Last night before retiring to

Posted by Robert Fripp
8 Sep 1998
Tuesday, September 8, 1998

The three John Millers' hung in the study yesterday were calling out to me, but slightly discordantly. The colour balance of the three walls wasn't encouraging the progression of energies around the room. So, the blue and red (the words do no justice to the "blue" and "red" of John Miller) Interior Landscapes have exchanged walls and now, the room re-fenged and the energies re-directed harmoniously, I am a happy boy. Sitting beneath the red / vermiliion / magenta (?), IBM qwerky responding to encouragement, I am off to give my hearing to Crimson in Mexico City.

10.46 Last night before retiring, to heal the tiny and bruised hairs of my inner ears, I chose a string quartet by Ludwig the Grumpy to accompany flossing and easing for the night. Possibly not the best choice, so this morning Handel got a shot at kicking my feeble wits into the minimal level of sentience for acceptably simian behaviour. But now a Haydn string quartet is, at a later moment in the beginning day, working its customary magic.

Truly, these are not the colours of exterior landscapes.

16.04

A break is required for my ears. KC is intense; multiple nights of the same band in Mexico City is very intense. But my listening is required because final choices have to be made for inclusion in "Cirkus".

The current Crim is superb with its own repertoire, and with the 1970s repertoire of slab-heavy instrumental terror where extra players add useful additional weight. The 1980s material is mainly better with the 1980s outfit: it was written for a quartet to be played by a quartet. (There are exceptions: "Frame By Frame" on the first night stonks along).

David and Nicky Caine, our book-keeper, are working this afternoon; continuing to unravel the astounding errors of our former auditor / accountant.

Musically, David and Chris have been listening to our mixes of ProjeKct One prior to final selection for "Live At The Jazz Cafe" (with Pam Crook cover).

21.52

David is close to tearing out his remaining hair. Repairing inaccurate accounts from former years and bringing them forward for our September-end accounting, working with Chris on ProjeKct One, and now The Late Shift with -3 sonics for "Trees". The poor man has suffered too much.

Now David has presented me with one of the silliest production choices I have known: "This..." and David's finger points up, "or, this..." and David's finger points down. "Up" improves the sound or, put somewhat differently, one can hear how wretched is the sound. "Down" means the sound is wretched. "With or without hiss", asks David. "With hiss" replies Robert. Club Members worry not - this is only the bonus track: the CD proper is comparable to Plumpton from "Epitaph". But hey! forget the sound - this is history, rare and VERY collectible!

"A CD packed to the gunnels. The quality may be dubious but the quantity is indisputable". Thus the verdict of DGM's Global Production Manager.

Three nights of Crimson in Mexico City were enough to pickle the psyche of stronger creatures than myself, without a cocktail of Croydon. But I am heartened by today's mail. Several Web visitors have acted on the posting that I read all my personal mail, and have been mailing. Thank you all for your comments and suggestions.

Joey from Lakewood asks about budget looping epuipment: I suggest you go to ET and then on to the loopers' website. My equipment is printed on the sleeves of recent CDs: it is horribly expensive, I'm afraid. There are acceptable budget systems available, but my own budget system (the Electro-Harmonix "Fripp In A Box") is prehistoric. Loopers' Synonomous will steer you towards modern alternatives.

23.01

We are now on a Through-Listen to DGM CC No. 1. "I Talk To The Wind": the drumming of Michael Giles is staggering. His influence would have been greater had anyone, anyone at all anywhere, been able to play even nearly as well. The only comparable English drummer who springs to my mind, although also quite different, is Billy B. Both are utterly English, follow their own course, and sit as much in the front line as the back. And both had / have a supportive and encouraging environment in Crimson unavailable anywhere else. There are significant differences; and that is another, and interesting, discussion.

If Robert Cervero / Web visitors / ET would like to know what it is that DGM / Ton Prob / The David & Robert Show do in these long, hard, cruel evenings, perhaps Robert C. might make an A/B review of "The Lurking Fear" and DGM CC No. 1. Also, compare the packaging please.

00.31

Good night!



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