My morning practising began with the LIV parts to be played. Then, I remembered my own good advice to Crafties: don't practice pieces you'll be playing later. This has the effect of dulling & blunting the performance when the playing is for real. So, practice something else which addresses the same concerns. My main concern was calisthenic, so I turned to the lonely guitarist's terror of LV (yet to be recorded) instead. This drew me along into further pencil frenzy on the current end section of "Larks' V"
The first takes were warming up. Then, I leant into it. Looking over the guitarist's shoulder, as I do from time to time, I noticed that this was more than a metaphor: the body physically leant forward a little, and the playing reflected this: phrases got pushed slightly ahead of the beat, felt a little edgier, even a little unhinged. In other words, the notes were performed rather than played, the difference between accuracy and music.
13.45
Whoa! Ken has called me in to check his hummer of a mix and is now bouncing down the "string" tracks from last night to free up the desk.
14.15
Bounced & vibrated.
Among today's e-communications was this from Al Carlyle...
Dear Mr. Fripp,Mr. Fripp, have you mulled over how truly ingenious my system@ of not playing music really is?...Instead of selfishly dreaming about how many people you can affect with the power of your music, how about expanding to a much bigger market of those who won't hear your music at all?!! I have it on very good authority that the French government has recently been experimenting with using sound as a weapon...(Though I realize this is a theory that you obviously have been perfecting throughout your career), I believe there could be some lucrative gain$ to be made in this newly burgeoning International market.
Imagine if you will a scenario in which YOU Mr. Fripp are somehow mysteriously awarded the Legion of Honor by the French minister of Culture and Defense--how long do you think it will take for your own country to catch wind of this highly strategic maneuver and quickly Knight you as some kind of ambassador of "Good Sense and Sound Reinforcment"?!!... Are you beginning to see where I'm going with this?... Since both countries will soon be scrambling to effectively increase their "sound firepower" by securing your long range ballistic solos, how much do you think each of them would be willing to $pend toward their nation's security to have YOU not play at all?...I believe you're getting the picture!
Love Al.
A succeeding letter, from Mr. Carlyle's business manager, is somewhat less forthcoming...
"...as far as Mr. Carlyle's involvement, I'm sorry to say that he essentially answers only to the call of the wind and I couldn't give the assurance that he would be able to consistantly participate at this time. But I did have a message from him in which he said he would love to write-in as a sort of 'spiritual gadfly' onto the Discipline Global Mobile Guestbook in order to 'stir up those weed-head trippy Frippies a little'...".I replied straightaway, reluctantly accepting the position, but acknowledging the likelihood of Al responding to the call of the wind. I keenly anticipate his contributions to the Guestbook.
14.48
Ken is preparing a rough mix of "Larks' IV". The Ryhthm Buddies are producing strange and meaty sounds in preparation for us to work with Adrian on a perverse accompaniment drawn from an improv. Upstairs there is much cooking & preparation of foodstuffs for tonight's dinner.
This is official Thanksgiving dinner at Chez Belew. Pat & Bill are flying home to Austin, but Ken & Trey are coming. As is Sister the Frippster! Much excitement for me. Patricia is flying into Nashville to celebrate Thanksgiving with her little bRuVveR!
The three bestest pals in my life, the emotional bedrocks of my existence, are all women: my Mother, my Sister, my Wife. Mother is hurtling, careless of direction or location, on light beams along celestial highways not yet open to the public; Toyah is in England (recording in London this evening); which leaves only my Sister available to accompany me to high action movies. The new James Bond is top of the list.
"Being is a measure of our coherence."
