antoniodeste

I met Pierre Bensusan in '94 at one of his (amazing) shows, and there I had the chance to ask him what he thought of Hedges and the dedication that he had made to him in this extraordinary album. Pierre, smiling and with great respect, said that Hedges was far better than him and that he had taught him a lot.....
...And not just him, I would add. Hedges undoubtedly represented a significant turning point, a new way of understanding the acoustic guitar, a completely new and unexplored approach in the history of the instrument.
"Aerial Boundaries" represents the happy fulfillment of what was just outlined in "Breakfast..." in such a difficult balance that similar peaks, as Stefanet rightly observed, were never reached again for expressive intensity. Only, in my opinion, the live album "On the double planet," among the subsequent ones, manages to convey a fairly consistent fragment of what Hedges was capable of on stage. Thank you, Stefanet, for remembering it :)

For windtal1: I see that the impressions match. A final invitation, at least personally, directed at those who were (or still are) following Oldfield's work. Have you ever had the chance to listen to Il Giovane Talento in the early (very early 70s) at the court of Kevin Ayers (formerly of Soft Machine) with the Third World? Listen, to believe.....and...no tubular bells in sight yet..... Cheers and Regards ;-)

...well... and what about the “…tubular bells?” Of course, carrying around a “little tune” like Moonlight Shadows for a lifetime is truly a curse. But what did I do to have to read this too? Ah, I almost forgot the delightful absurdity of “radical chic British wannabes, etc., etc.” I've heard so much, and this, in context, fits like an almond in broth. (It might even be pleasant.) Ha, ha, ha, Inge, really funny. Write some more, maybe bigger ones, so we can laugh like fat folks.

I too count myself among those who consider "Hergest Ridge" a great work. A masterpiece missed by a hair, though. In front of an initial suite with epic-twilight tones, featuring a spine-chilling choral finale, there is unfortunately a concerning repetitiveness in some sections of the second part. You yourself, Alessandro, have pointed this out in the somewhat obsessive part of the "multitude of electric guitars." Of course, I may be splitting hairs, as they say, but it is true that as lucabbrasi claims, the first three, or rather four, of Oldfield are truly unmissable. And I also join those who argue that "Ommadawn" is indeed special. As for the reference to Windham Hill, I take it as a somewhat valid joke, but hardly sustainable in true depth. I have been, or perhaps still am, a fan of Will Ackerman, Hedges, Liz & Tim Story, early Mark Isham, and the like, and frankly, the association with Oldfield seems a bit forced to me. What do you say, Alessandro, about the latest Oldfield?
Best regards :)

To Fischerle: I am quite pleased with what you have written and I naturally share a lot of what I have read. It’s curious to note, in parentheses, how we have bizarrely moved from the Floyd to the Crimso, but perhaps it was a sign of destiny… Nothing to criticize about "In the Court," although I have some reservations about "Red." Let me explain: like you, I find the compositional process that generates a kind of "torment" or "convulsion," or, in any case, a certain emotional turbulence, extremely stimulating. "Starless" does have some rather distressing moments but I consider this, like the entire work, a swan song. I am much more inclined to regard the two previous albums as "historical" and musically important. In particular, "Starless & Bible Black." There is rich documentation about the live activity in the 73/74 period with this lineup (Fripp, Wetton, Bruford, Cross), also evidenced in the quadruple CD "The Great Deceiver," which I consider absolutely unmissable. The value, aesthetics, and quality of the improvisations from that period still leave one breathless today. I do not hide the fact that I am a devoted listener of the many jazz forms of the twentieth century and that, therefore, improvisation is the foundation of my language as a musician and guitarist. Well, the Crimso of that famous (and celebrated) biennium are still unattainable, in my opinion. The "last" ones, meaning those from "Discipline" to "The Power to Believe," are indeed great, but "different." I don’t know if I’m explaining myself clearly. I have had the chance to experience their strength and expressiveness live three times over six years, I believe, and I enjoyed both the double trio project (Fripp, Belew, Levin, Gunn, Bruford, Mastelotto) and the more recent quartet formation, BUT, if I listen again to "In The Wake," "Lizard," "Islands," or even "Larks," and, of course, "In the Court," we are truly in a different place. As for any bibliography on the group, I confess I am not very updated: however, I possess an old book (around 1980) by Alessandro Staiti (published by "Arcana Editrice") titled "Robert Fripp & i King Crimson"; it is very enlightening. Sometimes I still reread it to solidify certain concepts. Regarding "No Pussyfooting," we are in paradise; I am so attached to that record that I believe I would definitely "name" it among the famous hundred hypothetical albums to take to a desert island. "Evening Star" is unmissable, as I imagine you would agree, in the middle. "An Index of Metals" is one of the greatest flops in experimental or "avant-garde" music. I was rather perplexed by "The Equatorial Stars." I’ll tell you that when I first heard the news, I felt a bit smug; a new work from Fripp and Eno after thirty years!! I must say that, overall, the work has some nice moments, but I find it fundamentally too cold and/or detached. I mean that the emotional involvement is a bit lacking for me personally. In conclusion: wouldn’t it be the case to perhaps leave this very pleasant de-recommendation about Roger Waters since we are discussing a little piece about things that no longer concern Roger Waters? Warm regards, :)

To Fischerle: I read with what passion and even a certain vehemence you uphold and defend commendable and praiseworthy positions regarding the jodo intervention. Honestly, I don't know how the latter will take it, as he seems decidedly more straightforward and resolute. We'll see.
As for Fripp, you’re preaching to the choir with me. I'm a long-time (actually, very long-time) fan and, I believe, albeit with a hint of arrogance, I could write a short essay on his human and artistic figure. Of course, the double thread of his activity leads me to think you are a Crimson Lover, so please, if you want, share your thoughts or impressions on this.
Regarding the great Richard, I’ll tell you that it’s been centuries since I listened to Lohengrin or the Valkyries, but if I must mention an author that particularly stimulates me in a genre I have pretty much abandoned, it would be Gustav Mahler (particularly the 1st and 5th symphonies).
To conclude, I inform you that Japan 1993 (which is a bootleg and if Fripp finds out, I think he'll get angry, Sylvian perhaps less...) exists in a VHS video version with somewhat psychedelic-modernist footage, but still worthy of viewing. Oh well, just in case you didn’t know… Hasta siempre :) Ah, I almost forgot: do you have the two albums that Fripp made with Andy Summers (the one from the Police) "I Advance Masked" and "Bewitched" ? (around 1980/82) and the experiments with the Centipede orchestra from the early 70s? And the first two albums with Eno "No Pussyfooting" and "Evening Star"? And "God Save The Queen" or "The League of Gentlemen" from 1980?
Let me know! Bye-bye!

For jodo: I have to say that I agree with the second part of your "thesis"; in fact, some characters are never satisfied (even though Radiofreccia is not bad at all, keeping in mind my absolute indifference towards Ligabue as a singer, for example). The idea that writing songs or pieces in "song form" is a "lesser" form of art seems to me a somewhat debatable statement, but that doesn't make it unworthy of consideration. After all, one tries to "diversify" their work... and if they also find their audience, loyal and happy (with the "second nature or activity"), who can you blame? The supposed qualitative inconsistency of the activity or the "artist" (or presumed such) who juggles multiple jobs? Let me know what you think.... Hasta la vista :)

Thank you so much, Josi, ajeje, El Guevo. I'm not a "newbie" and I really needed targeted and knowledgeable clarifications beyond the usual things you can find online. Now I have a clearer idea, and listening to (again) the secret migration today didn’t seem that "super" after the first two or three listens. Maybe it’s because I’m starting to anticipate "Deserter's songs"? Thanks again and see you soon :) thanx also for the tips on the Flaming Lips!

Between us, Stefanet, aside from the beautiful things you mentioned on the "classical" side, not all of the RTF repertoire is to be discarded. It might be because the blood was still fresh and young in my veins, but I still fondly remember "Where Have I Known You Before," or even more virtuoso, but not for that reason aesthetic, "The Romantic Warrior." I'll tell you, though, that being (was?) a guitarist, I followed more the footsteps of Bill Connors first and Di Meola after. If you find it worthy of a listen, try to check out "Swimming with a Hole in My Body" by B. Connors. After the experience with Return to Forever, he had an enlightening return to the acoustic and recorded this work for ECM, which I personally consider above the ordinary, even if not extraordinary (with a beautiful and haunting cover...). The discussion around Di Meola is different and more complex. The GRP... yes, they did produce something good, and frankly for a period I even followed his "politics" based on vibrant fusion, at least in the late '80s and '90s. I liked the works of the Grusin brothers and Diane Schuur, among others. Then I just couldn't stand the "standard" anymore, and I migrated elsewhere. (Windham Hill). Saludos! :)

Indeed, this is a nice "piece" of ECM from the '70s, so kudos to Stefanet for bringing it back to life. I had almost forgotten about it myself... If it's true, as Hal says, that Burton deserves all the accolades, the situation for Corea is different. Personally, a bit like Hancock's schizo phase in the '80s, Corea hasn't consistently pursued his (enormous) talent and early insights in a coherent way. The leap from Davis's ensemble to the first RTF core is understandable and, being under Eicher's wing, justifiable. Less so is what happened with the "funky" version of RTF (Clarke, Connors, or Di Meola, and Lenny White). It started off with a bang... but in the end, it dragged on. The revival in the late '80s with the Elektric Band was awkward. Corea, on his own, is a fantastic pianist ("Now he sings...") but, unfortunately, like many of his peers... he got a bit lost along the way. It was also happening to Burton, with some rather pathetic, mass-produced works for GRP. But at least he found that great Japanese pianist, Makoto Ozone, with whom he brought his sparkling vibraphone back to life. Well done, Stefanet, anyway! :)