RE: f(rip)p

[mark sottilaro <marksottilaro@sbcglobal.net>]

While I'm not always 100% happy with everything that's
been coming out of KC the past few years (Loved The
Construktion of Light while the next one seemed mostly
lame... I can't even remember it's name) I have to say
that over all, if there's one man who's avoided the
Sting/Phil Collins trap, it would be Robert Fripp.

Mark

--- goddard.duncan@mtvne.com wrote:

> here's a bit of an exchange between a "fan" & mr
> fripp himself from eleven years ago. I've dug this
> up for the benefit of anyone who might imagine that
> I just go around making unfounded assertions about
> fripp & his career. this will serve to illustrate
> the criticisms I alluded to but which I was not
> myself directly making.
> duncan.
> Date: Fri, 4 Mar 94 13:01:36 GMT
> 
> From: Toby Howard <toby at cs dot man dot ac dot uk>
> 
> Subject: An open letter to Robert, and his response
> 
> 
> 
> Robert has sent some correspondence he's exchanged
> with a number of people,
> 
> for inclusion in the newsletter. Here's an open
> letter to him published in
> 
> "Input" magazine, followed by his response.
> 
> 
> 
> Toby
> 
> 
> 
> ********************
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> OPEN LETTER TO ROBERT FRIPP
> 
> 
> 
> I've been a big fan of King Crimson for many, many
> years and like a lot of
> 
> other people, the unpredictability of the music is
> why I enjoyed it.
> 
> 
> 
> But now I hear you are reforming the band yet once
> again (goodl) and you ar
> 
> using Adrian Belew and Tony Levin (bad!) in the
> "new" lineup. I'm sorry if
> 
> I step on some toes here, but your collaborations
> with these guys have
> 
> already been thoroughly exhausted LONG ago. I
> realize the 80s version of
> 
> the band was exploring minimalism but that doesn't
> mean you need to get
> 
> REDUNDANT.
> 
> 
> 
> "Beat" and "Three Of A Perfect Pair" were
> contractual obligations and
> 
> though they had their (few) moments, they just took
> the music from
> 
> "Discipline" and beat it to death. So it baffles me
> why you would reform
> 
> the group in this format.
> 
> 
> 
> Also the new band is to include Trey Gunn who may be
> a nice guy but quite
> 
> frankly has little to offer. I saw him play solo
> chapman stick and SURPRISE
> 
> he played it EXACTLY like Tony Levin on "Discipline"
> (as do most Chapstick
> 
> players) . And as a student of yours, he has shown
> himself to be a fine
> 
> CLONE but free of any originality. And Jerry Marotta
> does not have a
> 
> reputation as the most creative drummer in town, so
> I question your desire
> 
> to work with him.
> 
> 
> 
> I understand that you are putting the band together
> to make some quick cash
> 
> to pay your bills but the reality is that lf you
> toured under the name "Kin
> 
> Crimson" with a group of completely obscure
> musicians, you'd still draw a
> 
> huge crowd especially since Crimson has had such a
> wide influence on so
> 
> many different genres and music fans. So I do not
> comprehend why you are
> 
> playing it VERY safe and going with the
> tried-and-true (albeit talented)
> 
> Belew and Levin.
> 
> 
> 
> Certainly there are plenty of musicians you can work
> with that would make
> 
> for a more compelling lineup. From Fred Frith to
> Vinnie Coliatu (?)  there
> 
> are lots of creative musicians to choose from in
> both the rock and
> 
> avantjazz worlds. Many current rock bands are trying
> to cover some of the
> 
> ground you forged, such as The Jesus Lizard, Primus
> and so on. Surely you
> 
> could ask around and try out some fresh blood, Or
> move back to New York
> 
> City because there is a lot of amazingly inventive
> and skilled musicians in
> 
> the Downtown scene who've arrived since you left.
> 
> 
> 
> Plus with the conservativeness shown by your lineup
> choices, I'm afraid you
> 
> won't tackle anything but that 80s sound you already
> produced. I'd like to
> 
> see you subvert the very technical speed metal or
> industrial metal that
> 
> arose after the last Crimson disbanded, Everything
> from goth music to house
> 
> has learned a bit and could learn a lot more from
> Crimson. With some new
> 
> blood, you could subvert hip-hop and techno
> structures, or the recent
> 
> reemergence of funk and other very rhythmic musics,
> You could really kick
> 
> the crap out of world beat, new age, grunge, or
> modern classical stuff.
> 
> You could even get into the "unplugged" sweepstakes.
> But nooooooooooooo.
> 
> You just want to rehash?
> 
> 
> 
> Wake me up when YOU wake up.         CX Brodeur 63
> Pitt St #5f, NYC 10002
> 
> 
> 
> *****************************
> 
> 
> 
> Robert's response:
> 
> 
> 
> January 22nd. 1994.
> 
> Input,
> 
> GFTPM,
> 
> PO Box 1490,
> 
> 
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