Robert Fripp or Jimi Hendrix
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Printed Date: June 16 2025 at 07:11
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Topic: Robert Fripp or Jimi Hendrix
Posted By: Captain Midnight
Subject: Robert Fripp or Jimi Hendrix
Date Posted: December 22 2024 at 16:40
| Not sure if these two have been compared before, but I'm interested in what yall think |
Replies:
Posted By: jamesbaldwin
Date Posted: December 22 2024 at 16:50
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How can we compare them? As guitarists? Which was the most innovative? But again, Hendrix has a record production that lasted only 5 years, Fripp has been recording for 55 years. ------------- Amos Goldberg (professor of Genocide Studies at the Hebrew University in Jerusalem): Yes, it's genocide. It's so difficult and painful to admit it, but we can no longer avoid this conclusion. |
Posted By: Captain Midnight
Date Posted: December 22 2024 at 16:55
| As guitarists/innovative, I think it's an interesting comparison, one is bluesy one is jazzy both have different styles but were both very progressive musicians, really just a fun though I had |
Posted By: Psychedelic Paul
Date Posted: December 22 2024 at 16:57
Too easy.  |
Posted By: The Dark Elf
Date Posted: December 22 2024 at 17:55
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Hendrix. ------------- ...a vigorous circular motion hitherto unknown to the people of this area, but destined to take the place of the mud shark in your mythology... |
Posted By: cstack3
Date Posted: December 22 2024 at 19:06
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Fripp. ------------- I am not a Robot, I'm a FREE MAN!! |
Posted By: richardh
Date Posted: December 22 2024 at 19:48
Seems a bit daft as polls go. I don't own any Hendrix but his influence is off the scale and he is one the greats of music in general. Bob is a legend of sorts but widely is best known for working with David Bowie I would say. He popped up on Strictly recently in the audience supporting wifey and Craig Revel Horward just called him 'some bloke' who was getting roudy  . Prog is such a small world although we do snobby elitism better than any other genre
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Posted By: Nogbad_The_Bad
Date Posted: December 22 2024 at 20:05
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I pretty much love everything Fripp has ever done but it's Hendrix ------------- Ian Host of the Post-Avant Jazzcore Happy Hour on Progrock.com https://podcasts.progrock.com/post-avant-jazzcore-happy-hour/ |
Posted By: AFlowerKingCrimson
Date Posted: December 22 2024 at 20:23
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Hello Mr. Apple my name is Mr. Orange. Good to meet you. I'm going for Fripp but only because of personal preference.
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Posted By: Valdez
Date Posted: December 22 2024 at 20:53
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I like Fripps work a lot, but it's like comparing a big Dog to a small Dog. I prefer larger dogs, so the answer is Hendrix. ------------- https://bakullama1.bandcamp.com/album/maxwells-submarine |
Posted By: moshkito
Date Posted: December 22 2024 at 21:44
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Hi, The material they play is so different that it is difficult to compare ... but musically, one has to think RF is more interesting, but from a performance point of view, it's hard to not like Jimi, that lit up audiences and concerts like no one else has even come close since. I kinda think of RF as a "classical music" player, whose work is detailed through rehearsals, and KC is one example of a band that does "classical music" (so to speak) and is tight and well defined. Jimi, by comparison was totally wide open and in the moment ... and I think this is an area that RF has not exactly showed more strength ... specially in the days of Adrian Belew, which I think RF decided that he could not do it anymore ... I think because it was way too free form and not quite possible to rehearse, or improve. But, improvised materials are not about rehearsal ... they are about performance ... and RF insists on the clarity done via rehearsal ... to make the music clean and clear. ------------- Music is not just for listening ... it is for LIVING ... you got to feel it to know what's it about! Not being told! www.pedrosena.com |
Posted By: Saperlipopette!
Date Posted: December 22 2024 at 21:44
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Everyone knows Jimi's one of the all time greats - and maybe the most influential (electric) guitarist of all time. But based on personal preference it's Fripp for me, no doubt. I see no reason for not voting based on personal preference. Ever since I first heard them, King Crimson's music have always been close to my heart. So Fripp's guitar playing works within a musical context, where I'm predisposed to "feel more". Influence aside and listening to my gut, they hardly compare. It's got nothing to do with elitism, I know what the "correct answer" should be. But Hendrix for me is more like The Doors and Jim Morrison. They've always been there, and I do like a lot of their music very much. I appreciate and respect their historical importance and all that, but they are not "my guys". Btw: I'm not really all that into "guitar heroes" anyway. If it wasn't for Hendrix very special talent for songwriting, in addition his guitar playing chops - I wouldn't really care all that much about the latter part. |
Posted By: Atavachron
Date Posted: December 22 2024 at 21:46
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It's a great comparison, they're both so different and yet equally impressive. Probably Jimi but it's close. ------------- "Too often we enjoy the comfort of opinion without the discomfort of thought." -- John F. Kennedy |
Posted By: Mellotron Storm
Date Posted: December 22 2024 at 22:33
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It's pretty cool that they did meet once. Hendrix in England watching King Crimson live and sitting next to Fripp's sister's table. The label had asked Fripp to play standing like a normal guitarist which he had been doing, but this was the first show where he reverted back to sitting, and for good. I actually love the contrasting styles between these two legends. Fripp said when he met Hendrix after that show that Hendrix insisted in shaking his hand with his left because it was closer to his heart. Just too cool. I prefer Fripp's angular style and his soundscapes. ------------- "The wind is slowly tearing her apart" "Sad Rain" ANEKDOTEN |
Posted By: Octopus II
Date Posted: December 23 2024 at 01:04
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Both!
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Posted By: A Crimson Mellotron
Date Posted: December 23 2024 at 03:41
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Not quite sure how this comparison works out but I have to pick Fripp for the reason given above - we have decades of material of his as opposed to just a few releases with Hendrix. |
Posted By: Mormegil
Date Posted: December 23 2024 at 04:48
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Mr. Fripp. ------------- Welcome to the middle of the film. |
Posted By: Jared
Date Posted: December 23 2024 at 05:58
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Fripp ------------- Music has always been a matter of energy to me. On some nights I believe that a car with the needle on empty can run 50 more miles if you have the right music very loud on the radio. Hunter S Thompson |
Posted By: omphaloskepsis
Date Posted: December 23 2024 at 06:12
| Fripp |
Posted By: BrufordFreak
Date Posted: December 23 2024 at 08:53
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David Torn. Allan Holdsworth. Jan Akkerman. Andrés Segovia. Pat Metheny. Adrian Belew. John McLaughlin. Jeff Beck. ------------- Drew Fisher https://progisaliveandwell.blogspot.com/ |
Posted By: Catcher10
Date Posted: December 23 2024 at 09:12
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Fripp with 50 years worth of recordings.......Still will always be Hendrix. Hendrix at Woodstock is more than enough. -------------   
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Posted By: Duddick
Date Posted: December 23 2024 at 10:35
| Hendrix was far more groundbreaking and influential but I prefer Fripp’s playing. Why do we have to compare?!?? It’s pointless. (I’m not a fan of polls as you might imagine)….. |
Posted By: Saperlipopette!
Date Posted: December 23 2024 at 10:45
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Duddick wrote:Posted By: Logan
Date Posted: December 23 2024 at 10:50
Without getting into free will and determinism, I'd add that we don't have to compare. Still Duddick did compare the two before asking the why question. ------------- Watching while most appreciating a sunset in the moment need not diminish all the glorious sunsets I have observed before. It can be much like that with music for me. |
Posted By: Saperlipopette!
Date Posted: December 23 2024 at 11:07
^Yep he did, but to be fair it's obviously what the Capt'n wants us to do (I just voted for Fripp because I love the music of King Crimson so much more than The Jimi Hendrix Experience)
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Posted By: Logan
Date Posted: December 23 2024 at 11:09
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^ I know. Just because we are asked to doesn't mean we have to. I find it kind of bemusing that someone compares the two then writes "Why do we have to compare?!?? It’s pointless." ------------- Watching while most appreciating a sunset in the moment need not diminish all the glorious sunsets I have observed before. It can be much like that with music for me. |
Posted By: Saperlipopette!
Date Posted: December 23 2024 at 11:37
| ^ Yes we seem to agree:) |
Posted By: Cosmiclawnmower
Date Posted: December 23 2024 at 12:00
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Head and discipline versus Heart and Intuition I would imagine both would have admiration for each other's different qualities and approach. For that reason i can't 'pick' one over the other.
------------- |
Posted By: progaardvark
Date Posted: December 23 2024 at 13:46
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Fripp. It's okay to be a loaf of bread on Mondays. ------------- ---------- i'm shopping for a new oil-cured sinus bag that's a happy bag of lettuce this car smells like cartilage nothing beats a good video about fractions |
Posted By: Atavachron
Date Posted: December 23 2024 at 14:14
Jimi was ambidextrous but favored his left. ------------- "Too often we enjoy the comfort of opinion without the discomfort of thought." -- John F. Kennedy |
Posted By: someone_else
Date Posted: December 23 2024 at 14:39
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Both have their merits. I vote for Fripp. ------------- 
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Posted By: Jacob Schoolcraft
Date Posted: December 23 2024 at 16:51
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Jimi Hendrix was an unorthodox type of player. Several aspects to guitar as to be defined as methods ...evolving into rules...he broke. Certain positions of his fingering hand felt unnatural to guitar players . Certain showmanship standards he displayed on stage were not uncommon in the Southern States..such as playing guitar with your teeth. His idea to emulate the sound of a police car siren ..perhaps in France..., his high pitched strings played with a fast motion on his whammy bar emulated the sound of a horse winnie....his high unbearable volumes where he produced the sounds of war combat...as such by emulating missles soaring and machine guns firing...and these ideas of experimentation were very unusual and unique for the times and for a few years many fine national guitarists were trying to figure out how he got those sounds. Mainly he depended on volume and a few stomp boxes. It was the way he played that lured most people in...regardless of sound effects ...it was him. On 1983 ..A MERMAN I SHALL Be...with Chris Wood on flute..he has recorded sections of electric guitars playing backwards..They are not outright distorted but closer to clean. This is played underneath an odd improvisation played clean on a Fender Stratocaster. This style of playing creates a perfect backing for a story about Atlantis. His improvisation on the Blues song "Bleeding Heart" from the CD CONCERTS ...( released by Alan Douglas)...sets an example of how he could play beautifully unique guitar. On New Rays Of Rising Sun many of the songs were much darker than before. In a sense..you could compare a few of the songs to House Burning Down from Electric Ladyland..yet something was darker. "Astro Man", "In From The Storm" "Driftin", "Night Bird Flying" and others were different sounding from his other albums obviously because his mind being in a different place...a different mind set than before . It's unfortunate that he didn't live to finish thee album, but the Hendrix estate referenced a track listing order written by Hendrix and the album does in fact have a strange flow. Alan Dougless' Voodoo Soup covers this time period as well. It is decent...but I prefer Rising Sun. Robert Fripp was more of a skilled player. Prime example would be his guitar playing on The Cheerful Insanity Of Giles, Giles, and Fripp. At that time he was able to play Paganini with the plectrum style. He was fast and clean. From the very beginning of King Crimson's career he used tri tone intervals in a unique way. He made them sound off in the music of King Crimson. They immediately created a sinister sound. Robert Fripp tried many variations when using them. They sometimes sounded mysterious...other times aggressive. They produced an eerie sound and that was combined with Pete Sinfield's lyrics which were sometimes bewitching. Fripp is not a Blues guitarist or at least he wasn't in the early 70s and it was unfair for Collins, Burrell, and Wallace to have those expectations. In the case of Collins, Burrell, and Wallace taking over the band and trying to turn King Crimson into R&B was ridiculous. I've heard several live recordings from 72' where this is evident and obviously Fripp is just along for the ride...or finishing out the tour. His soloing over top of R&B is a shoe that doesn't fit. Fripp was not that KIND of guitarist. He had skill in Jazz, Classical, Folk and Rock...but he shouldn't have been forced to play a style of music that he possibly wasn't interested in and also not sounding as if he understood how to play it fluently. He was very intricate and a fine writer as well. He kept expanding and eventually worked with Jamie Muir and Bill Bruford. Mostly based on improvisation...the music created atmosphere. Several pieces that he wrote between 72 and 74 were like extensions of each other. The Pieces " Red", Larks Tongues In Aspic, and Fracture are all reminiscent of each other in a loose way. |
Posted By: Epignosis
Date Posted: December 23 2024 at 21:41
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Robert Fripp. I never really liked Hendrix. ------------- https://epignosis.bandcamp.com/album/a-month-of-sundays" rel="nofollow - https://epignosis.bandcamp.com/album/a-month-of-sundays |
Posted By: richardh
Date Posted: December 23 2024 at 21:56
wow that may be the most educational post I've seen on this forum for ages
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Posted By: Saperlipopette!
Date Posted: December 23 2024 at 22:11
^^ I agree with richardh. Interesting and insightful as usual. Reading this part right here, it's no wonder why I tend to gravitate towards Robert's playing over someone like Jimi:
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Posted By: UMUR
Date Posted: December 23 2024 at 23:13
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Very different playing styles, but if forced I´ll pick Hendrix. ------------- http://www.metalmusicarchives.com/" rel="nofollow - Metal Music Archives https://rateyourmusic.com/~UMUR" rel="nofollow - UMUR on RYM |
Posted By: Floydoid
Date Posted: December 24 2024 at 09:55
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It's ludicrous trying to compare two such disparate (tho superb) guitarists. ------------- "Christ, where would rock & roll be without feedback?" - D. Gimour |
Posted By: mellotronwave
Date Posted: December 25 2024 at 09:31
| ^indeed ! |
Posted By: Jazzman1974
Date Posted: December 25 2024 at 13:49
| Paragonare questi due chitarristi due chitarristi mi sembra arduo. Appartengono a stili completamente diversi ed a mondi completamente diversi. |
Posted By: Jacob Schoolcraft
Date Posted: December 25 2024 at 18:25
|
During the golden age of Rock many fine Rock guitarists became internationally known through radio, television,concerts..and sales. This particular time period seemed to grasp Rock music in the mid 1960s and possibly in 1965 with The Yardbirds and The Paul Butterfield Blues Band. The Blues Rock style was an important ingredient in the early 70s as well. BB King and Buddy Guy were both aggressive players in the Blues . Chicago Blues was sometimes loud and grand sounding with a horn section. Mike Bloomfield's Electric Flag traveled that path...the band Chicago, B.S.& T., Chase and others. Folk Rock was popular at that time and most guitarist in Rock during the golden age of Rock combined Folk, Jazz, Blues ( Delta & Chicago), Rock n' Roll and sometimes Classical...and additionally playing nylon string, steel string, 12 string, either by fingerpicking or strumming alongside playing electric guitar in a Rock style with sustain and or heavy distortion. A list of guitar players from that time period: Jimi Hendrix Mike Bloomfield Eric Clapton Jeff Beck Jimmy Page Paul Kossoff Terry Kath Carlos Santana Alvin Lee Rory Gallagher Albert Lee Peter Green Jeremy Spencer Danny Kirwan Duane Allman Johnny Winter Ritchie Blackmore Tony McFee Peter Haycock Kim Simmonds April Lawton Shuggie Otis Andy Powell Ted Turner What made them all sound unique and different from each other? My belief is that the uniqueness can be attributed to how Rock Music was being attached to other styles of music. Again...that alone opened up new ideas. Many Rock bands had ideas for Rock Music and consequently most of these ideas were new and had not been invented before....or revealed in Rock n' Roll of the 1950s for example. The Ventures were influential in inspiring a new generation of kids to want to pick up a guitar..Their covers of Sci-Fi themes inspired many British guitarists to write quirky and unusual Rock songs but with heavy distortion. In the 1980s the term "shredder" became popular. Van Halen,Randy Rhodes, and Steve Vai ( for example).. had similarities imo. The technique and the gymnastics were a repeat of techniques used on guitar then instead of combining different styles of music with Rock . It seemed less creative to me. When compared to the 60s and early 70s it felt like a redundancy. Even though Stevie Ray Vaughn brought back some of that momentum in the 80s...it wasnt possible for guitar players to be challenged by music like they were from 65' to 73' and mainly because of demands from record executives. |
Posted By: Cristi
Date Posted: December 26 2024 at 05:19
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Posted By: Dellinger
Date Posted: January 13 2025 at 01:14
| Robert Fripp for me, very easily. |
Posted By: richardh
Date Posted: January 13 2025 at 03:39
| actually closer than I would have expected. |