Why does Robert Fripp never smile?

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.

B-F-D

Really, you expect him to give you a blow job or something? 

I can never understand people who expect celebrities to fawn over their fans.  And I can see both sides of the "being faithful to your loyal fans" debate.  Let Fripp be his cranky self if he wants to.  Artists have always been notoriously tempermental.  Who in the world told you that they were supposed to be plastic fake-smiled Julie McCoy cruise directors?

I like Fripp just the way he is.  And while the 90s Crim might have fallen short of the standard we expect of the periodic reinvention of Fripp, we should appreciate how much better he did than most of the other prog giants.  You would prefer, say, Phil Collins?

Three major periods: 
1) early psychadelic
2) Hard prog
3) Modern prog

Each with very different lineups and a very different sound.  All representing serious technical departures/adventures/innovations in his own playing.  yes, he is not KC himself, but part of the band.  But he has an enduring innovative spirit that was much more Crim than any other single member.

Each of these periods also had amazing albums that were completely beyond what anybody had ever done before.  THAT to me is the ultiimate definition of prog rock, and Fripp embodies it.  No he's an old fart you fault him for not being able to do it again?  That's ridiculous!

Hangedman wrote:  it hasnt been the original crimson since 72

1969 actually.

I never smile.

Jim Garten wrote: gdub411 wrote: I heard that Greg lake ate lots of burritos during his time with King Crimson and was quite gassy. The fact that Robert Fripp never smiles is the residual effects of  Greg Lake passing gas. Hah! Now I understand the lyrics to "I talk to the wind" - Thanks Gdub!

You guys gave me a good laugh with this thread.

Because he has spent years dealing with Bill Bruford.

SM.

Granted it seems to be the case from what I've read that Fripp is rather moody, autocratic and abrasive, but how many of us actually personally know the guy?  If you look at photos of him in the Discipline era, he seems to smiling quite often, and it wouldn't be too much of a leap to suppose that he does so more in private.  Don't forget, Fripp famously dislikes being photographed, so it's probably unsurprising that you never see him smile in most of these photos.

Fripp was always more about the music than being nice to people, anyway.  And when you're that dedicated to something, it's inevitable that other people's concerns and feelings will be swept aside in pursuit of it.  Harsh, but true.

Yams wrote: This is the best topic ever! I wonder what Master Fripp would think if he saw this?

He'd probably post a 5 page post insulting every one of us by name telling us how much he hates us and how he wants Kign Crimson removed from progarchives.com.

Edited by NetsNJFan

I remember Die Toten Hosen from about 25 years ago, a great German art-punk band. Not the first musicians I'd associate with lake, but I suppose time has mellowed attitudes on both sides.

Dennis wrote: Here Here! And come to think of it...Have you seen any photos of Greg Lake lately? It's odd, but he seems to have inherited that funny, almost painful look that Fripp has. Maybe his age turned him into a musical Michelin Man. He needs help! Or it could be that he took too much Immodium-D for his problem and now needs GAS-X!

Is this the kind of thing you mean? (About 3 seconds after the shutter clicked he raised his right cheek and a small patch of lawn behind him died).

Incidentally, 3fates' opinion is that he looks good enough to eat in this photo.

This is the best topic ever! I wonder what Master Fripp would think if he saw this?