Robert Fripp - Please make him amazing for me

I just felt like sharing this:

I haven't taken the time to read all the replies, sorry to say, so please excuse me if I repeat things already said. 

Robert Fripp is different, so far as I know, from all rock electric guitarists in his complete discipline (bear with me, I know there are people who don't consider that meritorious).  If I'm not mistaken, he is a proper very-British man of staid emotions and cool detachment (who, within the one context of the Les Paul, will suddenly rip your head off!).  Look at a picture of him playing, the myspace page for instance; most times you'll see a man calmly sitting on a stool, posture and technique perfect.  Most rock guitarists are far more about physically emoting while playing (not a knock, just a fact).  I saw KC in NYC at the Pier that summer when they supported ToaPP.  It's been a long time, but I'll try: he came out with a smile and a gentle wave to the cheering fans, sat erect with his guitar in that stool, and played a solo that floored everyone; I think a lot of it has to do with the wide difference between apparent manner (him sitting there, almost classical) and the intensity and honesty of the expression hitting the ear.  The members came out and (again, if I remember correctly) they broke into Larks' II.  Holy smokes it was great!

KC has to be understood I think within the crucible of classical musician and composer practices.  Look at the use of materials on the first side of Red, most especially the title track.  Fracture is a rondo (and if you're looking for a song to "make him amazing", you'd do worse than to start with Starless and Bible Black).

If someone decided to do a Mahler-orchestra-sized transcription of those middle-period KC masterpieces it would be easier than doing the same for all other prog bands, even those termed 'symphonic', because it's already there. 

BaldFriede wrote: jammun wrote: Two great KC songs where we get to hear Fripp at his best:   Cirkus, from Lizard.  The acoustic guitar work on this song...the manner in which it provides texture to the song proper...is amazingly amazingly amazing.    Then check out the guitar solo on LITA Part One, which solo to this day makes no sense to me but is still one of my favorite guitar solos by any guitarist.  It addles my already-addled brain.  I totally agree with the acoustic guitar in "Circus". If you don''t go "wow" over that one you have no idea of guitar playing. Also have a look at this video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C4V9pQsOc30 If this still does not convince you, you can't be helped.

Slartibartfast wrote: ...  after that, then recognizing Stewart Copeland had played with Curved Air.  I like to call it the prog rock web.   I don't know if someone's launched a thread on that yet...

harmonium.ro wrote: Fripp has played on a Blondie album?

The most impressive thing, for me, about Fripp's playing is his uncanny ablilty to produce sonic fluid arpeggos at will ...if Fripp was a superhero, that'd be his super power  

Had a lotta beans
and I got some gas
made a big fart
blew it out my ass

moshkito wrote: ...   Actually the Police are a Gong spin-off; they were originally called Strontium 90 and had an additional member, Mike Howlett of Gong on bass guitar; Sting played rhythm guitar at first. They played on the Gong festival which took place on May 23rd 1977. "Gong Est  Mort - Vive Gong" was recorded at that festival.   I doubt this very much ... Gong was there way before the Police ever came around, and while it is possible that Sting munched around and might have played, I doubt it ... during that time in the early 70's prior to the Police, both Andy Summers and Sting were involved with Eberhard Schoenner in Germany and I am inclined to believe that is where they met. While a couple of songs Sting sings in there are not great, they do show an ability to create words on the fly and adjust well, and that, I'm sure, is what got Andy and him together to make a band ...

Well, of course Gong came first: You can't  say The Police are a Gong spin-off if Gong wasn't around already

Slartibartfast wrote: harmonium.ro wrote: Fripp has played on a Blondie album?  I had heard that and then read somewhere he was only considering working with them, but I see two songs named, so I'll buy it. As I mentioned earlier, he has also played on a Darryl Hall album.

*21rst Century Schizoid Man
*Red
*Tremelo study In A Major (Giles Giles & Fripp-->amaizing solo on spanish guitar, it shows why fripp is the master of speed)
*Lark's...(1,2 and 3)
*Frame by Frame
*Level Five
*FraKctured
*Into the Frying Pan
*Thrack
*Vroom
*Elektrik