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Subject: Re: ProjeKct 2 @ Palookaville, Santa Cruz, CA...
Author: "Matt McCabe" <mattm@bi-tech.com> at INTERNET
Date: 3/24/98 10:07 AM
Miko wrote: ProjecKt 2 w/Fripp, Belew and Gunn was pretty awesome friday
night!
Well...looks like I missed meeting Miko and Laurie at P2 concert in SC.
Alas! A belated howdy to you!!!
Sorry we missed you!
Is anyone else disturbed by Fripp's use of cheesy guitar synth sounds? I
mean, if *insert studdly keyboardist name here* played the same piano,
organ, and marimba sounds that Fripp used people would say "That sounds
sucks!" And it does!!! What is so fascinating about a guitarist playing
crappy keyboard sounds on a guitar? Okay....obviously this is a personal
pet peeve. I just don't get it.
I've often thought that sometimes was a problem as well. It does
work
quite well for the soudscaping, where it functions in a very
layered
built up fashion. If you're talking about his marimba and
xylophone
cheesy jazz vamps, well... Maybe it's Fripp just being his
hilarious
self! He's funnier than I gave him credit for. (after reading his
numerous posts to Elephant Talk.)
Although it was gratifying hearing the much loved Fripp fuzz tone, I left
wondering how they could do this gig night after night. With 3 extremely
talented and gifted musicians on stage I excepted more than just hallow
wanking. I kept waiting for the next level.
Perhaps I'm too much of an idealist.
People on ET have been raving about "the new vocabulary" P2 is exploring.
I heard nothing new. I heard drum sounds straight from ToaPP (Three of a
Perfect Pair's "Industry"), soundscaping from Fripp's many recent solo
discs, and Gunn's noodling ala his solo discs....
Well, maybe it's not exactly a NEW vocabulary, but It's a chance
to LOOK
for the new, while having a little fun. This tour offered these
three
persons the opportunity to improvise *together*. Sometimes magic
happens, sometimes dreck. But the opportunity* doesn't often
present
itself.
Having the option to go back to the drawing board and spend a year
writing and recording a release, then touring to support it...
Locked
into a fairly scripted progession of songs (possibly with great
moments
of chance and risk)
OR
Taking a spring break and cruising out on a month long tour
*Jamming
with a couple friends to recharge and make "any noise you felt
like"
playing on a given night... I think I'd like the opportunity to
get out
there and wank a little. At least there's the chance it could be
sublime.
Geezzz....what's my problem?????
Maybe *you've* been noodling a little too much. No worry. Write a
few
songs. Keep writing until your sick of writing. Write some more.
At some
point you'll be wishing you could do a little goofy noodling.
I think in my own looping I've been searching and struggling for form and
structure in my looping compositions. I'm tired of improvised
guitar-drones that go nowhere, are lifeless and dead, and brandish the
"Recorded live with no overdubs/Completely improvised" tag. BOOORRRRING.
See above. Maybe wank a little harder on the old guitbox. Drones
don't
necessarily have to drone. They can clank and bang as well. Get
out the
Whammy pedal!
I was hoping for enlightenment from the masters. Some clue as to the road
less traveled.
The masters are taking a much needed break from repeating
"DINO-SOAR!!!"
Matt
P.S. That being say, the P2 song directly after the intermission was
*very* cool, erie, and sublime. How in the heck was Gunn triggering those
vocal samples? IMO, this song hinted at what this group of musicians are
capable of.
I was pretty moved by that one as well. I had a nice seat to sit
back
and close my eyes, and was transported! I agree with much of what
you
say Matt. Sure the pounded on and on for a number of tunes.
The more I write, the more I realize the importance of leaving
chance
and risk in the formula, to allow stuff to evolve and grow. How
you add
structure around the chance, or add looseness to a strict
composition is
a dilemma we modern electroids all have to deal with.
Yours,
Miko B.