- Robert Fripp
Infobox musical artist
Name = Robert Fripp
Img_capt =
Img_size = 250
Landscape = yes
Background = non_vocal_instrumentalist
Birth_name =
Alias =
Born = birth date and age|1946|5|16|df=yesWimborne Minster ,Dorset ,England
Died =
Instrument =Guitar ,Mellotron
Genre =Progressive rock ,psychedelic rock ,jazz fusion , ambient,instrumental rock
Occupation =Musician ,Songwriter , Producer
Years_active = 1968–present
Label = none
Associated_acts =King Crimson , League of Gentlemen, G3 (2004 tour),,Fripp & Eno
URL = [http://www.dgmlive.com/diaries.htm?member=3]
Notable_instruments =Gibson Les Paul Robert Fripp (born
16 May 1946 inWimborne Minster ,Dorset ,England ) is aguitarist ,composer and arecord producer , perhaps best known for being the guitarist for, and only constant member of, theprogressive rock bandKing Crimson . His work, spanning five decades, encompasses a variety of musical styles. He is married toToyah Willcox . Fripp was ranked 42nd onRolling Stone magazine's list of the "100 Greatest Guitarists of All Time" (published August 2003).Biography
Early career
Fripp's earliest professional work began in 1967, when he responded to an ad looking for a singing organist for a band being formed by bassist
Peter Giles and drummerMichael Giles , despite being neither a singer nor an organist. Though unsuccessful as a live act,Giles, Giles and Fripp did manage to release two singles, as well as an album, "The Cheerful Insanity of Giles, Giles and Fripp".Early King Crimson
Following the band's breakup, Fripp, along with drummer Michael Giles, made plans for the formation of King Crimson in 1968, with
Greg Lake ,Peter Sinfield and Ian McDonald. Their first album, "In the Court of the Crimson King ", was released in late 1969 to great success, and is now known as one of the most influential albums in the history ofprogressive rock . Due to musical differences with Giles and McDonald, King Crimson broke up shortly after the release of the first album, to be re-formed again several times over the years. Initially, Fripp had offered to leave the group; however Giles and McDonald felt that King Crimson was his. To date, Robert Fripp has remained the only consistent member of the band. Crimson went through a number of line-ups before Fripp disbanded the group for the first time in 1974.ide projects and collaborations
During King Crimson's less active periods, Fripp has pursued a number of side-projects. He worked with
Keith Tippett (and others who appeared on King Crimson records) on projects far from rock music, producing "Centipede "'s "Septober Energy" in 1971 and "Ovary Lodge" in 1973. During this period he also worked withVan der Graaf Generator , playing on the 1970 album "H to He, Who Am the Only One ", and in 1971, on "Pawn Hearts ". Collaborating withBrian Eno , he recorded "(No Pussyfooting) " in 1972 and "Evening Star" in 1974. These two albums featured experimentation with several novel musical techniques, including a tape delay system utilizing dual reel to reel Revox tape machines that would come to play a central role in Fripp's later work. This system came to be known as "Frippertronics ". Fripp and Eno also played several live shows in Europe in 1975.Fripp spent some time away from the music industry in the later 1970s, during which he cultivated an interest in the teachings of Gurdjieff via
J. G. Bennett (studies which would later be influential in his work withGuitar Craft ). He returned to musical work as a studio guitarist onPeter Gabriel 's first self-titled album in 1976, released the following year. Fripp toured with Gabriel to support the album, but remained in the wings and used the pseudonym "Dusty Rhodes". [ [http://www.elephant-talk.com/discog/fripp/indexu.html Robert Fripp Discography: Other Unauthorized Releases ] ]In 1977, Fripp received a phone call from Eno, who was working on
David Bowie 's album ""Heroes" ". Fripp agreed to play guitar for the album, a move that initiated a series of collaborations with other musicians. Fripp soon contributed his musical and production talents to Peter Gabriel's second album, and collaborated withDaryl Hall on "Sacred Songs ". During this period, Fripp began working on solo material, with contributions from poet/lyricistJoanna Walton and several other musicians, including Eno, Gabriel, and Hall, as well asPeter Hammill ,Jerry Marotta ,Phil Collins ,Tony Levin and Terre Roche. This material eventually became his first solo album, "Exposure", released in 1979, followed by the "Frippertronics" tour in the same year. While living in New York, Fripp contributed to albums and live performances by Blondie andTalking Heads ("Fear of Music "), and producedThe Roches ' first album, which featured several of Fripp's characteristic guitar solos. A second set of creative sessions withDavid Bowie produced distinctive guitar parts on "Scary Monsters (and Super Creeps) " (1980). Fripp's collaboration with bassistBusta Jones , drummerPaul Duskin , and vocals by David Byrne (Byrne credited as Absalm el Habib) produced "God Save the Queen/Under Heavy Manners " in the following year. He simultaneously assembled what he called a "second-division touring new wave instrumental dance band" under the name League of Gentlemen, with bassist Sara Lee, keyboardist Barry Andrews and drummerJohnny Toobad (later replaced by Kevin Wilkinson) . The LOG toured for the duration of 1980.In the early and mid 1990s Fripp contributed guitar/soundscapes to
Lifeforms (1994) byThe Future Sound of London and Cydonia (released 2001) byThe Orb , as well asFFWD , a collaborative effort with the latter's members. In addition, Fripp worked with Brian Eno co-writing and supplying guitar to two tracks for a CD-ROM project released in 1994 entitledHeadcandy created by Chris Juul and Doug Jipson. Eno thought the visual aspects of the disc (video feedback effects) were very disappointing upon completion, and regretted participation. During this period, Fripp also contributed to albums byNo-Man (a band featuringPorcupine Tree 'sSteven Wilson ) andThe Beloved (1994'sFlowermouth and 1996's X, respectively).King Crimson again
1981 saw the formation of King Crimson's fourth incarnation, along with
Adrian Belew ,Bill Bruford , andTony Levin . The group was conceptualized under the name "Discipline," but it came to Fripp's attention that the members thought the name King Crimson was more appropriate. For Fripp, King Crimson had always been a way of doing things, rather than a particular group of musicians, and the group felt that their music captured that methodology. After releasing three albums, this new King Crimson broke up in 1984.During this period Fripp made two records with his old friend
Andy Summers ofthe Police . On "I Advance Masked", Fripp and Summers played all the instruments. "Bewitched" was more dominated by Summers, who produced the record and collaborated with other musicians in addition to Fripp.In 1982 Fripp produced and played guitar on the "Keep On Doing" album by
The Roches . Similar to his previous guesting onDavid Bowie 's "Scary Monsters " (which also boastedPete Townshend andChuck Hammer on infinite sustain guitar), the "skysaw" guitar style which characterized this period of Fripp's pedagogy is featured alongside the sisters' songs and harmony.Guitar Craft
Fripp was offered a teaching position at the
American Society for Continuous Education (ASCE) in Claymont Court,West Virginia in 1984. He had been involved with the ASCE since 1978, eventually serving on its board of directors, and had long been considering the idea of teaching guitar. His course,Guitar Craft , was begun in 1985, one of the results of which was a performance group, "The League of Crafty Guitarists ," which has released several albums. In 1986, he released the first of two collaborations with his wife,Toyah Willcox . The members of theCalifornia Guitar Trio are former members of The League of Crafty Guitarists, andGitbox Rebellion includes several former Guitar Craft students. The California Guitar Trio has also toured with King Crimson.oundscapes
Fripp returned to recording solo in 1994, using an updated version of the Frippertronics technique that employed digital technology instead of tapes to create loops. Fripp released a number of records that he called "Soundscapes," including "1999", "Radiophonics", "A Blessing of Tears", "That Which Passes", "November Suite", and "The Gates of Paradise". ("Pie Jesu" consists of material compiled from "A Blessing of Tears" and "The Gates of Paradise".) On the Soundscapes recordings, the inner workings of the music are not as clearly laid bare as they are on "Let the Power Fall", perhaps due to the greater possibilities offered by the new technology.
ylvian / Fripp
Fripp's collaborations with
David Sylvian feature some of his most exuberant guitar playing. Fripp contributed to Sylvian's twenty minute track "Steel Cathedrals" from his "" album of 1985. Then Fripp performed on several tracks from Sylvian's 1986 release, "Gone to Earth ".At some point in late 1991, Fripp had asked Sylvian to become the vocalist for the reforming King Crimson. Sylvian declined the invitation, but proposed a possible collaboration between the two that would eventually become a tour of Japan and Italy in the spring of 1992.In July 1993, Sylvian and Fripp released the collaborative effort "The First Day". Other contributors were soon-to-be King Crimson member
Trey Gunn on stick and nearly-was King Crimson memberJerry Marotta on drums. When the group toured to promote the CD, future King Crimson memberPat Mastelotto took over the drumming spot. The live document "Damage" was released in 1994, as was the joint venture, "Redemption - Approaching Silence", which featured Sylvian's ambient sound sculptures (Approaching Silence) accompanying Fripp reading his own text (Redemption).King Crimson redux
In late 1994, Fripp re-formed the 1981 lineup of King Crimson for its fifth incarnation, adding
Trey Gunn and drummerPat Mastelotto in a configuration known as the "double trio". This lineup released "Thrak" in 1995; also in 1994 he supplied guitar textures on the track "Flak" onThe Future Sound of London 's albumLifeforms From 1997 to 1999, and again in 2006, the band King Crimson "fraKctalised" into five sub-groups known as .
2000 saw the release of a studio album, "
The ConstruKction of Light ", from a sixth lineup of King Crimson (Fripp,Adrian Belew ,Trey Gunn ,Pat Mastelotto ) with "The Power to Believe "following in 2003.In March 2004, a seventh lineup had been formulated and practiced with
Tony Levin returning to replaceTrey Gunn . In 2007Gavin Harrison joined the group to perform as a second drummer with King Crimson, for their "40th Anniversery Celebration". These "Celebrations" begin in August and King Crimson are only playing a select number of shows.Recent work
During 2004, Fripp toured with
Joe Satriani andSteve Vai as the guitar trio G3.Robert Fripp worked at
Microsoft 's studios to record new sounds and atmospheres forWindows Vista .cite web
url=http://channel9.msdn.com/showpost.aspx?postid=151853
title=Robert Fripp - Behind the scenes at Windows Vista recording session
date=January 12 2006
accessdate=2006-04-29
work=Channel 9
publisher=Microsoft] cite web
url=http://channel9.msdn.com/showpost.aspx?postid=287615
title=Making Windows Vista Sing: Robert Fripp and the Vista Melody
date=March 2 2007
work=Channel 9
publisher=Microsoft]In late 2005 and early 2006, Fripp joined
Bill Rieflin 's improvisational Slow Music project, along with guitaristPeter Buck , Fred Chalenor (acoustic bass),Matt Chamberlain (drums) andHector Zazou (electronics). This collective of musicians toured the west coast in May 2006.In October 2006, ProjeKct Six (Robert Fripp, Adrian Belew) played at select venues on the east coast of the U.S. [http://www.dgmlive.com/news.htm] , opening for
Porcupine Tree .Fripp has contributed soundscapes to two songs for
Porcupine Tree 's "Fear of a Blank Planet ". He is featured on the tracks "Way Out Of Here" and "Nil Recurring", the second of which was released in September 2007 as part of the "Nil Recurring" EP.The newest King Crimson lineup began rehearsing in March 2008, with several live shows planned for August and a more in-depth "return to active duty" planned for 2009.
Guitar technique
Fripp began playing guitar at the age of eleven. [ [http://www.dgmlive.com/rf/index.htm?bio=true http://www.dgmlive.com/rf/index.htm?bio=true] ] He says he was
tone deaf with no sense of rhythm when he started. [ [http://www.elephant-talk.com/wiki/Interviews#Robert_Fripp http://www.elephant-talk.com/wiki/Interviews#Robert_Fripp] ] His comment on dealing with the obstacle is "Music so wishes to be heard that it sometimes calls on unlikely characters to give it voice."While being taught guitar basics by his teacher Don Strike (who Fripp described as "a very good player in the thirties style"), he began to develop the technique of
crosspicking , which would later become a significant technique taught in Guitar Craft.In 1984, Fripp began using the
New Standard Tuning , which would also become the official tuning of Guitar Craft.Fripp is left-handed, but plays a right-handed guitar.
Discography
* 1968 "
The Cheerful Insanity of Giles, Giles and Fripp "
* 1973 "No Pussyfooting" (withBrian Eno )
* 1975 "Another Green World " (with Brian Eno)
* 1975 "Evening Star" (with Brian Eno)
* 1979 "Exposure"
* 1981 "God Save the Queen/Under Heavy Manners "
* 1981 "The League of Gentlemen" (with the League of Gentlemen)
* 1981 ""
* 1982 "I Advance Masked " (withAndy Summers )
* 1984 "Bewitched" (with Andy Summers)
* 1985 "Network"
* 1985 "God Save The King" (with the League of Gentlemen)
* 1986 "The League of Crafty Guitarists Live! "
* 1986 "The Lady or the Tiger" (withToyah Willcox )
* 1990 "Show of Hands" (withThe League of Crafty Guitarists )
* 1991 "Kneeling at the Shrine " (withSunday All Over The World )
* 1993 "The First Day " (withDavid Sylvian )
* 1993 "Darshan" (with David Sylvian)
* 1994 "The Bridge Between " (with the California Guitar Trio)
* 1994 ""
* 1994 "" (with David Sylvian)
* 1994 "Redemption-Approaching Silence" (with David Sylvian)
* 1994 "FFWD " (withThe Orb )
* 1995 ""
* 1995 "" (live)
* 1995 "" (live)
* 1996 "" (live)
* 1996 "Thrang Thrang Gozinbulx " (with the League of Gentlemen)
* 1997 ""
* 1997 "Pie Jesu "
* 1998 "The Gates of Paradise "
* 1998 "Lightness: for the Marble Palace" (for Brian Eno)
* 1999 "The Repercussions of Angelic Behavior " (withBill Rieflin andTrey Gunn )
* 2000 "A Temple in the Clouds " (withJeffrey Fayman )
* 2004 "The Equatorial Stars " (with Brian Eno)
* 2005 "Love Cannot Bear (Soundscapes - Live In The USA) "
* 2006 "The Cotswold Gnomes " (with Brian Eno)
* 2007 "At the End of Time (Churchscapes Live in England and Estonia) "
* 2007 "Beyond Even (1992 - 2006) " (with Brian Eno)Notes
The band
Catherine Wheel named a song "Fripp" after Robert Fripp on their 1993 album "Chrome (Catherine Wheel album) ".References
* "Robert Fripp: From King Crimson to Guitar Craft", Eric Tamm, Faber and Faber, 1990 ( [http://www.progressiveears.com/frippbook/contents.htm online version of book] )
* "In the Court of King Crimson", Sid Smith, Helter Skelter Publishing, 2001 ( [http://www.inthecourtofkingcrimson.com official website] )External links
* [http://www.dgmlive.com/diaries.htm?member=3 Robert Fripp's Diary]
* [http://www.dgmlive.com/ Discipline Global Mobile] - An independent record label founded by Fripp.
* [http://www.elephant-talk.com Elephant Talk] - King Crimson/Robert Fripp oriented Wiki.
* [http://www.cgtrio.com California Guitar Trio] - Exceptional students of Robert Fripp who play original, classical, and cover tunes with three guitars.
* [http://www.progressiveears.com/frippbook/ Robert Fripp: From Crimson King to Crafty Guitarist] - An overview of Fripp's musical career by Eric Tamm.
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