Eduardo Pampinella, Argentinian now resident in Germany, close friend of Hernan Nunez, Webmeister Beast of Terror and Expertise, is visiting DGM to rebuild our website from within. Hugh of the Art Department is also part of Eduardo's Late shift while David and I are beginning our first pass at assembling the architecture of "Cirkus".
Diane's absence in California has the effect of passing the paper to David, and this slows down our creative work. The amount of bureacracy involved in meeting legislative requirements, particularly since the UK joined the European Union, is destructive. Large firms can afford, proportionately, to employ separate accounting / secretarial / legal departments. Small companies, if DGM and our plumbers are a guide, put 30% of their resources into dead paper and prattle.
Whingeing at an end, we have moved from "THRAK" and "Neurotica" from Crimson's week at The Longacre on Broadway (1995) to "Larks'I" from Glasgow in 1973.
Now we have moved via "Thela" to "Red" to "Book of Saturday" to "Easy Money" and David is beginning to agree with my sense that the periods 1969-74 and 1981-98 belong on different volumes. For David, this has to do with the very different use of tempo between the periods.
When I lived in New York, beginning February 1977, it was clear that the new generation of rock music ("punk", "new wave") made a different use of tempo to the preceding period. Another significant change was placement of note in relationship to the beat: from behind to the top of the beat. The times had changed: the time had changed. It was as easy to tell a player from the recent past in 1976/7 as it had been in 1967/8.
It also becomes clear, listening to the drummer and guitarist of 1973 Crimson, that they took their roles as aspirant musicians very seriously. I'm not suggesting that David and John didn't, but there is a different sense to how they engage the music. In David, I sense that the life of the working player is not the only possible outcome for him. In John, there is an ease which accompanies natural talent that is absent in Billy and Bob. Perhaps this helps to explain what, at this distance in time, I hear as commitment.
In England, to hold a serious aim and aspiration, like excelling within a chosen field, is anti-social if not actually offensive. The English prefer mediocrity. If you are not mediocre, then better to affect mediocrity. Otherwise, keep your head down and conduct your business outside the public gaze. Failing that, prepare to endure hositility, criticism, negative projection, jealousy and public censure; or emigrate to a supportive, positive and encouraging culture which might hope for you to achieve what you wish for yourself: because if success is possible for you, it is possible for others.
As David continues to assemble music, I assemble cover notes. Trey Gunn has sent us his Road Diary for P2 to include in "Live Groove". We are currently playing "Heavy ConstruKction" from Northampton by King Crimson - A Single Trio; or P2 by another name.
When I returned from the P2 Mid-West tour, clasping my about-to-be-becoming archive DATs, I played the two nights in Chicago (at the Park West) and the show in Detroit. About 25 minutes into the second set at Detroit I realised that I was listening to King Crimson. I knew, and recognised, the person speaking to me. From this, it was a simple step for my thinking to move from "King Crimson - A Single Trio" to "King Crimson - Another Single Trio", to "KC - A Quartet", and so on. In other words, fractalising King Crimson works.
It is a qualitatively different experience to know that a fractal contains, refects, expresses, embodies the whole: and then find yourself witnessing this happening. Surprise, discovery, embrace, joy, wonderment. But P2 is also P2; it's not always Crimson.
Similarly, with the P1 we've been editing for "Live At The Jazz Cafe", I recognise the same spirit which informed and empowered several Crimson improvs from 1973-74. It's not simply that two of the players are the same: the identity behind the notes is also the same. This isn't rationalisation. When we close our eyes and a friend walks in the room, we recognise from sensing their presence that our Friend is present. Similarly with Crimson: when it's Crimson, it's recognisably Crimson. And, from time to time, the King has been flying by these projeKcts and waving, beckoning, to us.
