Robert Fripp's Diary

Bredonborough On this day in

09.33

Bredonborough.

On this day in 1985, my Father Arthur Henry Fripp flew from this world with Edie at his side.

On this cold and misty morning, across the street I…



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… to morning reading…



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09.53    An e-flurrying underway.

12.15    New outbreak of the ongoing UMG dissension.

And on the DGM Guestbook…

The music, not the man
:: Posted by JeffTruzzi on April 12, 2012
… The personal judgement I am unqualified to make is based on the day I didn’t meet RF but remained within earshot, at a large recording complex. Two individuals who did attempt casually saying "hello & thanks for the work" were preempted by RF in such a haughty and dismissive fashion that no other appropriately descriptive nomenclature applies. They were crushed like bugs. 

But if that’s what RF must do to make the music he makes, so be it. We may not be pals, but I’ll always love his music. And the music is what counts.

Extrapolated… if that’s what RF must do to make the music he makes, so be it.

And that’s what it is. So, if that’s what RF must have done to make the music he made, he was clearly prepared to suffer public ignominy, criticism and personal attacks to do it. And that’s what it was. Perhaps alternatively expressed: the fashion was peremptory, pre-emptive, self-protective and may have upset those who expected some other response. After years of attempting to engage in a straightforward and human fashion. I can give examples of standing and explaining my position, to no effect other than be insulted. I eventually abandoned reasoned argument, face to face, and moved to another mode; this in response to decades of attention that in some cases was respectful, in some cases amounted to harassment, in nearly all cases where something was wanted from me (acknowledgement and attention in various forms). That Ungrateful Wretch! Clearly, an Awful Man.

Perhaps, Fripp played from a different rule-book and was prepared to accept the consequences? Have we discussed The Awful Encounter subject before?

Criterion for judgment: I was less after the encounter than before. And in these few comments, I am not including stalkers and the mentally disturbed. May we note that 30 years ago stalking was not legally and formally viewed as the dangerous and destructive activity that it is, known as such by those who have been the focus of stalking. It was viewed more as an irritation, to be dealt with in civil courts by anyone who had an endless pocket and faith that a disturbed person was available and open to the feeble restraint then offered by civil law.

Crushed like bugs.

Yes, of course. But what kind of bugs? There are between 7,100 and 10,000 new species of insects discovered each year.

Attention:: Posted by richardr on April 12, 2012
Listening to “From Good To Great” while driving home last evening. This for the 3rd or 4th time, but perhaps I was paying better attention. I seemed to get it…the wisdom of the progression of action, and especially the applicability to many walks of life. Specifically, my own life, as a college professor. 



Had the session been yesterday, and had I been in attendance, I would have asked this question when prompted near the end:



Now, in 2012, what would provide the nearest experience to Robert Fripp’s time with J.G. Bennett’s school in the mid-70s?

Nearest experience/s is Guitar Craft, the Guitar Circle and The Orchestra Of Crafty Guitarists. These validate for me what JGB was trying to give away. This would not be the likely experience of others if they came to GC expecting to find The Work. Although for someone who has the taste of Silence, and an enquiring disposition, it might be different.

World HQ garden I…



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18.33    An afternoon with the Minx in Painswick. Tea in a pub opposite the wonderful church with the most yewest of churchyards I have seen. A successful vist to the Fabric shop, carrying away four metres of Colefax & Fowler traditional at a bargain price.

The churchyard I…



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Back to Bredonborough I…



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… and e-flurrying on the latest disputative-arising with UMG. UMG continues to make available for download KC material to which they not only have never had digital licensing rights, but which were expressly excluded from the Sanctuary contract (UMG took over Sanctuary, while also denying they took over Sanctuary). Oh! I haven’t mentioned the most recent letter from Mr. UMG Outside Lawyer Man: he managed to refute our question – why hasn’t UMG paid Robert his royalties on the two Summers & Fripp albums for the past 18 years? – without actually answering that rather simple question. Universal now refuse to reply to our e-mails, actually several hundred of them since 2006, which address ongoing violations such as those mentioned above.
Their UMG in-house Second-Tier Lawyer was not quite the sharpest sandwich in the picnic basket. When UMG took over Sanctuary, they ignored the clause in the contract negotiated directly by David Singleton and myself with the then-Numero Uno Merck Mercurisadis that invalidated our contract in the event of a takeover. Mr. Second-Tier Lawyer’s comment over the ‘phone to us was: You don’t expect us the read all the contracts, do you?

Actually, if you’re taking the contracts over, yes.

Now UMG retain one of the top outside UK music-industry lawyers to act as a blocking mechanism for our enquiries. Clearly, a First-Tier Lwyer. I had hoped his function was to bring about a reasonable settlement. Clearly, that was not his brief.

More fun than daily life in the music industry: to Bredonborough Arts Centre for a hot date with my Wife.

21.25    The Woman In Black. Perhaps two or three actually scary moments. In addition to the obviously-scary set-up moments, accompanied by knowing chuckles from the audience.

To gentle.