DGM is now sufficiently "real" and present to attract negativity. Few critics bother to give a failing artist a bad review, or even a review - period. Recent pieces in The Observer & New Statesman suggest DGM has reached a new stage of moving outwards into the world, which has coincided with a period of venting on the Guestbook.
What is the function of the Guestbook? This question has been raised in various ways by DGM staff and correspondents in response to recent dumping. Hostility has even spread from our Guestbook to my Sister's website.
Bill Shea of New Salem, NH, (or someone claiming to be Bill) posted this on Patricia's website on January 12th, 1999:
"Stay on your own web site, and stay away from the DGM Guestbook! WE are serious music lovers over there, and we don't need a no talent twit like you trying to be cute taking up space".
In response to (the perhaps) Mr. Shea:
1. My Sister is cute without trying. It's effortless with her.
2. Without my Sister's support and interest in DGM, neither DGM nor its website would be operational.
3. I am surprised and disappointed that Mr. Shea feels empowered to speak on behalf of the DGM Guestbook and / or its readers; ashamed that he might be a customer of DGM; and would rather he were not a member of any listening community which notionally expresses interest in my work.
A second posting to Patricia's guestbook, purportedly from George D'Andrea of Boston, suggests that Sister & her LiTtle bRuVveR are "both two silly people who would be better off putting (their) little sayings in fortune cookies".
This is a GREAT merchandising wheeze! Last night I suggested to my Sister (who is in New York) that she launches The Fripp Kids' Fortune Cookies: Take Charge Of Your Future!
A few of our visitors are perhaps familiar with the appalling stories of suffering described in the "My Encounter With The Raging Fripp" series sent to ET by innocent posters, all of whom found Fripp laying in wait to be nasty to them. The DGM Guestbook accurately reflects in all of its nuances, shifts & drifts, Fripp's Encounters With The Public throughout the period 1969-99.
It is too easy for a seemingly "successful" and "established" player, even one who attracts "serious" commentary and is mentioned in reference books, to be lulled into a comfortable quiescence and gentle satisfaction with an acknowledged career and body of work. Not only is this not a life for me, but on my own career and person the jury appears to be as divided as ever.
Uncritical adulation is a greater nuisance than nastiness: it appears to be supportive, while actually exerting an ongoing sticky demand. Nastiness reflects the state of the commentator, which undermines the credibility of the criticism.
But why read a Diary? when:
i) You don't like the Diary and / or The Diarist, and (significantly):
ii) You know that you don't.
It continues to surprise me that anyone would intentionally seek out a subject which they, reliably, know they dislike: perhaps, with the intention of making a negative comment?
The first time I saw this taking place in front of me in a professional context, powerfully and clearly, was in 1969 at King Crimson's second Speakeasy gig. Mick Farren of The (Social) Deviants and members of The Pretty Things came along to boo and heckle. They knew they didn't like KC, so why come to boo?
I understand someone disliking my playing, perhaps even not liking Greg Lake's singing & bass playing; but I find it hard to accept that anyone could / would take offence at Ian McDonald's flowing musicality. And how could anyone boo Mike Giles' drumming? My conclusion (pondered on for many years) is that the booing of Mick & The Pretty Things was not a function of KC, but of those who booed.
Two reliably negative critics - John Gill (UK) & Alan Neister (Canada) - have been able to persist in their hostility over many years: Alan Neister from 1973 to 1998. I don't believe either of them are stupid, so the negativity (more accurately, nastiness) in their reviews perhaps serves a function in their lives. Surely there are artists they prefer, so why not direct their impartial, critical faculties towards someone with whom they have a degree of empathy & engagement?
I speculate, in the absence of response from either John or Alan, that their reliable & ongoing expression of negativity is not the "fault" of the performer. From nearly 30 years of professional observation, my working conclusion is that here is a prime manner for posters / criticisers / negativitisers to manage their internal negativity - by expelling it outwards, onto others, who are "the cause" of the hostility. At this point, we approach "The Shadow" and I pass the topic over to those better qualified to comment.
On the net, everyone has "the right" to post any opinion they want. On the DGM Guestbook, anyone has "the right" to post their view, commentary or question if this right is balanced by the matching obligation/s:
1. To accept responsibility & accountability for the posting;
2. To consider the commentary, and take into account existing and available information;
3. To be sceptical of all claims & statements of seeming fact.
4. To engage with (critical) goodwill.
We have the right/s to the same degree that we honour the obligation/s which accompany it. The right to free speech carries with it the obligation that our speech is paid for ahead of time. Courtesy may be too much to ask for, but dialogue is contingent upon critical engagement in a spirit of goodwill. Failing that, the alternatives which present themselves hold a lesser appeal for me. To quote the title of a book by Neill of Summerhill: freedom, not license.
The Guestbook was created to provide an interface between DGM and its listening community. Engagement with a sceptical and informed audience, dialoguing in goodwill, keeps me sharp: the alert audience is a Pointed Stick for me. When postings from the basement are sent by slumbering audient, I occasionally reciprocate by robustly proffering a poke with The Point in return.
I am not prepared to censor the Guestbook (although we have filtered a small number of regular posters, not all of whom appear to enjoy sturdy mental health). I am also not prepared to allow the DGM Website to be a site for witless venting, even where the venting is (unintentionally) instructive. The quality of certain recent commentary has reached a level I associate with the prattings of the English music press between 1976 and 1984.
We have played fair with the Guestbook. What happens when public access is unrestricted (in person and virtuality) has been on clear display to anyone formerly uninformed / unpersuaded by the facts of living life out loud. So, I am accepting the "Warm Advice" of Blaine D. Arnold: "Dismantle the Guestbook".
We all lose.
Elephant Talk remains available for enthusiast posters whose contributions aren't moderated out by Toby. DGM's addresses are available for business correspondence and Club Members. If anyone is interested in writing to me directly, I am unable to enter into personal correspondence but, should they wish to write anyway, please include an address and fax number.
May I suggest Jeff Bragg posts his suggestion to ET? And Cameron Devlin a formal request, specifying exactly what he requires, to myself at DGM (with address and fax number)?
To anyone / everyone / whoever would like to continue asking why Fripp, despite all the good reasons which the poster reiterates once more, despite whatever newly devised scenario of novel construction which can only pique Fripp's interest and involvement, is not likely to reform the original King Crimson, these words:
My world is moving on. If yours is not, I wish you well and adieu.
14.09
The positive atmosphere and spirit of optimism in World Central is in marked contrast to the recent outbreak of angst-venting on the Guestbook. And The Afternoon Shift is underway.
"VROOOM VROOOM" is providing a radically revisionist reading of the parts as conceived and agreed in the Crim Reality Map, nominally designed to guide Crim players across strange, savage and surprising sonic terrain.
Rain. Rain. Rain is continuing after several days.
Our village doctor told Toyah yesterday that, with numerous victims of the Devil Bug, all he can do is choose which `flu sufferers will die without treatment.
14.35
"VROOOM VROOOM" is currently hurtling forward, acting with and against gravity at the same time.
"VROOOM" describes the remorseless, unforgiving inevitablility with which the repercussions of our actions (seen & unseen) follow and hunt us down. "VROOOM VROOOM" suggests that seeking to evade the repercussions is hopeless, but we might stand up in front of the consequences anyway, acknowledge them, and try to cut a deal (alternatively expressed, attempt to negotiate a settlement).
15.18
David is off to a birthday party. I am off to kiss my Wife goodbye as she sets off for Richmond.
21.20
Hugh is in Reading cheering for Garbage. He has taken a "Sometimes God Smiles" for each of the band, with my best wishes. At the very moment that Hugh's shouts of encouragement are urging the band on to fresh heights of achievement, the David & Robert Show continues to Fairy Dust "Neon Heat Disease". "Neurotica" is now werning & twerning in full flight: did we ever play this better than in Mexico City?
Ongoing & arising:
Yesterday Hernan Nunez called from Germany. We are looking at the possibilities of Soundscapes in Buenos Aires in May, a Guitar Craft course in Mendosa early September, and perhaps a Level One in Europe this year.
Will ProjeKct Three debut at South By Southwest in Austin this March? Right now, we don't know.
One day the telephone will ring and the future will have arrived.
22.34
"B'Boom" has moved into "THRAK" and I am wanting to reach for my guitar. This band is HOT. And now we have an early night.
