Hotel Arty & Acceptable, Mexico City.
Not doing, not willing, just being.
A Room With Two Views…
…and…
Two inner views: bathroom end…
Lounge end…
Rising at 06.35, a reflective reading over coffee. This reminded me of many reflective reading-hours beginning the day in various locations around the world. This morning, for some reason, I found myself revisiting reflective periods as a younger player in France. There was magic available, in addition to the remorseless grinding of the road, in those less professional days. Management cared little for the working players' grind: when travelling, they flew at the front end of the 'plane & stayed in Hotels Very Acceptable. The Double Standard was evident early on.
Associatively, I recalled comments made to ET from the Boston critic & writer Michael Bloom in 1993, criticising my reference to management only ever arriving at capital cities (I have yet to meet a manager visiting in Youngstown, Ohio, for example) and Fripp's hard-done-by tone. Michael proffered the opinion that the proper place of management was in the office, doing deals. How little Michael knew of EG, how little he knew of the industry's underside, despite his I am not clueless claim. And what did Michael know of the deals EG were doing, back in the home office? So much for the commentary of intelligent & relatively well informed journalists, for whom the actuality of the player's professional life is, very likely, beyond comprehension; as it would be for any decent person. I do not claim decency, but comprehending this life I find a stretch.
Now playing, a Purcell Fantasia. This is not music that entered our world driven by a commercial imperative.
14.45 Practising. Practising. How to contribute a solo to Ice Nine that supports the whole & is in my own voice, on a piece with a very different vocabulary & musical thinking to my own?
19.55 Auditorio Nacional, Mexico City.
An intriguing Soundcheck: the sound, in this empty auditorium, was very difficult; and refreshing our memories of pieces for the G3 jam.
G1…
Lunar Module Lands In Mexico City…
A Thinking Drummer?…
A Drummer's Friend…
G4's Dressing Room…
Running Order…
00.45 A significant juxtaposition? On the wall of the dressing corridor, the first photo is of G3 here in 2002 with John of Dream Theatre & the second is of KC's last public performance, in this venue on November 15th. 2003. For me, the most enjoyable show of that awful & damaging year on the road.
The audience in this town is one of the best in the world. I enjoyed this evening's Soundscapes: a strong sound from where I was sitting. Also, a strong set from Steve. I missed most of Joe's because Bill Rieflin, in town with REM, came by with Michael Bass to say hello. Very good to meet a Road Brother & his Rhythm Buddy, and discuss the concerns that working players of a certain age share; like truth, commerce, pain death horror suffering misery & joy.
