I am happy that Barry was passionate about his music. So am I. The question - who was right? - is irrelevant. "Cat Food" is "Cat Food" and Barry Amor was pissed off by it. Both occupy/ied their own spaces with their own terms of reference. And "Cat Food" is a Crim classic.
20.01
Just returned from Nashville to Studio Belewbeloible to be presented with a guest vocal, recorded today on "ProzaKc Blues", by Hooter J. Johnson. You can tell from his voice that this guy has been around. And around. This man has lived the riches of life's poorer tapestries. And, for fun, Ade has just torn up two throway solos 10 minutes before I got back, just to give Hooter a run for his money. Don't know what Barry Amor would do with this one, but I'll hazard a guess.
A morning of Ideas Frenzy on topics varied, including next steps in the Crim process & Pencil. My afternoon was spent being shiatsued by Katie Dombroski, who I strongly recommend to anyone with sentience, a body and within geographic reach of Nashville. Then to my regular restaurant, where the waiter persons now welcome me by name, so often have they taken my credit card. Then to Tower Records to buy Ian McDonald's "Drivers Eyes", which has only just been released in America and on a Nashville label.
A suggestion & question: I am here in January to help complete the Crimson album. Would any interested party like to arrange a public gathering for 12.00 on Sunday 16th. January, 2000? If there is sufficient interest, I'll make myself available for Q&A. No photography. No autography. Just people. Please post to the Guestbook.
My computing is accompanied by "Drivers Eyes". Fave rave on first listen (now replaying) "Let There Be Light", music by Ian, words by Peter Sinfield, vocal by Gary Brooker. It is a pleasure to hear Ian on his own territory. I don't recognise the presence of King Crimson in the album: this is Ian's space. "Let There Be Light" is playing a third time. Love this. This track is worth the price of the album. The writing and arranging is authentic Ian: a gift of the simple, telling melodic line; a harmonic shift which is so obvious after the change, so unpredictable before it. The winning team of McDonald/Sinfield back in action.
"Music is a benevolent presence constantly and readily available to all."
