King Crimson with Belew will never happen?

Discussion in 'Music Corner' started by DLeet, Aug 11, 2016.

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  1. DLeet

    DLeet Forum Resident Thread Starter

    Location:
    Chernigov, Ukraine
    I thought his separation from KC was temporary, because he was not really needed for all the 70s material that Fripp wanted to play. But today I read these things from him on Facebook:

    "adrian belew in King Crimson in 2017 will not happen. nor in 2018, 19, 20....."

    "I look at it this way: when I am told I am no longer needed I move on. I have lost all interest in the band and have no desire to involve myself further. I'm actually wishing I hadn't even posted this. just trying to be nice. but in my daily life King Crimson is not something I think about much. I'm very happy being a solo artist."
     
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  2. Rfreeman

    Rfreeman Senior Member

    Location:
    Lawrenceville, NJ
    He was there as the face, voice, co-author and number 2 guy for 3 decades. I can understand him being miffed at being dismissed. No reason he should feel like he has to be on call for Fripp the rest of his life.

    I am grateful for the time he put in. No doubt there are few musical employers that put the level of demand on their employees that Fripp does. With the passing of Zappa and Beefheart, there may not be any in the rock sphere. Perhaps Becker and Fagan.

    Would like to hear him tackle some of the KC material that he sang in a solo context for those who want to hear it some more.
     
  3. DLeet

    DLeet Forum Resident Thread Starter

    Location:
    Chernigov, Ukraine
    More quotes:

    "there is no bad blood, but sadly there is nothing else. no contact. no conversation. just nothing."

    "why? would it make me feel good? have a little sympathy for how it feels from my perspective. I was in the band for 33 years and thought of myself as a partner to robert fripp, not as a hired hand. I guess I thought wrong. and I don't want to be reminded of it."

    Really sad. First Yes, now this. My favorite bands (or rather favorite configurations of favorite bands) just keep falling apart.
     
  4. the sands

    the sands Forum Resident

    Location:
    Oslo, Norway
    He can join Ringo's All-Starr Band.
     
  5. DLeet

    DLeet Forum Resident Thread Starter

    Location:
    Chernigov, Ukraine
    please, god, no.
     
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  6. the sands

    the sands Forum Resident

    Location:
    Oslo, Norway
    :winkgrin:
     
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  7. His new music on the "Flux" app (and much available on a CD as well) is really good. The songs "Rocketship" and "Summer Shower On a Thirsty Flower" are among the finest of his entire career. I'm looking forward to more like that.

    Also, I suspect that more than anything else, Fripp wanted to work out of the UK. When prepping new music for King Crimson, it was usually done with Fripp coming to Nashville.
     
  8. jacethecrowl

    jacethecrowl Forum Resident

    Location:
    Los Angeles, CA
    I love Belew in Crimson and I also appreciate the current seven-headed beast. I certainly think he could have sung more of the early repertoire if that's what Fripp had wanted to do. KC was at its most inventive in the late 90s-2000 when they were improvising like crazy, and Belew was a game contributor to that. If anything, the current band is playing it rather safe with its heavily-arranged chamber music. I want to believe those two guys can be pals, but I'm sure Belew has his reasons for being bitter.
     
  9. Robert Fripp being a dick. What a shocker.
     
  10. Tristero

    Tristero In possession of the future tense

    Location:
    MI
    Belew had a long, successful tenure with King Crimson, more so than just about anyone not named Fripp, but I'm not sure why he should have had the expectation that he would inevitably be called back to the fold at some point. Fripp has always felt compelled to reshuffle the deck with King Crimson whenever he felt like a particular incarnation had reached a creative impasse--this is how they've managed to keep things fresh over the years. Maybe he just felt that the partnership with Belew had gone as far as it could go and he wanted to mix things up and do something a bit different with this latest band, revisiting the old back catalog which had remained untouched for so long. Belew seems like a nice guy--and no doubt, Fripp can be a prickly person to deal with at times--but while I feel for him, I don't think he does himself any favors by airing his grievances on Facebook like this. I seem to recall that there was some similar bad blood when Fripp did that side project with David Sylvian in the early 90s. Sorry Ade, but Fripp's not monogamous that way.
     
    Last edited: Aug 11, 2016
  11. Squealy

    Squealy Forum Hall Of Fame

    Location:
    Vancouver
    It seems to me it's just a matter of Fripp wanting to re-explore the 70s repertoire and feeling that would not be an appropriate use for Adrian's talents. It's about respect for him in a roundabout way. The current iteration of the band is almost completely avoiding anything Adrian had a hand in beyond some instrumental music that was probably mostly Fripp's anyway -- there is no substitute singing "Frame by Frame" and making his guitar sound like an elephant.
     
  12. Holerbot6000

    Holerbot6000 Forum Resident

    Location:
    California
    Fripp wrote extensively about the 80's KC in his diaries that were published in Musician magazine long ago. The thing I remember him saying was that he had never intended to put Crimson back together in the first place. He intended for the Belew-Levin-Buford configuration to be a completely different band and then he realized one day that they were, in fact, a new incarnation of King Crimson. Perhaps this idea of Crimson 'becoming' rather than being deliberately put together still holds true for Fripp. He is definitely an eccentric guy with an uncompromising creative agenda, so I am inclined to cut him some slack. Also, given the history of the band, I think it's odd for anyone other than Fripp to think they had a job for life.

    Still, we never know what the future holds.
     
  13. Runicen

    Runicen Forum Resident

    Bill Bruford's autobiography made mention of Adrian being more... shall we say "sensitive" about his ideas being rejected and Bill's perception that Belew was very concerned about losing momentum in his solo career by devoting time and energy to the mighty Crim. These quotes kind of bear out a mentality of doing a friend a favor and putting a lot of yourself into an enterprise at the same time. Whether that's accurate perception or not is immaterial. I can't imagine putting that much time and energy while being on call for when the bandleader gets a wild hair to reactivate the thing and then not feeling at least a little stung that you were just dismissed as excess to requirements afterwards. Loyalty is kind of a two way street. Just my take on it - doesn't make me hate Fripp, but I can understand where Belew is coming from.


    Adrian was kind of an exception though. How many other people survived that many reshufflings? Bruford and Levin are it and the latter seems to definitely be content to play whatever he's allowed to play (though he makes it sound good regardless).

    Prior to the '80s lineup, there were very few holdovers short of Fripp himself and after the Thrak lineup imploded, Belew was the only old hand left on deck (i.e. pre-Thrak).
     
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  14. joeym3

    joeym3 Forum Resident

    Location:
    USA
    Adrian has given us much great music solo, with King Crimson, Bowie etc. He has my respect and admiration. I loved seeing him with Crimson a few times in the 80's, and then a few more on the last US Crimson tour.

    I also love the 60's/70's Crimson, and someday I'll get the recent Live in Toronto disc and/or whatever's next. Always loved 'em. And even though the live shows I heard from the recent incarnation had their high points (Mel Collins was a nice surprise, always dug Tony Levin), it felt like a cover band with Fripp fronting it. Maybe with Greg Lake or John Wetton on vocals/bass I'd feel differently. Or maybe an album of new material. If Adrian were still with them, that wouldn't be an issue. I also spew at the thought of John Mayer and Dead & whoever, Yes without Jon Anderson and on & on. Santana can be challenging due to changing vocalists etc. There are positive exceptions for me like post Lamb/pre Abacab Genesis, any incarnation of Fleetwood Mac up to when Christine left. But Crimson feels like a tribute band without Adrian. Much love to Mr Belew. He has a very impressive musical history.
     
  15. Tristero

    Tristero In possession of the future tense

    Location:
    MI
    It's true that Belew endured longer than pretty much any other player, but I don't think that automatically means that he was always going to be a member at any given time. I honestly have no inside knowledge of any discussions he and Fripp may have had on this topic or any kind of understanding they may have had. I just get the impression that Fripp reassembles the band based on his goals and intentions for the project at any given time. Given the renewed focus on the early 70s material, maybe he just didn't feel like Belew was the right fit at this point. Maybe he felt like his songwriting partnership with Belew had grown a bit stale and he was interested in working with new collaborators. I'm just speculating here.
     
    Last edited: Aug 11, 2016
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  16. Jimbino

    Jimbino Goad Kicker, Music Lover

    Location:
    Northern CA, USA
    Speculating is all we can do, really. Adrian's time with Crimson was great, and the current 7-member beast would not be as amazing it is with Adrian in it.
     
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  17. bcaulf

    bcaulf Forum Resident

    Welp, if he says himself that it'll never happen, then it'll probably never happen.
     
  18. It wouldn't have killed Fripp to send a one-line email to Belew - "Hey Ade, I'm putting KC back together but we're heading in a different direction so thanks for your past efforts but I'm using different personnel this time".
     
  19. CorporalClegg

    CorporalClegg Forum Resident

    Location:
    Italy
    Adrian is such a nice guy. I met him twice behind the stage after the KC show for a chat and compliments and he lovely offered an autograph and a handshake. This was the same with Mr Levin, Bruford, Mastellotto. But after a long wait for MrFripp to come out just for a handshake when he came out he rejected me and looked at me with angry eyes... Such a genius,but very unrespectful about me. I am a fan and really still don't understand why such behaviour for a fan... it's like me rejecting one of my customer: It is so uncoincivable... I am with Mr Belew and lost interest in KC without him... sorry Mr Fripp.
     
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  20. Say It Right

    Say It Right Not for the Hearing Impaired

    Location:
    Niagara Falls
    Was anybody here seriously expecting him to be back at some point?
     
  21. jacethecrowl

    jacethecrowl Forum Resident

    Location:
    Los Angeles, CA
    I'm not sure of that. He is best as a collaborator (I really wish he could bounce his lyrical ideas off someone who would tell him the truth) and adaptive to all kinds of musical situations. The current KC could certainly be taking more risks, and Belew is a great improviser. And he'd probably sing the hell out of the back catalog had he been asked. Fripp had his reasons, but I think Belew could have contributed a lot.
     
  22. Alternative4

    Alternative4 One of These Days I'll Get an Early Night

    Location:
    New Zealand
    I read these comments too. It seems it all started from a section of Belew's fans badmouthing Jakko. Belew just stepped in to say it was uncalled for.
     
  23. Jimbino

    Jimbino Goad Kicker, Music Lover

    Location:
    Northern CA, USA
    My understanding, based on items I read from Sid or Adrian or somewhere, is that Adrian really didn't want to sing any of the old tunes. Knowing that, it was extra shocking that they performed 21CSM during the '96 shows.
     
  24. Jimbino

    Jimbino Goad Kicker, Music Lover

    Location:
    Northern CA, USA
    Class act; Adrian is a true gentleman.
     
  25. detroit muscle

    detroit muscle MIA

    Location:
    UK
    Well I will be buying the upcoming re-issues of 'Beat' & 'Three Of A Perfect Pair' and celebrating what there was.
     
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