WHEN STRUMmeR MET FRiPp
The idea was simple: you get the two foremost proponents of the idea of music as a force for personal and social change, sit ’em down together for a few beers, and see what happens. The potential problems were obvious: on the surface, polite, articulate Robert Fripp and acerbic, street-wise Joe Strummer don’t appear to be the most compatible duo in rock history. As musicians they seem to follow widely divergent paths, with the classically trained Fripp exploring the oceanic textures and laser-like solos of Frippertronics, or the fractured, geometric etudes of The League Of Gentlemen (his short-lived project with XTC’s Barry Andrews, who would shortly afterwards form Shriekback), while Strummer the street poet and musical innocent bashes out threechord symphonies, or heads further up the river into the dark, sensual heartland of reggae and dub. But this writer had a strong feeling that things were not what they seemed on the surface, and that these two had more in common than might be apparent at first glance.
What links them goes far deeper than style, personality, musical taste, or social background. It’s a question of sharing a sense of commitment, both to their music and society at large, and having the courage and integrity to back up their ideals with action. It involves a willingness to risk everything – including career, financial security, and public approval – to pursue their visions without compromise. In short, I believed that Robert Fripp and Joe Strummer were tapping the same wellspring and aiming for the same goal. We agreed to meet in London, where Robert was beginning rehearsals with a new band, Discipline, a dream aggregation consisting of ex-Crimson mate Bill Bruford on drums, former Bowie sideman Adrian Belew on guitar, and session bassist Tony Levin, that later became the new incarnation of King Crimson. Strummer was in rehearsals for an upcoming US tour, and was hesitant
