The DGM Morning Power Meeting: Diane, David & Robert address arising issues. This morning's included:
The repayment of a $50,000 loan. Hooray! I say. (I was amused to see a recent ET posting on my status as a "millionaire". Right - dream on, pal).
Our relationship with Pony Canyon in Japan: how the mobility of DGM & the relative inflexibility of an international conglomerate can come closer in terms of release dates. The point here is that each time RF / Px return from touring, something has changed. This is exactly as we might wish it to be, if life were real and ongoing. But our best anticipation of future events (as translated into planned releases) in DGM take second position to new events, unfoldings, seeings & developments. Which is why we're such an ace company and have difficulties with the music industry.
This moved onto the subject of these Diary postings: when reporting on our developing process I discuss projects underway, the next day Diane receives orders and enquiries.
For example, the planned 15 - 18 month DGM calendar became a 12 month calendar while I was recently in the US soundscaping - the cost of printing would have made an expensive item an even more cruel demand upon the hard-earned pay of innocent enthusiasts. This is a Diary: if it waits until events are carved in stone then it's not quite a DGM Diary, rather a History of DGM.
So, when all of the bright ideas & developments reported in the Diary become actual, and available, they will be in the Product & Ordering pages of the Website.
And on the Website, you may have found that navigation and a raft of other small problems and difficulties are being addressed.
Now, over to the Music Room...
21.47
The Music Room, the Late Shift, and continuing excitements with P1. We have accepted that the Japanese edition of ProjeKct One will be a little different from the KC ProjeKcts Box Set and, allowing ourselves the freedom to run with that idea, this afternoon remixed one of the tracks. Now, we are looking at various alternative mixes and versions of another of the tracks.
The form which is exciting us at the moment is a Soundscapes - drumming duet, which is actually the original suggested form of ProjeKct One: Bartley Butsford & The Great Roberto. Bill suggested `phoning T. Lev, and I responded by suggesting Trey come too. Right now, this fabbo duet is the debut of ProjeKct 0.5; or alternatively ProjeKct Half.
Also, Chris Murphy has returned to his original mixes and had a revelation: he was mixing two albums. The album we sent to Japan was the high-power quartet delivering mainly money shots; the second album is long-form languid, mainly featuring Trey. Side by side, they didn't sit. Separately, we may have a very different album from a very different group living inside the same four players.
Beast! Beast! I say. (This is an exlamation indicating rampant enthusiasm and / or unbridled and unequivocal support).
During this afternoon's shopping visit to Salisbury I acquired January 1999's "Guitar Techniques", featuring your Diarist's picture on their monthly CD, in exchange for £4.25. Also inside is an interview, and the notation to the Moto Perpetuo from "Fracture". The CD has the KC Concertgebouw recording of this, from "The Night Watch", plus a half-speed version to practise alongside, plus a soundscape from "The Gates of Paradise".
No-time-to-report-yet but now-is-the-moment category: Yesterday evening I had a very enjoyable telephone conversation with a well-known singer with a very well-known Vocal Ensemble. Our connection was catalysed via Andrew Keeling, an English composer and teacher who has recently received his doctorate in music. Andrew is likely to be DGM's first featured composer.
The singer is teaching at an English University next year and wondered if I would be prepared to address his students with Andrew Keeling on ... Progressive Rock; particularly with reference to the connection between rock and "classical" music.
Speaking to this well respected and admired person, I was honoured by their interest. I wasn't able to get into Salisbury Cathedral the last time he was there - sold out. But I have no interest in the subject of Progressive Rock.
We discussed the academic literature on the subject, and on the increasing interest in academic publications on popular music. As an editor for Cambridge University Press, he was kind enough to express an interest in my own writing: he felt a weakness of current academic commentary was that the writers weren't at the centre of the action (my words), but that Fripp was / had been.
22.53
Little Horse has telephoned from Agadir. She's up tomorrow at 04.00 and flying home - yippee! There are four mangoes awaiting her return, a very favourite tasty fruit for her, plus a very spoilt rabbit awaiting an endless supply of love and attention.
My wife will NOT learn the "I'm eating rabbit for Christmas" song, kindly suggested to the DGM Guestbook recently.
"Never become so popular that the public take an interest in you."
