20th June 1997
The juxtaposition of soundscapes and the shred-heavy rock of Joe Satriani, Steve Vai and Kenny Wayne Shepherd was at the time of the tour seen by many as being somewhat incongruous. Nevertheless, Fripp went out and performed music that was other-worldly, serene and sometimes challenging.
While many in audience were less than impressed, Fripp’s fellow musicians were generous in their praise and admiration and that admiration was reciprocal as Fripp’s diary makes clear: “Today, coming off at the end of Soundscapes, Steve was listening on the side: I've never heard anything like that before he said. I seized my chance to realise an ambition, and asked to play For The Love Of God with him. Anything Steve said: duet, Soundscapes, second guitar, whatever. For The Love Of God is an exceptional piece, and not a title that could be chosen without innocence or humility. It has been a favourite of mine since first listening to Passion and Warfare and remains in my pantheon of loved and respected guitar instrumentals.”
16 September 2024
