Fripp began playing guitar at the age of eleven. He says he was tone-deaf with no sense of rhythm when he started. His comment on dealing with the obstacle is "Music so wishes to be heard that it sometimes calls on unlikely characters to give it voice".
Being taught guitar basics by his teacher Don Strike, it was the time when he developed the technique of crosspicking, which would later become a significant technique taught in Guitar Craft.
In 1984, Fripp began using the New Standard Tuning, which would also become the official tuning of Guitar Craft.
Fripp is left-handed, but plays a right-handed guitar.
Fripp's earliest professional work began in 1967, when he responded to an ad looking for a singing organist for a band being formed by bassist Peter Giles and drummer Michael Giles, despite being neither a singer nor an organist. Though unsuccessful as a live act, Giles, Giles and Fripp did manage to release two singles, as well as an album, The Cheerful Insanity of Giles, Giles and Fripp.
Following the band's breakup, Fripp, along with drummer Michael Giles, made plans for the formation of King Crimson in 1968, with Greg Lake, Peter Sinfield and Ian McDonald. Their first album, In the Court of the Crimson King, was released in late 1969, to mixed critical reviews. Due to musical differences with Giles and McDonald, King Crimson broke up shortly after the release of the first album, to be re-formed again several times over the years. Initially, Fripp had offered to leave the group; however Giles and McDonald felt that King Crimson was his. To date, Robert Fripp has remained the only consistent member of the band. Crimson went through a number of line-ups before Fripp disbanded the group for the first time in 1974.
During King Crimson's less active periods, Fripp has pursued a number of side-projects. He worked with Keith Tippett (and others who appeared on King Crimson records) on projects far from rock music, producing Septober Energy in 1971 and Ovary Lodge in 1973. During this period he also worked with Van der Graaf Generator, playing on the 1970 album H to He, Who Am the Only One, and in 1971, on Pawn Hearts. Collaborating with Brian Eno, he recorded No Pussyfooting in 1972 and Evening Star in 1974. These two albums featured experimentation with several novel musical techniques, including a tape delay system utilizing dual reel to reel Revox tape machines that would come to play a central role in Fripp's later work. This system came to be known as "Frippertronics". Fripp and Eno also played several live shows in Europe in 1975.
Fripp spent some time away from the music industry in the later 1970s, during which he cultivated an interest in the teachings of Gurdjieff via J.G. Bennett (studies which would later be influential in his work with Guitar Craft). He returned to musical work as a studio guitarist on Peter Gabriel's first self-titled album in 1976, released the following year. Fripp toured with Gabriel to support the album, but remained in the wings and used the pseudonym "Dusty Rhodes". [1]
In 1977, Fripp received a phone call from Eno, who was working on David Bowie's album "Heroes". Fripp agreed to play guitar for the album, a move which initiated a series of collaborations with other musicians. Fripp soon contributed his musical and production talents to Peter Gabriel's second album, and collaborated with Daryl Hall on Sacred Songs. During this period, Fripp began working on solo material, with contributions from poet/lyricist Joanna Walton and several other musicians, including Eno, Gabriel, and Hall, as well as Peter Hammill, Jerry Marotta, Phil Collins, Tony Levin and Terre Roche. This material eventually became his first solo album, Exposure, released in 1979, followed by the Frippertronics tour in the same year. While living in New York, Fripp contributed to albums and live performances by Blondie and Talking Heads (Fear of Music), and produced The Roches' first album, which featured several of Fripp's characteristic guitar solos. A second set of creative sessions with David Bowie produced distinctive guitar parts on Scary Monsters (and Super Creeps) (1980).
Fripp's collaboration with bassist Busta Jones, drummer Paul Duskin, and vocals by David Byrne (Byrne credited as Absalm el Habib) produced God Save the Queen/Under Heavy Manners in the following year. He simultaneously assembled what he called a "second-division touring new wave instrumental dance band" under the name League of Gentlemen, with bassist Sara Lee, keyboardist Barry Andrews and drummer Johnny Toobad (later replaced by Kevin Wilkinson) . The LOG toured for the duration of 1980.
In the early 1990s Fripp contributed guitar/soundscapes to Lifeforms (1994) by The Future Sound of London and Cydonia (released 2001) by The Orb, as well as FFWD, a collaborative effort with the latter's members. In addition, Fripp worked with Brian Eno co-writing and supplying guitar to two tracks for a CD-ROM project released in 1994 entitled Headcandy created by Chris Juul and Doug Jipson. Eno thought the visual aspects of the disc (video feedback effects) were very disappointing upon completion, and regretted participation. During this period, Fripp also contributed to albums by No-Man (a band featuring Porcupine Tree's Steven Wilson) and The Beloved (1994's Flowermouth and 1996's X, respectively).
1981 saw the formation of King Crimson's fourth incarnation, along with Adrian Belew, Bill Bruford, and Tony Levin. The group was conceptualized under the name "Discipline," but it came to Fripp's attention that the members thought the name King Crimson was more appropriate. For Fripp, King Crimson had always been a way of doing things, rather than a particular group of musicians, and the group felt that their music captured that methodology. After releasing three albums, this new King Crimson broke up in 1984.
During this period Fripp made two records with his old friend Andy Summers of the Police. On I Advance Masked, Fripp and Summers played all the instruments. Bewitched was more dominated by Summers, who produced the record and collaborated with other musicians in addition to Fripp.
In 1982 Fripp produced and played guitar on the Keep On Doing album by The Roches. Similar to his previous guesting on David Bowie's Scary Monsters (which also boasted Pete Townshend and Chuck Hammer on infinite sustain guitar), the "skysaw" guitar style which characterized this period of Fripp's pedagogy is featured alongside the sisters' songs and harmony.
Fripp was offered a teaching position at the American Society for Continuous Education (ASCE) in Claymont Court, West Virginia in 1984. He had been involved with the ASCE since 1978, eventually serving on its board of directors, and had long been considering the idea of teaching guitar. His course, Guitar Craft, was begun in 1985, one of the results of which was a performance group, "The League of Crafty Guitarists," which has released several albums. In 1986, he released the first of two collaborations with his wife, Toyah Willcox. The members of the California Guitar Trio are former members of The League of Crafty Guitarists, and Gitbox Rebellion includes several former Guitar Craft students. The California Guitar Trio has also toured with King Crimson.
Fripp returned to recording solo in 1994, using an updated version of the Frippertronics technique that employed digital technology instead of tapes to create loops. Fripp released a number of records that he called "Soundscapes," including 1999, Radiophonics, A Blessing of Tears, That Which Passes, November Suite, and The Gates of Paradise. (Pie Jesu consists of material compiled from A Blessing of Tears and The Gates of Paradise.) On the Soundscapes recordings, the inner workings of the music are not as clearly laid bare as they are on Let the Power Fall, perhaps due to the greater possibilities offered by the new technology.
Fripp's collaborations with David Sylvian feature some of his most exuberant guitar playing. Fripp contributed to Sylvian's twenty minute track "Steel Cathedrals" from his Alchemy - An Index Of Possibilities album of 1985. Then Fripp performed on several tracks from Sylvian's 1986 release, Gone To Earth.
At some point in late 1991, Fripp had asked Sylvian to become the vocalist for the reforming King Crimson. Sylvian declined the invitation, but proposed a possible collaboration between the two that would eventually become a tour of Japan and Italy in the spring of 1992. In July of 1993, Sylvian and Fripp released the collaborative effort The First Day. Other contributors were soon-to-be King Crimson member Trey Gunn on stick and nearly-was King Crimson member Jerry Marotta on drums. When the group toured to promote the CD, future King Crimson member Pat Mastelotto took over the drumming spot. The live document Damage was released in 1994, as was the joint venture, Redemption - Approaching Silence, which featured Sylvian's ambient sound sculptures (Approaching Silence) accompanying Fripp reading his own text (Redemption).
In late 1994, Fripp re-formed the 1981 lineup of King Crimson for its fifth incarnation, adding Trey Gunn and drummer Pat Mastelotto in a configuration known as the "double trio". This lineup released Thrak in 1995.
From 1997 to 1999, and again in 2006, the band King Crimson "fraKctalised" into five sub-groups known as ProjeKcts.
2000 saw the release of a studio album, The ConstruKction of Light, from a sixth lineup of King Crimson (Fripp, Adrian Belew, Trey Gunn, Pat Mastelotto) with The Power to Believe following in 2003.
In March of 2004, a seventh lineup had been formulated and practiced with Tony Levin returning to replace Trey Gunn. This permutation of King Crimson has yet to release an album or perform live. A likely "fortieth anniversary lineup" has been discussed as well. Members of this lineup and more precise formation dates have yet to be officially announced.
During 2004, Fripp toured with Joe Satriani and Steve Vai as the guitar trio G3.
Robert Fripp worked at Microsoft's studios to record new sounds and atmospheres for Windows Vista.[2][3]
In late 2005 and early 2006, Fripp joined Bill Rieflin's improvisational Slow Music project, along with guitarist Peter Buck, Fred Chalenor (acoustic bass), Matt Chamberlain (drum kit) and Hector Zazou (electronics). This collective of musicians toured the west coast in May of 2006.
In October 2006, ProjeKct Six (Robert Fripp, Adrian Belew) played at select venues on the east coast of the U.S.[2], opening for Porcupine Tree.
Fripp has contributed soundscapes to two songs for Porcupine Tree's Fear of a Blank Planet. He is featured on the tracks "Way Out Of Here" and "Nil Recurring", the second of which was released in September 2007 as part of the "Nil Recurring" EP.
Robert Fripp of King Crimson is presently at odds with Last.FM, and has undertaken a prolonged series of actions against the company, and this website. Currently, he has:
- disallowed any of his music from being streamed
- disallowed any images from being posted (especially album art)
- disallowed this page to show up in search.
He has pursued similar restrictions against many other websites and companies violation of copyright, with many new restrictions still pending. These events and how people feel about them (including Fripp himself) are well-documented on this and other sites, and so this summary of recent events is a legitimate, relevant, and current dimension of the history of this musician (and thus a dispassionate, noteworthy portion of Fripp’s bio).
Fripp keeps an online diary at DGMLive
Every Color You Are
Robert Fripp Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Burned like coal
Put pay to the devil
And saw the mountain fall
Feel like crying
The jokes gone to far
Every colour you are
Family man
His patience tried
Put a torch to his home
And warmed his hands by the fire
The greed of desire
My roads uncrossed
White lined and tarred
By believing in you
Every colour you are
The song "Every Color You Are" by Robert Fripp from his album "Exposure" touches upon the theme of self-discovery and understanding. The lyrics describe a journey of self-discovery with the help of someone or something that guides the singer towards their true identity. The lines "Touched his hand, burned like coal, put pay to the devil, and saw the mountain fall" seem to convey a sense of transformation, where the singer is purified of their demons and is able to overcome the obstacles in their path. The idea of burning bridges or torching one's own home is a recurring motif in the song, and perhaps symbolizes the act of letting go of one's past in order to move forward.
The lines "Feel like crying, the joke's gone too far, you can be anything you want, every colour you are" address the idea of individuality and the freedom to choose one's own path in life. The singer is afraid of being judged by others, but is reminded that they have the power to be whoever they want to be. The final lines "My road's uncrossed, white lined and tarred, by believing in you, every color you are" seem to suggest that by believing in oneself and one's own capabilities, one can pave their own path towards their true identity.
Line by Line Meaning
touched his hand
He reached out and made physical contact with someone or something else.
Burned like coal
The touch was intense and powerful, like the heat from a burning piece of coal.
Put pay to the devil
The touch was so powerful that it defeated or overcame some kind of evil force or influence.
And saw the mountain fall
As a result of the powerful touch and overcoming of the evil force, he witnessed an impossible or astonishing event, like a mountain falling.
Feel like crying
He is experiencing intense emotion that might make him want to cry.
The jokes gone to far
Something that was once funny has now crossed a line and become inappropriate or uncomfortable.
You can be anything you want
He is telling someone that they have the freedom and potential to become anything they desire.
Every colour you are
This statement is a metaphor that suggests that one's identity, emotions, and experiences are as diverse and nuanced as the full range of colors that exist.
Family man
He is describing a man who prioritizes his family and may have responsibilities as a parent or spouse.
His patience tried
His willingness to endure difficult or annoying circumstances has been tested.
Put a torch to his home
He intentionally set fire to his own home, possibly as a means of coping with or escaping his problems.
And warmed his hands by the fire
He is finding comfort in the warmth of the flames, despite the destruction that is taking place around him.
The greed of desire
Excessive desire for material possessions or experiences can lead to negative consequences.
My roads uncrossed
The paths and choices that he has made in life have not led to conflicts or complications.
White lined and tarred
The roads that he has taken are well-maintained and easy to travel on.
By believing in you
The faith and trust that he has in someone else is what has guided him to where he is today.
Every colour you are
This is repeated to emphasize the metaphor introduced earlier, that the full range of human emotions and experiences are reflected in the diversity of colors that exist in the world.
Lyrics © MUSIC SALES CORPORATION
Written by: DAVID SYLVIAN, MICK KARN, RICHARD BARBIERI, STEVE JANSEN
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@RaymondPeckIII
Frank's Wild Years
Well Frank settled down in the Valley
and he hung his wild years
on a nail that he drove through
his wife's forehead
he sold used office furniture
out there on San Fernando Road
and assumed a $30,000 loan
at 15 _ % and put a down payment
on a little two bedroom place
his wife was a spent piece of used jet trash
made good bloody marys
kept her mouth shut most of the time
had a little Chihuahua named Carlos
that had some kind of skin disease
and was totally blind. They had a thoroughly modern kitchen
self-cleaning oven (the whole bit)
Frank drove a little sedan
they were so happy
One night Frank was on his way home
from work, stopped at the liquor store,
picked up a couple Mickey's Big Mouths
drank 'em in the car on his way
to the Shell station, he got a gallon of
gas in a can, drove home, doused
everything in the house, torched it,
parked across the street, laughing
watching it burn, all Halloween
orange and chimney red then
Frank put on a top forty station
got on the Hollywood Freeway
headed North
Never could stand that dog
@FerranK68
The day when Mr. Fripp meets Mr. Sylvian was a great day for Music' history. Two genious playing togheter
@BREEDINGGROUND1
spell check . . . .
@FABCELLI
i TOTALLY AGREE with you
@lesmagranesbedbreakfast2421
ben cert
@nancycastellanos3865
<3 <3 <3
@bk-ew1ny
I would say three geniuses. Michael Brook on the guitar is an amazing musician in his own right. Check out his stellar masterpeice, Cobalt Blue.
@gooddogbad
I saw this show at the Beacon theatre in NYC. I had no idea what I was in for - I just went to see Fripp. I was blown away and mesmerized from the first few notes. I wish I could go back and experience it again with my much greater knowledge of all the talent that was on the stage that night. The Damage album that came out of that tour is exceptional.
@frankpetermann9366
Damage (the song)is my all time favorit.First time I hear that,I have tears in my eyes.
@stephenlynchprivate2137
I was on the whole UK tour absolutely mesmerising every night my friend
@kpnconsulting8739
I also saw them at the Beacon Theatre. It was hands down the best rock concert I had ever attended. I seem to remember Sylvian opening solo on keys with "The first day". Then they brought out the heavy artillery. David was basically fronting for King Krimson from then on. Fortunately for all of us the shows were heavily documented...