Re: Fripp & the EH16

[David Myers <dmgraph@pulsewidth.com>]

I was one of those whose whose breath caught in their throats upon seeing
the much loved EH 16 Sec on Harmony Central today for a measly hundred
bucks.  A 30-minite response time needed, surely--the guy didn't know what
he had.  That said, as someone has mentioned, they always were--and must
now be even more--very iffy devices, prone to giving up the ghost without
much notice.  (Note to DIY people: don't try to rebuild one into a
single-space rackmount.  It worked fine for six months, and then...)
$1500?!  Even the $995 JamMan guys are making a smarter purchase,
especially with the expected E-H reissue at the advance rumor stage.  But
if I had caught the H-C posting within a couple hours, I surely would have
called, rusty jacks or whatever....

I saw RF use one at Tower records here in the Village about '85; must have
been as an aside to one of the first two eighties-era KC tours.  He gushed
about being free of carting around the Revoxes and was obviously flattered
on the issue of its nickname "Fripp-in-a-box".  Throwaway little
performance, but I still have a fifth-generation bootleg cassette (sue me,
Robert) of a good 'un he did at Stonybrook around that time with the early
Roland synth and EH, and continue to marvel that there seems to be no
release of such material.  It was a solid step beyond "Let The Power Fall",
and far more musical than any of the "soundscapes".  Surely the man has
tapes; why he doesn't value them enough to make them available is puzzling.

David Myers

>> Have everyone forgotten that EH 16 second delay contraption circa 1984?
>> I've never used one but I think Belew & Fripp were pretty enthused 
>about it
>> when it came.
>>
>I saw Robert Fripp performing with one of these in Liverpool in 1984.
>This was a spontaneous "tour" following cancellation of a recording
>session with the Roches and was in Probe Records which held ca. 30
>people sardine style with many more outside (anyone seen a smaller
>loop venue?).
>He had a floor full of kit including GR300 and 700 synths, custom
>pedal board with the EH16, a Roland SpaceEcho and small mixer
>set up near his left hand (remember he is left handed).
>
>He must have played for about 40 minutes showing great command of
>the EH16 (reversing, overdubbing, reversing again, stretching,
>overbudding, un-stretching(?) and playing incredible lead over the
>top of it all, before fielding questions
>I think this performance left me the loop enthusiast I am today.
>
>I truely hope that DGM will release some material he produced with
>this set-up as it showed the incredible freedom of composition
>that a man under no pressure to "perform" can achieve.
>I saw him perform in Salisbury Cathederal (97) with his TC electronics
>set-up and although this was an awinspiring venue the material
>lacked a certain bite. Ah, the mellowness that comes with age.
>
>Enough ramble - Jim Carter