17.25
Rising c. 07.48 and down to the trough.
An interesting discussion with Mr. Bill on an outside table.
Mr. Bill had three friends attend last night’s performance. One of them, a classical pianist, had innocent ears in the Crimson Zone, attending The Court for the first time. Her husband, a famous English musician, visited Berlin I, skipped Berlin II for assimilation of a high-data experience, and returned for Berlin III. Mr. Bill’s third pal was another well-known musician. Their reports were favourable. We connected this to the fact that none of the three musicians were very familiar, even not at all, with KC. So, innocent and almost-innocent ears.
This is a primary guiding principle in recent DGM / KC Management discussions: New Ears. We welcome First Time Ears, and long-time ears who can assume innocence within a field of Crim experience: ie a Crim connoisseur. All and everyone with critical goodwill are welcome, but to see this incarnation through the prism of earlier KC operations is likely to be a dismal undertaking. Each of the incarnations has contributed their particular colour to the Greater Crim, and without those contributions we wouldn’t be here now. Similarly, none of those incarnations could do what is possible and available to The Eight-Headed Beast. It’s easier for innocents to take the measure of this band than die-hards. May we note: Sid Smith didn’t like the 1981 band for quite some, coming from connection to earlier formations.
David joined me and Mr. Bill, discussion continued, and we noted that our work was taking place within the global move underway: the unseating of the status quo. Historically, few power possessors have voluntarily ceded power. Revolution and catastrophe have proved more effective.
Honesty, responsibility, equity and goodwill are in short supply within the industry of my close, long and unhappy, acquaintance. I incline to the view that the music industry is not an exception to global business / managerial culture. Abuses of trust and violations of duties of care, by those in positions of power, are commonplace in current news reports. In 1991 it was more difficult than presently to argue that a chartered accountant, advisor to the Palace, treasurer of a leading charity and worker of good works, a man on the square, inheritor of a family estate, was a managerial abuser. Today, this would not be a radical proposition, nor one difficult to conceptualise.
https://www.judgments.im/content/J2039.htm
https://dgmlive.com/diaries/Robert%20Fripp/bredonborough-the-sun-has-begun-210916
One might even believe that organisations tend to be run for the benefit of those running the organisations rather than, for example, their clients and dependents. Like, collection agencies for mechanical and performance rights operating to serve the interests of the collectors, rather than those artists and writers are nominally having income collected for them. (This is a current DGM family problem, and typifies all the above).
So, here we are: King Crimson a band on the brink of… something; within a business world which is fundamentally self-serving, frequently corrupt; operating systems that function on a spectrum between inefficient and broken; and incompetence increasingly a norm; all within a global context where much that we thought we might rely upon is coming apart.
Is this a dismal situation? No! It is a time of opportunity. The new world is being born. For that, the old world must gracefully accede; if not gracefully, then hastened on its way with a little Rough Music c/o Brexit and President Trump; and if possible, also with kindness, courtesy and love.
Off to Stockholm.
"Remember to play."
