ADRIAN BELEW POWER TRIO - Does it again!

This is a Rare CD….NOT to be missed!

I am listening to the 13min long version of Beat Box Guitar right now and the sonic attack of the trio surpasses all other past live recordings. When I first saw this I was a bit skeptical because I have heard so many versions of live recordings over the past few years. Often times with this same or similar song lineup. But there is something about this night that set the world on fire!

I cannot believe this song Eric is blasting away on his kit and Julie is bubbling up like a Mt Vesuvius about to erupt! From here they blast into A Little Madness and let me tell you. You will understand the name of this song after hearing the first 15 seconds of it. This is pretty ferocious guitar, bass & drums. We are not talking a lot of fancy ass drums that take up the entire stage here. We are talking just the most basic kit. Yet it sounds like the wildest drums you have ever heard. And Julie and Eric are still talking between themselves. They have a musical brother and sister bond, its some sort of language they use when playing. Like the kind of cerebral language only twins can speak and these two are not twins.

I cannot say enough about the quality of this release. I bought the version off Amazon because I want the mp3 files, I prefer the lossless files found in Flac but these will do in a pinch. However, I must add that this sounds like a physical disc here on my headphones. The band is in full tilt mode at the 4min mark of this song and building up towards a sonic explosion ending. This music is NOT for the faint of heart but if you LOVE good music then you will not be let down by this recording. Like I said, having heard numerous live bootlegs and all of Adrian’s recordings but I have never heard anything quite like this before.

Drive starts out with the engine of a car starting and driving off...and then Belew comes in making his signature whale sounds and layering his notes over each other. I have had the pleasure of seeing him perform this three times now live. I love the textural qualities of Adrian's playing the way he builds sound on sound live. It is not a lot of gadgetry or trickery it's layering and layering in a live setting. It starts to envelope your brain and before you know it you are in a rocket ship headed for the cosmos.

The music breaks at the 3min mark and feeds into a special tribute and if you don’t know the song I am talking about I won’t spoil it for you George…what a beautiful segue. As gently as it feeds into this song it gears itself back into the main drive. It’s like rolling through the countryside with the top down on a warm spring day. I have heard this song before but yet once again Adrian is otherworldly tonight. He is playing on and on with this and it has just really developed nicely from the first days of hearing it. And all of a sudden he breaks into a very Frippian attack.

Neurotica is a total assault on the senses. I have loved this song for many years since I first heard it on the album Beat. The lyrics have always floored me so make sure to Google the lyrics for this song. The music is like a swirling palette of aural colors mixed together and at times splattered with the intensity of a Pollack on the lyrical canvas of life. Julie and Eric’s playing here is very supportive of Adrian and adds a lot to the mix. This song was played originally by more musicians and as a trio they have really broke it down and fit it into the trio format. Yet it is not lacking in any way musically. It is as full as if the double trio were playing this.

Of Bow and Drum starts out with Adrian shredding along in his signature Twang Bar King way. The song explodes and then fades back into the chorus. The drum parts are filled nicely by Sir Slick whom I have dubbed “The Percussive One” and the bass is performed so effortlessly by the Barefooted Priestess of Cool & Her Collective Consciousness. As usual Adrian is releasing the signature sonic guitar but as stated before there’s intensity and a maturity going on with The Trio that I have not heard before. They are becoming a Unit......hmmmm. Go figure….maturing like a fine wine!

Frame By Frame ahhhhh another of my favorite King Crimson classics. This song feels so natural you almost forget it is Adrian Belew Power Trio playing and not King Crimson. Although I might add that Robert in the mix would be quite cool too! Maybe a guest spot at the Orange Peel in Asheville on August 23^rd might be in order. Robert?

And then here is a song that is so special to me. First lyrically I love this song and second it is special for me because this was the first King Crimson tour I ever saw. The Trio does an amazing job on this. You guessed it…..Three of a Perfect Pair!

Keeping it new and fresh, yet holding to the original in a way that compliments. Adrian's lyrics have always been so inspiring to me they are like poems rather than the usual top 40 inspired lyrics that are as far away from actual poetry as you can get.

Well anyway I will leave the last song up to your own interpretation. I really hate these blow by blow reviews but for some reason tonight felt that I must digress and do just that. But I must add that originally Bruford was amazing on these Crimson songs! However.....if you listen to Eric playing this you will not be missing a thing in fact Bill is probably impressed with this boys playing style. He does often remind me of Bruford or Bozzio if I had to toss in a comparison.

Oh and let me say this in closing! YOUNG LIONS RULES on this recording! Check it out buy it today you will not be sorry! I am completely and utterly speechless now! The ending of Thela Hun Ginjeet is killer!

Thanks again to the Trio and Julie for using her many talents and getting this recording online and on Amazon!.

(click on the word Amazon to download this wonderful new disc by Adrian Belew Power Trio)

Peace,

Mike

Power Trio "e" Coming to a town near you!

I am so excited about the recent news that "e" is out soon!

Adrian Belew Power Trio is:
Adrian Belew - Guitar
Julie Slick - Bass
Eric Slick - Drums

Adrian Belew has a new album that is due out soon! The is the first album with Julie & Eric assisting in the development of the final product! AND.........they are coming to Asheville August 24th at the Orange Peel. YAY!!!!!!!! That is one day after my good friend arrives from Sao Paulo, Brasil and two days after my Birthday. This is a great present for both of us actually! Bands like King Crimson, Adrian Belew, The Bears and such just don't make the trek too often to Brasil.

He did get the chance to see Robert Fripp open for the G3 tour in Sao Paulo but that is the closest Dj has ever come to seeing King Crimson or Adrian Belew live. The last time I saw them was a couple years ago now in Asheville at Stella Blue a small club in comparison to the Orange Peel. At the time I made this poster for the show (on my own not a commissioned poster) and took a few copies to the gig to have them signed. Eric, Julie and Adrian all signed the 3 copies I had printed and I was going to send one of them to the Slicks mother Robin as a gift. I left it with Julie and something happened on the way to the forum it got lost in the shuffle of gig traveling.
But hey it's the thought that counts anyway and no harm no fowl.

"Typographical poster is at the top of this post"

I may have to come up with something for this gig too! Anyway .....I am excited by the news that they are coming to my state this time around. If the Adrian Belew Power Trio is playing anywhere near your town make sure go RUN to see them do not miss it!

Peace,

Michael

The Great Debate

What is art? Is Photography art? Is Graphic Design an art form? If the artists hand never touches the piece is it still considered that artist’s creation? If they conceptualized it, visualized it, conveyed it to a group of facilitators or apprentices who in turn labored over the physical piece, then wasn’t that still art created by the artist?

It seems this debate has been going on for eons. Back in the caveman dwelling days I am sure there were those who did not agree with the cave paintings. Saying things like they were childlike in quality, the wrong blood was used to draw that buffalo, you needed to use buffalo blood but instead you used antelope. Well maybe there was a reason for that, like antelope blood had a better lasting quality on the rocks than did Buffalo, or maybe the viscosity was easier to paint with? Then there is the debate, of which tools were used to etch into the rocks, or the etchings were too animalistic leaning toward the hunter side and not enough was done to document the gatherers. Can you see where I am going here?

I however hearken back to my early college days when one of my professors posed this question and expressed their opinion on what made something art for them. They said, if you like it, if it evokes and emotion which is satisfying to you as an individual even though you may not understand it, even if it evokes an emotion that is unsettling to you it is still a work of art, even if the artist never touched the piece themselves. Many printmakers create works that they have the pressmen produce. There are many artists from long ago whose signatures appear on a now famous panting, but may have had apprentices put brush strokes on the canvas. Is it still a painting by that artist?

I think that good art should evoke some sort of response from us. If it is visually appealing or if it causes you to discuss this with another individual or group then it may have served the purpose that the maker was trying to convey. One of the professors in the University I attended used to look at each drawing his students would bring in and no matter how good or bad the quality was, he would first find the good in it. Even if this was obviously a rushed or unfinished piece, he would comment on their use of negative space, the quality of their mark making, comparisons to other artists who often had unfinished work. He would always say something positive and then give criticism.

His mindset seemed to be one of encouragement, building of their individual character, and finally teaching them to look at other artists who did similar work to encourage further exploration. I don’t think he had a single demoralizing bone in his body. In his more advanced courses he was a tough critic but that is justified at that stage of artistic training.

In my not so humble opinion, what is art and what is not art is very difficult to define. I think that if it is art to you then it works, if not then so be it. There was a time in my figure drawing course where we had discussion over one individuals drawing of a female form. This woman was crouched down and in almost a fetal position. The drawing was beautiful in my eyes, the lighting, technical quality, his use of various mark making, yet to others it struck a nerve that caused anger, feelings of abuse, demoralization of the female species. It was the lighting, the colors were muted and dark a little bit eerie. It was not his intention to upset anyone, it was a drawing of his girlfriend and both of them loved it. What happened here is it stirred up emotions of each person who viewed it, based on their own life experiences, the time and place it was viewed, and the moment in history where it was seen. All those things had to do with how it was perceived.

As you can see this discussion could go on and on and it should! I love hearing people’s take on things, the good, the bad and the ugly!

Hope you find yourself in a pleasant state of mind today!

Peace,

Michael

Theory of Light Construction

"Butterflys of Egypt"

The world around us is made up of light visualized through our optic nerve sent spiraling to our brains. My love of music, art and photography were the things that I wanted to display in this blog. Over the coming weeks I will enhance its visual qualities, exhibit artwork inspired by my favorite music and spill thoughts from deep within my brain onto these pages.

Welcome to my world......it goes as far as the mind can imagine. Over time I will take you on a trip from the depths of your minds eye soaring across the universe to unknown galaxies. I hope you will grab hold of my extended virtual hand and follow me on this magical journey.

Peace,

Michael