Why does Robert Fripp never smile?

Actually, he does smile quite a bit in person.  In fact, he is very different in person from his "professional" persona.

Peace.

FRIPP IS A BASTARD! I think he hates and loathes his fans so much that his face shows the pain he endures while becoming richer from us. Belva is right, Fripp is full of himself. I used to read his diary on the old DGM web site, and could not believe how he constantly chided and belittled most of his admiring fans. I used to email another Crimson fan, and expressed my feelings about him in a personal message, not knowing that the said person had a friend who personally knew Fripp. My email was forwarded to Fripp, and low and behold he exposed my personal message (never meant to be shared) to the world when he replied on his web site about it. It was extra nasty, and I believe I hit home with some valid points about his flawed personallity. He thinks he is a victum of his fans, and himself as an intellectual. He is not a humble or friendly man to the people who have made him rich. Face it Robert, if you are good, you are going to be photographed and bootleged. The tension he creates doesn't sit well with many of us. YES, he is a unique and a master guitarist, plus a prog-rock pioneer, no doubt! And YES, he does have the right to be the way he is, but his attitude is a real turn-off for me. When you become an international celebrity, you take risks, sorry that's just the way life is. I have always been in awe of his talent, but think much less of him now. It's harder for me to purchase expensive concert tickets and new music from him or Crimson, knowing that he doesn't appreciate his loyal fans. I believe his intellectual match his his old Crim partner Peter Sinfield. Sinfield used to post a quite humourous web site page of an extrordinary and long argument between Fripp and himself. It made me smile because Sinfield had some equally intense stabs and jabs at old Bobby. I highly doubt you will ever see them work together ever again. Go see the 21st Century Schizoid Band if you miss the old Crimson. I saw them on their last US tour show last year and they were fantastic, and proved that they didn't need Fripp at all. Fripp IS NOT King Crimson, just part of it, and the real essense of Crimson lies with the Schizoid Band. And I don't think Fripp is hurting from the photos or bootlegs either. He has a comfortable mansion with Toyah.

I mean, when did you do it Dennis?

Dennis wrote: FRIPP IS A BASTARD! I think he hates and loathes his fans so much that his face shows the pain he endures while becoming richer from us. Belva is right, Fripp is full of himself. I used to read his diary on the old DGM web site, and could not believe how he constantly chided and belittled most of his admiring fans. I used to email another Crimson fan, and expressed my feelings about him in a personal message, not knowing that the said person had a friend who personally knew Fripp. My email was forwarded to Fripp, and low and behold he exposed my personal message (never meant to be shared) to the world when he replied on his web site about it. It was extra nasty, and I believe I hit home with some valid points about his flawed personallity. He thinks he is a victum of his fans, and himself as an intellectual. He is not a humble or friendly man to the people who have made him rich. Face it Robert, if you are good, you are going to be photographed and bootleged. The tension he creates doesn't sit well with many of us. YES, he is a unique and a master guitarist, plus a prog-rock pioneer, no doubt! And YES, he does have the right to be the way he is, but his attitude is a real turn-off for me. When you become an international celebrity, you take risks, sorry that's just the way life is. I have always been in awe of his talent, but think much less of him now. It's harder for me to purchase expensive concert tickets and new music from him or Crimson, knowing that he doesn't appreciate his loyal fans. I believe his intellectual match his his old Crim partner Peter Sinfield. Sinfield used to post a quite humourous web site page of an extrordinary and long argument between Fripp and himself. It made me smile because Sinfield had some equally intense stabs and jabs at old Bobby. I highly doubt you will ever see them work together ever again. Go see the 21st Century Schizoid Band if you miss the old Crimson. I saw them on their last US tour show last year and they were fantastic, and proved that they didn't need Fripp at all. Fripp IS NOT King Crimson, just part of it, and the real essense of Crimson lies with the Schizoid Band. And I don't think Fripp is hurting from the photos or bootlegs either. He has a comfortable mansion with Toyah.

Come on, stop sugar-coating it; tell us what you REALLY think!

Belva,

It was two or three years ago. He copied and pasted my entire message. I stopped reading his diary from that point, and also whacked the other fan I sent the message to originally. I have no idea if it is still in his diary archives or if that even exists since I stopped going to the site from that point forward.

 

Dennis:

That is not the Robert Fripp I met and knew.  He was not only engaging and generous, but quite humble.

As for "difficult time" working with others, I suppose that depends on who he was working with.  Apparently, none of the people who worked on his solo albums (Peter Hamiill, Narada Michael Walden, et al) or David Bowie (with whom Fripp worked on Scary Monsters and Heroes) had any problem with him, and, in fact, got along famously.

Peace.

I don't know if what situations you've met Robert in Maani, but Dennis is right.  He can be a bastard.  But like most artists, he comes with a little baggage, and a bad temper and a need to be extremely controlling is part of his.

I've seen him when he was easy to deal with and a sweetheart.. then I've seen his nasty side. He's not unlike most overly intelligent musicians in that he's extremely moody.  Comes with the territory, I've always thought, cause he's not the only one.

Just commenting on the 21st century shiziod band... I thought King Crimson was about progress, and not living in the past just a thought .

Regarding the 21st Century Schizoid Band... when they were in their 20s... its very easy to be progressive because everyone's striving to move forward.  When you get the age those guys are now... in their 50s.. then looking back is pretty normal...

He smiles about as much as Bob Dylan does. Rarely.