King Crimson: Classic Or Dud

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I bought a King Crimson album tonight. Tower had them all in a 3 for £18 deal. I bought "Red" thinking it was by the 80s Crimson which has long intrigued me a bit but then it turned out it was by the proper scarey 70s Crimson. EEK! Anyway it sounded OK. What do you think of them?

― Tom, Friday, 15 February 2002 01:00 (11 years ago) Permalink

Can't believe they've not been discussed here before. I'm wild about the BEAT/DISCIPLINE/THREE OF A PERFECT pair era of the band (notably for Tony Levin's nimble Chapman stick thwacking). IN THE COURT OF THE CRIMSON rocks thoroughly, of course....."21st Century Schizoid Man"? Who could argue?

I've heard great things about RED, but I've never heard it. Possibly due to the stigma of John Wetton. Even though RED predated Asia by veritable eons, I cannot erase the crime.

― Alex in NYC, Friday, 15 February 2002 01:00 (11 years ago) Permalink

Red is the only one I know. The scary instrumental parts are great but when the voices come in they're extremely pallid and non- scary and the mood gets wrecked and I wonder why I'm bothering and I usually put on something else. Do they have any albums that are all instrumental?

― Ian, Friday, 15 February 2002 01:00 (11 years ago) Permalink

Red is my favourite of the earlier Crimson, because it's not too wacky. I know we've discussed Crimson on the board before, because we got into this discussion of early Crimson lyrics and how they bordered on the inane. Red is not quite so inane, lyrically, and the music is muscular and scary in places, without getting too overblown. Tom, next purchase should be Discipline, if you're intrigued by the 80s Crimson.

― Sean Carruthers, Friday, 15 February 2002 01:00 (11 years ago) Permalink

More Crimso talk here.

― Sean Carruthers, Friday, 15 February 2002 01:00 (11 years ago) Permalink

Okay, here's a stretch of a question: did any of you out there catch VH-1's "100 Greatest Artists of Hard Rock"? Whell, amidst those 100, they featured a quick segment on Crimson, and showed some live footage of the band, although I'm not sure from which era. The line-up featured Wetton on vocals, doing almost a scat-styled lyric. It was very free- form sounding, but still quite cool. Being that their catalogue is a bit on the vast side (and I'm only really familiar with COURT OF...and the DISCIPLINE and beyond periods), can anyone tell me where that particular track can be found?

― Alex in NYC, Friday, 15 February 2002 01:00 (11 years ago) Permalink

I had "Thrak" about 5-6 years back and used to like it a lot. Have not listened to it for a long time. Bought "In the court fo King Crimson" last year. Liked it for some time but then got bored of it. Still like the a couple of songs on that album though.(21st century Schizoid man, The court of the crimson king).

― Atul, Saturday, 16 February 2002 01:00 (11 years ago) Permalink

'Red' is OK but overrated. It's so STATIC. Nothing moves, except for the title track it's as constricted as Fripp's bunghole. I actually prefer 'Larks Tongues'. 'Islands' is the worst album ever made by anybody.

― dave q, Saturday, 16 February 2002 01:00 (11 years ago) Permalink

I quite like Islands, even though its made by the previous line up I can hear quite a lot of Larks in it. Some of the tracks on it are complete clunkers though - the lingering Sinfield / Tippet influence.

Red is ace, and has been discussed here before. The instrumental tracks are the ones that sound less dated - especially the title track and its 'devils interval' backstory.

But I think Wettons vocals on Starless and Red are lovely and I disagree that the placid quietness of them is just 'static' - there is a line on one of the tracks on Starless... 'My Home... was a place by the sea' which I just adore and I've never known why - but it kept popping up in my head when I had my Steve Erickson reading binge a couple of years ago and it has that same mesmeric Erickson quality of difference and strangeness but not different and not strange (ooh thats a hopeless description: Somebody save me here!).

There are three formulas involved in the Larks/Starless/Red tracks - and I think I like them all.

There are the dream-like songs I've already mentioned - all playful repeating echos of other things, and that strange wailing sound which I always imagine is one of them corrugated tubes you wave around your head - but presumably is just frippertronics (it turns up on evening star too). I always thought they were an influence on Nirvana on Nevermind's quiet moments but haven't seen it confirmed that Cobain knew this stuff.

Then there are the agressive ones - Red, the loud bits in Larks part one - the bit in Fracture where it suddenly changes speed. For a prog band they sure conjure with an magikal energy - that stuff sounds great - its a shame that neither the post rockers like Mogwai / Aeorgramme / etc or the Nu Metallers studied that stuff to avoid making their mistakes. Its not just a feature of that period of Crimson though, 21st C on the first album, the bit nicked from Mars on the second have that feel too.

The bits that are left form a third grouping, mainly instrumental and much more passive - but definately not static. The quiet bits of Larks pt1, Trio, Night Watch. Larks overtly references Vaughn Williams and thats a good suggestion of what's going on, Debussy and Satie too. But there is a lack of optimism in those tracks that doesn't sit well with the grace of those influences. They are bleak and hopeless feeling too.

― Alexander Blair, Saturday, 16 February 2002 01:00 (11 years ago) Permalink

LARKS' TONGUES and STARLESS AND BIBLE BLACK are both better, though "Starless" is oft-considered the all-in-all best thing they ever did (me, I think it's "Exiles" from Larks').

"Easy Money" has this (on the live versions, not the studio version, alas) great (for prog rock, mind you) bit of lyric:

"So I argued with the judge, But the bastard wouldn't budge, 'cause they caught me licking fudge, and they never told me once, you were a minor..."

― Joe, Saturday, 16 February 2002 01:00 (11 years ago) Permalink

I only have In the Court of the Crimson King and it's classic, don't listen to anyone who says otherwise. The track "Red" is quite good too. Your next purchase should be Pawn Hearts by Van der Graaf Generator.

― sundar subramanian, Saturday, 16 February 2002 01:00 (11 years ago) Permalink

Ignoring their ridiculously anal 'chops' - which I sort've admire - I've never heard a King Crimson rec. with tolerable singing on it. It's what puts me off a lot of prog, to be honest. Get 'Dart Drug' by Jamie Muir and Derek Bailey instead!

― Andrew L, Saturday, 16 February 2002 01:00 (11 years ago) Permalink

Really? What do you find objectionable about the vocals on, say, "Epitaph?"

― sundar subramanian, Saturday, 16 February 2002 01:00 (11 years ago) Permalink

Sundar they are horrible is what is objectionable!! Which LP is "Ladies of the Road" on? (It's on my best of promo tape... ) Anyway, it is the UGLIEST ROCK SONG EVER WRITTEN, sound and words (it's abt groupies), which is an impressive achievement. Wasn't RED K.Cobain's fave record? KC fascinate me I must say because they grate on me SO extremely: I can't dismiss em at all, because their effect is so exact.

― mark s, Saturday, 16 February 2002 01:00 (11 years ago) Permalink

Mark - "Ladies" is on 'Islands'! It's the only track on the album where they sound awake, so you can imagine what the rest of it is like. ("Sailor's Tale" doesn't count, of course)

― dave q, Saturday, 16 February 2002 01:00 (11 years ago) Permalink

As a teenager I liked the Belew era and hated the Lake era, but now it's opposite. I can't separate KC3 from the other PBS-special 80s 'arty crowd', belongs in 'American Psycho' along with Laurie Anderson, Basquiat, the Roberts Wilson and Mapplethorpe, all the other downtown yuppie shit. Get the first three Talking Heads albums or the middle three KC albums instead.

― dave q, Saturday, 16 February 2002 01:00 (11 years ago) Permalink

dude just read what i said in the old thread
"UGH.. I hate the 80's trilogy. I think fripp really lost his magic then. My favortie period is the 73 Starless band. They were so fucking hard and funky. Then they got quiet like a whisper. Awesome stuff. "

― chakli, Saturday, 16 February 2002 01:00 (11 years ago) Permalink

More on Belew's fourth-rate David Byrne impersonation - "I repeat myself under stress, I repeat myself under stress." Geddit? Hilarious, eh? Anybody who finds that remotely amusing in any way should be avoided.

― dave q, Saturday, 16 February 2002 01:00 (11 years ago) Permalink

Red is a great album. I bought it for 4.99 at the HMV sale. It's true that the singing isn't great but it isn't horrible either and the instrumental parts are really fantastic. You can go back to them over and over again. Fripp is on song. It grows on you.

Mark- Apparently Red is KC's favourite album ever. He also loved the raincoats, having written some brief notes for the reissue of their excellent debut. Even though nirvana sucked he had good taste (though I think that he only said that to piss off the metal fans that bought his music).

― Julio Desouza, Saturday, 16 February 2002 01:00 (11 years ago) Permalink

Lake's voice was quite good, though (per usual) a bit lofty, especially singing Sinfield's lofty lyrics. Still, at least he could sing back then. Wetton's voice was quite good, though has a 'smoky' quality to it that's an acquired taste. Belew is a bit piercing in the higher registers, but I think in the lower registers or when he's imitating Lennon or Orbison, it's okay.

― Joe, Saturday, 16 February 2002 01:00 (11 years ago) Permalink

By the way, Greg Lake and John Wetton are the Dick York and Dick Sargent of rock: discuss.

― Joe, Saturday, 16 February 2002 01:00 (11 years ago) Permalink

Prog is taking over this message board for some reason. Anyway, fine by me. However, Joe, does that make Fripp Sherwood Schwartz? Wrong show! Aaron Spelling?

Classic by virtue of the mid 70s albums alone, though the 80s were at least interesting, with Discipline being a damn good album. I was never a huge fan of the early KC, and the 90s version hasn't knocked me out -- YET. I do look forward to Nuovo Metal, though I really wish Fripp would have stuck with the first ProjeKct (worst gimmick ever, the whole "Kc" thing needs to be stopped) band. Apparently Fripp couldn't live with himself putting out a studio record that was avant-noise, even though that's obviously one of things at which he excels.

― dleone, Saturday, 16 February 2002 01:00 (11 years ago) Permalink

re: Wetton and Asia - can't forgive him

I'd never heard Asia until last week (whilst ripping vinyl to cd for an acquaintance) and it was a truely awfull thing to have to put my house through. So I can understand why you might hate him because of this. But I've always liked his mid 70s stuff, most especially the 2 albums he did with Family: "Fearless" and "Bandstand".

However, his lyrics are, for the most part, very bad indeed - has anyone heard 'Same Time Next Week' from Phil Manzanera's "Diamond Head"? Very ugly.

― philT, Saturday, 16 February 2002 01:00 (11 years ago) Permalink

I used to be a big KC fan and can find something to like about all their albums, but the only stuff I feel like listening to now is Red (because it's heavy and sometimes funky and has 'Starless'), the double live album from the 80s band (because it's like an 80s best of with great sound and because it's poppy and new wave enough that even my girlfriend can like it), and ThraK, which I've always had a soft spot for. I think it's a great blend of their 70s heaviness and 80s pop songs with, um, lots of drums.

― Jordan, Saturday, 16 February 2002 01:00 (11 years ago) Permalink

dominique wrote: However, Joe, does that make Fripp Sherwood Schwartz? Wrong show! Aaron Spelling?

Agnes Moorehead, obviously. :)

― Joe, Sunday, 17 February 2002 01:00 (11 years ago) Permalink

So who's Paul Lynde?

― nickn, Sunday, 17 February 2002 01:00 (11 years ago) Permalink

mark s, there is a truly eye-popping site discussing Sinfields lyrics here:. http://www.songsouponse a.com/Promenade/ if you want to delve even further into Islands its on chapters 16 and 17.

Ladies of the Road and Formetera Ladies are the clunkers I refered to above btw. Though I think Sinfields worst lyrics are on Still.

― Alexander Blair, Sunday, 17 February 2002 01:00 (11 years ago) Permalink

i wuv the idea that KC were in fact FUNKY: even slimy-greasy purist chaki says so, tho i note they were carefully not mentioned on THIS THREAD however. What, does the word have two meanings after all?

― mark s, Sunday, 17 February 2002 01:00 (11 years ago) Permalink

And this is a surprise? ONLY two would be a surprise!

― Josh, Sunday, 17 February 2002 01:00 (11 years ago) Permalink

Alexander wrote: "there is a truly eye-popping site discussing Sinfields lyrics here:. http://www.songsouponse a.com/Promenade/ if you want to delve even further into Islands its on chapters 16 and 17."

Truly unfathomable, I wouldn't have believed it had I not seen it with my own eyes. However, it explains much. There's a site where I help write reviews for prog rock albums, and we once received a snippy letter for dissing the Wake of Poseidon album (or at least, not being fanboy-ish enough towards it), and the person, opening up by claiming we had "less wit and culture than an ant" (yep) used much of the material found in the Wake of Poseidon chapter as their defense of the album and its depth. Maybe it was even The Keeper of the onyx-embolden'd-husking-jewelled-warthogs website himself! :)

― Joe, Sunday, 17 February 2002 01:00 (11 years ago) Permalink

4 years pass...

Boz Burrell, RIP http://www.marketwire.com/mw/release_html_b1?release_id=165889

― kyle (akmonday), Friday, 22 September 2006 22:32 (6 years ago) Permalink

4 years pass...

Cue your golf swing.

― Ned Raggett, Wednesday, 27 July 2011 16:32 (1 year ago) Permalink

Wow... Mind = blown.

― An influential prophet from Denton, Texas (Dan Peterson), Wednesday, 27 July 2011 16:42 (1 year ago) Permalink

Very cool! thx ned

― an excellent source of vitamins and minerals (WmC), Wednesday, 27 July 2011 16:43 (1 year ago) Permalink

"that's some really wild stuff"

― buzza, Wednesday, 27 July 2011 16:44 (1 year ago) Permalink

In The Lounge of the Crimson King

― tylerw, Wednesday, 27 July 2011 16:46 (1 year ago) Permalink

Dave Q really killed it on this thread, huh? I like lots of KC but I hardly ever find myself playing them. When I do, it's either Larks' Tongues or Beat.

― Clarke B., Wednesday, 27 July 2011 18:29 (1 year ago) Permalink

I think Belew's a pretty terrible lyricist but that was kinda the point, right? The lyrics weren't supposed to stand out. It was all about the music at that point.

― frogbs, Wednesday, 27 July 2011 18:31 (1 year ago) Permalink

2 months pass...

Met this guy tonight who said he'd done tarot card readings with Adrian Belew, back in '83 or so

the story just got weirder from there

― geeta, Tuesday, 27 September 2011 07:54 (1 year ago) Permalink

4 months pass...

― nostormo, Saturday, 4 February 2012 13:35 (1 year ago) Permalink

6 months pass...

Fripp speaks

― Elvis Telecom, Saturday, 4 August 2012 20:10 (9 months ago) Permalink

excellent...wish it was longer

― frogbs, Saturday, 4 August 2012 20:18 (9 months ago) Permalink

2009 Crimson, with Porcupine Tree drummer as second drummer, was awesome live.

― Josh in Chicago, Saturday, 4 August 2012 21:28 (9 months ago) Permalink

so, who is buying the 13 CD, 1 DVD, 1 Blu-Ray of Larks' Tongue In Aspic?

http://www.dgmlive.com/news.htm?entry=3916

― EZ Snappin, Monday, 13 August 2012 19:48 (9 months ago) Permalink

Just registered for DJM live site just so I could hear a sparse guide track for "Islands" the song. Boz sounds like he's singing into a cheap condenser mike, but otherwise it's quite lovely.

'Islands' is the worst album ever made by anybody.
― dave q, Friday, February 15, 2002 7:00 PM (10 years ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink

NO.

― Ermahgerd Thomas (Dan Peterson), Monday, 13 August 2012 20:19 (9 months ago) Permalink

its kind of weird to imagine that King Crimson only played a fixed amount of concerts when they were active. it feels like they're able to just create more and more live bootleg material at will, even if it was phyiscally impossible for them to have played that many dates.

― frogbs, Monday, 13 August 2012 20:20 (9 months ago) Permalink

So many of them are pretty dodgy quality though, aren't they?

― Ermahgerd Thomas (Dan Peterson), Monday, 13 August 2012 20:21 (9 months ago) Permalink

― frogbs, Friday, 17 August 2012 13:23 (9 months ago) Permalink

classic:

'released in three separate editions to satisfy the merely curious and the expectant collector'

― j., Friday, 17 August 2012 14:31 (9 months ago) Permalink

so, who is buying the 13 CD, 1 DVD, 1 Blu-Ray of /Larks' Tongue In Aspic/?
http://www.dgmlive.com/news.htm?entry=3916

Who ISN'T?

― Naive Teen Idol, Monday, 20 August 2012 03:26 (9 months ago) Permalink

Skipping 148 messages at this point... Click here if you want to load them all.

Yeah that was the highlight of the vid. Watching him dig into the fast section of lament I felt like I was really hearing him think "this is the music I really want to be playing", as corny as that sounds.

― "Turkey In The Straw" coming from someplace in the clouds (Sparkle Motion), Thursday, 23 May 2013 16:00 (2 days ago) Permalink

My reading comprehension is terrible! But:

So how, as main writer, did Fripp compose? "Manuscript, pencil, guitar and write it down as it flows by," he says. He nips into the next room and comes back with a sheaf of handwritten scores, which he presents. "Can you remember Red, the opening bars? It was originally part of Blue and it's written here. There are bass parts written out for Red, for strings and overdubbing. Here you have The Battle Of Glass Tears and Cirkus from Lizard. The original parts for Schizoid Man are in here, the fast breaks," he says, singing along.

Here he's talking about writing things out for guitar, blues, strings ... what did I miss? What's the difference between composing in written form and handing out charts? Why else would he be notating bass, strings, etc?

I wonder if he wrote out his solos on Eno and Bowie albums.

Famously, these were all pretty much spontaneous, The solos in "St. Elmo's Fire" and "Baby's On Fire" were the product of minimal direction. Much of "Heroes" was pretty one take, iirc, and I believe "Scary Monsters" he cranked out in a couple of quick sessions with very little forethought.

The Belew story I heard re: "Lodger," by the way, was similar to how he said "Remain in Light" was made; he was basically told to just play a bunch of stuff, and those noises and solos were moved around and stuck in weird places during the editing process, well after he was done.

― Josh in Chicago, Thursday, 23 May 2013 19:10 (2 days ago) Permalink

So that quote is the second time I've heard mention of "Blue" which obviously never came to fruition. Does anyone on this thread know more of that story? Did it become something else later?

― "Turkey In The Straw" coming from someplace in the clouds (Sparkle Motion), Thursday, 23 May 2013 19:14 (2 days ago) Permalink

He's got scores with bits and parts, not full arrangements. He writes down the bits to remember them and show them to the players -- which is normal, and a very different thing from handing out full complete arrangements. He liked to compose with pen and paper, other dudes use tape recorders. He never says he wrote out everybody's parts, and none of those players would have stayed if he had.

― Three Word Username, Thursday, 23 May 2013 19:16 (2 days ago) Permalink

Eh, I think you're being as pedantic as I was being generalizing. The fact that he writes out any of his parts is impressive to me, but perfectly in line with his precise nature.

none of those players would have stayed if he had.

Though to be fair, stability and longevity has not been a KC hallmark!

― Josh in Chicago, Thursday, 23 May 2013 19:28 (2 days ago) Permalink

Are the three early '80s records the longest he went with the same line-up?

― Josh in Chicago, Thursday, 23 May 2013 19:28 (2 days ago) Permalink

You can't forget that Fripp comes from a supper club jazz kind of background, and non-specific charts are pretty normal for that world.

― Three Word Username, Thursday, 23 May 2013 19:31 (2 days ago) Permalink

I wonder how imposing the King Crimson fake book is.

― Josh in Chicago, Thursday, 23 May 2013 19:53 (2 days ago) Permalink

xp - it definitely was. Beat and Power to Believe are the only two KC albums with the same lineup as the previous one (and Beat is IIRC the only studio album without a title track)

― frogbs, Thursday, 23 May 2013 19:57 (2 days ago) Permalink

I think the Fripp/Belew/Gunn/Mastelotto lineup might win out timewise, but just barely.

― "Turkey In The Straw" coming from someplace in the clouds (Sparkle Motion), Thursday, 23 May 2013 20:07 (2 days ago) Permalink

Yeah, if so, just barely. Never liked Gunn in the band ...

― Josh in Chicago, Thursday, 23 May 2013 20:24 (2 days ago) Permalink

I still say the abandoned (final?) lineup with Gavin Harrison from Porcupine Tree was soooooooo awesome.

― Josh in Chicago, Thursday, 23 May 2013 20:26 (2 days ago) Permalink

This is more indicative:

― Josh in Chicago, Thursday, 23 May 2013 20:27 (2 days ago) Permalink

xp - it definitely was. Beat and Power to Believe are the only two KC albums with the same lineup as the previous one (and Beat is IIRC the only studio album without a title track)

― frogbs, Thursday, May 23, 2013 2:57 PM (32 minutes ago)

TOAPP has the same lineup as Beat

― WilliamC, Thursday, 23 May 2013 20:34 (2 days ago) Permalink

I was gonna say

― "Turkey In The Straw" coming from someplace in the clouds (Sparkle Motion), Thursday, 23 May 2013 20:39 (2 days ago) Permalink

Yeah, if so, just barely. Never liked Gunn in the band

I didn't either until I started really digging into the Projekcts. I appreciated him alot more afterward. What I have never cottoned to is Mastelotto.

― "Turkey In The Straw" coming from someplace in the clouds (Sparkle Motion), Thursday, 23 May 2013 20:42 (2 days ago) Permalink

Again, seeing him with Harrison made all the difference.

― Josh in Chicago, Thursday, 23 May 2013 20:45 (2 days ago) Permalink

You know, I don't think I've ever had more reservations, exceptions, and conditions about music that I've loved so wholeheartedly than with KC. And nearly everyone I've ever encountered who's a diehard fan has expressed something similar. I think it must be inbuilt.

― "Turkey In The Straw" coming from someplace in the clouds (Sparkle Motion), Thursday, 23 May 2013 20:45 (2 days ago) Permalink

Was that the only show/stand that band ever did?

― "Turkey In The Straw" coming from someplace in the clouds (Sparkle Motion), Thursday, 23 May 2013 20:46 (2 days ago) Permalink

― "Turkey In The Straw" coming from someplace in the clouds (Sparkle Motion), Thursday, May 23, 2013 4:45 PM (54 seconds ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink

otm. they are the worst best band.

― 2 huxtables and a sousaphone (Jon Lewis), Thursday, 23 May 2013 20:48 (2 days ago) Permalink

great lyrics tho gotta give em that

― Pasty, British & Shit (wins), Thursday, 23 May 2013 20:49 (2 days ago) Permalink

xxxp - oh yeah, I knew that. originally I was going to say that the 80's band was the only consistent one but I had forgotten about the 00's band. pretty nuts that it took them that long to get any stability on that front. it's not like Yes where they'd replace one member per album or whatever either, the 1969-1974 KC was really four different bands and then the Discipline era was something else entirely.

hence why talking about this band can be difficult. in general when most people refer to "King Crimson" they think of the 73-74 band. I had a shirt with the back cover of Red and someone told me they loved Crimson back in the day but thought the cover was referring to Discipline...he said "they had a red one, a blue one, and a yellow one", completely unaware of their first run.

― frogbs, Thursday, 23 May 2013 20:50 (2 days ago) Permalink

ha! I love that era but it really does feel like a different band to me

― Pasty, British & Shit (wins), Thursday, 23 May 2013 20:54 (2 days ago) Permalink

great lyrics tho gotta give em that
― Pasty, British & Shit (wins), Thursday, May 23, 2013 1:49 PM (5 minutes ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink

See what I mean? With anyone else I'd think you were trolling.

― "Turkey In The Straw" coming from someplace in the clouds (Sparkle Motion), Thursday, 23 May 2013 20:56 (2 days ago) Permalink

I assumed he was being very dryly sarcastic

― 2 huxtables and a sousaphone (Jon Lewis), Thursday, 23 May 2013 21:12 (2 days ago) Permalink

You never can tell where KC fans are going to come down

― "Turkey In The Straw" coming from someplace in the clouds (Sparkle Motion), Thursday, 23 May 2013 21:30 (2 days ago) Permalink

not trolling, no, just assuming that all other fans will know immediately that I'm not in earnest. I was trying to prove your point!

― Pasty, British & Shit (wins), Thursday, 23 May 2013 21:38 (2 days ago) Permalink

I love it
There are a few lyrics here and there that I like.

― "Turkey In The Straw" coming from someplace in the clouds (Sparkle Motion), Thursday, 23 May 2013 21:45 (2 days ago) Permalink

that '70s video is great, just watching bruford play starless & bible black. i had forgotten how much i've stolen from him.

― precious bonsai children of new york (Jordan), Thursday, 23 May 2013 21:56 (2 days ago) Permalink

Also love that he's playing a four-piece kit. Suck it, other prog drummers.

― Josh in Chicago, Thursday, 23 May 2013 22:01 (2 days ago) Permalink

his kit sounds amazing too.

― precious bonsai children of new york (Jordan), Thursday, 23 May 2013 22:03 (2 days ago) Permalink

Clang!

― Josh in Chicago, Thursday, 23 May 2013 22:04 (2 days ago) Permalink

One of my favorite bits on the Great Deceiver is right before one track somebody screams "EAT YOUR HEART OUT BILLY COBHAM"

― "Turkey In The Straw" coming from someplace in the clouds (Sparkle Motion), Thursday, 23 May 2013 22:09 (2 days ago) Permalink

Where seldom is heard, a discouraging word ...

― Josh in Chicago, Thursday, 23 May 2013 22:12 (2 days ago) Permalink

Because any excuse is a good excuse:

In an interview Cobham once said he practiced his press rolls on a quarter placed against a wall, his sticks keeping it stuck there.

― Josh in Chicago, Thursday, 23 May 2013 22:14 (2 days ago) Permalink

― Josh in Chicago, Thursday, 23 May 2013 22:15 (2 days ago) Permalink

So that quote is the second time I've heard mention of "Blue" which obviously never came to fruition. Does anyone on this thread know more of that story? Did it become something else later?

Kind of

― Naive Teen Idol, Friday, 24 May 2013 12:13 (Yesterday) Permalink

intriguing, could you elaborate?

― "Turkey In The Straw" coming from someplace in the clouds (Sparkle Motion), Friday, 24 May 2013 12:52 (Yesterday) Permalink

― Josh in Chicago, Friday, 24 May 2013 13:02 (Yesterday) Permalink

huh, not caring much for bowie ('low' mainly and the earlier singles) i never knew fripp played guitar on 'heroes'. i'm not very familiar with it but i would have thought fripp's distinctive sound would have been noticeable.

― j., Friday, 24 May 2013 18:02 (Yesterday) Permalink

my mind is still totally blown by him appearing on mr & mrs. introduced as "toyah wilcox's husband, robert" and then just a quick mention about him being a renowned guitarist.

― stirmonster, Friday, 24 May 2013 18:23 (Yesterday) Permalink

The guitar on "Heroes" sounds pretty Frippy to me? In his more ambient mode anyway. He's all over Scary Monsters too btw.

― EveningStar (Sund4r), Friday, 24 May 2013 18:56 (Yesterday) Permalink

Tbh, I'm kind of blown away by rock guys who can write, remember, and play all their repertoire WITHOUT writing it down.

― EveningStar (Sund4r), Friday, 24 May 2013 18:59 (Yesterday) Permalink

Yeah, Fripp's distinctive sound is pretty evident to me on "Heroes", you sure know it is him, but he plays a lot less notes than when he solos full-on (so yeah, closer to him in ambient mode, somewhere in between ...).

― grandavis, Friday, 24 May 2013 19:03 (Yesterday) Permalink

i've listened to a fair amount of his soundscape stuff, i guess i just associate his sound with a lot more presence instead of wafting around atmospherically.

― j., Friday, 24 May 2013 19:05 (Yesterday) Permalink

that guitar doesn't waft around atmospherically. it's the sound that carries the entire melody

― akm, Friday, 24 May 2013 19:29 (Yesterday) Permalink

hey, i'm just telling you, it seems wafty to me.

― j., Friday, 24 May 2013 19:46 (Yesterday) Permalink

It's not like the guitar synth Soundscapes stuff but that main distorted line could have fit on Evening Star imo.

― EveningStar (Sund4r), Friday, 24 May 2013 21:16 (Yesterday) Permalink

The "Heroes" line is pretty Frippy to me, though not as jagged as his other stuff, like on the Eno records or Scary Monsters.

― Josh in Chicago, Friday, 24 May 2013 21:30 (Yesterday) Permalink

It's not an Ebow!: http://www.soundonsound.com/sos/Oct04/articles/classictracks.htm

― EveningStar (Sund4r), Friday, 24 May 2013 22:50 (Yesterday) Permalink

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