Our" RF. I bought a copy in the Spring but, due to ill-health, have not yet managed to read it. However, this does look like an interesting read. Best wishes John Stevens ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 30 Jun 1999 13:07:11 -0700 From: "Scott Steele" Subject: Bill Nelson; David Cross; KC 1981 live; disbanding in the About Bill Nelson: >Bill's solo albums really aren't that much like BeBop Deluxe. For some of his more guitar oriented stuff, check out "Blue Moons and Laughing Guitars," After The Satellite Sings," and "Practically Wired, or How I Became Guitarboy." There's an excellent fan site at >www.billnelson.com<. After enjoying What Now What Next, I picked up After The Satellite Sings. Obviously I have missed the boat with this guy, I like everything I hear from him now. >When is The Big Picture NOT an album by Elton John? ROFL, thanks Mr. Cross! We'll be seeing you. >Have you heard the new version of John Wetton singing Exiles? Yes. What a winner! Great performances from the entire band. >Have you survived Fripp's solo on Tonk? Yes but barely! Hammill's vocal on Troppo is pretty awe inspiring too. About KC in 1981 and 1982: >Did they simply play the Discipline album live at the 1981 shows or were there other songs or improvs? There were also Red and LTIA2, and embryonic versions of Neurotica and The Howler. >I think it was a big mistake for crimson to keep on disbanding during the '70's. I think Bob would agree with you. It must have been a real pain in the ass to keep trying to put groups together. I can see why he got exhausted by the time 1974 was turning into 1975. The No Pussyfooting debacle would have been enough to make a lot of people quit right there. Plus he saw an educational opportunity he didn't want to pass up. Luckily for us Bob seems to feel that he is called to do this work that he's doing. I sure appreciate it. >But look at the Dave Mathew's band. They play stuff similar to King crimson, albeit not as good, and they have a violinist. About one-third the heft of the 1974 King Crimson though. >FRACTURE IS THE BOMB!!! I want to hear this piece scored out for symphony orchestra. I don't want to do the scoring! But I want to hear it this way. I think it would be awesome. Even a string quartet version would be great. Anybody know the Kronos Quartet intimately? - S. scottst at ohsu dot edu ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 30 Jun 1999 22:10:37 -0400 From: rs <"rspeak"@erols.com> Subject: live set lists re: Stephen T. Kilpatrick's post on the 80's set list for the 80' specifically http://www.multimania.com/as33/ElephantWalk/EWframe/ewf5ud.htm http://members.aol.com/nisimoto/kclive4.htm and in general http://www.multimania.com/as33/index.shtm http://members.aol.com/nisimoto/kclive.htm ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 30 Jun 1999 23:31:16 EDT From: Raspence1 at aol dot com Subject: Adrian Belew CD - Acoustic AB (best of) Does anyone know where I can find a copy of this CD by Adrian Belew called "The Acoustic Adrian Belew?" It is essentially a best of collection with out-takes from his solo stuff along with some King Crimson songs. I found a copy of it used but had it stolen early this year. Does DMG sell it?? Thanks in advance for any help regarding this! ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 30 Jun 1999 23:01:53 -0500 From: "Tracy Family" Subject: Prog rock fans really this nastolgic? My first posting to ET. I've sat and read many comments and insightfull remarks from fellow KC fans. What I find ammusing is the wimsy for the past. Why did KC have to break up in 1974? Do you think R.F. asks himself that? My guess is not a chance. The reason I and most KC fans, are fans, stems from the fact they move ahead, push the boundaries, its Prog rock after all. Just because T Lev and B. Bufford won't be in the next incarnation of Crim won't stop me from getting the new material. ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 01 Jul 1999 10:07:28 CEST From: Georges-Thierry Santana Subject: "Islands" and start to cry Excuse my approximative english. Yesterday was my birthday. My first meet with King Crimson was on the year 1975 with "USA": the year of totaly disintegration of the 70's Crim and the beginning of my own musical dream. I'am remembering all this songs: "Asbury park", "Starless", "Providence", "Starless and Bible Black", "The Sailor's Tales", "Bolero",3in the Wake of Poseidon", "Epitaph" ... All these pieces ever dreamed unless the talent. And after the 80's: I was here in Frejus Arena. Despair in the 90's: "One Time" realize my first rebirth. And yesterday: Rendez-vous with "Islands". What a contrast between this album and "Earthbound": two sides of the same feeling. Track after track "Formentera Lady", "Sailor's Tales", "The Letters", "Lady of the road", "Prelude" and ...."Islands". Each one of our own islands can be touch by a part of Robert and Crimson music. I started to cry. Thanks. ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 01 Jul 1999 13:59:12 EDT From: "Brian !@#$%" Subject: clarifying some errors First off, to whomever posted that little bit on primus/laundry and les claypool- you have to get your facts straight. 1. Les Claypool is not the "former" bass player for Primus- i just saw them live about two weeks ago, so i hardly think he has left the group- they are also slated to release a new album in August. 2. The singer your referring to on the laundry album was toby hawkins- who doesn't sound ANYTHING CLOSE to eddie vedder. After the band realized he wasn't a very good singer, he was fired, and now Tim Alexander does the singing while playing drums- there new album Motivator is quite good, much tighter in song structure. And tim is an excellent singer as well. you can check it out at www.laundryroom.net (i believe thats right) brian *end transmission* ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 1 Jul 1999 22:02:45 -0600 From: "Jim McLaughlin" Subject: 1981 Set List In ET596 Stephen T. Kilpatrick asked: >What were the typical running orders for these shows? referring to the 1981 & 1982 tours. November 1981 @ The Savoy in NYC: Frippertronic Intro Discipline Thela Hun Jingeet Red Matte Kudasai The Sheltering Sky Neal and Jack and Me Manhattan Frame By Frame Elephant Talk Indiscipline (Drum Solo Intro) Encores: Sartori in Tangier (Quite Awesome! Heavy Improv!) LTIA II I take it that at htis point in the song's development, RF was yet satisfied with Sartori in Tangier. There may be other reasons but I for one miss this track from the CC release #4. Jim (Spunky's my Dog) ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 1 Jul 1999 22:25:40 EDT From: CohenMark at aol dot com Subject: More on Crimso/Dead Heads Boy-O-Boy, did my post on ET596 get a lot of reaction! I must have gotten 2 dozen e-mails so far. All these Crimso Heads coming out to admit that they were also closet Deadheads. Oh my! Several of these ET'ers mentioned that the three most influential musicians in their lives were Crimso/Fripp - Dead - Zappa. Very interesting! I'm not a big Zappa fan although I've seen him several times and have several CD's and live tapes. So the truth be told, many Crimso Heads are Deadheads. As William Shatner would say, "I knew it!" I grew up on the British Progressive Rock School of music (Yes, ELP, Floyd, Crimso, Genesis/Gabriel, Renaissance Etc.) and simultaneously the San Francisco Psychedelic School of music (Dead, Garcia Band, Airplane/Tuna/Starship, Quicksilver, Kingfish, Old & In The Way, Legion Of Mary Etc.). Many people I knew resided in both schools while many others simply resided in on camp or the other. As I said before, the progressive heads were far more closed minded to the San Francisco scene than were the Deadheads whom were far more open to check out the British progressive stuff. One distinct difference was that virtually all of the British Progressive bands including King Crimson would walk on stage and do (to varying degrees) exactly the same show every night while the Grateful Dead would throw caution to the wind and walk on stage every night and look at each other and say, "what do you want to open with?". In the spring of 1994, The Dead for instance played five nights at Nassau Coliseum on Long Island and repeated nothing! The following fall they played six nights at Madison Square Garden and repeated only two songs. Another big difference that is well known, The Dead (and most the SF bands) allowed (or at least tolerated ) audience recording. The British Progressive Bands did not! Fripp was the most extreme of the extreme! The more determined Robert was to prevent people from taping, the more fun it was to try. Point #1- 99.9% of people whom record concerts and/or trade concert tapes, do not as Robert is so concerned about attempt in any way to sell or otherwise profiteer in anyway. In fact, these people are the most devoted fans the artist was! Point #2 - Since Robert is finally releasing all this amazing live stuff, of which people like myself gladly plunk down their hard earned money for anything that comes out, this tired old ridiculous debate as to Robert's views about taping is rapidly becoming a moot point. Half of my Crimso collection has thus been rendered obsolete. I had Chesterfield, Plumpton, BBC 69, Concertgebow 73, Stanley Theater 74, Bremen Beat Club 72, various 82-84 stuff, 95 at Town Hall, League Of Gentleman, etc. All rendered to various degrees obsolete by Robert's recent releases of the past few years. Great! What took him so long? Alright, alright, I know, he had to set up his own record company and all that. Well, the time is now! He releases it, hopefully in better sound quality than we've had it, and we gladly buy it! Sort of like the Grateful Dead has been doing with the Dick's Pick's series as well as the Arista releases. My two favorite bands are emptying their vaults. Amazing! At this rate, Robert will have reached saturation in about two or three years. This is because, Crimso/Fripp, like most British progressive rock is more or less the same show every night. So, for instance, you really only would want about three really excellent sound quality recordings of any given tour which covers all the material. How many recordings do you need of Crimso from 72 with Boz, or 84, or 95? How many excellent sound quality recordings do you really need of Genesis performing `The Lamb'? Or, Pink Floyd in 1975? Or, ELP in 1977 (without the orchestra)? Get my point? Crimso 69 is pretty much saturated, unless something of particuarly good sound quality was to surface and/or have something on it other than whats already been released. Crimso 73-74 is a little different because there's all that great improve in between all those Easy Money's and Exiles. But those Exiles and Easy Money's start to get very redundant. With the Dead however, you want everything. Every show, good or bad stands as it's own statement. If the Grateful Dead organization were to release one concert per month, it would take 200 years to empty the vault! Well, this post is getting too long, I'll save more for next time. Later. ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 1 Jul 1999 21:32:40 -0400 From: Rich Williams Subject: Rare Crimson related set sale list Forgive the semi-commercial intrusion, but those that might want to learn a bit about the early 70's Crimson sidemen; Tippett, Charig, etc should check out the links on my vinyl set sale page. Also of interest are original vinyl copies of Earthbound and USA, and copies of the Musician magazine issues that feature Fripp's early 80's columns. http://www.geocities.com/SunsetStrip/Venue/4306/garage/index.html Thanks Rich ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 01 Jul 1999 20:36:04 -0700 From: Rajeev Talwani Subject: Grateful Dead & King Crimson This post is in reply to an earlier post from Mark Cohen re the Dead. While I am a big fan of certain progressive rock (Crimson, Fripp, Gabriel-era Genesis), I also appreciate the Dead. I have often wondered what would have resulted if Fripp had joined the Dead on stage for a jam or two. The thought of intense, cerebral (and occasionally uptight) Robert joining the substantially more relaxed (and occasionally undisciplined) Dead for some atonal (or tonal) jamming is appealing to me. I was interetsed to read Mark's comments about Dead tapers taping the '73-'73 era Crimson (my favorite era). There are apparently quite a few really high quality audience tapes from the east coast of mid 70's progressive rock. I always wondered who recorded them, whether they were recorded by the same person, etc. It never ocurred to me that it might have been a Deadhead or Deadheads. I agree with Mark about Sunday All Over the World, which I believe contains some of RF's best recent playing. Let's hope Robert gets around to releasing live SAOTW. ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 2 Jul 1999 23:36:29 +0100 From: "David Hudson" Subject: Fracture is overrated What is this love affair with Fracture? It's a series of whole tone scale riffs untidily stitched together. Only one is good (the one that's played fast) and in the King Crimson tradition it is mercilessly milked. It contains in abundance a compositional feature that has plagued Crimson's music since 1973. The same riff or phrase is shifted lock, stock and barrel into different keys. As a result there's no real sense of any meaningful musical development - everything just gets shifted in the same direction. Check out the incredibly awkward verses to Lament for the worst example of this. Fracture is saved by the intensity of the playing and yes, there are a few seconds in the last part that are really exciting. But it's a poor composition. ------------------------------ Date: Sat, 3 Jul 1999 02:48:46 EDT From: Bolinhed at aol dot com Subject: ET 596, The Dead etc. In the midst of some of the "Lady or the Tiger?" discussion and Rob't Hunter saying that "Terrapin Station" was somewhat influenced by "Lady," I wonder, do you think he meant the STORY of the same name, rather than the music discussed here? I really think that is more likely!!! The Dead fan who noted that Crimso and the Dead made a nice sandwich, I agree totally. Tell me some "Space" jams would not fit right in there on Thrakkattack!! The Dead's willingness to explore music live i something praised by most jazzers I know, and literally every musician I know who has actually LISTENED to the Dead, and not just seen shaggy fans or media caricatures and the like and been turned off. For that matter, the Dead with Dick's Picks and KC with the CCC are doing right by their fans in very similar ways; I must say I have to give the Dead thumbs up over just about any other band in terms of letting their fans have access to the music. Jim ------------------------------ Date: Sat, 03 Jul 1999 14:26:49 -0400 From: Gary Davis Subject: Something Special Hi, folks: Here's a little addendum to the previous Artist Shop Newsletter (as if that one wasn't long enough). First, there was a slight oversight in the last newsletter I'd like to rectify. In it, I'd mentioned that the latest issue of Expose is now out. But I failed to mention the URL (oops!). So, for those of you who were looking for it, you'll find our Expose page at . Now the big news is that I've managed to get my hands on something very special. I won't bother putting it on the website as I've only got a few of them. And I'm giving the subscribers of this newsletter the very first crack at them! Through sheer good luck, and thanks to my sales rep at Caroline, I now have in my possession 5 copies of (drum roll please): King Crimson/The Great Deceiver: Live 1973-1974 (4CD Box Set) This is an absolute essential for any serious collector of King Crimson. It contains four full length CD's of live performances of the 73-74 King Crimson which featured Robert Fripp, Bill Bruford, John Wetton and David Cross. In addition to live performances of songs and compositions from King Crimson's albums, there are a good number of compositions and improvs on this set that are not available on any other legitimate release (not to mention the sparkling reparte and cosmic humor from Chuckles Fripp, as he is known in the trade). And the sound quality is great and light years ahead of any bootleg from this era! The box set also includes a large 68 page booklet with extensive liner notes, gig dates, photographs, Crimson reviews, etc. Sadly this box set is now, and has been for a while, out of print. I should also note that these copies are unopened, still wrapped in cellophane. The five I have in my possession (actually, I have six if you count my own which I got when it first came out, but that one's not leaving my hands!) I am now offering to the subscribers of the list. The price is $59.99. Also, since this is a rather heavy item (in terms of mass as well as music), and depending on where I have to ship it, I might have to charge more than the usual amount for shipping. Also, since this item is out of print, each of them will be shipped by registered mail which will require an additional $6.00. Given the nature of this item, I will accept requests for alternate shipping methods such as UPS or Fedex (with the understanding that those methods are more expensive). I wish there was a way I could supply one of these to everyone who wants one, but obviously I can't do that. The only fair way I can think to do this is first come first serve. Ordering options can be found at . Obviously the 'snail mail' option is to be discouraged in this case as it won't get here quick enough to beat other orders. Also, only complete orders will get the box set. I will not 'hold' one for an inquiry. If you want it, you'll have to place the order. Also, be sure you're not using a credit card you've recently maxed out as the box set will then go to the next person in the queue. ON YOUR MARK! GET SET! GO! Good luck! Gary ************************************************************** Gary Davis The Artist Shop The Other Road http://www.artist-shop.com artshop at artist-shop dot com phone: 330-929-2056 fax:330-945-4923 SUPPORT THE INDEPENDENT ARTIST!!! ************************************************************** Check out the latest Artist Shop newsletter at http://www.artist-shop.com/news.htm ------------------------------ End of Elephant-Talk Digest #597 ********************************