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March 27, 2003
Written by Robert Fripp
11.24 Room Most Acceptable, Hotel Quite Acceptable, San Francisco. If the hotels & transport had been of the current standard throughout the entire period of Crimson touring, the inter-regnal breaks might have been very much shorter. But, then again, probably not. The sun is shining, the sky is blue. Life becomes possible once again. We have a Crimbus call at 14.00 to drive to Santa Rosa. 15.03 Crimbus 20 Miles South of Santa Rosa. The band have had a de facto band meeting in the front lounge. This is when bands of a sensitive disposition break up. Fundamental disagreements surface, unresolved irresolutions re-appear in less soluble form, the camera obscura of band vision waves its wand over the future. I am asked questions better addressed to management. I cannot answer them. Often the answers have already been given as information, but as information for the mind, not the feelings: feelings continue even when mind information is acquired. When invited to a business meeting with management in Los Angeles, I reply that I am happy to have a business meeting, but not when I am attempting to be a guitarist in this band & focusing on music. I would rather the group broke up immediately & I had died yesterday. This is not an easy band to be in, and I have never been in one that is. But none of this is greater than what we share & hold in common. Another Guitar Craft correspondent suggests to me that I am better off not pursuing happiness. From my reply to him -- happiness is balanced by unhappiness, so any attempt to achieve happiness is equally to achieve unhappiness. better to do what is right, and then we are "happy" whether happy or not! this might yield satisfaction, it might even become joy. So, I guess I'll have to tell Trey that it's on with the misery for me, then. 22.36 Crimbus, Outside Venue In Santa Rosa. The venue insisted on a punctual beginning at 20.00. This is not a band that needs much prompting in punctuality, but I should have Soundscaped for two to three hours so the latecomers might have been ushered to their seats before the band came on. Most people found their seats before the final piece, Larks' IV. And then there was the customary error of the man who brought his wife to a King Crimson show. They left after 40-45 minutes. Trey saw her looking at him several times as if to ask are you getting something from this? The answer is in the feet. The negotiation of the space, between audience and performers, took about 70 minutes; then, there seemed to be some mutual accommodation; then, acceptance & applause; then, acknowledgement. Overall, a generous audience. For me, a difficult sound. It took longer than usual to find a way of working with it. But, the good news: I could see my guitar fingerboard. The Crims are currently meeting friends. I am in Mobile HQ and in no hurry to leave.
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