King Crimson

    Quote from Fabrizio

    No Islands on the 70s list? I used to love that song, I have to go back and listen to it, it's been too long.

    I don't mind that one, in fact in doing this comp I rediscovered how much I like that album - Red is the only other one to boast 3 tracks. But my preference lay with the 3 tracks I've included. As I use 80-minute discs I always have to "murder some darlings" and frustrating as it can get, I quite enjoy the pruning and honing it down. Just running this one through, I'm really pleased with it. I stuck the tuning-up/rehearsal bit (edited down) from the end of Islands on to the start of Prelude and the whole thing made a very nice tranquil conclusion following the fury of the live Schizoid.

    Abandon all reason

    Quote from Fabrizio

    No Islands on the 70s list? I used to love that song, I have to go back and listen to it, it's been too long.

    Islands always struck me as an underappreciated album. While there at least five KC albums I would rank ahead of it, I always think of Islands as being one of my favourites.

    I was actually quite thrilled when I saw them a couple of years ago that not only had they brought back Mel Collins, but they performed two songs from Islands - "Sailor's Tale" and "The Letters."

    Quote from Witchwood

    While there at least five KC albums I would rank ahead of it, I always think of Islands as being one of my favourites.

    I agree and I think therein lies the problem, there are in fact 4-5 ''better'' KC albums and it is easy to underrate Islands. Still a good one though.

    Quote from Witchwood

    I was actually quite thrilled when I saw them a couple of years ago that not only had they brought back Mel Collins, but they performed two songs from Islands - "Sailor's Tale" and "The Letters."

    Yes I've seen them a couple of times in recent years and they did that pairing both times. I'm not too fond of The Letters on the album but it's really come to life on the recent tours. But Sailors Tale is superb with the current band. One of Fripp's 'rules' for the tour is "All the music is new, regardless of when it was written." It's a smart approach, and it really shows.


    I'm impatiently looking forward to the two gigs I'm treating myself to in November, Glasgow and Edinburgh. And booked it so I get a whole extra day in Edinburgh, always a pleasure.

    Abandon all reason

    Quote from Backdrifter

    Yes I've seen them a couple of times in recent years and they did that pairing both times. I'm not too fond of The Letters on the album but it's really come to life on the recent tours. But Sailors Tale is superb with the current band. One of Fripp's 'rules' for the tour is "All the music is new, regardless of when it was written." It's a smart approach, and it really shows.


    I'm impatiently looking forward to the two gigs I'm treating myself to in November, Glasgow and Edinburgh. And booked it so I get a whole extra day in Edinburgh, always a pleasure.

    A question for the KC fans, I like them and all but I feel sometimes Fripp is a bit overrated as guitarist and songwriter. Your take on that?

    Quote from Fabrizio

    A question for the KC fans, I like them and all but I feel sometimes Fripp is a bit overrated as guitarist and songwriter. Your take on that?

    I agree with you 100%.. The're a lot of KC fans out there, so it does not surprise me at all. Appreciate his talent, but not my favourite guitar player.

    Quote from Noni

    I agree with you 100%.. The're a lot of KC fans out there, so it does not surprise me at all. Appreciate his talent, but not my favourite guitar player.

    Don't get me wrong, I think he is excellent but there's like a cult around him which I believe in part he was good at cultivating and which in my mind doesn't really match his actual skills. I believe it was Bruford who said once that he is a bit full of it, of course Bruford said that about many people :)

    While hopefully not a cultist, I do like his work a lot and admire his skills, he is up there as one of my absolute favourite guitarists. I love the distinctive range of sounds and textures he has brought to his work. Bowie said himself and Eno were a bit stuck making Heroes and decided to bring in Fripp to have a go. Bowie thought he nailed it straight away and loved the plaintive sound he brought to the song. The mark of a truly skilled and creative musician, the ability to see what a song needs when even its author didn't.


    A BBC documentary about guitarists described him as "more like a professor than a rock star, treating the guitar as an instrument of science."

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    Edited once, last by Backdrifter ().

    Like 3
    Quote from Backdrifter

    While hopefully not a cultist, I do like his work a lot and admire his skills, he is up there as one of my absolute favourite guitarists. I love the distinctive range of sounds and textures he has brought to his work. Bowie said himself and Eno were a bit stuck making Heroes and decided to bring in Fripp to have a go. Bowie thought he nailed it straight away and loved the plaintive sound he brought to the song. The mark of a truly skilled and creative musician, the ability to see what a song needs wgen even its author didn't.


    A BBC documentary about guitarists described him as "more like a professor than a rock star, treating the guitar as an instrument of science."

    I admire his skills but I can't really say he is amongst my favorites, although clearly his talent cannot be denied and he does sometimes come up with truly inventive stuff, I don't always like his sound. I would say that I find it ''dry'' but I realize it would make little sense and I have no way of explaining it better.

    Fabrizio - It doesn't matter. You don't have to explain your view to anyone. If 'dry' is what you feel so be it. I can kind of understand that, in a way it goes back to the comment that he is like a professor; for some, his playing and technique will come across as clinical and too 'scientific', and might prefer more instinctive, emotional players. Heroes is one example where he did channel some emotion - 'plaintive' as Bowie put it.


    By most accounts he is very difficult to work with. It's clear from Bruford's autobiography he often had a very hard time in the band due to Fripp's criticisms and maddeningly eccentric behaviour.

    Abandon all reason

    Quote from Backdrifter

    It doesn't matter. You don't have to explain your view to anyone. If 'dry' is what you feel so be it. I can kind of understand that, in a way it goes back to the comment that he is like a professor; for some, his playing and technique will come across as clinical and too 'scientific', and might prefer more instinctive, emotional players. Heroes is one example where he did channel some emotion - 'plaintive' as Bowie put it.


    By most accounts he is very difficult to work with. It's clear from Bruford's autobiography he often had a very hard time in the band due to Fripp's criticisms and maddeningly eccentric behaviour.

    I have read somewhere, that he is suffering from autism. He is told to having played his set hidden behind a speaker, when he was on tour with Peter Gabriel back in the day. This might explain his focussed attitude concerning his guitar work and his difficult character.

    First we learned to walk on water.

    Then we tried something harder.

    - Red Seven -

    Quote from slowdancer

    I have read somewhere, that he is suffering from autism. He is told to having played his set hidden behind a speaker, when he was on tour with Peter Gabriel back in the day. This might explain his focussed attitude concerning his guitar work and his difficult character.

    I hadn't heard that but from what I've heard over the years it wouldn't surprise me if he is on some spectrum or other.


    When I was 14 I made him gasp and run away. It was the interval at a Peter Gabriel gig. I'd already indulged in a conversation with Phil Collins, who was sitting next to me. To my disbelief I then saw Fripp in the aisle. Having already got Phil's autograph I thought I'd try for Fripp's too. I asked him, excuse me aren't you Robert Fripp? He looked absolutely terrified, gasped "No!", turned and literally ran away, his legs a blur.

    Abandon all reason

    He’s definitely one my favourites – not necessarily for his technical prowess, but his creativity, unique ear for sounds, and his ability to come up with something unorthodox that complements the music.


    I cite “Fashion” by David Bowie as a prime example of what Fripp brings to the table.

    Listen to the guitar on that song.

    Fripp’s contributions take what would otherwise be a danceable pop tune to an otherworldly realm.

    Quote from Fabrizio

    A question for the KC fans, I like them and all but I feel sometimes Fripp is a bit overrated as guitarist and songwriter. Your take on that?

    As a guitarist, technically, I feel that having watched him play, he may very well be the best there is, BUT, like Moraz or Mariah Carey, he does not appreciate what musicality really is, he does not understand "less is more". While he can deliver real beauty in stuff like "Starless", "North Star", the 2 tracks he contributed to on Midge Ure's "Breathe", or Heroes, he can then turn in pointless drivel like the whole of the "League of Gentlemen" album.

    Ian


    Putting the old-fashioned Staffordshire plate in the dishwasher!

    Like 1
    Quote from Backdrifter

    Just re-reading that, it strikes me as sounding made-up. I promise, it isn't, it all really happened as described.

    While some people might make such a claim and it would instantly raise my suspicions, I have to say that upon reading your account all I felt was envy! You sat next to Phil Collins at a Peter Gabriel gig and then spoke to Robert Fripp. That makes you a sainted man in my eyes.

    Quote from StillCan'tDance

    While some people might make such a claim and it would instantly raise my suspicions, I have to say that upon reading your account all I felt was envy! You sat next to Phil Collins at a Peter Gabriel gig and then spoke to Robert Fripp. That makes you a sainted man in my eyes.

    I spoke to Steve Hackett...:P


    and he did not runaway!! ;)  ^^