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From: rlr@pyuxn.UUCP (Rich Rosen)
Newsgroups: net.music
Subject: Re: guitarists - Fripp and Hackett
Message-ID: <552@pyuxn.UUCP>
Date: Tue, 10-Apr-84 10:30:56 EST
Article-I.D.: pyuxn.552
Posted: Tue Apr 10 10:30:56 1984
Date-Received: Wed, 11-Apr-84 05:43:06 EST
References: <367@ccieng5.UUCP>
Organization: Bell Communications Research, Piscataway N.J.
Lines: 29
Keywords: Adrian Belew, Robert Fripp, Steve Hackett, rock, guitar

> The only question that I have is; if Robert Fripp is such a phenomenal
> guitarist, why does he play second fiddle to a man (Adrian Belew) that
> admittedly knows not how to read or write music.
> Now don't get me wrong, I do like Robert Fripp.
> But to imply that he is the best is ludicrous.  Try listening to Steve 
> Hackett instead.  He is every bit as good as Fripp, but has a much wider 
> repertoire.

Oh, I see, not being able to read/write music is a quantifiable measure of
one's musical ability, eh?  Belew is one of the best new guitarists to come
along in a long time, as his work with David Bowie ("Lodger", "Stage" live
album), Talking Heads ("Remain in Light"), and Joan Armatrading (witness the
incredible solo on "Call Me Names"--Eddie van Halen, listen and weep!)
clearly shows.  The interplay between Fripp AND Belew was one of the more
interesting elements in the new Crimson configuration.  And Belew's apparent
inability to "write" music (I'd never heard that until just now, and it
certainly hasn't altered my opinion of him) hasn't hurt his compositional
ability on his two solo albums, "Lone Rhino" and "Twang Bar King".

I won't comment on Steve Hackett's music, per se (it's not my cup of tea),
but he has got to be one of the most obnoxious and pretentious people in
popular music today.  His snobbish attitude towards what he refers to as
"so-called new music" (that which is different in style from his "so-called
progressive rock") is evident in interviews and commentary from Mr. Hackett.
As far as being "every bit as good as Fripp", the man stole his whole
style from Fripp in his early Genesis days, down to the point where he
emulated his sound and sat down to play in performance.  'Nuff said.
-- 
"Submitted for your approval..."		  Rich Rosen    pyuxn!rlr