Er...

Jun. 18th, 2019 11:06 am
johnny9fingers: (Default)
 


I never once thought I'd hear this played live:





And certainly not quite this well done. It seems that Master Fripp (for he is a master) finally has the right chamber orchestra to perform the collective compositions he led as prime mover in King Crimson. I'd love to hear the Ravel-influenced opening to "Exiles" done live. I may get a chance on Thursday as I'm due to see King Crimson at the Albert Hall.

The battery of drums in the 13/8 second movement slightly de-emphasises the original "solo leading instrument" aspect of the original, but is effective nonetheless. All-in-all it is a definitive performance; captured on camera as well as audio. Small quibbles: Fripp's guitar is just a little proud of the track at the beginning; and slightly lacking the beautiful reverb of the original. Fripp is running a Kemper for his live rig, if my sources are correct, so a small adjustment shouldn't be too difficult. But by the gods, this iteration of Crimson is really good. Really really good. And this version of Crimson, it appears, can do the compositions justice in a way never before achieved. At the crossover point where Hendrix meets Sibelius and Bartok there is a bespectacled chap, sitting on a bar stool, with a Les Paul; and his is one of a handful of the greatest musical imaginations ever to have picked up a guitar. 


johnny9fingers: (Default)
One of the things about being a guitarist is when you hear and see the best there is out there, you simply have to tell folk. There are lots of different "bests", obviously, but Jon Gomm is one of a rare group - folk whose playing has moved me to tears.

johnny9fingers: (Default)
Yesterday I was asked (at the last minute) to the 'Private Eye' supper in the Coach and Horses. I was also asked backstage at Bon Jovi's O2 gig to help sell an extremely rare and vintage guitar to Richie Sambora (whom I've never met).

So obviously I went home to spend the evening with Madame.

Given that I no longer dare to eat the peach, as it were, I feel I should be more discontented with my lot than I am.
johnny9fingers: (Default)
Still on the mixes and tweaks for Songdog.
Though yesterday afternoon we had a booking which I wasn't able to post for security reasons.
From 2pm until 7pm we had a booking from someone representing Pete Doherty who begged the time and swore us all to silence.
Of course, Pete didn't manage to rise from his bed of pain or pleasure, and was the perfect Rock 'n' Roll no show. No response from his management, either.
Sometimes this business is like waiting for an encore from Ritchie Blackmore (or according to rumour, for Jimmy Page to buy his round) - you just know it ain't gonna happen.
Poor Pete.
Hope he's alright.
johnny9fingers: (Default)
As the mixes have been getting to a more complete stage (awful construction that - complete shouldn't take a modifier) I've been thinking about the music I'm listening to.
Some of the songs are just beautiful fragments of melody and harmony wrapped about an extraordinarily articulate artist baring his soul. Some are the songwriting equivalent of Haiku. Some are Sonnets, and Some... 
The arrangements are sparse, and in general acoustic. Even in Jacques Brel or Scott Walker I've never heard so melancholy a sound as Dave's Accordian. (As an aside, when a drummer plays keyboards and accordian, you just know this ain't an ordinary band.)
I'm going to ask Pod (Karl) to show me around the mandolin - next on my buying list, or if not next, pretty high up the order.
Some of these are the slowest songs I've ever heard.
It is a melancholy (that word again) album that's strangely uplifting.
Much of it is lyrically quixotic: balancing squalor and humanity; lust, love, and morality.
Steve's doing a damn fine job on these mixes.
There are no explosions, no distortion pedals, no special effects (some nice reverbs). It was just recorded with good mics and pre-amps in a good space with a good vibe (in general - though there was some production friction earlier, but when isn't there?)

This music bleeds humanity, my dears, and I am smit.
johnny9fingers: (Default)
Lyndon has promised a track from the album to for preview, if that's the word. He'll allow me to put it on LJ. When it comes through I'll post it and you can all give me your comments if you want.
I worry that I'm too close to the whole process to judge accurately, but I'm an old cynical studio dog: it really takes something for me to get this enthused.
I have a feeling I'll dine out on this for years to come - It's unreal in its brilliance, passion, and restraint.

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