From his blog, after a performance at “WFC 1” (which is across from the WTC site, and which I visited in my last visit to NYC):
“Speaking in the dressing room afterwards to John Schaefer & the Power Person responsible for the programming here: this evening’s performance is the last for me in the conventional role of a professional player….conventional venues & conventional approaches to the conventional wisdom of the conventionally-professional musical life are at an end. Not retirement, as with Billy B., but continuing to play & practice with the work of the Guitar Circle & writing in the forefront…there are many professional guitarists who, today, can do what I can only aspire to; this in both their playing & professional capacity. Most are also much younger. Performances in churches & places outside the field mediated by commerce; areas free of the expectations, anticipations & assumptions of the pro musician; and those that might be characterized as acts of worship, in a wide sense; these all continue to attract my attention. Which probably explains why I don’t feel that anything has finished here at the WFC.”
Mr. Fripp has always been an odd fellow. Lest anyone think this is a gratuitous insult, from another of his posts:
“How did you come to work with Robert Fripp on the "Super Heathen Child" remix?
He was a real weird guy in the studio, too. Really kind of humble and referred to himself constantly in the third person. He would say, "Well, the guitarist feels that his performance the last time was better than the one before," and so on. He was kind of an odd character.
Other interviews by Nick have used the word strange in addition to weird. I mentioned this to Toyah. Her reply: You are immensely odd. If both Nick Cave & my Wife agree, then no more discussion is necessary.”
I guess one thing this means is that the previous concert 'mini-tour’ with King Crimson was its last. I’m glad I took the time to see as many of those shows as I did.
Perhaps related, Kanye’s latest release includes a piece that samples from King Crimson’s debut. A sign of the Apocalypse?