Monday, July 4, 2011

more about the tour and more...

hey everybody, thanks so much for all the comments,
questions, and support you've shown for the fall
2 of a perfect trio tour.
I feel the excitement building.
I knew we could count on you.

to clear up some of the questions you've been asking
I scheduled an interview with myself
for 9:30 this morning and that's now!
so here I go:

q: adrian, can you tell us what we can expect from
the upcoming tour with tony and pat and the two trios?

a: I'm glad you asked. the tour has been designed
to showcase each trio's music like any other concert
but with the added effect of having the remaining
players from king crimson who are still playing
king crimson music live join together to celebrate
some of our favorite pieces from our work in krimson.
tony and pat and I will do a few songs then
the six of us will play an encore set of krimson music.

q: are you excited?

a: you bet! I'm tri-cited, excited 3 times over:
1) to be playing with the power trio all across the U.S. again
2) to be playing for the first time ever with tony and pat
as a trio doing "crim-centric" material.
and 3) very excited at the sound I hear in my head
of this particular "double trio". monstrous.

q: you've recently been playing some select krimson pieces
with the power trio. how will this performance differ?

a: ABPT currently plays 6 krimson songs which is most
of the viable material that would work in a trio format.
I love the way we do the krimson stuff as a power trio.
but remember none of that material was written for or done
by a trio so it is limiting what we can and can't do.
there's no way to do, say, matte kudasai for example
with just 3 players and the same is true for most krimson.
I expect these performances to be vastly different because
for one thing we can tackle a wider range of material
such as pieces from the "double trio" era
but mostly because of the addition of tony and pat.
I expect they will singe the hair off the folks in the front row.

king crimson is an elite club.
there have only been 7 members in the last 30 years.
having tony and pat onstage, two legitimate krimson players,
will make this as close as currently possible to the actual thing.

q: have you spoken to robert about the tour?

a: we have batted emails back and forth.
robert is clearly supportive (as usual).
his called it, "an ace idea and wonderfully exciting".
for me personally I will sorely miss robert.
after all we have been partners in all of this
and so much of king crimson IS robert.
so tony and pat and I will have to carefully chose
material the two trios can make our own.

meanwhile I'm trying to convince robert of the significance
of having a life-size cut-out of him in the dark
somewhere on stage.
then people can photograph him as much as they want!

q: I know one question you've been asked most often
is whether or not this tour will go international.

a: that's right, how did you know that?
it's too early to say for certain but I think it could happen.
the tour is a behemoth with nine people traveling together
and it costs a king crimson's ransom to operate but
obviously there are fans everywhere who would love to see it.
all of us would like it to happen. we're excited.

q: what material have you thought of playing as a double trio?

a: it's still to be decided but two suggestions I have liked so far
are matte kudasai which I mentioned earlier and possibly
neal and jack and me. there are the obvious ones like
dinosaur, elephant talk, three of a perfect pair, maybe
one time or sex eat sleep drink dream but I'm also keen
to surprise with something like dig me. pat mentioned
man with an open heart as a trio with me and tony.
that could be intriguing.

stickmen will play vrooom vroom in their set,
that'll be a scorcher, and ABPT will play neurotica as a trio
which is something we really enjoy.
I'm sure many other suggestions will be considered
but that's plenty to chew on for now.

q: are there any plans to record or film this for CD or DVD?

a: nothing definite yet but we're looking at options.
right now pat and tony are in russia so communication is nyet.

q: speaking of DVD's what's happening with e for orchestra?

a: you read my mind (it's a short story). we just mastered
both the DVD and CD this past week. they're incredible!
mark colman and I have finished the artwork for both things
so I think we're about ready to go to press!
I'll be announcing something soon.

q: anything else to mention?

a: well, yes, I have been recording new material with daniel.
we're working on 7 songs right now. I have 3 more ready to do
as well as a few instrumental pieces like
variations of wave pressure.
I've been on a creative tear of late.

q: what do you do in your spare time?

a: this IS my spare time.

37 comments:

  1. Desde Chile con el corazón contento... Viva Crimson

    ReplyDelete
  2. Thanks for adding your valuable information here. Really nice of you. Keep in touch and have a nice day ahead.

    trade4target

    ReplyDelete
  3. Adrian, this tour is the most exciting thing we've heard in a long time. The thought of seeing and hearing ABPT plus Crimson (albeit minus Mr. Fripp) gives me goosebumps!

    ReplyDelete
  4. If the Fripp cut out is really good, maybe can the REAL Robert to actually play behind it?

    ReplyDelete
  5. Sorry. Once more (but now in English):

    If the Fripp cut out is really good, maybe you can get the REAL Robert to actually play behind it?

    Love,

    Jeroen

    ReplyDelete
  6. "I'm also keen to surprise with something like dig me"

    dig me is one of my favourite songs of your. it's the second part of the riding rock'n'roll dream (born to run). when the run is at the end, but the soul is not dead. a very common situation.

    could you tell us in an own post the birth of this song? the chord sequence of the versus of dig me is fantastic! song of the century!

    pierluca

    ReplyDelete
  7. One Time and Neal & Jack & Me? Adrian, you've read my mind.

    ReplyDelete
  8. I can't think of anything you all could do that would not bowl me over. Now I have the image of the front row all looking like Tony with their hair singed off. Great interview the questioner really seemed to know what to ask....

    ReplyDelete
  9. PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE...GO INTERNATIONAL!!!
    PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE...COME TO AUSTRALIA!!!

    ReplyDelete
  10. Adrian Belew, you are the bee's knees! Best interview in the world! Much more efficient than the way it's usually done, with formalities and the same old boring questions.

    My song requests are Level Five and Fracture. Level Five because the way you played it three years ago with that incredible cymbal part was mind-shattering. And Fracture because Red and Larks' 2 have stayed in the canon for so long, why not this masterpiece of scariness from the same period? It evokes something no other early King Crimson tune quite does.

    My own vote as a fan, and a person who shares and is sympathetic to Robert's sensitivity to photographs, is that the life-size cut-out would be in poor taste. Of course I'll enjoy the show no matter what is decided, put personally, I would not enjoy that aspect of it.

    This tour is going to be great!!! Thank you for bringing a Crim-esque double-trio to my generation!!! I hope to catch you on two dates, but definitely the one. \m/ \m/

    ReplyDelete
  11. Thanks Adrian! See you in October (or should that be Rocktober - or even RoKctober?)

    ReplyDelete
  12. I thought it always was a cut-out... :P

    ReplyDelete
  13. Ade, we will have a bunch from our site at the Chicago gig ... how about Deception of the Thrush ...

    ReplyDelete
  14. Man that interviewer is amazing and should conduct more interviews with you Adrian.

    I will have the honor to see Roger Daltrey perform Tommy on the 7th then the 2 of a perfect trio tour on the 8th in October (as soon as tickets are available for your show).

    ReplyDelete
  15. Have your buddy Les Claypool join you in San Francisco!

    ReplyDelete
  16. Hi, Adrian - my wife and I are very excited about seeing the Power Trio and Stick Men on the final date of the upcoming tour - MoogFest! In fact, we are flying in from Texas in large part because you guys are playing! If the mountain won't come to Mohammed, and all...

    In any case, I'm a little concerned that since the Power Trio & The Stick Men are billed separately, we might not get the format for the other shows on the Tour that you've described in wonderful detail, above. That is, each group playing, then getting together to celebrate the music of Crimson on your 30th Anniversary of joining.

    Do I need to write the promoters/organizers of MoogFest to make the case for putting y'all together, or is this a done deal?

    When my wife and I were still dating, we flew to Chicago in '08 to catch two of the three KC reunion gigs at the Park West - we're just that fanatic! Also, I go back as one of your most devoted fans all the way back to your first tour with Zappa, Talking Heads, Bowie and, of course, Crimson.

    I would so very much appreciate any light you could shed on this - and thank you from the bottom of my heart for all the fantastic music through all the years!

    Best regards,

    Leo

    ReplyDelete
  17. Best news of the year, hearing about this tour! Any special requests from you?

    Rena Fay

    ReplyDelete
  18. This is damn exciting. I would LOVE to hear something off ConstruKction (something off Power to Believe could be pretty cool too) - I reckon that'd work phenomenally well with the line-up, Also, we should actually get that Indian this time 'round :-p

    ReplyDelete
  19. I will venture a request: Sartori in Tangier!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

    ReplyDelete
  20. I am so excited about the new tour and song additions !!! MATTE KUDASAI....ONE TIME.....NEAL AND JACK AND ME..all my fav's!!!!!! Anything that highlights your beautiful voice Adrian :):) See you at Moogfest !

    ReplyDelete
  21. I would second a request for Satori in Tangier, and add that I'd love to see Sleepless and Waiting Man as well.

    Mostly, just really looking forward to the show at the Iron Horse. Thanks so much for taking the initiative to make this happen, it's a great idea and I'll be there with bells on.

    ReplyDelete
  22. Hilarious the cardboard cutout... you really should.

    ReplyDelete
  23. Hammerheaded MandrillJuly 9, 2011 at 3:59 PM

    adrian,

    Many of us didn't get to see Krim play 'Potato Pie' performed on the last tour in 2003. It'd be great to hear you play that with T-Lev and P@. Looking forward to having you come back to Canada!

    ReplyDelete
  24. This is seriously awesome. Also, since Pat is generously going to play on stuff he did not play on originally (i.e., the 3 eighties LPs), could you guys get Tony (who is also similarly generous himself) to perform some stuff from the double duo era of 1999-2003? I am thinking "Eyes Wide Open", "EleKtriK", "Into The Frying Pan" and "Level Five"...you know, all that gorgeous stuff. I would really love to hear "Eyes Wide Open" live....

    ReplyDelete
  25. Jes' E is really looking forward to hearing Potato Pie once more before he passes on.

    ReplyDelete
  26. Oh, man, this is gonna be great!

    ReplyDelete
  27. So stoked for this, talk about amazing! Are you having any support acts, I suppose not as this is basically 3 shows in one, but had to ask.

    ReplyDelete
  28. Greetings Adrian:

    How long do you expect these shows to run each night? They could go way long with so many acts...

    Peace,

    T

    ReplyDelete
  29. I'll be there Adrian - at least one of the gig's in NY. So looking forward to it and also bringing my son (16) who is a huge Adrian/Crimson fan.
    regards
    LouL

    ReplyDelete
  30. +1 for Potato pie, Neal & Jack & Me,Satori In Tangier, Into The Frying Pan & Eyes wide open.

    ReplyDelete
  31. Hi Adrian as usual you are very welcome in The Netherlands. Maybe again one month??
    In my mind I'm still enjoying your concert with the Metropole Orchestra in Paradiso.
    Hope to C U soon.

    ReplyDelete
  32. How about Neal & Jack & Me....and some othters....and some others.....

    ReplyDelete
  33. I'm trying to buy tickets and I see two options: there's the regular tickets, and the "golden circle" tickets... what is the difference between them?

    ReplyDelete
  34. please come to spain i´m a 11 years old fan and i never see you or king crimson.Please,Please come to Zaragoza if you can.I like Elephant talk and i have a question what efeccts and parameters you use in the elephant sound? I use a chorus and a fuzz with more things(i speak spaninglish)

    ReplyDelete
  35. Bruno-I am not sure what golden circle is but the Carrboro, NC show has VIP tix that get you in for soundcheck which, I assume you get the pick of seats before everyone else gets in. They sold 20 only - or so I was told. I went for it on the assumption that they would be working out all the aforementioned songs which are getting me excited-heck I would pay to see Adrian Ms. Slick and Tony tune up!
    Hope that helps.
    Cheers

    ReplyDelete
  36. Can't wait for the Carrboro show, Adrian! I saw you at a place called The Brewery in Raleigh about 20 years ago, and it was one of the great shows I've seen. The encore was Big Electric Cat, one of my faves!

    ReplyDelete
  37. humans in nyc tues night before crimatic tour,robert in nyc ,does he tag along with wife toya on tour? i say yes ,he owes a crimson discipline set 30 year ann show.

    ReplyDelete