I'm not sure exactly what Gary means by the thickness of "new-age philosophy", but my experience confirms the thickening and increased intensity of the other two.
A comment on the second show: when the Crims walked onstage at the Tupperware Center, a woman in the front row was waiting with camera in hand to take fab pics of her post-teen raves. This, despite security being briefed on photography and my own well-declared views on the matter. My show died at that point, and never came back from the dead.
A witless comment such as "well, it shouldn't have done" misses the mark. My show was dead from the first bar: this is fact, not feeling, not opinion. A good professional is able to continue, whether they want to or not. So I continued, and played the notes, although I would rather have left. But the music in me had been killed. (Today, if the violation is sufficently flagrant, I might choose to leave).
Crimson, with five living players and a puppet, can still deliver a clout. But not the clout which is available and on offer. This was a "Crimson not taken" in Gary's words. (Like perhaps, a Guestbook not taken?).
I would like to comment on the September 1973 performances at The Academy of Music (there were two shows in the one night) but they are inappropriate in this Diary. But, I do remember both nights and both were learning experiences.
In contemporary public life you get eaten alive. Even by good, reasonable people who deny the feeding frenzy while sucking away and defending their rights to do so. (Dealing with disturbed fans is another, more serious, matter). One (thoughtless) argument sometimes advanced is this: "If you can't stand the heat, get out of the kitchen". This fails to differentiate between sweating in a busy kitchen, and continuing to work during an arson attack.
23.27
An evening of paper, correspondence & telephone calls. The musical accompaniment is Soundscapes from the second show at The Bottom Line, December 13th. 1997 (the first show was disrupted by a camera flash). A stunning space opens during the walk-in music. Where did that come from? How did he pick those notes? What was he thinking? Tonight, I am baffled as to how the guitarist chose what to play: outside the scale but inside the music.
News from the day:
1. The Big Three's afternoon meeting included plans to prepare for sonic down-loading of DGM releases through the net.
2. I spoke to Bill Bruford & Richard Chadwick, discussing plans for the next 18 months of active Crimsonising.
3. The Music Room has been completing an extended "Schizoid Man" EP for Japan. We have added a 1996 Schizoid from Mexico City. And it's a stomper!
4. Sister the Frippster has received an unpleasant posting to her Website, regarding both of us. I suggested she file a formal complaint with the SF Police Department, and notify the poster of her action.
Probably, internet mail violations will soon be tested in a US court. Where the source can be verified, my hunch is that existing US mail laws will be held applicable to e-mail. (Some of the postings to the DGM Guestbook falsely adopted the names of genuine regular posters).
5. We are preparing to re-open the Guestbook. May I invite comments on the DVD "Playback" in Los Angeles from interested Club visitors to re-birth the forum, please?
The following will appear on the DGM site soon:
DGM Guestbook.
I
In a free society, and on the net, everyone has the right to post any opinion they want.
On the DGM Guestbook, all guests have "the right" to post their view, commentary or question if this right is balanced by the matching obligations:
1. To accept responsibility & accountability for the posting;
2. To consider the commentary, and take into account existing and available information;
3. To be sceptical of all claims & statements of seeming fact.
4. To engage with (critical) goodwill.
We have a right to the same degree that we honour the obligations which accompany it. The right to free speech carries with it the obligation that our speech is paid for ahead of time.
Courtesy may be too much to ask, but politeness is not.
These are the House Rules which visitors are asked to honour. If you are unable, or unwilling, to reasonably & fairly accept these rules, this is not the Guestbook for you.
If you know that you dislike the work of DGM, or its artists, then to go further than this is your choice. The negativity which rises in reaction is accordingly a result of your choice, is your responsibility, and yours to manage.
Life is too short, too precious, to seek out what we knowingly dislike.
II
The Guestbook was created to provide an interface between DGM and its listening community. Engagement with & between a sceptical and informed audience, dialoguing in goodwill, keeps us alert.
Debate is adversarial: there is only one winner.
Dialogue is contingent upon critical engagement in a spirit of goodwill. We all win.
What is the aim of this Guestbook?
Connection, connecting & connectivities.
III
As DGM's Venal Leader and Raging Heartless CEO I am happy to prise hard-earned pay from the hands of our long-suffering and exploited customers. But, as a music-driven company, DGM cannot properly look on its customers as punters. So we look on our "customers", more truly, as members of the listening community. The best current interface between us is the Guestbook.
The Guestbook is a site for enthusiast dialogue (& debate). This is also an appropriate place for Club Members to send suggestions & declare their interests for future releases.
The Guestbook is NOT a site for business correspondence as such. Conversely, I have given strict instructions to DGM personnel to ignore all enthusiast questions & commentary which is sent to the DGM business analogue & e-addresses.
DGM as a business operation has been severely handicapped, and sometimes clogged, by fan & enthusiast enquiries. DGM staff are good people who don't easily hit the "delete" button on enthusiastic customers that (at least partly) hold the company responsible for answering questions on behalf of its artists. The Raging & Heartless CEO has accepted responsibility for giving this cruel command.
DGM's addresses are available for business correspondence and Club Members. If anyone is interested in writing to me directly, I am unable to enter into personal correspondence. But, should they wish to write anyway, please include an address, fax and/or telephone number.
IV
The copyright in all material on the DGM Website is held and operated by DGM on behalf of the relevant contributors.
Aims Of The DGM Website.
1. The DGM Website is a shop front which interfaces DGM, a record company and mail order operation, and its customers. To that extent, the Website is part of DGM's business operation.
2. It is the world's window on DGM. To the extent that DGM is finding ways for a company to operate in the market place, but not to be governed by the values of the market place, we hope this public presentation of our operation may help other companies & individuals who share the same concerns.
3. The Website is a prime way for DGM to dialogue with its listening community. The business operations of the company interract with our customers; the musical & human functions of the company interract with our public as listening community.
The expansion and / or "improvement" of this Website is linked to the degree to which the site succeeds in its business function. Currently, the site is subsidised by our analogue business. As business exchanges (i.e. money flows) travel through the site, the site will become self-supporting and, in time, contribute to the overall health of DGM and serve its larger aims.
23.56
Another day in the office winds down.
"Nothing worthwhile is achieved suddenly."
