17.53
Rising 06.45. Morning Sitting. Reading and writing with musical accompaniments…
Watering the courtyard plants…
… and then onto the street. I Advance Masked – Day Twenty One…
Toyah’s acting agent, based in London, told her yesterday that he had lost 29 friends and colleagues to Corona. The immediacy doesn’t seem to have kicked in here. I am almost the only person in town to wear a facemask and that includes the excellent serving persons in the supermarket, who mostly don’t even wear gloves.
There appears to be very little sense, in our small market town, of appropriate social distancing. The supermarket-express on the high street has implemented new measures: queuing on the street at two metres distancing, only a few people shopping at once, each instructed to enter by a service person, arrows on the floor to direct the flow of shoppers, and two metre marks. As I was at the beginning of the first aisle, checking vegetables for today, a young man leant right in front of me to acquire a bag of apples. At the end of the first aisle, an elderly man walked into my proximate zone. I exited his space quickly, and he coughed without covering his mouth. At the end of that aisle, a tall women in her late thirties, entering the store, walked right by me without following the flow arrows.
An excellent lunch by the back door, with two colours of Squerd…
Amazon are delivering on Good Friday…
https://www.facebook.com/robert.fripp.96/videos/3429401650409174/.
And, despite the lockdown, bees are buzzing in our English country garden…
The wasps are also buzzing hereabouts, and have been for decades…
From Elephant Talk, Number 332, Saturday, 25 January 1997
Date: 21 Jan 97 07:41:02 EST
Subject: from Robert Fripp
Thursday 16th. January, 1997.
Dear Team,
In ET 327 Matt Lincoln writes (8th. January):
"On August 25, 1996 I caught the KC show at Maryland with Vernon Reid opening. During Vernon's set I noticed RF sitting by the soundboard. Wow, I thought, I've really appreciated all this man has done for music (since I've been a fan from way back when I went with my brother when I was nine to buy "In The Court of ...") so I thought I would just say Thank You. I waited until the applause died down from the last Vernon song and said to RF, `Excuse me I would like to say..' but before I could start talking he ran away. And not just moving away but RAN. Like he was afraid. (Kind of like Sir Robin the Not So Brave RUNNING away from the Three Headed Beast in the Holy Grail). I'm left thinking I am a fan of a person who dislikes people, especially the ones who give him money for his music. He could've said "please don't bother me", or "do not talk to me". Maybe if you talk to RF you could express my apology as well as giving him the opportunity to behave like a human and apologize to me as well. I've worked in the music industry and met and dealt with people such as Peter Gabriel, Phil Collins, Bono, Sting and others but none have ever RUN away from me. What was it, my breath???".
I
Firstly, Matt feels some umbrage at my response to him, and has given me "the opportunity to behave like a human and apologize to" him. I apologise.
Secondly, Matt's letter raises several issues which I would be grateful if he (and other readers) would address in response to my own recent posting (ET 328, 13th. January, on King Crimson's 28th. birthday). My own letter refers to readers expressing "opinions and judgements, often with some heat, on the basis of a clearly developed sense of what they expect of the artists they patronise; umbrage when these expectations are not met; with clearly implied assumptions on the part of what the artist's position is / should / might / can only be, and certainly is despite anything, in any case, anyway, because I've bought my ticket with hard-earned pay and that gives me rights".
My letter touches on assumption, expectation, negative reaction to confounded expectation, and rights of the "consumer" in a commercial culture. I didn't read Matt's letter until this morning and, given that, my own letter seems strangely prescient.
So, what does Matt assume, expect, how does he deal with his expectations not being met, and how is his implicit / explicit demand for a response from me, in a manner which he would find satisfactory, affected by him having given me "money for (my) music"?
Whenever we form judgements, or draw opinions, from events it seems reasonable, even necessary, that we take into account the circumstances surrounding any particular occurrence or event: "Consider always time, place and person". This gives us both the context and the specifics.
II
I remember the occasion Matt describes very well. The totally superb Vernon Reid sets standards as a guitarist, musician and human being to which I aspire. Robert the gigging musician gets very little opportunity to see the musicians I really wish to see. Often, it's down to hoping that the other band/s on the bill are players you'd travel to hear, let alone open veins to see in action. This was one of my lucky times. I had hoped Crimson would tour extensively with Vernon last summer, but he didn't have the tour support from his record company to make it possible. So, we only had two nights together, the last two of the Crim tour.
When the lights went down at the beginning of the show I walked round the side way to front-of-house and the soundboard, running away (well, walking in a very brisk manner in a direction contrary-to-that-of) two people shouting at me along the way, and even hid at one point until they had gone. During and throughout the radically wonderful Vernon set various people sat behind me and stared at me, stood in front of me and stared at me, kneeled down in front of me and stared at me, and walked around my seat and aisle staring at me; several of them presented me with tickets to sign, some while standing directly in front of me as the Reid band were playing; one autograph was presented between tunes from a kneeling gentleman who speedily disappeared when I waved my hand in an imperious and dismissive gesture. Clearly a rude and arrogant man, this Fripp.
My own strategies of behaviour are based on principles of conduct which are generally applicable in my life, modified by ongoing experience, and adapted / changed / abandoned in any particular moment in response to particular circumstance: "Act always in accordance with time, place and person". Little in my life is arbitrary, however unexpected or irrational it might appear to those not privy to my inner workings; that is, to anyone and everyone other than myself. And rarely now do I stop and explain, as once I tried to do.
Readers of ET who have been generous enough with their time to take an interest in what is referred to as "Fripp's 'tude" may have noticed that my responses, sometimes seemingly friendly, sometimes seemingly rude, differ in different places, at different times, to different people, under different conditions and circumstances. (This itself was also recently the subject of comment).
The phrases "please don't bother me" and "do not talk to me" from my lips would be rude. When I am listening to music being played in live performance, even very obviously sitting and listening to the music being played (which includes the moments in between when "nothing" seems to be happening) my response to an overture from someone I don't know is likely to be non-verbal: the language of gesture is immediate, direct and telling. So, I might shake my head, lean to the left to look past the person standing directly in front of me so I am able to continue seeing the band playing, or run away. All three of these non-verbal strategies were used on this particular occasion, all of them several times (and running away twice). As well as a dismissive and imperious gesture.
When I do give voice to a reply, in moments which are inconvenient or inappropriate for me to respond positively to any particular approach, request for autograph or question, my responses are usually these: at first, "No, thank you". If this first response is ignored, I repeat "No, thank you" a second time. If this is ignored, my response is "Excuse me". If this is ignored, my response is "Kindly grant me my privacy". If this is ignored, I leave. The speed of my departure depends upon the situation and is usually not the process of long reflection and considered analysis. If my feet appear to be moving very quickly, I follow them. Sometimes this might be brisk walking, sometimes breaking into a trot, and sometimes even running.
This is one standard approach / response to a recurrent situation. There are other possible responses, some of which I have used and some which I have not yet tested.
However, I would rather not discuss in detail my own expectations and assumptions, rights and obligations as I see them, until there has been some interest shown in the topic by members of the ET team. Otherwise, fine.
III
What I would like to know from Matt, if he feels able to respond, is:
1. Why did Matt want to say "Thank you" to me? What response did he expect from me? What response did he want from me?
2. Matt compares me unfavourably with Gabriel, Collins, Bono and Sting. I have no complaint with this: in comparison with these people, by any standard of humanity or musicality, I come out unfavourably. But to make a valid comparison and value judgement between two situations, the circumstances have to be reasonably (actually, highly) comparable.
Were Peter, Phil, Gordon and Bono sitting, intently listening to and watching a performance, at the time Matt "met and dealt with" them? If not, why mention them? If yes, what were their responses? (This I would love to know!).
3. How are Matt's expectations / rights affected by the fact that he has given me money? How does he know that I got the money? If I hadn't, would that affect his opinion? Has there been any mention of my obligations towards him in the exchange of cash, in addition to his acquisition of a record / concert ticket? (If the exchange of cash gives him rights, why say "Thank you"? - the payment to an ungrateful artist is surely sufficient. If the payment isn't a sufficient "Thank you", then why mention the money? In any case, isn't it a sufficient "Thank you" that Matt was in the audience?).
4. "I'm left thinking I am a fan of a person who dislikes people, especially the ones who give him money for his music". Why? How does Matt get to the second conclusion?
5. "Maybe if you talk to RF you could express my apology" ... for what is Matt apologising? His position, as he describes it, seems blameless.
IV
I ran away from Matt the Three Headed Beast not because of his breath, not because of his person, but because of his behaviour. My own view is that Matt's conduct was inappropriate at that particular time, in that place, between those specific people interracting under those particular conditions. Matt's view is very different from this. My interest is in Matt's expections, assumptions, his negative reaction, and the mention of money.
None of this implies that Matt is creepy, or has an unpleasant nature, or suffers from debilitating personal ailments which adversely affect his social life. I dislike some people, like some people, and don't give much of a hoot for a significant proportion not included in those two categories. I like some people whose behaviour disgusts me, and dislike other people whose conduct I set myself as an example to follow. (It is actually easier to behave honourably towards people we dislike, because we don't make the same demands of them, implicitly and explicitly). So, liking and disliking people doesn't bother me very much and has more to do with me than them.
V
If any of the ETers need further persuasion that not only is Fripp's offstage demeanour appalling, but that his onstage demeanour is arguably worse, they might like to consult the Prelude to Number 17 of "Progression - The Journal of Progressive Rock" (July - September 1995) where the editor John Collinge makes several critical comments regarding my onstage behaviour.
I don't wish to direct / redirect / affect forthcoming responses from interested readers by prematurely presenting my own views on John's particular piece of writing. Alright, just this once: very rarely have I seen an editorial at any level of circulation which displays this degree of ignorance and blindness, trumpeted so proudly, with deliberate rudeness and forced wit.
I am grateful to those who help me see what I do more clearly, by allowing me to see through their eyes; and to hear through their ears. The true audient is a rare friend to the performer. So it is a deep personal disappointment for me, as a player, that John has failed, so successfully, to see what is on offer. So, what is on offer?
At the moment, it seems a musician is reviewing the audience. I hope it has the friend it deserves.
Sincerely, Robert Fripp.
From Elephant Talk, Number 332, Saturday, 25 January 1997
Date: 22 Jan 97 10:46:15 EST
Subject: from Robert Fripp
Dear Team,
In ET 317 Karen Minder writes (November 26th. 1996):
"On July 9th. of this year my friend and I were lucky enough to be able to get to the Horde Festival and get backstage passes from Adrian Belew ... Getting the passes was kind of a big deal for us and the only thing that was asked of us was that we must not under any circumstances approach Mr. Fripp for any reason whatsoever. We happily complied ...".
In ET 319 Mike Dickson writes in response to Karen's posting:
"Given Fripp's apparent life-long aversion to all things `showbiz', does anyone else see the contradiction here? As much as I may have many years of profound appreciation of his work, this sort of prima-donna attitude seems to fly in the face of his stated wishes to avoid the trappings of the type of fame he despises. Frankly, if backstage passes were dished out with this sort of proviso (assuming it is *his* proviso, that is) I doubt if I'd accepted them, whether I wished to approach him or otherwise".
Happily, Karen and her friend enjoyed her visit backstage. Sadly, the conditions under which they visited seems to have upset Mike. I'd like to know exactly why. This is not to dissuade Mike, or anyone else, of their perception or opinion of Fripp as the rude, ungrateful, contradictory and egotistical character whose failings many ET correspondents have reported, including those who only wanted to say "Thank you" and, probably, gave me money as well.
Perhaps Mike would be kind enough to address these questions:
1. How does Mike make the connection between the "proviso" and showbiz" / "trappings of fame"? How was Karen's visit backstage connected to these "trappings of ... fame"?
2. What type of fame is it that Mike claims I "despise"? What is his authority?
3. In Mike's reasoning, how does he get to "this sort of prima-donna attitude"? What sort of prima donna attitude is that?
4. "Frankly, if backstage passes were dished out with this sort of proviso (assuming it is *his* proviso, that is) I doubt if I'd accepted them, whether I wished to approach him or otherwise".
i) Why does Mike assume I made the proviso?
ii) Assuming it wasn't Fripp's proviso, what then? How would Mike's letter change if his assumption were unfounded?
iii) If backstage passes at Crimson performances were "dished out with this sort of proviso" what is the likelihood of Mike getting one?
iv) If Mike was offered a backstage pass "with this sort of proviso", would he accept or not?
5. Karen got backstage passes which were subject to a categorical proviso being given not to approach Fripp. This didn't phase Karen, but it did work its cruel effect on Mike. What were the steps involved that led Mike to post his letter?
Sincerely, Robert Fripp.
"We have the right to choose our form of suffering."
