Robert Fripp's Diary

DGM HQ.

08.45

A grey, wet day along the valley I…

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Morning reading…

In the kitchen: a pile of washing up to be done before the day begins. This shows that the yesterday-process, returning the kitchen sink to a beginning-again position, was not completed. This has the effect of weighing down the beginning of today.

12.06  I wonder what Mr. Stormy might say about this kitchen eventuality? I…

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Mr. Stormy is in via Salisbury College where he has been transferring a video interview of RF from a long time ago. The video was NTSC so only the audio transfer was possible. The young college man doing the transfer used to live in Wimborne & has a toy given to him by my Mother -  a bear that plays a drum; and a book by my father, Percy Plaice - Tales Of The Fishfolk. He was also at the BIC for the Bournemouth show by G3 in 2004.

As Michael Legg would say: you can’t break out of your circle.

Mr. Stormy’s today-work is continuing with RF & The LCG at NYC’s The Bottom Line on 29th. March 1990.

A significant arising: the Pony Canyon money arrived on Friday. This is the only firm of three that has been straightforward in respect of our audits. One down, two to go. Next: UMG / BMG and then Virgin / EMI.

A local arising: our landlord, Butcher Fry, is going on holiday.

15.13  In response to a question from an American writer, planning a biography of Captain Eno…

The quick answer is: Brian was right!

The question is, does knowledge get in the way? My own approach is: know enough to begin, but not enough to stop you getting where you’re going. Brian’s point was, Fripp’s knowledge was preventing us from moving into interesting territory.

So, in principle, I also hold Brian’s position.

The longer answer leads us into consideration of the backgrounds of the various characters at work in popular music of the time. There was the art school approach & the player approach: the two we’re considering now; with a third – those who were entertainers and / or wanted to be rock stars. The musical / artwork in that case being shaped outside the inner momentum of the piece itself and aimed at supporting the interests of the aspirant star / entertainer.

Brian has exceptionally good taste plus a set of working procedures developed from a different background to mine: (Brian’s is) the fine arts; and one form of his guiding principles are articulated in the Oblique Strategies.

My own background is that of the working player. The musician has guiding principles from within their particular discipline. The sense of form (arithmetical & geometrical) are comparable to notions of form within the (visual) arts. My own guiding principles can be found here. So, there are similarities & also differences; but mainly similarities.

Musical thinking has its own procedural dynamic – we follow where the music leads as it takes on a life of its own. This overrides any other procedural dictum or strategy. So, for someone based in musical procedures, occasionally there may be a divergence from the direction of a “non-musician” (noting that Brian’s musical life over the past 37 years now puts him outside that category).

Two points:

Brian has better taste, a more interesting mind & developed sense of play than almost all the musicians I have known.

A good professional musician knows what they’re doing, so they do what they know. This is death to the creative life.

So, working with Brian is usually a lot more fun & musically creative than working with good professional players (mastery in musicianship is necessary to go beyond the strictures of professionalism).

But, occasionally, there may be a divergence in outcome given the divergent backgrounds. I remember only one moment when an Eno musical procedure did not fully convince me musically, and that was very early in Brian’s life as a solo musician, over 30 years ago.

Regarding the specific example Brian referred to, I’d have to listen to it again today to judge whether the musical example convinces me now.

17.41  Ben Singleton is working in the DGM Art Department bringing youthful energy to the office.

T’s rehearsals for Vampires Rock are going well.

Guitar Rig 3 is installed but yet to work.

Overall, a gentle forward momentum.

19.25  David reports that the Art Department has been making good progress today, and has just left, heading Westwards I…

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22.46  E-flurrying & computing enough. The floor.