Bill Bruford

[7/4]

Bill Bruford's Earthworks.

I loved this band - even saw them perform twice with the original line up.

http://www.billbruford.com/eworks/bio.html

http://billbruford.com/

Edited August 31, 2009 by 7/4

[7/4]

times I heard him perform live:

Once with the unknown John Clark replacing Allan Holdsworth in the Bill Bruford Group.

Six times with King Crimson in the '80s.

Once with King Crimson in the '90s.

Once with David Torn's Cloud About Mercury band.

Once with Bruford Levin Upper Extremities.

Twice on the Yes Union tour.

Once with Anderson Bruford Wakeman Howe.

and once at Mannys, NYC...he was doing some kind of electronic drum workshop while I was downstairs discussing guitar business.

[marcello]

I've only seen him once a few years ago with Tim Garland (reeds), Mike Pope (bass) and Henry Hey (piano).

Very nice!

Edited August 31, 2009 by marcello

[A Lark Ascending]

A marvellous rock drummer and all round good chap - he has some wry things to say about both the industry and the genres he's worked in (see the recent autobiography!).

I'm old enough to remember the shock Melody Maker front page picturing him with Fripp and co in early 1972 and announcing he'd left Yes for KC.

Saw him with that KC three times in 72 and 73 (he liked white dungarees then!).

He also played drums at the first National Health gig at the LSE in late '75/early 76.

I caught the first Earthworks once and then various versions of the jazzier band in the last ten years. Last time I saw him was in a duet a couple of years back with Michael Borstlap.

I've always found him a bit too clipped and precise for his jazzier ventures. I remember seeing him at the same festival as a David Murray Band with Hamid Drake. It was a bit like the difference between something solid and flowing water. Reading the bio I almost felt I could read between the lines a sense that despite all his accomplishments he felt he was starting all over again in jazz and would never really catch up.

Great musician, though.

[sidewinder]

Caught him once at the Pizza Express, London with 'Earthworks' - great evening !

[PHILLYQ]

Saw him with KC early 80s at the pier by the Intrepid in NYC- great show!!!

[sidewinder]

Saw him with KC early 80s at the pier by the Intrepid in NYC- great show!!!

Not on the Flight Deck?

[PHILLYQ]

Saw him with KC early 80s at the pier by the Intrepid in NYC- great show!!!

Not on the Flight Deck?

If you had a really good arm you might be able to hit the flight deck from the venue!

[Joe G]

What I liked the most about Earthworks was the songwriting. Not to slight the players, understand. Saw him with KC in the 90's on the Thrak tour, which was a great concert.

[chewy-chew-chew-bean-benitez]

7/4 what union shows were u at?

[7/4]

7/4 what union shows were u at?

NJ: One was at Byrne Arena in the Round and the other was at the Garden State Arts Center (now PNC).

Why?

Edited September 1, 2009 by 7/4

[chewy-chew-chew-bean-benitez]

SWEET! which one did u like better, the spring leg or the summer leg

[7/4]

I had a better seat for the PNC show.

I wouldn't say that Bill had too much to do on those Union shows.

...

[7/4]

I guess, like a lot of folks, I first heard Bruford with Yes. I really love Close to the Edge and after a few years I was curious to hear what else he did so I discovered this band he joined named King Crimson. I bought Larks Tongues in Aspic, Starless and Bible Black and thought they sounded like the Mahavishnu Orchestra. It must have been those flat 9ths...a year or two later his first solo album Bruford & the first UK album came out about the same time. I'd give real high marks to all those albums!

So I kept up with his career moves as the albums came out. '80s Crimson showed up and folded, the original Earthworks was great with his electric drums, he joined and quit the '90's Crimson (didn't think too much of that band, liked the instrumentals, but didn't like the songs). He reformed Earthworks as an acoustic drummer and the tunes were more fun than the band, although I thought the Earthworks Underground Orchestra was pretty exciting - I wish I caught that band in NYC.

Boy...Bill Bruford played some really exciting music over the years!

[7/4]

The Sliding Floor

First time I met Angel

Up on the bridge of an ocean-going liner

She was virtue, vice and (......)

Can't give her up now for all the tea in China

Here comes a knock on my door

Angel face with teeth like a tiger's claw

Morning comes she'll soon be back begging for more

Angel knows that truth has a sliding floor

No use asking me why

Some people stink like a downtown Bowery wino

If experts, preachers, mystics can't find the answer

Then how the hell should I know?

Lost in a world breaking apart

Angel shines her mystery light into the dark

She's not wasting blame on the rich or the poor

Angel knows that truth has a sliding floor

Lost in a world breaking apart

Angel shines her mystery light into the dark

She's not wasting blame on the rich or the poor

Angel knows that truth has a sliding floor

[7/4]

Too bad Bruford retired.

[chewy-chew-chew-bean-benitez]

clapton played royal albert a few mos ago, and they had donation collectors holdin buckets by the door, you know how donation collectors hold buckets like that? well my cousin went, and he walked in, and guess who the bucket collector was: B-I-L-L B-R-U-F-O-R-D. he said clapton phoned it in and meeting bill was by far worth the complete price of admission.

[RogerF]

His first solo album "Feels Good to Me" is extremely good, with (amongst others) Annette Peacock and Kenny Wheeler.

[7/4]

His first solo album "Feels Good to Me" is extremely good, with (amongst others) Annette Peacock and Kenny Wheeler.

Now there's my idea of an incredible fusion band!