This is so good. I've been a fan of the guitar for a long time.... Tibbets, Fripp, Metheny, Beck, Zappa, ... there's so many players. Frith is like a cliff diver... he's so brave.
Oddly, I first discovered Fred as the bassist in John Zorn’s Naked City. Later, I got into Henry Cow, The Art Bears and Massacre. What an artist, and I’m so glad I did.
They are both into taking the guitar as far as possible, but they have chosen somewhat different paths. Robert explores the guitar within a very orchestared way and in a very mathematical approach to how to structure a song, while Fred seeks out what sounds you can get from a guitar within a specific context. They show similarities but they also differs in the end. Both are needed to move music forward.
I heard the Fred Frith Electric Guitar Quartet one time in the 1990s in Frankfurt. Absolutely amazing. We could have spent all night listening to these fantastic musicians.
I made a similar comment on another upload of Fred Frith, asking myself openly, "just where the hell have I been?" Little did I realize that I've enjoyed Frith's playing but just didn't realize it e.g., on Eno's incredibly great album Before and After Science. So glad now I have a clue about this fine musician.
I just rediscovered this piece as i found the album Gravity, Step Across the Border and so-on... wonder how long ago i'd listened to this and forgot about Frith. So pleased i refound this. so beautiful.
Yeah- whaddya think those are? mutes or pickups? pups makes the most wierd sense but they look more like mutes. and is that lowere neck fretted like a dulcimer? Wish there was more video of him live so's i could steal more from him. And esp. Skeleton Crew
FRlTH had plckvps (argh, macb00k "pr0" keyb0ard ls gltchng!)... at B0TH ends 0f the neck. (L00ks lke these ln the ph0t0, are retractable -- lke he can pvll them 0ver t0 get them 0vt 0f the way 0r n0t.)
oh yaeh- that makes sense- they fold over to get the notes happening behind the left hand. I've often, when playing unamped electric, found those addition behind the hand notes to be really interesting and complimentary. Especially hammer-on tappy things- you'll think you have something interesting and rich when you can hear both sides of the string, turn the amp on, and its just dull modal arpeggios.
Thank you for posting this. I read the comments and see a comparison to Fripp.I'd have to say; I've been following Fripp since 1974. All his show's, ie: crimson, Fripp-a-tronics, League of Crafty Gentlemen, and other aspects of Fripp. I got turned onto Henrey Cow/Slapp Happy around 1975 or76. If you want a comparison, look at Gentle Giant or Alan Holdsworth. Frith and Fripp are two different distinctive styles. I would even go as far as comparing Frith with John MacGlaughlin. In technique alone of course.I have hours and hours of other Artists that experiment with their sound much the same as Frith. However, Frith is his own Genius in His own right. Thank you.
Yes agreed ! I often do the same : sometimes I sample those special noises and lines with such things as Audacity, then EQ them, and put them on loop with dedicated softwares. Or I loop the sampled piece on itself, by cloning it and replay them together with a timelag between sample A and sample B... and get a completely new track in the end
Went to see him solo at Reed collage in Portland OR 80?, During the intermission he came out and ask us how long have I been playing then bummed a smoke and chatted and we all went back in for another 2 hrs. . Lol
If you like this GOOD ! Fred's Ralph Records trilogy (Gravity, Speechless, Cheap) + his playing all over The Residents Commercial Album = music I loved then and neither belongs to then or now or before or after. Fred 4ver.
Fripp is the more lyrical, and the more influential but he's also (dare I say?) the more commercial. I listen to Frith more often. There's a grit and freedom in his playing that Fripp doesn't share. I know that puts me in a small minority.
Hey, you know (warning, I just put the soapbox down!), just because Fred and Robert have similar sounding last names doesn't mean you have to compare them as guitarists/artists/etc. I mean no disrespect towards anyone (really), but I think it would benefit us all if more of us would realize that your own enjoyment of their respective outputs does not HAVE to be mutually exclusive or matched up. To see this another way, it's sort of one (listener) putting limits on oneself. And I believe this is true in most cases of musicians or artists - much of it comes down to 'preference' which varies even within an individual (for example, I find I like certain music more if I'm in a particular mood and things like that). I personally extend this idea towards 'award shows' (don't watch them - wish I could never hear of them ever!) and even things like 'Halls of Fame' - as if, if an artist isn't in there it means they're somehow berated and meager. Fuck that!! The idea of 'recognition' might sound good at first, but it's really a form of arrogance and belligerence toward the listeners - by assuming you care what they think (more than what you yourself thinks) and even more so toward the artists - it's attempting to put someone else's work in a shoebox of categorization and merit. I just find that icky!! Don't you? OK, off soapbox - thank you kindly for your attention if you went this far along!!! But this has bothered me for YEARS (I think I'm only now able to articulate it properly, If you think this was long, you should have seen what a mess I would have made some 20 years ago!!! ;-)
It's an honor to reply to your post. I've seen you perform dozens of times in NYC(Brecht Forum, Knitting Factory a garage and a closet)and as minstrel you have always delivered.
@@dkeifjdmeldksksmdf8571 I was there in New York in the late 70's/early 80's as well and loved those shows at the time, but have a hard time getting to where I feel "honored" simply to be allowed to reply to a RU-vid post. In the end it's just a guy who plays guitar. Maybe you should get over it.
Thanks for the post. Really enjoyed. I first discovered that track in the documentary Step across the border. I was completely stuned when I saw how he created a whole new world with 4 guitar and a cornfield. From then, I always search in his huge discography where did he play that particular track. Do you have any idea if there are some live album where he plays it ?
yes he did some homemades - the lower one is fretless i think. this doesn't feature on this piece btw - more mid 70s i think. the funny things over the heads are pickups which can hinge over the end of the neck. amazing live with the minimal amount of FX he uses (though a plethora of kitchen implements)
Ha, sorry Bro. I think I meant to type split the signal. A more detailed and accurate description can be found here. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fred_Frith#Guitars_and_playing_technique Hope that helps.
+brandolf harpoon Pickups. Check out his tapping technique from the 70s where he employs pickups at both ends of the guitar. See the conversation lower down the page.
