TIMR 5: soundscape posters

Another of the musicians that has been active throughout my listening life.

Jeff Howard sold me a second hand copy of In the court of the crimson king. I would love to say I was hooked, but I wasn't. I enjoyed it, but Moonchild confused/bored me. I think I bought Groon when it came out, cause it was cheap, and was put off less by the awful sound than by the improvisations. As far as I remember the next step was Larks tongue in aspic, bought for me by my sister. And this did it for me - I was the right age, had listened to enough varied music to get it, an it hooked me. I went back and bought the intervening albums: I still am ambivalent about In the wake of poseidon, love the songs, extended cycle on side 2 and the cover of Lizard and think Islands is great (though Ladies of the road is a bit cringeworthy in its lyrics). And of course worked forward through Starless and bible black, Red and USA. The same sister bought me The great deceiver.

King Crimson went quiet and I followed Fripp through the work with Eno, the solo albums of Frippertronics, releases with Andy Summers, Exposure, League of Gentlemen. Loved them all,

Then came the next Crimson, and I bought all the albums, but was not really into - I still sing some of the songs to myself, but have never got digital copies. I think it is Adrian Belew's vocals but am not sure (I will have to get copies and retry). 

But I have continued to follow Fripp. In the nineties Discipline Global Mobile started up - Fripp's own label. I used it to keep up with his developing soundscape series, new King Crimson, the four disk Epitaph set, the Project box set, crafty guitars and more. Releases featuring Fripp always included fascinating essays about music and the music industry.

Around the turn of the millenium I lost contact with some music - I didn't buy David Bowie at that time. I think I was so focussed on the new music coming through the reviewing stream I didn't have the time or energy to keep up with old friends. As posted earlier I am right up with Bowie now, have bought the two 2000s Soundscape CDs & will post about where DGM is now.

But from that 90s period on my wall (the only things other than the Eno/Schmidt prints) are three posted released at the same time as the box 1995 Soundscapes live. The covers to the soundscape albums are (often) these horizontal abstracts that for me evoke misty beaches and are gorgeous. I would have bought them anyway, but this set was signed (in silver) by Robert Fripp. I am not an autograph hunter, but this makes a beautiful set more special.