Robert Fripp vs David Bowie

Both are innovative, but I think Fripp is a level above Bowie.

crimhead wrote: Fripp for me. I miss KC or him touring. I don't miss Bowie touring at all.

There's been 21st Century Schizoid band touring last decade, though I don't really know if they are still active. If they would come to play near me I would go see them (this was a band that included Mc Donald and Collins, plus other early King Crimson Personell, playing songs from that period). More recently, there's been Crimson project, or something like that, with Belew and and other more recent King Crimson members. Of course, none of this bands included Fripp himself.

Dellinger wrote: Gandalff wrote: Gerinski wrote: KC never had a singer as good as Bowie! That's a matter of taste, I prefer every KC singer, except Haskell, over David Bowie. Adrian Belew has even similar timbre as Bowie, but his vocal range is on somewhat higher level. For me, Bowie isn't such a great singer. He's good, and has his own identity, but I find Greg Lake miles ahead. And I like Adrian Belew at least a bit better than Bowie. However, I have never been much of a fan of Wetton's singing, and wasn't particularly impressed by the singers between Lake and Wetton (except for Jon Anderson... but he wasn't an official singer anyway).

I love Lake's voice but overall I think that Bowie was even a better singer.

Mr. Fripp 

Gandalff wrote: Gerinski wrote: KC never had a singer as good as Bowie! That's a matter of taste, I prefer every KC singer, except Haskell, over David Bowie. Adrian Belew has even similar timbre as Bowie, but his vocal range is on somewhat higher level.

For me, Bowie isn't such a great singer. He's good, and has his own identity, but I find Greg Lake miles ahead. And I like Adrian Belew at least a bit better than Bowie. However, I have never been much of a fan of Wetton's singing, and wasn't particularly impressed by the singers between Lake and Wetton (except for Jon Anderson... but he wasn't an official singer anyway).

My bad guys, I should have read the question properly.  Through an innovation context, man this is a thinker for sure. I mean, both have done so much more popular music; Bowie geared toward a more commercial motivation, Fripp a more unconventional.  I'd still say Fripp though - Frippertronics was a new approach and technique on how to play guitar, and his guitar style on the 80's KC records is so unique. Bowie was more of a pop culture icon with his personality and presentation - I guess more influential there.

Love both so I'l vote for the music they made together. Fripp's guitar in Teenage Wildlife (Scary Monsters) is terrific, and KC never had a singer as good as Bowie!

Dayvenkirq wrote: ^ Then that does not make it Bowie's influence. That makes it Eno's influence.

^ Hmph. I think you  might be right

Dayvenkirq wrote: ^ I'm not sold. What about ELO and PF? And I don't hear any Bowie influence in Talking Heads' late 70's music.

The Bowie influence is *huge* in Talking Heads. That might be because Eno's presence was huge both in Bowie's famed Berlin trilogy (LOW, HEROES, LODGER) and as producer and unofficial member of Talking Heads.

^ Just reminding you that we are judging in terms of innovation and importance to art and prog rock (... and overall).

Edited by Dayvenkirq - December 08 2012 at 20:06