"Another album from Crimson of immensely unbeautiful music to have nightmares by. All a little predictable and dull, with the seeming obligatory quota of frantic jamming, weird noises and mellotron overdubs. Without wishing to dismiss in an offhand manner a serious-minded band, all that can be said is that this album is invaluable for those wishing to temporarily obliterate peace of mind from their lives or precipitate irreversible neural damage".
This review set the standard for Time Out criticism which, during the 1980s & early 1990s, John Gill aspired to meet.
12.18 David Singleton has just popped in to discuss approaches to making "Live In Mexico City" available on CD. All the discussion points on the Guestbook are in dialogue mode at World Central. How do we get this to Mac users, for example? Our responses to these will be posted in the Diary when formulated. Meanwhile, more is happening than I am able to briefly report upon.
Yesterday afternoon we moved the last part of the tape & equipment store from this village to the new store. All manner of musical history was loaded into the truck and driven away: my first good guitar (a Gibson stereo) from 1963; the Yamaha acoustic guitar used on "Formentera Lady" (1971); used strings from the "Beat" recording sessions in 1982, including a set marked "Requiem" and Sylvian/Fripp (1993); my first pedal-board (built by Pete Cornish in 1970) and used on all Crimson albums and tours until the end of 1974 (now without its fuzz box); the vinyl collection (which includes a demo of first The League of Gentlemen in 1963) and the first editions of all my catalogue; and piles more. Returning late from the store and into The Late Shift, , David & I began asssembing the components of the single-volume "ProjeKct" CD.
Today, the ProjeKcts Box Set sits to my right on the mellotron used for "In The Court Of The Crimson King". The Box looks great. Michelle is beginning to send out the first orders for the Box as I type. Anyone who has ordered from the American office, please don't deluge Amy, Eric & Bill with enquiries - England is sometimes ahead of Los Angeles because, with an in-house Art Department, we are able to process the films quicker.
I am aware of the concerns and complaints, regarding our mail order, which are posted on the Guestbook. August is conventionally an appalling month to do anything at all in the music industry (at least). Alex returned from holiday today, and we anticipate Diane's return (perhaps also today). Increasing the efficiency of our operations is a key concern. My personal apologies to those loyal customers of DGM who have not received the quality of response which they deserve.
It's impossible to respond in detail to complaints and concerns but, when I look into particular examples, there are usually several factors involved. One of the difficulties we face with orders, including on e-mail, is the number of questions which continue to be asked. Strictly, these are no part of placing an order. It's takes more time to answer questions, particularly "fan" questions, than fulfill an order. The people who do the work don't necessarily knows as much as enthusiasts. They also have a standing instruction from me not to get involved in enthusiast enquiry, which is better left to ET.
21.24 David & Robert are into The Late Shift. Tasty instrumental projeKctiles intrigue the pearly auricles. ProjeKct Three is one of Pat Mastelotto's finest hours. This man is a percussion orchestra. Strange delights emerge from somewhere and, eventually, it becomes obvious that it's not Trey or Robert so - it must be Pat, the Sonic Propulsion Unit. Now a strange singing voice. What could it be? No idea, but it's Pat. Now know that voice! It's a retrograde inversion of the original melody. A crafty Mastelotto sample!
23.04 Diane has not appeared in the office today, but a pile of kitchen goods from the old World Central have. Today, Hugh has moved his home from Reddish Cottages to rented accomodation west of Wilton. The Art Department has been sans Hugh during his packing stage. August is like that. It seems, in retrospect, as if major relocations have been planned / waiting to be seen / underway since the beginning of the year and their effects are now becoming apparent and / or being put into action.
A stunning solo is now soaring over a P4 rhythm section. Since 1997 Fripp has re-invented his guitar playing. It has a passion that would not easily be associated with a dry, cerebral "Spock of Rock" (which is no surprise to someone who played solos on "The Sailor's Tale", "Baby's On Fire" & "Fashion") but it doesn't use the vocabulary commonly associated with passion in rock players. What may I learn from this?
David is now broiling the tapestry of sonic collage (hey! what's wrong with mixing metaphors anyway?). The running order hasn't quite convinced us, although the elements are waiting for us to recognise the inevitabiity & necessity of their procession. One sequence of pieces has a succession of soaring Gunn solos. Is this too much of a good thing? Another sequence may be understated for too long. David Singelton's sense of the appropriate is second to no-one I have known. Yo! A shock of rightness! David's new combination of elements has me bouncing!
Anyone who felt that the Double Trio hadn't explored it's full potential - and I am one of them - may be intrigued and involved by ProjeKct. The single volume gives a sufficiently intense and concentrated overview to form a judgement of what might be / have been possible from its parts. (But that's only my view). Why didn't the Double Trio get to this while it was operational? Partly, time. Partly, the expectation of its audiences. Partly, the expectations of its members. Partly, it is very hard to do nothing intentionally, while maintaining attention, involvement, presence & commitment, for an extended period of time while under the hard gaze of public inspection. This is particularly more difficult when fans are shouting, urging the player to make a display of themself.
It is much more difficult to actively do nothing than to do something.
00.37 We are discussing the qualitative shift which has taken place in World Central today. Everything seems the same but everything has changed.
"Discharge one small task superbly."
