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Re: First Excursions into Frippertronics



Catching up here!

Without a doubt, "Evening Star" and "No Pussyfooting" are pioneer outings 
of
their own report.  I think of these two as a bit more indulgent, as if 
their
own "wow effect" hadn't receded yet, and both Fripp and Eno are not only
finding new places and marvelling at them, but having fun exploring as 
well.

While the soundscapes work is elegant at worst (!), I think that Robert
Fripp's most illustrative works of looping/frippertronics/roscotronics are
on "Let the Power Fall" and "Under Heavy Manners/God Save the King".  In
each of these releases, RF can be heard placing layer upon layer, until the
washes of sound just make me go all "Ah... yes".  In this role I think RF
found his teaching career, in a sense... and in many cases with both RF and
Eno, one comes away with a feeling that someone's said, "Here, listen to 
it,
here it is", and "Here's how it's done.  Go forth, nterpret and create for
yourself."  I think that, when the two of them get together, wonderful
things happen, and we get to enjoy it at least.

Unfortunately the CD release of "Under Heavy Manners/God Save the King" is
um, modified from its original release, with overdubs aplenty.  Not BAD
overdubs, mind you, but I wonder if it obfuscates the effect experienced on
the previous revisions, whereby we learn more.  I remember the first
revisions, and wish I'd put the vinyl to good tape before it began to pop
and click a bit.  In this particular case old vinyl doesn't shine, since 
you
eventually hear surface noise.  Thankfully, "Let the Power Fall" is of
course untouched in its pristine majesty on the CD release.

Regarding "Zero of the Signified" - one of my all time faves! - I 
thankfully
had it on tape (the vinyl version) and have transferred it to mp3 for my 
own
ecstatic enjoyment.  It's a good 13+ minutes long!  I believe that it was
Musician magazine that credited RF with The Longest Fade-Out Ever on this
one - and I think they may have been right!

S.P. Goodman
EarthLight Productions
*
http://www.earthlight.net/Gallery - Cartoons and Illustrations!
http://www.earthlight.net/HiddenTrack - Cartoons via Medialine!