Robert Fripp's Diary

Monitoring mixing and relaying the

4. Any acoustic kit sounds fine acoustic, although at times perhaps too loud for a guitarist sitting nearby. Put this acoustic kit on a stage in a rock group and mike it, and the front-of-house sound will bear no relationship whatsoever to the subtleties and internal balance of the kit, now cast in competing roles with the other instruments.

When P2 and BLUE played together in Japan, I went to the FOH for BLUE's sound check (Blitz, Tokyo, April 1998). Bill was playing and I thought: "Bill's right! This sounds great!". Then the sound system came up: all the internal balance was lost, the sounds weren't actually the sounds Bill was making, and the kit came down to snare (loud), bass drum (loud), cymbal (loud with no colour), hi-hat (losing out and tinny), tom-toms (losing out).

The acoustic drum kit amplified becomes The Big Three.

Acoustically, the kit sounds great. Electrically (i.e. miked) the kit sounded (personal view, of course) compromised in extremis. And BLUE's sound engineer is good. He's coming on the road with P4.

Mixing "Absent Lovers" David and I were unable to do much at all with Bill's smaller percussion items. So, although they sounded great, we couldn't hear them.

You can find a comparable argument in the debates over whether or not to amplify the classical (concert) guitar. After all, you lose the subleties of the instrument. I saw and heard Segovia in Bournemouth when I was fifteen. He was solo, and you could hear him clearly if you listened. About 12 years ago I saw, and almost heard, the Rodriguez guitar concerto in Wimborne Minster: solo classical guitar with chamber orchestra. The chamber orchestra sounded great. During the few occasions I heard the solo guitarist (unamplified), his tone matched the expression on his face.

Once the performer moves outside the acoustic space which corresponds to the instrument, the process of change and accmodation begins.

B. General musical concerns:

1. A new / different sense of music places demands on musical instrumentation and its technology. The pianoforte didn't develop because the harpsichord provided what composers and players wanted / needed.

2. My sense of the music of the next Crimson period is specific, and relates to two & three electronic kits. Currently, my view of future Crim is not shared within the group.

C. Specific musical concerns:

1. From the Diary for Friday 2nd. October, 1998:

"The conversation with Mike Haid moves on to the manner in which a group's music is defined by its drummer, and the appeal to me of the V-drums: there is an ambiguity which resists easy definition, and the associations & expectations which accompany certain sounds are upset. This helps to prevent a group being defined / limited / categorised in simplistic terms.

Now, simplistic terms: if the drummer has a jazz background, you've got a jazz group; if the drummer's got a rock background, you have a rock group. So, in 1972 Crimson had two drummers: Jamie Muir, from the free music scene, and Billy B. from the rock group Yes. Ironically, Jamie was more interested in playing rock and Bill more interested in playing jazz. But hey - this is Crimson.

In 1981 Bill incorporated Simmons' electronic drums into his acoustic kit. The writing and recording of `Discipline', and of myself encouraging Bill to rethink certain approaches to his playing in a Crimson context, were printed in Musician magazine at the time. Bill's redefinition of drumming in that Crimson contributed significantly to its stylistic innovation. Had Bill played traps in 1981, as in 1974, this would have been impossible.

Currently, I am encouraging Bill to adopt V-drums in Crimson for the same reason. Otherwise, Bill as a key defining force (such as in his own ventures Earthworks II, BLUE, Bruford - Towner - Gomez, ProjeKct One) would define Crimson in a particular way: primarily historically.

This afternoon Adrian, Trey, Chris, Ken and myself listened through to `Live Groove'. It is impossible for me, listening to the drummer in ProjeKct Two, to know his influences. He's not a jazz drummer, but not quite a rock drummer; and he's also not a jazz-rock player. So, how is the drummer defining / shaping / driving the music?"

Of interest, Jamie put baking trays in his bass drum to produce a metallic sound. An early "industrial" approach!

D. Specific Personnel Concern:

1. The difficulty of working with exceptional musicians, who know what they're doing, is the tendency to do what they're knowing. Part of my concern is to unfix the situation so we find ourselves playing what we don't know.

Not content with this one question, John continues: "What happened to (the Scott Walker / Eno / Lanois / Fripp) sessions"?

Don't know. This was a Virgin project. But apparently Scott wasn't happy and pulled the plug. I played on 5-7 tracks. This was the last piece of work I did with the E-A-D-G-B-E tuning. I wasn't sufficiently familiar with the CGDAEG tuning to read the difficult notated chord charts.

Not content with two questions, John continues:

Q. What if (someone with debilitating ill-health) has no facility to play live? "I continue to write music on my computer; does this invalidate it?".
A. Not necessarily. The validation lies within the power of the music. The power of the music lies within the act of music. If music is not presented to an audience, its potential doesn't come to life (in my view). (Cf. Christopher Small's view that musicking is a social act).

If you recall the seven geographical regions of influence: the geographical audiences readily available to you are domestic and local. The power of the music may attract a larger physical audience; and if your music is driven by the Muse, then possibly the internet will allow you to attract a wider virtual audience.

The wonder of the creative world is that it's uncontrollable by our feeble formulations and conventions. One creative insight and everything changes.

Q. It keeps me in contact with the Muse.
A. Wonderful! This sounds like a great hobby to me.

Q. Is it therefore immoral/insincere to do so?.
A. How could it be? But this is a non-question. Immorality and insincerity are, within my experience, no barriers to international acclaim. Perhaps, if anything, the reverse.

But it IS unrealistic to consider morality and sincerity sufficient musical virtues to attract an audience: competence is necessary, exceptional talent a bonus. The descent of the Muse is rare, a privileged condition, and within the domain referred to as "the operations of grace".

At which point John had best send his questions elsewhere!

But one question for John: what is your aim in creating music? For example:

i) To contact the Muse;
ii) To contact an audience;
iii) To contact myself (i.e. John).

02.03

My copious leisure time at an end, I wish you all goodnight.

14.37

"The voice of the people is the voice of the Lord".

Should anyone like to lose faith in this maxim, they might consult the mass of ET commentary on the non-subject of "Bruford leaves Crimson". If anyone wishes to have an insight into automatic mental processes, basement logic aspiring to a view of the garden, un-thinkingness, then hit "ET" on your net browser.

But I have found one comment, the authority of which entitles it to be carved in virtual stone and displayed on ET's masthead:

"Perhaps in my ignorance of the actual recent events and the old one, I am way off base" (Thursday 8th. October).

This posting has the ring of authenticity which I find completely persuasive. It might be unfair of me but - hey! Fripp's sense of humour remains intact, and robust - the letter begins: "Being a drummer...".

I accept, this is unfair of me. But - hey! my humours are now activated - the letter continues: "I took the news Bruford's departure (sic) in disbelief". Me too. When did Bill leave? I know he's touring with Earthworks II, and going out with BLUE in December, but he hasn't told me he's leaving Crimson.

What a heel, that Bruford. Shock! Horror! Fripp learns of Bruford's departure from a complete stranger. And from another drummer, too. Should I lose all respect for Bruford as a man? But, this news comes from an angel, so who am I to ...

And while visitors are whizzing around ET, check out this little hummer from Gerhard (October 5th.): "Some people have a hard time putting aside thier (sic) ideas and coming up with new ones". I agree, without reservation.

Anyone sufficiently generous with their time to have accessed the DGM Diary will be familiar with my current intentions to un-fix Crimson: "The problems with experienced musicians who know what they're doing is they do what they're knowing". And anyone who hasn't read these Diary postings doesn't have sufficient background to make an informed comment. But then, why should ignorance be an obstacle to posting an opinion, however pratty, in the public domain? (Parapractic slip of the fingers: I initially typed "pubic domain").

But, so far, Gerhard and I are in full agreement. Gerhard continues with this gem: "Hey Bob ideas are not precious!". On the same basis, neither is the flow of blood of value to the body. I live and work on the basis that (creative) ideas are the lifeblood of any artist (at least). Please note, I have not segued this into a drummer joke.

Gerhard, not one to quit while he's behind, continues: "When was the last time you paid for one? (an idea)". Well, actually, the last (and each) time I had one. More accurately, the last (and each) time a creative idea had me. As a small example, Gerhard's letter is only one of a series of consequences from the "idea" of King Crimson (and I am only one character among several responsible for this "idea" being in the world). The "idea" of a Crimson powered by 2 or 3 sets of electronic drums is an "idea" which lead directly to Gerhard's dippy post. Suffering ET is part of the price for the "idea" of King Crimson.

Payment enough to Gerhard?

A question to ET posters on the "Brufordless Crimson" non-issue: do you have any sense of the uncompromising ignorance which informs the bulk of these postings? Own up, guys - this is brain dribble. Pavlov's dogs now sit at computers and post to ET. Behind me Strauss' "Metamorphosen" for a pile of strings reminds me that life continues, creative ideas flow unceasingly, and the view from the garden window is richer than the view from the basement. But, what might be the view from upstairs?

21.23

And leaving behind the witless debate on The Burning Issue Of The Day I arrive, happily, in the world of music.

This evening's Late Shift is preparing the Second Edition of "1999 - Soundscapes Live In Argentina" for re-release on January 1st. 1999 in surround sound. After listening like this, it is impossible to return to stereo. Remember mono? David and I are sitting within a sonic womb.

In the US, DTS will match stereo within 2 years and replace it within five. In Europe, probably 10 years. The technological gap between the US and Europe is widening (David agrees with this bold assertion).

Only a small proportion of DGM mail order is conducted via the net.

Joy! Bliss! Wonderment! Delight! The future is beckoning. Soundscapes envelop and swirl. David and Robert are happy boys this evening.

Before coming over to the Music Room, I spoke to Hernan Nunez, back from touring Germany with Los Gauchos Alemanes; and Steve Ball of The Seattle Guitar Circle. We all share the sense that the future seemed to come on line Wednesday - Thursday of last week.

Response to Anil Prasad's question on the Guestbook:

Why does the band leader retain sole ownership of a band's work, when obviously other musicians have contributed? (paraphrase).

This question would be best directed towards a band leader who followed this practice. Non-issues of Fripp being a "band leader" aside, King Crimson shares the money.

DGM Newsbite:

Of the current 600 Collectors in Europe and 700 in the US, 36 and 35 respectively declined to have the first Selection.

23.12

Back to tonight: "Soundscapes have found their recorded medium" says David of our Surround Sound work. They worked better live than on record: now we can transmit a sense of soundscapes as sonic environments. Yes!