It seems that the best way to find time to write a diary is to fly to the other side of the world. Greetings on a cold but glorious sunny day in Vancouver.
I missed the “photography makes concert impossible for artist” or should that be “selfish Fripp robs fans” drama in Toronto, much discussed on the guestbook. This is, in part, another side to the ongoing mission to operate in the marketplace while being free of its values. The marketplace dictates that live music is a commercial relationship: the audience pays money and is entitled to a set quantity of entertainment (which evidently must encores). In an alternative world, the money is necessary to fund the costs and work required, but this is not a commercial relationship about quantity, but an opportunity to participate in bringing a quality into the world. One of the purposes of King Crimson is to set a standard for live music performance (something which cannot be done without the active participation of the audience). If Fripp finds himself unable to honourably continue, what would we have him do? Muddle through and play badly? This would not only be a denial of everything he stands for, but would mean that the band the fans came to see was no longer on the stage even if he remained. We must remember to handcuff him to his rack in future, even if it means he cannot move to play the guitar properly. Damn the artistic temperament!!!! (Oh yes, that’s why we love his music.)
I am reminded that when the band reformed, fearing an event like this, I asked Robert if he would reconsider his opinion on photography - particularly in the light of the way that we all now use camera phones. In watching Fleetwood Mac recently (note the word “watching”), I happily took photographs along with the rest of the audience. Totally appropriate to the event. Robert’s simple answer to my question was this : “if someone takes a photograph of you as you receive the holy sacrament, does it makes any difference if they use a camera or a camera phone”. That perhaps best explains the unbridgeable gap between Robert’s view of the magical and intangible musical event, and those who have paid for a set quantity of entertainment and feel robbed.
On other arising on the guestbook – I too am excited at the idea of a boxed set from the double duo – seeing the videos that Mr Stormy has been adding to Youtube is a reminder of the heights of that band. Pat is currently revisiting some of the drum parts on The Construkction of Light, as the final drum masters, as used on the album, are not in our archives (a long tale in itself). So there will, I imagine be a boxed set. Probably not next year. But who knows? (Well, I should, I suppose).
When I return to the UK I shall post a listing of the source of the improvisations that appear in ATTAKcATHRAK.
And now a quick attempt at a snooze to ease the jetlag. Or should that a bracing walk.
"In popular culture, our musicians sing to us in our own voice.
In mass culture they shout what we want to hear."
