Robert Fripp's Diary

Satch Bus outside Razzmatazz Club

Satch Bus, outside Razzmatazz Club, Barcelona.

Experientially, a long overnight drive. On the clock, only eight hours.

Arriving from Madrid, the hotel promised rooms for a 10.00 occupation. The hotel lied. Carsten the Beast drove from the unwelcoming hotel to the venue, which is not yet open, and is waiting here until rooms clear. This means I'll be on the bus for the duration, which is fine by me. Catching up with computing, diarising, reviews of the performances --

givememychoice
Wed Jun 23 '04, Clyde, Glasgow, Scotland, GB
Rank: 8 Posted: Thu Jun 24 '04 3:58 am

On Fripp's Online diary he puts "For anyone with the interest & a sense of humour" and then posts a link back to these reviews (from the 16th). He obviously things he is being big and arty. However, i think it shows why you shouldnt use drugs when young...it screws you up when you get old.

It also screws you up when you're young.

Two of my favourites, from reviews of the Newcastle show on Steve's site --

1. Missed Fripp at the start which, from what my mate told me, I was glad, until the end that was! I thought he was class and the way he played was impressive considering he's an old man. Imagine ya grandad playin like that!

2. I also attended last night's City Hall show and would like to echo the comments of others on the board regarding Robert Fripp's set. While personally I was not particularly enthralled by his set, the reaction of some parts of the crowd was disgusting, to say the least. I was in the front row stalls and there was a kid who couldn't have been more than 13 next to me shouting abuse all through Fripp's set. I gently warned him that if he didn't like it he should exit to the bar area while he could still walk without a fist in his mouth.

The first I enjoyed for its generosity to the elderly, the second as an example of Geordie plain-speaking.

Birmingham --

Extrasolar (Jason Robinson)
Sat Jun 26 '04 NIA Academy, Birmingham, England, GB
Rank: 8 Posted: Mon Jun 28 '04 12:51 pm

Excellent performances by Joe and Steve. Never seen Steve Vai live so that was a treat also. Robert Fripp was first on. Well, I don't know what he was up to but anybody can play guitar synth.

I agree with Jason: anyone can play synth guitar, to the same extent that anyone can play guitar. So just buy a guitar synth & get going.

Bournemouth --

Ant711UK Sun Jun 27 '04 BIC, Bournemouth, England, GB
Posted: Mon Jun 28 '04 2:06 am

My first G3, great show. I've seen Satch twice and Vai once before. Fripp was different and interesting, he created some nice soundscapes, especially in the last 10 minutes. I think he caused himself a problem with members of the audience on the very left hand side of the auditorium. He sat completely out of their view for 30 minutes and they were not happy and they told him so. Vai was absolutely amazing, he has put a quality band behind him and they play and perform his music exactly how he wants it done. In my opinion, nobody puts on a show like Vai does. Satriani was great as usual --

G3 Jam was G2 (Satch & Vai) at the front and G1 (Fripp) sitting at the back. Strangely this worked for me. Once you realise that Fripp is someone who wants to be heard and not seen, it becomes quite normal to see him in that way --

The reviewer makes a good point: he adjusted his expectations & what was strange became normal.

London: a review, with some merit, of the Royal Albert Hall --

oh yeah, just as a side note re. Fripp:

With students on his 'Guitar Craft' Courses, part of the course is to go out and play at a local dive bar. In order to help acquaint his students with the worst-case scenarios of real life, Fripp himself has been known to heckle his students, and actually throw things at them - seriously! So I guess he'd take any heckling in his stride....

Working in Dorset pubs during the mid-1960s was more perilous than anything I've encountered on G3 so far (particularly one Gillingham pub with an extension on a Friday night). Although there are another two weeks to go --

London: a good review for Soundscapes --

Cerulean Tue Jun 29 '04 Royal Albert Hall, London, England, GB
Rank: 8 Posted: Wed Jun 30 '04 4:58 pm

Well, this was the second show of this tour that I've seen, and the contrast between the London and Birmingham gigs was interesting. Whereas, to these ears, the highlights of Saturday's show were Steve Vai's performance and Joe's extended version of 'Always with me, always with you', last night Fripp ruled. What an incredible piece of improvisation. As his guitar parts were sampled and looped and resampled and looped again the music built up into unspeakably beautiful and intricate soundscapes. For one man to improvise for half an hour like that with a single guitar, never playing a wrong note, and to create something that beautiful is astonishing. It is just a shame that some members of the audience didn't seem able to appreciate any note that wasn't a heavily distorted hemi-demi-semi-quaver. The hostility that Mr Fripp has encountered on this tour is incredible.

Obviously Cerulean didn't go to many gigs in North Dorset during the 1960s. But in case I begin to get ideas above my station --

Ray Reilly Tue Jun 29 '04 Royal Albert Hall, London, England, GB
Rank: 10 Posted: Wed Jun 30 '04 5:29 am

[ Pictures and short video clips of this show will be published on my website http://www.raymond-reilly.20m.com ]--------------- G3 - 2004 at the London Royal Albert Hall -- . What a night!!!!! Joe was on TOP form. I've never seen him at his best before, he was outstanding -- Robert Fripp was on stage first, but unknowingly. Whilst everybody was still finding their seats all of a sudden, in a very dark corner of the stage, a 'noise' (if that's what you can call it) plagues our nice quiet air space!! To tell the truth it was 30 minutes of crap. It was just pure noise. He done more twiddling on his effects rack and spinning round on his stall than actually playing -- -- it was awful!! Sincerely it was just utter 'noise-crap' (Hey, a new word!)!!! I even believe I heard someone shout out 'Where's Yngwie!!!!!!?', to which some old fart shouted back 'Shut-up asshole!!' (Or words to that effect). Towards the end of his set whilst everybody in the audience was busy talking about what happened in the last episode of Eastenders, you look to the stage and he's disappeared, with his effect rack still pumping out noise!! After a few moments Vai walks on stage to save us, and the crowd goes wild!!!!!....YEEAHH!!!!! Steve's set was superb, 'Whispering' prayer was the song which stole the audiences hearts, just pure feeling! There were a few feedback bugs and bass problems, but it didn't stop the enjoyment of the show. It was obvious Steve was very humbled to be playing in such a distinguished and historical hall as noted when he said " -- I may even go as far to say this could be a career high-light for me". All in all Steve was on for about an hour and at the end of the his set I remember thinking 'How is Joe going to top that?'. After a slight interval everybody arrives back to their seats feeling refreshed. Joe walks on stage and is greeted by an almightily cheer!!! He played a lot of new songs 'Up in flames', '..love in space' and 'hands in the air', but the song which done it for me was the classic rendition of 'always with me, always with you' -- . it was unbelievable. Joe's tone sounded mind-blowing, and I hate to say it but it sounds better than his old one.

Then finally came the jam, or as Joe said 'The G3 experience!!!'. Joe and Steve make a great pair and feed off each other immensely, but does this mean that lazy ass Robert Fripp can sit on his fat ass hiding at the side of the stage? It was ridiculous, it was laughable in fact. Joe and Steve basically jammed between themselves whilst Rob hid in the darkness pretending not to be there. He didn't even jam, well only until Joe pointed his finger at him and put the spot light on him. This guy was SOOOOO RUDE!!!!! To tell the truth I felt like smacking him up the backside of his head!... preferably with a hockey stick!!!! Joe and Steve ran about the stage shared licks and basically fed off each others vibes, while this other guy sat hiding with his arms crossed across his guitar -- . NOT EVEN PLAYING!!!!!! ROBERT FRIPP you should NOT be sharing the stage with the likes of Joe Satriani and Steve Vai, YOU ARE NOT WORTHY ENOUGH!!!! Even when it came to the end of the show, the band took to the front of the stage to bow, lazy ass Fripp still sat on his fat ass at the side of the stage in the darkness hiding!!!!!! Anyway's, not all is bad (believe it or not). The Rocking in a free world cover was fantastic and seeing Steve and Joe on the same stage together is something I have always wanted to see! ---- I managed to buy a limited edition singed G3 poster of Steve, Joe and Robert, but after seeing Robert with his rudeness and his stupid looking face on the poster I'm too embarrassed to hang it up!!! Thank's Robert Fripp -- -- NOT!!!!!

Thanks, Ray - WAY! Your post is very instructive, with much to learn in it, and I'm not too embarrassed to put it up.

nostrills (Daniel Entwistle) Tue Jun 29 '04 Royal Albert Hall, London, England, GB.
Rank: 10 Posted: Wed Jun 30 '04 3:59 am

Well what can i say this is my first G3 show and it was one of the most amazing things i have ever seen live. Im very undecided on fripp, after 10 mins of his whale impressions i went 4 a quick beer and a fag, i wasnt the only one out there with the same idea.

Daniel made an intelligent & considered choice. Soundscapes were not for him and, rather than sit about & become negative, he went to the bar for alcohol & nicotine.

Now, a beauty from Paris --

I saw the g3 yesterday evening.

1ere observation it is G2. Robert fripp was made hoot, has each one of these interventions. he was ridiculous!!!

20h30 start, we saw an old man on a stool between the amplifier of the bottom of the scene with psychedelic lights of everywhere with sounds come from an unnown planet. so bad.

surprised it is its midi gibson which makes these noises. the joke during 25min!!!!!!!

incredible

Incredible is the word, and a word well chosen by our Gallic chum.

Two recent posts from KrimsonNews --

Otohiko Wed Jun 23, 2004 4:56

Looking over Mr. Fripp's diaries today, I stumbled into the 'x years ago today' section - something I don't usually do.

Robert Fripp, in Diary, 4 years ago wrote:
To the basement audient, a professional performance is paradise.
To the discriminating audient, a surpassing performance is paradise.
To the connoisseur, a professional performance is disappointing; a
basement performance is hell.

My experience as a working player in recent years suggests, increasingly, that to achieve a professional level of performance is, in itself, a considerable achievement.

This leaves a discriminating player (if I might assume that of myself) in a condition of extreme frustration & sometimes worse. Contemporary rock performance is undermined so extensively by the conditions under which it takes place (and that's only at the end of the performance food-chain) that aspiring to more than the "merely" professional frequently leaves me in a condition of hopelessness. All work is against gravity, and gravity is increasing. This leaves existential & essential despair as touring companions, and they sit one on each shoulder.

But, I recall, hope is unreasonable.

Albemuth Thu Jun 24, 2004 2:52 pm

A little while ago, Fripp wrote:

"Interesting at San Francisco airport security check: a middle aged white man called out announcements, nominally passing as necessary security information, but in a fashion designed to attract attention to himself, and render the information secondary to the presenter. A remarkable demonstration of personality demanding attention for itself. Then, at the gate during the boarding process, from another agent, the same intrusion of personality into the announcement, but to a lesser degree."

This strikes me as one of Fripp's more unappealing reflections. Either that or it is unclear. What, exactly, was the airport person doing? Perhaps he was proud and over zealous in giving the security announcement. I would welcome a critique of the developing culture of American Empire. But I doubt that this is what Fripp is interested in. Most probably, he is applying his ideas about how the ego interferes with music to daily life.

Not quite. A better description might be applying ideas about how the ego interferes with daily life, to the act of music. And, more accurately, noticing how the ego operates across all fields of activity. This is terrifying.

Q. What was the airport person doing?
A. They were getting in the way of the function that they were, nominally, positioned to discharge.

Q. How?
A. By using a public announcement to present themself; rather than using themself to present a public announcement.

Q. How could you possibly know this?
A. The smell, the flavour, the timbre of the voice, the posture of the announcer, and primarily the sense of having my (little available) attention stolen. I was less after, than before, he spoke.

16.35 In response to two online comments, read this morning --

(Bournemouth) But all in all, a superb night, I do hope they come back soon - and for Robert Fripp a message: Don't be shy, come out from behind the speaker.
(Nottingham) I imagine his positioning on stage was to keep all his equipment to hand and minimize the delay between himself and Steve's Band.

Mr. Nottingham has it: the positioning is a function of lots of stuff, the transitions between acts, my contribution to Joe's set & the G3 jam. With regard to Mr. Bournemouth, I feel no need to be on display; but neither do I go onstage to hide. Part of my appeal to G3 is logistical: the Lunar Module and its commander are simple to set up & amenable to wherever they are set down. This falls under the heading of The Opening Act.

Toyah noticed, at all of the three shows she attended, that booing & hostile comments came mostly from people who couldn't see me. This has my sympathy. Although I do more-less than anyone I know (and this is an aim in my playing) I do appreciate that people who have bought a ticket, with their hard-earned pay, have the right to see that nothing happening rather than seeing nothing at all. But, technically, we are limited by stuff & the particularities of venues.

Lotsa Stuff I --

Lotsa Stuff II --

Those with sharp eyes may be able to find the Lunar Module within the stuff.

23.55 Razzmatazz, Barcelona. Before --

and during (courtesy Galen) --

Club venues in Spain are, arguably, not the best performance spaces for (what one reviewer termed) the muscular ambient of Soundscapes. This is quite distinct from G3 audiences expecting superb, top-of-their-field, high-action guitar performance with lotsa notes. I commented to Joe before going on one night, I play less notes per minute than any guitarist you know. As an addendum, I might have added I also do nothing more than any guitarist you know.

Tonight, we shortened the Soundscape set to 20 minutes. This seems to be the cut-off point of a G3 audience attention-span for what I'm doing (although that has proven to be too long for some).

Also tonight, Billy Sheehan joined me. Ten minutes before going onstage, wondering how to best deal with tonight's negativity, suddenly the thought: ask Billy to come on! Which Billy did, and he was stunning. Energy came from somewhere to trigger the thought, and I believe I know from where.

Steve's set was powerful, and Joe was also on. The jam: I play much better when I can hear both myself and the other players. Have I mentioned that before? Tonight the smaller size of the club helped. Gymnasia are not constructed for the performance of music, after all.

An arising of the day: a pick collector bartered with Mike Manning, Joe's guitar tech. Two of Joe's picks were exchanged for several DVDs showing adults getting to know each other better + a bottle of wine. The deal was done, the picks changed hands for the spank and grape juice.

Now, a terror drive of 610 miles to Milan. Yow!