Monday, June 11, 2007

Manhattan Neurotica


manhattan neurotica volume 2 no. 4

as I mentioned in the download of the song dust
it's rare for me to have a krimson piece to offer,
most of that material is lovingly cared for by DGM.
I'm not sure why I even have this particular musical version,
perhaps it's what I worked to while writing the lyrics.
the unusual thing about this take is the absence of robert.
this is tony, bill, and adrian
(an early P3?).

as with most krimson pieces this began as an all-out
musical assault which we would
test drive in front of numb audiences.
it was given the working title manhattan.
right on the heels of making our "honeymoon"
record discipline
we were already hard at work on new material.
we played manhattan as an instrumental piece
for most of a tour while I tried to wrap my mind
around the idea of singing something over this maelstrom.

in the dark heart of the off-broadway theatre district
on 45th street between 7th and 8th
is the Milford Plaza Hotel.
in the early 80's I always seemed to be housed there
during my frequent visits to the big apple,
despite my numerous protests.
the Milford Plaza might be a great place nowadays,
but back then it was a glitzy pit
trying hard to look respectable
in a neighborhood of porn palaces.
once you got past the doorman
and the neon lit marquee
and settled into your monochromatic cell,
I mean, room,
the truth didn't quite match the TV ads
of glittery dancers on their way to a hot new play.

bill bruford once found a dead rat in his room.

new york city has always puzzled me.
with all its hectic passion and random energy
it can at times seem like the loneliest place on earth.
one such night I had no where to go and no one to talk to.
I sat in my room on the fifth floor of the Plaza
looking down at the busy intersection
filled with people in their theatre duds,
the taxi cab horns blaring,
the constant tide of odd-looking people
from around the globe,
and new york really did seem like
the asphalt jungle.

I saw a lady in a leopard coat.
then someone with an astonishing peacock hat.
I began assigning animal attributes to the people I saw,
writing the results on my spiral notepad.
doing my best "beat poet"
stream-of-consciousness bit.
by the time I had finished it was 3 A.M.
but I had my lyrics to neurotica.

chapman stick: tony levin

drums: bill bruford

guitar: adrian
spoken word: adrian
engineer: rhett davies
recorded at Odyssey Studio, London on march 17, 1982

length: 5:37

13 comments:

  1. I've always relished the frenetic atmosphere of this track, and the jerky stops and starts juxtaposed against the sweetly flowing passages certainly gives one the feeling of being in an 'asphalt jungle' full of a seething mass of loud and garishly clad 'animal' inhabitants - a perfect snapshot of NYC :-]
    But this 'Manhattan' recording was most enjoyable. I loved the fact that I was able to readily explore the individual players pieces - something that is not so readily available on the final 'Neurotica' track, as there is so much going on that it literally assails your aural senses :-)
    I often find that Tony's sweet bass lines get swallowed up by the other players - I so enjoyed being able to listen to just how complex and integral to the piece they actually are. Man that guy is a master of his instrument!
    Similarly enlightening is Bill's incredible percussion, used to full effect to create tension and texture throughout.
    Especially appreciated was the ability to fully enjoy Adrian's guitarwork, without having to try and pinpoint which lick was Adrian's, and which was Robert's..... soooo sweeeeet, and truly enlightening!
    And the spoken words - what a collection of colourful images they speedily engender into ones brain - totally spicy snippets strung together like a massive kebab one can almost taste and smell,just waiting for you to get your teeth into.... mmmmmmm mmmmmmmm - damn that tastes goooood!
    Now I must go and slap on the full and Fripped version - my hunger has been piqued :-)
    Another great DUST particle to add to the growing collection. Thank you Adrian!

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  2. I have to agree with belewbloggfan on this one. With the absence of Robert, the astounding interplay of his presence with the other members of KC is more readily appreciated. Thanks for the insight.

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  3. Where was Robert during the recording? Out to lunch or was he busy during these rehearsals?

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  4. Kind of off topic, but I've often wondered if there's ever been a time when it was seriously considered to release a sort of "Kingless" Crimson album; not as an exercise of rebelion or anything, but simply because timing might have Robert unavailable at a time when Adrian, Tony, and Pat CAN fit it in their schedules. I would love to hear an album with just those three.
    Of course, "Kingless" Crimson was just a play on words.
    Not that your current trio doesn't pack a punch! ;)

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  5. Although the playing is great, my favorite part (after one listen) is the rap at the end. Yes, NYC does somehow seem lonely sometimes.

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  6. Beat was my favorite Crim album until The Power To Believe came out. (Up until Beat, it was Larks'.) I've listened to Waiting Man, um, a thousand times?

    Anyway, I've heard it mentioned that the sessions for Beat were stressed-out. Why was that, Adrian?

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  7. Adrian, Neurotica is one of the most amazing songs I've ever heard. Thanks for the insight!

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  8. So, it's one of those moments for me when the whole world seems to know something that you just kind of missed.

    I just bought this download, was appropriately thanked by Pay Pal
    now where do I get to listen? I thought some kind of prompt would tell me DOWNLOAD COMMENCED or something.

    Any help will be appreciated.

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  9. lonerhino, email me from the address you use with Paypal and I will make sure you get your download. You should have received an email with the link to Manhattan/Neurotica.

    Rob
    (rob at adrianbelew.net)

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  10. noise machine and dan:
    your questions are related and it's not something I should speak of.

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  11. @robmurple- thanks I got got the file it just was screened by my junkmail robot.

    I hear proto Big Electric Cat in there.

    (i like that sentence :)

    Anyone else.

    I keep being referred to as Loner Hino. Love it.

    Thanks Adrian, Portland Maine says Yellow.

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  12. How I have ALWAYS loved this song and its brilliant lyrics! It reminds me now of a street I lived on in Manila in 2001 that was a freak show of go-go bars at night. I'd walk down to check my email and the entire cast of Neurotica would be out and about.

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