As I hit the line to board the flight to Chicago yesterday afternoon, I found myself at the end of a queue for a cancelled journey. A man with a briefcase had run through security in the United Terminal, Chicago O'Hare, and disappeared. Security were unable to find him. So, as a precautionary measure, United grounded all flights into the terminal. I don't know whether the planes already in place took off or not. After 90 minutes my alternatives to return to England, & see Eddie Izzard as Lenny Bruce with Toyah tonight, were down to one. Necessity is a great help in decision making.
So here I am. My day began with telephony to England. The breakfast buffet was acceptable, the dinner buffet yesterday evening less so (but I had the opportunity to catch up with Vic Garbarini on the `phone).
From my morning's reading: "A thought of dislike ... becomes one of animosity, then of hatred, and ends up completely taking over the mind, until we finally express it in the form of words or deeds". (Matthieu Ricard from "The Monk And The Philospher" p.72). How relevant & timely, I thought, with memories of recent Guestbook responses to DGM Live's eager capitulation & obeisance to The Great Beast of Seattle.
10.45 A call from Toyah in England! Hooray! A modest but sufficient bubbling solution will be awaiting my return to Chez Horse in London.
And I've just read ET 609 on the dedicated topic of DGM Live's hypocrisy / generous gift to the world / unfairness in using contemporary formats which some readers haven't acquired yet (how Venal can a leader be?) / an opportunity to trade burnt CDs / provision of Undispensable King Crimson Live! / and a superb quote: "There is no room for Bill Gates in any KC line-up". Well, if there isn't room for T. Lev (at the moment) I guess there isn't room for Billy G either (at the moment).
As the mental screen in front of me moves associatively from the notion of inclusion of Bill Gates as a player in King Crimson, I am reminded of the "singer wanted" adverts in music papers from my younger days. "Singer wanted: must have van and PA "(sound system). In other words: "Singer wanted. Must be able to convey all the other guys in the band + their equipment to and from gigs + provide microphones and stage amplification. Holding a tune an advantage. But if you're the only applicant, bring your van to the audition anyway".
Since King Crimson asks for at least halfway-decent competence in its players, perhaps we should post this in the Seattle Daily Inquisitor:
"King Crimson auditions: Bill Gates wanted. Must have serious money & profess nominal interest in King Crimson. No instrumental facility, sense of time or ear needed. Touring `bus and PA an advantage".
Now that's what I call a Venal (non-) Leader.
Before leaving Basement Belew yesterday, en route to a night in Nashville, Ade & I conferred with Stan the Man (Adrian's manager) and I am now able to offer the following news release:
"King Crimson will return to active duty in the front line at 12th & Porter, in Nashville, between Wednesday 17th. - Saturday 20th. November, 1999. The four consecutive shows begin at 21.00. Tickets will be on sale at $15.00 from the middle of September.
Audients are asked to refrain from smoking, photography and recording. If any potential audience member finds these conditions onerous or unacceptable in any way, these shows are not for them. The members of King Crimson reserve their rights to withdraw from any performance should this request be violated.
DGM Live as ConcertArchive.com & BootlegTV.com intend to make these performances initially available through net download."
The club is small, capacity c.250, mainly standing with a small gallery above with bar stools. A restaurant adjoins the club (and is its entrance form the street) in the same building.
In the same way that these Crimson shows are test-driving of new material & the Double duo, the download of Mexico City was a necessary step in test-driving the 4.0 technology, enabling all of us to become familiar with its broadcast & reception. If all goes well, ConcertArchive.com will begin audio broadcasting on November 1st. and BootlegTV.com with accompanying visuals shortly after the Crimson debut in Nashville.
The production value of BootlegTV.com is, well, bootleg. But good bootleg. Initially, a one camera widescreen of the stage. When we get adventurous, maybe two cameras. The second camera will zoom on singing & soloing, and the viewer / audient at home may choose between the two shots for themselves.
We are well aware that a large number of interested viewers / listeners may not immediately have appropriate technology to receive the broadcast. But if you didn't have a CD player / fax / answer machine within the past 15 years, you wouldn't have have received our music, facsimiles, calls-when-you-were-out either. As the technology spreads (and it will, rapidly) the price of it will fall. Outside the First World we are looking at alternatives (release on CDs, etc.) but our operation is hampered by:
1. Widescale bootlegging, both professional & amateur;
2. The physical bulk of analogue material & the costs & difficulties of processing it - pressing, storage, mail order staff & posting (including countries outside the G7). For a small company these concerns are exceptionally onerous (as various complainants to DGM indicate).
DGM & DGM Live are in constant review of options & possibilities.
DGM Live is not looking only at artists within the DGM family. Of particular interest to David & myself is which other artists are interested, even excited by, the opportunities which ConcertArchive & BootlegTV open. Like, the mass availability of bootleg catalogues in such a way that artists receive an income from their work, & the audience may acquire the music legally, legitimately & easily (once the technology has settled). We are able to deal with unsigned artists, signed artists, executor estates for deceased artists, living artists who have live catalogues but don't work live anymore, & living artists who are on the road. Have I missed anyone?
In my view, this is the closest thing to a win-win-win situation I've seen in 32 years as a professional guitarist. But hey! that's only my opinion.
Now, to close the suitcase...
"Mastery acts on what is below.
Artistry submits to what is above."
