Re: grumpy loopers, genius vs. jerk

["K. Douglas Baldwin" <dbaldwin@suffolk.lib.ny.us>]

    Mr. Fripp himself has written at length (and apart from the Guitar
Craft/Discipline Records aphorisims, does he ever write succinctly?) about
the dichotomy of the artist as human vs. the artist as conduit for art. 
Wish
I could point you to a web site, but I only have said text in print. To
paraphrase, though: The artist has their "finger in the socket" of cosmic
energy. It is something which happens almost in spite of the artist's
wishes. Some can't take the current (Hendrix); some barely hold on (Miles);
some are so caught up in the seeming power that the rest of their lives are
neglected, including morality (Pound); and some manage to keep the boat
afloat with dignity (Cage, Casals).
    Another thought, given to me while wrestling with the O.J. Simson 
trial:
There are Heros and there are Role Models. Few are both. We may say that
there are  Artists and there are Role Models, and the few that are both are
Loopers.
Douglas Baldwin, Alpha male Coyote, the Trickster
dbaldwin@suffolk.lib.ny.us

-----Original Message-----
From: James Pokorny <j.pokorny@worldnet.att.net>
To: Loopers-Delight@annihilist.com <Loopers-Delight@annihilist.com>
Date: Sunday, October 31, 1999 10:31 AM
Subject: Re: grumpy loopers, genius vs. jerk


>>>If you must dis Fripp's stage demeanor, please do so elsewhere. :-)!
>>
>>Apart from the artist-in-question's attitude, Mr. Pokorny never said how
he
>>otherwise enjoyed the performance... Nor did he reveal who the ornery
>>looper was for that matter
>
>Good call, Tim!  I should have mentioned that the music itself was
>absolutely incredible.  The performer, whom I would prefer not to name, 
>had
>a virtuosic command of the instrument (which was NOT a guitar, but did 
>have
>some of those unmentionable taut wire things on it ;-} ), and also had a
>real mastery of the technology, pedals, and looping equipment.  I was most
>impressed by the textures, melodies, rhythms and complex arrangements all
>generated by one person through one instrument and devices.  If the music
>had not been so compelling I would have left after the first piece because
I
>resent being insulted by any performer.  I don't expect every musician to
>"work the crowd" or to win an audience over with their charming
personality,
>but I don't think it's too great a stretch of the imagination to realize
>that people who have paid money to hear you play should be treated with
>decency and respect.
>
>This brings up a somewhat off-topic point that's been brought up recently
>and has been plaguing me for quite some time:  how to separate the art 
>from
>the artist, especially when the art is sublime but the artist is a
>miserable, misanthropic so-and-so.  Some examples that immediately come to
>mind:  Richard Wagner, Ezra Pound, Pablo Picasso, Graham Greene, Lou Reed,
.
>. .  I'm sure that everyone can think of many other examples from the
worlds
>of music, art, literature, etc.  It's impossible not to admire their
immense
>talent or genius, but hard to reconcile the pain and grief that they
brought
>either to immediate friends and family, or to vast numbers of people
unknown
>to them (e.g., the very public anti-Semitism of Wagner and Pound).
>
>I don't want to get too far OT, but I always have difficulty in isolating
>the greatness of the art because conscience kicks in and urges "Yeah, but
he
>was such a jerk!"
>
>James Pokorny
>