Hello everyone,

Those of you who haven't bought the new album or still waiting for it to
arrive in your mail-boxes can read the review of "Closer Than Skin" by
Sid Smith here:

http://homepage.ntlworld.com/david-cross/noisyrecords/sidsmithreview.htm
l

Best wishes,

George

Hello and welcome to another issue of the Official David Cross
newsletter.

David Cross and Mick Paul selected a drummer for gigs in the forthcoming
year. The name of the new DC Band member is Joe Crabtree
(http://www.drumsolo.co.uk). According to David, "he has an astonishing
flair for playing odd time signatures and straight fours with the same
easy flowing technique".

There is a strong possibility of a live album available next year. Noisy
records may release a live recording of the Roppongi De Luxe concert in
Tokyo that took place last summer.
For Japanese reviews of the concerts see these webpages:
http://www.musicterm.jp/poseidon/liverepo/040810.html
http://www.musicterm.jp/poseidon/liverepo/040818DC.html
http://www.musicterm.jp/poseidon/liverepo/040818DC2.html
http://www.musicterm.jp/poseidon/liverepo/040819E.html
http://www.musicterm.jp/poseidon/davidcross/interview.html
http://www.musicterm.jp/poseidon/davidcross/
http://www.poseidon.jp

The final title of the forthcoming David Cross album is 'Closer than
Skin'. The David Cross Band plans to do some concerts in the near future
and they're going to play tracks from the new CD, some material from
previous incarnations of the David Cross Band and... King Crimson
classics, including new version of the 21st Century Schizoid Man.

I hope David will also release a live record from the band. It's such a
pity we cannot enjoy concert versions of Learning Curve, Calamity or
Tripwire...
š
No more news today. Have nice holidays everyone!

George

Hi,

Due to some problems on Yahoo the message I'd sent several days ago
arrived only yesterday, so the information about the Osaka gig arrived
too late... I'm terribly sorry and hope that in future you'll be able to
get the info about the _forthcoming_ gigs in time.

Best wishes,

George

Hello friends,

I'm sure all of you remember Paul Clark who did "guitar equilibristics" on
"Testing to destruction" and "Exiles". Paul is writing and recording music
for his solo project. He sent me a link to a web site with several MP3 files
of him "improvising over various grooves, backing tracks and song ideas".
The address is http://artists2.iuma.com/IUMA/Bands/Paul_Clark/

Here are some comments from Paul Clark himself:
"The content of 'album 1' is music I've written... The content of 'album 2'
and 'album 3' are just examples of me letting my hair down and having some
improvisational fun..."

Paul has just completed writing an album and is about to start recording it.
He describes it as instrumental rock / metal. The instrumentation is:
Guitars - 6 and 7 string
Bass
Drums
Keys/Synth
Orchestra
Choir
Church Organ

The album will be completed somewhere in the Autumn.

If you are interested contact Paul at paul.clark@...
The music sounds interesting and I'll surely buy the album as soon as it's
released.

Best wishes,

George

_________________________________________________________________
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Hello friends,

The brand new web-site for the Official David Cross newsletter is now
available at the following address: http://www.agharta.net/Cross/
Right now only Archives section is working but we promise to fill other
sections as soon as possible. Please, feel free to send me any comments at
nightwatcher98@...

Best regards,

George

_________________________________________________________________
Surf the Web without missing calls! Get MSN Broadband.
http://resourcecenter.msn.com/access/plans/freeactivation.asp

Hello friends,

Just a quick note to announce that the first date of the David Cross band
forthcoming tour is available. The show will take place on September 1st in
Verviers (Belgium). The name of the venue is Spirit of 66
(http://www.spiritof66.com). Check out their web-site for more updates and
access plan at http://users.skynet.be/sky80229/66/plan.htm.

Best regards,

George

PS. Just a couple of days before the NEW Calamity web-site to start working.
Stay tuned.





_________________________________________________________________
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Hello friends,

Some exciting news this week. David Cross and Mick Paul reformed The David
Cross Band and intend to go on tour very soon. The new incarnation of the
band will also feature the new singer, Arch Stanton, Paul Clark (guitar),
Alex Hall (keyboards) and Lloyd (drums).
At the end of August The David Cross Band will be playing concerts in
Germany, Belgium & Holland. If you know of any clubs in these countries
where you think the band might be welcome, please, email Andy Thompson
(andy.thompson@...) with any details and (if possible) email
addresses.

And now the long awaited interview with The David Cross band’s bass-player,
Mick Paul.

C. Many music lovers know you as a David Cross co-writer and an excellent
bass-player on his latest album “Exiles”. How and when have you become a
professional bass-player?

MP. I became a professional bass player when I was 18 years old when I
joined a band in London signed to Vertigo (Phonogram) records in 1971
(frightening).

C. So you became signed to a major label at the age of 18?

MP. It sounds nice being signed to a major but they dropped us very quickly,
I’m sure nobody would remember the band as it's all ancient history now.

C. As I understood you like playing jazz. Was your choice to play bass
rather than any other instrument determined by your love to improvised
music?

MP. I started playing bass when I was 15 years old, it was the driving feel
of the instrument that attracted me. Any interest in jazz came later.

C. What are your main musical influences and favorite performer?

MP. My influences are now very varied, when I was a teenager I listened to
the Beatles, the Rolling Stones, Led Zeppelin and of course King Crimson,
and Yes. As a bass player my favorite performer is probably Jacco Pastorius.

C. How did you become a part of the “Exiles” project?

MP. I answered an advert in 'Melody Maker' and did an audition with the
band.

C. Were you aware of David’s previous work?

MP. No, I was not aware of David's solo work.

C. Back in 1995 after you joined forces with David Cross you gave some live
performances in Germany and UK. Can you share some memories of that period
with us?

MP. My main memory is having to learn nearly two albums of songs in one
month, as I was also doing lead vocals as well as playing bass in some very
difficult time signatures. Guitarist Paul Clark was a great help as he knew
the songs so well.

C. So you were a lead singer of The David Cross band? And when did John
Dillon leave?

MP. John Dillon left in the spring of 1995.

C. According to David your input in the forthcoming album is very important
and together with DC you are the main driving force behind the project. What
do you feel about the “Monday Child”?

MP. ‘Mondays Child’ is now called 'Book of songs', like any artist I feel
the most recent work is the best we've done however there's so much content
and great performances on the new album, I feel we've pushed ourselves
further than we did with 'Exiles'.

C. By the way, when should we expect the new album? I know the recording is
complete but when the mixing and mastering will be finished?

MP.  We're trying to get the mixing finished soon, we've mixed one track,
but I can't say for sure when we'll finish it.

C. What is the main difference between “Book Of Songs” and “Exiles”? Which
album was more difficult for you?

MP.  I think 'Book of songs' might have a wider appeal than 'Exiles', whilst
still being true to David's proggressive roots. It is more song orientated,
but there's also lots of playing. Both albums have been difficult to make,
for many different reasons.

C. You had to invite guest vocalists to record “Exiles”. This time you
recruited one singer to perform all vocal parts. Are you satisfied with the
result?

MP.  Very very satisfied, Archie Stanton has an amazing voice and musical
ability, he's a sort of cross between Ian Gillan and Bono.

C. Have you invited any guest performers this time?

MP.  There might be some guest performers, but it's all dependent on time.

C. To tell you the truth I don’t think any guests are really necessary for
the album. The albums David recorded before “The Exiles” were amazing,
though the latest became more successful because of Fripp / Hammill / Wetton
participation.

MP. I agree, but as you say it does help with marketing.

C. There were several questions from the Calamity readers regarding the
possibility of live performance of the David Cross band in future. Now we
have the news that some concerts are being planned for the end of August.
Have you formed a “real” band or it’s just a temporary project?

MP.   I’m looking forward to touring in August / September, and I want the
band to be a 'real band' not just a 'one off' project as they are all such
great players.

C. There are two newcomers: Alex Hall and Lloyd. How did they join the band?
Can you tell us about their musical background?

MP.  I've worked with Lloyd (drums) and Alex Hall (keyboards) for well over
10 years, having done a lot of studio work with both of them. Alex is very
good with midi and computers and is from the south of England. Lloyd is from
Manchester, he started his career with Mick Hucknall and Lisa Stansfield,
his musical background is jazz.

C. What material do you intend to perform live? Is there any chance to hear
some earlier David Cross’ works from Dillon / Maloney / Maurer-era or King
Crimson days?

MP. David and I have been trying to decide what songs to do from previous
albums, there's a lot to choose from.

C. I would recommend at least 'Learning Curve', 'Calamity' and 'Tripwire'.

MP. We've got to do 'Learning Curve' it's such a strong piece.

C. Do you plan some other projects besides your participation in David Cross
band?

MP. At the moment my main priority is to finish the new album and rehearse
for any tours we do.

That's all for the May issue of the Calamity newsletter. Thank you for the
interest.

All the best,

George Khouroshvili

_________________________________________________________________
Get your FREE download of MSN Explorer at http://explorer.msn.com/intl.asp.

>From: Noisynoisy@...
>To: Noisynoisy@...
>Subject: If you're in London this week.. David Cross
>Date: Sun, 24 Mar 2002 17:10:08 EST
>
>Hello from Noisy Records!
>If you're in London this Thursday you have a chance
to hear David Cross
>playing violin at a special event in Hackney.  Also
performing will be the
>new David Cross Band singer Arch Stanton, who is
flying in from Dublin to
>perform two sets of his own material.  Geoff Serle,
David's collaborator on
>the Civilizations album, will also be appearing as a
DJ at this event.
>Best wishes,
>
>NOISY RECORDS
>
>291 Gallery
>
>sinestesi - an entire evening of multi-media
performance and wine tasting!
>
>sinestesi is a live, site specific, improvised
performance combining
>painting, music, contemporary dance.
>
>291 Main Gallery and Bar
>Thursday 28th March 2002 7pm-2am
>
>Italian visual artist Maurizio Pio Rocchi has invited
David Cross (King
>Crimson, The David Cross Band) and Verity Inge,(
Motionhouse, Nightshift)
>to
>combine forces to create a unique interchange between
three art forms.
>
>Contemporary dancers Marina Collard, Verity Inge and
Jonathon Stigwood use
>sound, space and Maurizio Pio Rocchis emerging
painting to create a unique
>movement experience as all of the performers work
with the developing
>interchange of stimulus and response. The music is
performed by David
>Cross,
>using two electric violins.
>
>The sinestesi performance event continues with live
performances and Djs
>including Irish musician Arch Stanton, Geoff Serle
and Zeljko Kerleta
>(cosmic
>sounds) playing jazz, afro, Brazilian, leftfield and
down tempo rhythmical
>sounds.
>
>Programme
>7pm - Wine Tasting in the bar of organic Italian
wines from the Artists
>vineyard (while stocks last!)
>8pm - Music Performances by David Cross (King
Crimson) and Arch Stanton
>9pm - sinestesi - a multi-media dance performance in
Main Gallery
>10pm - 2am Live music performances and DJs continue
in the bar.
>Entrance fee: £6/£5 (fantastic value)
>
>For further information contact Lisa Jensen
>291 Gallery   Director Edwina Orr
>291 Hackney Road London   E2 8NA Tel:020 7613 5676
>Fax: 020 7613 5692   email: admin@...

Hello friends,

Just a short note to let you all know that David Cross will be at the launch
event of In The Court Of King Crimson on Friday 30th November. David will be
on hand to sign copies of the limited edition hardback.
In The Court Of King Crimson is a book about... yes, King Crimson. The book
has been written by Sid Smith and is published by Helter Skelter Publishing.
For more details go to http://www.inthecourtofkingcrimson.com/news.html

Best regards,

George


_________________________________________________________________
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*****************************************
                                                         CALAMITY
                                     The official David Cross newsletter

*****************************************

In this issue:
1. New album – a letter from Paul Clark, the David Cross band guitarist
2. Emergency – mid 70’s project feat. Richard Palmer-James
3. King Crimson remasters from Noisy Records


Hello friends,
I bet you all are wondering about the forthcoming David Cross album. And
there are some exciting news today.
Recently I’ve contacted Paul Clark and asked him several questions regarding
DC5 and Paul’s personal plans and projects.

*****************************************
GK. First of all, are you still a part of this project? If so, can you tell
me
how the process is going?

PC. Yes, in fact, I recorded all of the guitar parts in late summer in
London. Although I've not heard any 'fully mixed' tracks yet [because the
album is not quite complete] I personally think that this is shaping up to
be David's best album yet. This time around, David's instructions and ideas
gave me a greater freedom than I'd previously had. For my part I'd say that
there is a greater energy coming from the guitars in the rhythm section.
Additionally, for the first time, I used a 7-string guitar. This
coincidentally, worked out very well because many of the songs were in keys
below E [so I could 'get down there' into the deep stuff]. The result is
that the rhythm section has greater power than ever before. The solos that
I've recorded are, in my opinion, among the best that I've ever done. The
greater freedom that David gave me allowed me to play the way that I like to
play. On previous albums I was kind of 'herded' a little into not sounding
like a 'refugee from an LA guitar store'. This meant that my playing style
was more forced [in an attempt to be different] which I found a little
constraining and un-natural. You'll definitely hear a big difference. My
solos have far greater energy and fluidity and are more expressive than
anything that you would have heard from me before. This is the way that I
love to play, naturally and passionately. [David, if you're reading, thanks
for 'letting me off the lead']. My sound has changed as well [I think for
the better and hope that you will think so too when you hear it] on this
album as I've completely changed my rack and taken to the 7-string. All in
all from what I've heard so far, I'm expecting this to be my favourite album
when it's finished.

GK. I also wonder if you take part in writing and / or arranging new
material.

PC. The only time that I took part in he writing officially was for 'Tested
To Destruction'. On the 'Exiles' album I threw in a few little ideas here
and there but not anything significant enough to be considered a co-writer.
The new album is kind of half way between the two. The writing will be
credited to David and Mick and after all they did write everything. I have
added stuff [mostly within the rhythm section] to enhance what was there to
a much greater degree than I did with 'Exiles'. In fact, some of it was a
little drastic here and there but it was always intended to improve things.
However, never at any point did I make changes to the song structure or
themes etc. Think of it this way; David and Mick baked the cake, I just put
on some of the icing. If I had any impact beyond actually playing, I'd say
it would be the orchestration / arranging. Mick and I did a few experiments
, which had some very surprising results. I reprogrammed the drums for one
of
the songs to experiment with the 'groove' and fiddle with the backing track
sequences. The result was that a song that we felt was possibly a little on
the weak side just sprung to life. That was fun, kind of like watching a
dying relative suddenly jump out of bed and go 'sky-diving'.

GK. And one of the most important questions is if there is "a band" this
time. I
know that many people that attended DC band shows in 1994-96 were very
disappointed with the fact there was no tour after ‘Exiles’ (there was no
real
band on this album but David Cross and friends so there was no live
performances - that's how I see this, correct me if I'm wrong).

PC. To the best of my knowledge so far, no band will formally emerge to
tour this album [and I agree it is a great shame]. Personally I'd love to
tour again with David but I think that the biggest single problem would be
actually getting all of the band members’ different schedules to align for
long enough to tour together. Also, around February / March time in 2001,
I'll be most likely moving my home to Dallas, Texas. So, unless my plans
take a radical 'U-turn' [which is a possibility all be it a remote one] I'll
be ending my working relationship with David and my own band Siberia [and
this makes me very sad]. However, Mick and I are exploring ways to exploit
technology to allow me to continue to record for David and write / record
for Siberia. If there is a way we'll be trying real hard to find it. Gigging
/ touring?? I can't see that happening [at least with me anyway]. David
could form a band to do this but it would have a different guitarist ["which
may be a blessing in disguise" <laughing>] and it'll most likely be a
different singer as he lives in Ireland. [David; maybe you could shed a
little light here]. It's a shame really because I think that this is not
only the strongest material yet but also the most 'compatible' band line-up.
If this line-up could tour it would have been, in my opinion, very special
[a bit of a shame really]. I don't know if Robert will be adding to this
album, you'll need to ask David that one.

GK. By the way, what about Siberia? Do you have any news on this field?

PC. As I've stated earlier, my move to the USA will kill all chances of
Siberia touring but we intend to find a way to record. Before I leave for
the US I will be completing the recordings [at least my parts] with the
intention that we can build a web-site for the band and distribute our music
that way [so, fingers crossed, I hope and expect Siberia to release
something in the mid to late summer time-frame]. If we can crack the problem
of recording me in the US and the rest of the band in the UK then I'll be
rolling up my sleeves and putting pen to paper with plenty of new stuff. I
don't think that it is an impossible problem to solve, just a difficult one.
I'm moving to Dallas because I think that it will be good for my family.
[Nice climate for most of the year, low cost of living but a high standard
of living] If it don't work out, I'll be back home within two years but we
fancy
something different and it seems like a good thing to do [you never can tell
until you've tried it so we'll see].
*****************************************

Well, sounds intriguing, doesn’t it? I’m looking forward to find out what
this beast may sound like… To tell you the truth, though I’d be happy to see
Robert Fripp among other musicians participated in recording of DC5 I don’t
think it’s necessary for this album (as well as recording more King Crimson
covers). ‘Testing To Destruction’ lacked neither Robert nor KC tune but it’s
a great album anyway (maybe even better than ‘Exiles’). Personally I don’t
believe David can record / write a weak material at all.

I also received a letter from Richard Palmer-James a couple of days ago.
After we did the interview (see ‘Calamity’ archives or ET ‘Interviews’ page)
I received some letters where you asked about the band he played with during
70’s. The answer is in the letter, enjoy.

*****************************************
Dear George,
E m e r g e n c y: This was originally a group of Czech musicians
who had been working in Munich as the house band for the musical HAIR.
Hanus Berka from Prague was the bandleader, a classically-trained
multi-instrumentalist, a very talented musician, and a forceful
but charming personality. Hanus had already recorded two jazz-rock
albums - EMERGENCY and EMERGENCY ENTRANCE - for CBS in 1971 and 1972.
He put together a completely new line-up for GET OUT TO THE COUNTRY.
I was very glad to get the job, because in Autumn 1972
I had no income at all and was discovering what feeling hungry
actually means... In 1973 Emergency toured all over Germany; meanwhile
I was writing lyrics for King Crimson, and getting a few film-music
commissions too... Hanus helped me with the arrangements... I worked
hard that year, especially as the style of guitar-playing required by
Emergency's live show was more a matter of technique than of feeling,
and I was often a bit lost.

GET OUT TO THE COUNTRY is a mixed bag of influences, reflecting
the six very different tastes of the musicians involved. Peter
Bischof, the singer - now an internationally successful lyricist
(Milli Vanilli, No Mercy) - is still a close friend.

Tragically, Hanus, who suffered from narcolepsy, died after falling
asleep at the wheel of his car only 100 metres from his home and
crashing into a tree. This was 20 years ago; I often think of him.

GET OUT TO THE COUNTRY was released on CD in a limited edition of
1000 a couple of years ago but I haven't got a copy. The original
vinyl cat. no. was Brain 1037 (Metronom, Hamburg).
... And, incidentally, that's Donna Summer singing backing vocals
on the GET OUT TO THE COUNTRY album. She worked in Munich as a studio
singer for some years before becoming the first disco diva.


Thank you for your interest.

Greetings from Lower Bavaria,

Richard

PS. I have now completed all but one of the lyrics for David's album.

*****************************************
Important note from Noisy Records:

The new 30th Anniversary 24-bit Remastered versions of LARKS' TONGUES IN
ASPIC, STARLESS AND BIBLE BLACK and RED are now available from the Noisy
Records website (http://www.noisy.co.uk).

These CDs are a Limited Edition and are produced with a special gatefold
cover. They are available at £11.99 including FREE DELIVERY to anywhere in t
he world!

You can buy on-line by credit card or by telephone or fax on (44) 20 8922
7254.

Don't forget we are also offering THE NIGHTWATCH (KING CRIMSON), 3 DAVID
CROSS CDs including EXILES (featuring Robert Fripp, John Wetton and Peter
Hammill ) plus CIVILIZATIONS the new Progressive Electronica CD from RADIUS.

All are available autographed by DAVID CROSS (on orders of 2 or more).

Don't leave it too late, this is a limited edition! - and please tell your
friends about the site!

That’s all for now. As soon as there is something new to report I’ll let you
know. Stay tuned.
All the best,
George Khouroshvili

Hello friends,

First of all, I ask your pardon for the lack of updates lately. The only
thing that excuses me (at least I hope it does) is the fact I'm terribly
busy preparing for the marriage :-)
I promise to provide you with some interesting items right after I'm back
from a 2 week vacation (there will be interviews with Mick Paul, Arch
Stanton & Paul Clark).
Please, feel free to send your questions to my e-mail address. If you want
to ask David Cross or Richard Palmer-James some questions don't hesitate to
contact me.

And here are some exciting news from Gary Davis:
===========================================
From: Gary Davis <artshop@...>
Subject: Forever Blowing Bubbles; Crimson Remasters


  Hi, folks:

  The latest Artist Shop newsletter is out and you'll find it in its entirety
at <http://www.artist-hop.com/news.htm>.  Meanwhile, here are some excerpts
to delight fans of David Cross.

  Coming Soon from Clearlight Music <http://www.artist-shop.com/clearlight>
Clearlight Symphony/Forever Blowing Bubbles. This album followed the heady
success of Symphony by charting into new territory. Forever Blowing Bubbles
is also based on keyboardist Cyrille Verdeaux's piano and synthesizers but
incorporates a more cohesive group sound featuring bassist/vocalist Joel
Duregenot (ex-Zao), violinist David Cross (King Crimson) & guitarist/flutist
Jean Claude d'Agostini (Magic Circus).  Shorter songs with more variety are
featured with pronounced synthesizer textures and a strong
symphonic/psychedelic ambiance. Long a favorite of certain Clearlight fans,
Bubbles was remastered to provide the best sound quality possible.

Coming Soon on our Discipline page <http://www.artist-shop.com/discipln>
King Crimson/Lark's Tongue in Aspic
King Crimson/Starless and Bible Black
King Crimson/Red
Slated for an October release are King Crimson's phenomenal '72-'74 albums
featuring Robert Fripp, Bill Bruford, John Wetton, David Cross and Jamie
Muir.  Red also features a guest appearance from Crimson founder Ian
McDonald!  Digitally remastered by Robert Fripp himself using 24 bit
technology plus HDCD encoding, they come in unique, limited edition,
cardboard stock sleeves just as the original vinyl LP's with the original
artwork & sleeve notes intact. These newly remastered versions will
eventually revert to a standard jewel case packaging, so get these limited
editions while you can.  As this period of King Crimson tends to be the most
favored by Crimson fans, demand will be high.  Pre-ordering them is highly
recommended.

Gary

**************************************************************
                            Gary Davis
  The Artist Shop                              The Other Road
  http://www.artist-shop.com          artshop@...
  phone: 877-856-1158, 330-929-2056    fax:330-945-4923
                INDEPENDENT PROGRESSIVE MUSIC!!!
  **************************************************************
       Artist Shop Radio <http://www.artist-shop.com/radio>
         Check out the latest Artist Shop newsletter at
              http://www.artist-shop.com/news.htm

===========================================

All the best,

George Khouroshvili

Hello friends,

Some exciting news this week.

David Cross has found a singer for his forthcoming album! They have recorded
his voice on two tracks already. The new singer is Arch Stanton from Dublin
in Eire. Here are some words from Arch himself:

"I was born in Dublin City on April 2nd 1975, avoiding a Fool's Day birthday
by mere hours. My mother's daily piano practice during the pregnancy must
have had a significant effect on my budding synaptic connections, as I
expressed a keen interest in music as soon as I could talk. At the age of
four, my letter to Santa contained an urgent plea for a "guitar with a light
in the middle". I'm still waiting, by the way.

After several aborted attempts to learn piano in the conventional fashion,
("Let's try... 'Three Blind Mice'. "Let's not"), I decided to teach myself
the instrument, and later studied the saxophone... primarily because women
seemed to like it.

I began performing around Dublin venues in my late teens as a singer and
keyboard player, regrettably sporting a mullet. Seeing sense and with mullet
snipped, I took up the guitar, attended singing lessons with the
distinguished Frank Ecock of the Royal Irish Academy, acted in a number of
festival-touring plays and placed myself in numerous & contrasting musical
endeavours. For the sake of experience, I played in all sorts of groups
(whose repertoires ranged from jazz to, unforgivably, country & western),
wrote a few soundtracks for short films, took part in choral recitals in the
National Concert Hall, gave lessons and began to forge my own solo work.

I have now whittled away the activities that were really only beneficial in
terms of experience, and concentrated on the "real stuff". I front my own
band in the city and play guitar & sing in progressive group Magnum Opus
(who
should be releasing their first album in Italy later in the year). I am a
member of a fusion trio yet to gig called Pavilion, and I have started
working with ex-Nine Wassies from Bainne guitarist, Giordai Ui Laoighaire
and
ex-Pet Lamb drummer Dave Lacy under the project name, Morgan the Bouncer.
Sometimes, I schedule an hour off to get a bite to eat.

I consider it a rare privilege to have been brought on board for David
Cross'
fifth album, and I'm staggered by the sheer luck of it... oh, every four
minutes or so."

There is no news about more guest appearences on the forthcoming album yet.
Robert Fripp is ready to participate but at the time David hasn't decided
which tracks are best suited for his guitar.

******************************************************
From: Gary Davis <artshop@...>

  Hi, folks:

  The latest Artist Shop newsletter is out an you'll find it in its entirety
  at <http://www.artist-shop.com/news.htm>.  Here's an excerpt specifically
  for David Cross fans.

  Newly released from David Cross' Noisy Records
  <http://www.artist-shop.com/newlabel/index2.htm>
  Radius/Civilizations
  The latest release from David Cross' Noisy Records is from the band Radius.
  Featuring former Crimson violinist David Cross and Geoff Serle on keyboards
  and other electronics, is a very satisfying combination of progressive,
  ambient and improvisation!   Guests on this release include Sheila Maloney
  (from the David Cross band) on keyboards, and Maxine Braham and Carlo
Lucius
  Asciutti on vocals.  The 19 minute title track is especially good!
  soundbite - <http://www.artist-shop.com/newlabel/civilize.ram>

  Gary

  **************************************************************
                            Gary Davis
  The Artist Shop                              The Other Road
  http://www.artist-shop.com          artshop@...
  phone: 877-856-1158, 330-929-2056    fax:330-945-4923
                INDEPENDENT PROGRESSIVE MUSIC!!!
  **************************************************************
         Check out the latest Artist Shop newsletter at
              http://www.artist-shop.com/news.htm

In this issue:

1. New Radius album is out
2. Noisy Records mailing list

************************************************

Hello friends,

Some exiting news this week! "Civilizations", the new album by Radius, is
finally released and available from the Noisy Records web-site.

The first track from the album 'Floating' can be heard or downloaded at
mp3.com/radiusdownload (there's a link on the Noisy Records site). Though
it's hard to judge the music from mp3 files I must admit the track sounds
very impressive. Right now I only can say that if you like the previous
works by Radius you won't be disappointed. As soon as I get my copy of the
album I'll share my impressions with you all.

I was also very pleased to find out that Sheila Maloney was among the
musicians who recorded the album. I know many DC fans missed her badly.

Here is a track list:

1. Floating : 8.53
(Cross/Serle)
David Cross : Electric Violin
Geoff Serle : Beats, Keyboards

2. There is no peace (Tok-sin remix) : 10.24
(Cross/Serle/Maloney)
David Cross : Electric violin
Geoff Serle : Electronics
Sheila Maloney : Keyboards
Maxine Braham: Voice

3. The Prairies : 4.46
(Serle)
Carlo Lucius Asciutti : Voice
Geoff Serle : Keyboards

4. Ether Dreams : 10.25
(Cross/Serle)
David Cross : Electric violin
Geoff Serle : Beats, Samples, Keyboards

5. New England in the Fall : 6.31
(Serle)
Geoff Serle : Keyboards

6. Ebbs and Flows : 5.36
(Cross)
David Cross : Electric violin

7. Casale Valley : 4.08
(Serle)
Carlo Lucius Asciutti : Voice
Geoff Serle : Keyboards

8. Civilizations : 18.45
(Cross/Serle)
David Cross : Electric violin
Geoff Serle : Beats, Samples, Keyboards

By the way, Noisy Records established its very own mailing list. You can
join it by visiting the Noisy Records web-site and submitting your e-mail.
To avoid any misunderstanding I'd like to drve your opinion that while
"Calamity" is focusing on David Cross' activities the new mailing list is
dedicated to Noisy Records releases and various information. As you already
know David intention is to release some other artists through his label so
in the future some albums from Noisy may not include his violin at all.

And another important note: Artist shop is now featuring Noisy Records at
its "New Labels" page. Follow the link:
http://www.artist-shop.com/newlabel/index2.htm


All the best,

George
________________________________________________________________________
Get Your Private, Free E-mail from MSN Hotmail at http://www.hotmail.com

Hello friends,

This issue of Calamity is dedicated to the 1972-74 King Crimson lyricist
Richard Palmer-James who is going to write lyrics for the forthcoming David
Cross album. Here is the interview with the man and there are tonns of
interesting info in it. Enjoy.

********************************************

C. When did you start to write lyrics? Who was your major inspiration?
RPJ. I started to write lyrics when I joined Supertramp in 1969, because
nobody else in the band wanted to do it. It was a little bit like having to
do school work, you know... in fact, it still is. I didn't really take it
seriously at first. Playing guitar is a lot more fun. I wrote the words for
Supertramp's first album; after that, I began to listen to what real poets
were doing - Paul Simon, Dylan, Lennon, Joni Mitchell. Most of all, I wish I
could write words like Chuck Berry did.

C. Please, tell us about your first band.
RPJ. I started playing guitar at 13 or 14 and followed the musical trends of
the sixties with a group of school friends, which included John Wetton.
Apart from the Beatles, and then soul music (which has always been very big
in England) I learned a lot of blues stuff, the music I still enjoy playing
most. My first professional attempt was called Tetrad. John Wetton played
bass and sang. A guy called John Hutcheson played Hammond organ - he's now
an aeronautics engineer and lives in California. Bob Jenkins played drums; I
haven't seen him since 1969 but I understand he is a respected session
player. We didn't dare to play original material, so we stuck to our heroes:
Vanilla Fudge, ELP, Traffic, Graham Bond stuff - the prog rock music of the
time. It was very loud. We drove all over England for very little money and
gave up after a year.

C. What was / is more important for you: to write lyrics or music? Do you
feel yourself a poet or a musician?
RPJ. I think words and music should - ideally - be inseparable. The lyrics
to a song are of no interest standing there on the page. They should engage
in, and profit from, the mystery of the music and the singer's voice. I'm
not a poet. I'm a bad musician. I try to express in words things that are
impossible for me to articulate on a musical instrument.

C. You played in Supertramp for several months. How did you join this band?
RPJ. I answered an advertisement in the English pop newspaper Melody Maker
in August 1969, right after Tetrad had broken up. I went for an audition in
London. Rick Davies had chosen Roger Hodgson as guitarist the day before,
but the three of us seemed to understand each other, and Roger decided he
would learn to play bass - which he did brilliantly. Incidentally, I
auditioned for Wishbone Ash on the same day.

C. Why did you leave it?
RPJ. I left eighteen months later because our initial understanding had
disappeared, sadly. I didn't really fit in that musical situation. Although
I thought at that time that I knew everything about every- thing, I was in
fact a late developer, a slow learner. I admire Rick and Roger greatly as
performers and songwriters, but most of all I admire them for NOT GIVING UP
in the early seventies. They worked very hard indeed for their success,
which came after five difficult and frustrating years.

C. Correct me if I'm wrong but I think that at that time you moved from
England to Germany. What was the reason for such a decision? And why did you
choose Germany?
RPJ. Supertramp had played in Germany for several weeks in 1969-70, and I
found at the beginning of 1971 that I had more friends here than in England.
So I thought I would come over for a while, not having anything else to do.
I soon found that I could - more or less -make a living in Munich, playing
guitar here and there, and writing music for films. I was very interested in
cinematography, and I even tried to get into the Munich Film and TV School;
but my German wasn't good enough. Munich was booming culturally in the
seventies. I just sort of stayed. I had not had any connections or
affiliations with Germany beforehand.

C. You knew John Wetton from the 60s and it was he who invited you to write
for King Crimson. Was Robert Fripp aware of your previous works?
RPJ. No, I don't think so. Robert was already a legend as a guitar virtuoso
in our home area (Bournemouth, on England's south coast) in the late
sixties, but he and I had had no personal contact.

C. Your predecessor, Pete Sinfield, had a very unique writing style, which
brought a mystery to King Crimson albums. Your lyrics were very different,
there weren't any fantasy or fairy tales at all, I may be>wrong, but your
poetry seemed to be closer to the European existentialists. I wonder if you
felt comfortable writing for King Crimson for the 1st time?
RPJ. I had absolute carte blanche; I could write whatever I wanted;
wonderful! I haven't had that kind of freedom very often since. And it was
clear that simple love songs would not be required.

C. Did you hear KC music before John asked for your assistance?
RPJ. Oh yes, the marvellous first album was a sensation in musician's
circles at the time I started playing with Supertramp.

C. What was the first song you wrote for King Crimson?
RPJ. EASY MONEY or BOOK OF SATURDAY, I can't remember which.

C. The Night Watch is one of the most beautiful songs ever and your lyrics
for The Night Watch were always making me wonder, how on Earth could you
choose such a subject for a song?
RPJ. I wrote this piece along with LAMENT and THE GOOD SHIP ENTERPRISE in
the early seventies as part of an album project of my own which never got
beyond the demo stage. John took over the words for King Crimson songs,
fitting them to existing ideas he was developing with Robert, re-working the
music accordingly. Nobody understood the song at all when it appeared. But
there's nothing mysterious about it, it's just a brief historical commentary
on Rembrandt and his situation in 17th-century Holland. This is probably not
an ideal subject for rock music.) More people seem to realise what the
song's about nowadays. Rembrandt's supreme genius has enriched my existence
since schooldays. I eagerly went to see the exhibition of his self-portraits
last year at London's National Gallery, and was amazed to discover that
although the collection had been on show for three months, I had to wait
inline for an hour to get in. Even when seen over the heads of crowds of
people, the late self-portraits are awe-inspiring and sublime works of art,
which make the passing of centuries meaningless.

C. You contacted with the band via John. When did you meet the other band
members for the first time?
RPJ. I visited them in Command Studios, London, while they were recording
LARKS' TONGUES early in 1973. Later I accompanied them on tour in Germany
for a few days. We had no regular or intimate contact.

C. I know you had a project called Emergency in the 70s. Please, tell our
readers about it.
RPJ. This was a jazz-rock formation led by the Czech saxophonist and
arranger, Hanes Berea. We toured extensively and played very fast and
complicated pieces which were beyond my technical ability as a guitarist. I
learned a lot about the mechanics of music from Hanes. He was killed in a
car accident a few years later.

C. Are there any more albums from that period you participated in?
RPJ. Diez and Bischof - DAYBREAK; produced by Dieter Dierks; I wrote most of
the words. Also for two albums by MUNICH, a mainstream rock band from the
town of the same name; in the mid-eighties I played guitar with this outfit
and wrote two more albums with them. By the end of the seventies I was
working full-time as a lyricist, and was involved in dozens of pop albums
and singles productions.

C. Most of our readers have no idea on your work in 80s and 90s. Could  you
give us some information, please?
RPJ. During the 80s I wrote literally hundreds of lyrics for all kinds of
productions in Germany, France, and Italy. I was lucky enough to participate
in chart successes with La Bionda, Gilbert Montagné, Mireille Mathieu and
Patrick Duffy, Moti Special, Michael Cretu, Sandra, and Munich (the band I
played guitar with in the mid-80s). More recently I wrote some stuff for
Haddaway, but mostly I've spent the 90's teaching myself computer-based
production and sound editing techniques; I moved out here to the Bavarian
countryside about ten years ago, to spend more time with my wife and two
sons. At the moment I'm trying to produce two very talented
singer/songwriters from this area. In the past two years I have at last
returned to regular guitar-playing, concentrating on the blues and country
styles which seem to have been at the roots of my career. I probably have
more enthusiasm than talent, but playing in clubs and bars is one of the
joys of my life. When I was writing for Crimso back in the early 70s, I
certainly had no idea that I would ever become involved in mainstream pop
music; nor did Pete Sinfield, I presume. But there's really no other way to
earn a living as a lyricist. And the main thing is, I have been able to make
music my profession.

C. The Wetton + Palmer-James album became a pure delight for many Crimson
fans. Your "Good Ship Enterprise" impressed me very much. The liner notes
say it was written in 1972 but recorded by John and Bill only in 1976. Was
it intended for King Crimson? Please, tell us about this song, how it was
written and how to interpret it?
RPJ. John wanted to do it with Crimso but Robert disbanded the group before
that could happen. It's about the survivor of a shipwreck, drifting on the
open sea in a small boat with a dead companion, not knowing whether he or
she will be found and saved. It's about the meaningless of human vanity in
an indifferent cosmos (a Russian theme?).

C. This album also features the 1st ever-released studio version of Doctor
Diamond, which was only available on The Great Deceiver box and numerous
bootlegs. Is there any more unreleased King Crimson song with your lyrics?
RPJ. There are two or three, but they are only fragmentary. If they had been
listenable, we would have put them on the MONKEY BUSINESS album.

C. You still work with John Wetton from time to time. Is there any news in
this field?
RPJ. We spoke last autumn about doing an album of new songs together, but
right now John's busy with Qango and the project is postponed.

C. How did the idea of you writing lyrics for a new David Cross album
appear? Did you keep in touch with him after King Crimson had disbanded?
RPJ. David simply phoned and asked me if I'd like to do it. I was very
pleased. No, we had not been in touch at all. We met for the first time in
25 years at the King Crimson Royal Albert Hall concert in London. A year
later I saw David perform with his group at the London Astoria, where John
also appeared, and we briefly discussed the possibility of a collaboration.
Also, I was in the studio when John sang EXILES for David's last album.

C. Have you heard his previous albums? What do you think of the music? Oh,
and the lyrics, of course?
RPJ. When I've finished writing the words for David's new album I'll look
forward to hearing all his stuff from the past few years.

C. Can you describe the lyrics you wrote for David's forthcoming album? Can
you give us an idea what are they about?
RPJ. It's a bit too soon to say, but the lyrical themes seem to concern
identities, the roles we all play. (I haven't finished yet.) The pieces are
extremely difficult to sing (and write) - David is searching for someone who
has the required phenomenal vocal technique. But because of this, the album
will be very unusual and I'm proud to be part of it.

C. What are your plans for the nearest future besides the work with David
Cross?
RPJ. Producing other people's work. Recording a bluesy album of my own. More
Stratocaster. More trying to sing. More badly-paid gigs in bars.
********************************************

PS. By the way, David is still looking for a singer to perform on his
forthcoming album. If you have any thoughts, proposals, etc. feel free to
contact him at noisynoisy@...

All the best,

George
______________________________________________________
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Hello friends,

I'm happy to announce that "Calamity" archives are now available at the
"Demos From Purgatory" site owned by Eugene Polyakov. All you newcomers now
don't have to search Onelist archives to read the previous issues - just
follow the link below:
http://www.geocities.com/SunsetStrip/Theater/5775/cross/

At this site you'll also be able to find many interesting and useful
information about David Cross and his music. Enjoy!

Many of you asked for any information about Paul Clark, the musician who did
all those "guitar acrobatics" on David's albums. Please, find the bio from
the man himself.


                             Paul Clark
                           Lead Guitarist
                      Of the David Cross Band

Full name: Paul James Clark
Born:  South East London, UK
Date of birth: 12th October 1965

Principle Instrument:
Lead / Rhythm Guitar

Additional:
Lead / Backing Vocals, Song Writing, Composition, Programming / Sequencing,
Sampling, Drums and Percussion.

Musical History:
The first instrument that I learned to play was drums at 9 years old. It
became the foundation for my sense of timing and although drums are no
longer my main instrument, I still enjoy getting behind a drum kit when I
can. I learned to play guitar when I was 12 years old and here is the story.
I have an uncle called John and he could play guitar. He could play ‘House
of the Rising Sun’ and nothing else. On 4th November 1977 my uncle showed me
the chords to this song and gave me the guitar. It was a cheap old nylon
strung acoustic. I played it over and over but I got it in the end and this
was the beginning of a love affair that has lasted ever since. I still have
that guitar and I’m teaching my eldest son Alex (7 years old) to play it.
He’s trying to learn the James Bond Theme and not doing too badly. I’m sure
he’ll get there in the end.
I was too young to actively follow progressive music during the early 70’s
as I was between 5 and 11 years old when it was at its peak. This means that
I was a little too young to go to gigs. As it turns out it was the same
uncle that was listening to Yes, Genesis, Deep Purple, PFM, Trace and ELP
and this was where a 5-11 year old acquired an ear for progressive rock. At
the time all of my little friends were into David Cassidy, The Osmonds and
Sweet etc, something that I could not understand. Also, my grandfather was
introducing me to Classical music (particularly Eastern European composers).
Give a young boy a guitar with a head full of Yes and Tchaikovski and an
independent streak that is contemptuous of fashion and see how he turns out.
That sounds like all of the ingredients for a rock guitarist to me.
It wasn’t long before I was learning more on the guitar and playing along
with Genesis bass lines on my acoustic.
A year later it all changed.
I discovered electricity and Motorhead, AC/DC, Black Sabbath, Judas Priest,
Hawkwind, UFO and Led Zeppelin. Don’t laugh I was only 13. But this is where
I learned to ‘riff’ and find my way around a few blues rock licks.
I joined my first rock band at this time called ‘Aquila’. We had no songs so
I wrote them. We had no singer so I ended up doing it. I played my first gig
at this time. “No turning back now”.
In 1978 some older friends took me to see Black Sabbath play in London. The
support band was Van Halen. This was a ‘life changing’ event. I didn’t know
weather to give up or go home and practice. It took until the early 80’s to
learn to play ‘Eruption’. It was one of those ‘try it, leave it and go back
to the Sabbath, get a little better and try it again’ things that lasted for
a few years. Once I’d figured it out I was so proud of myself that I called
a friend “come ‘round to my place and check this out”. He came to my place
but he brought an album with him. It was Rising Force by Yngwie Malmsteen.
Once again I was blown away. That set me on the technique trail. I was
hungry for all of it, Malmsteen, Satriani, McAlpine, Vinnie Moore etc. The
Mark Varney stable of advanced ‘shredders’. I know that people cringe at
these names now but I did learn an awful lot about discipline, accuracy,
trickery, theory and I developed a taste for learning Baroque music and
applying it to the electric guitar.
After playing in several rock and metal bands I became disillusioned with
the whole shredder thing. I felt as though I was being judged on every
guitar solo in the same way as a gymnast. It was as though a good solo had
to contain the complete set of techniques available to be a good one. I
found this constraining and I needed a change. That’s when I discovered Jazz
Funk. I spent the following years playing Funky Rock and then pure Funk.
Clean rhythm guitar sitting in the rhythm section as an extension of the
percussion. I threw in the odd solo but it was not stuck in a set formula.
It was fresh and great fun. There was no need to impress, just get into the
grove and enjoy it. It was here that I really learned a great deal about
playing across the beat and phrasing. It brought out the drummer in me.
Eventually I needed something extra. I found myself missing rock music but I
still enjoyed the grove. In the early 90’s I found Yessongs on CD. I hadn’t
heard it for years but as the live version of ‘Yours is no Disgrace’ is one
of my favourite songs of all time so I thought that I’d get it and give it
another listen, all be it for the first time in ten or more years. The thing
that amazed me was that it was rock with a funky rhythm section and it was
so beautifully written that I was blown away all over again. It was like
going back home. This time I was a much more developed instrumentalist and
musician. None of the original substance that attracted me to it had
disappeared. If anything it sounded better than before. The next step was to
go back through all of that stuff and I found that I love it more know than
ever. Albums such as Yessongs, Going For The One, Relayer, Foxtrot, The Wind
and the Wuthering, Chocolate Kings, Trace, Strangers in the Night, The Trick
of the Tail, 2112, Permanent Waves, etc. This music contained everything
that appealed to me. It had really great drummers that could grove, there
would be heavy and light moments, tempo shifts, unusual time signatures, key
changes and in some cases, all of this in the same 15 minute song. What more
could I want.
In the early 90’s I did get into Dream Theater. The technique is all there
but I’m not so sure about the song writing. Their good bits are really good
but there is a lot that is not to my taste. These days I still listen to the
old stuff but I do like to mix it with Satch, Vai, One Minute Silence,
classical, blues, be-bop, fusion, trance, funk. If I like it, that’ll do for
me. Although it’s mostly rock music that ‘flicks my switches’ I’m not
constrained to just one thing. That’s not healthy for a musician.
Let’s talk Cross.
I think it was 1994 (or 93 I’m not quite sure) that I’d had a little bit of
a falling out with one of the guys in a band. It was a funk band. I’d had
enough. I got a music paper and saw an ad for a rock guitarist. It was time
to go home to rock.
I went for the audition in London.
I wasn’t quite sure if I liked what I heard as it was not quite what I was
looking for.
I do recall the old guy with the electric violin making some great sounds
and I thought that he was a great player.
It was John Dillon that really did it for me. How could someone with such a
terrible looking technique play so well and generate so much energy. I still
don’t understand how but it works. At the time I had no idea if they thought
I was good or bad or indifferent. Johnny was helping me load my kit back
into my car when he said to me “do you know who you’ve just auditioned for?”
“No” I replied.
“David Cross.” He said.
“Who’s he?”
“He used to play for King Crimson.”
“Oh, the 20th Century Schizo crowd. Very clever stuff but it’s not really my
kind of thing.”
A few days later I got a call saying that they’d like to try me out for a
while and see how it goes. I like progressive but I’ve never been a big fan
of the experimental stuff as I like to work things out. After a while I felt
as though I began to get my head around the way that David works and I
really enjoyed it.
Working with David is hard work, inspiring, soul destroying and just ‘out
there’.
Hard work because he’s always searching for that something which is very
hard to find. When that something is found it really can be quite something
but the searching isn’t all that easy but worth it none the less.
Inspiring because of the times that it really comes together. I’ve been on
stage with David many times and I know what to expect. His playing standard
is very high and he can be very unusual and unorthodox (sometimes more like
a guitarist). Every now and again David has a great moment (considering his
own standards) and when they occur it is a truly great experience. On those
occasions it’s easy to get the “I’m not worthy” vibe and it makes you feel
so proud to be part of the same band.
Soul destroying because, I guess, the nature of the music. Writing and
playing with David is never going to be easy. That’s why there is only one
David Cross. When things went well they went really well, but sometimes
things did not go quite so well and the whole thing could get quite painful.
I’d just hang on in there waiting for the ‘really well’ bits.
‘Out-there’ because of the times that it all came together. I do recall
playing Learning Curve on more than one occasion and getting ‘out of it’ on
the music alone. For all of the music that I have in my collection, Learning
Curve is one of my favourite songs of all time and I feel proud and
fortunate that it was me playing on it.
Eventually, I felt that I needed to write with more order and composition
and the band tended to do a great deal of improvisation in a manner that was
not to my taste. I think that the band sensed this and would have found my
writing style too constraining considering the way that they go about their
business and what they stand for.
I was beginning to write in a style that does not suit David so I was
keeping it for another time and another band. I’d expressed to Sheila
Maloney a few times that I was not comfortable with the way things were and
I guess that the rest of the band got together and figured out that I was no
longer the ‘right man for the job’. When I got the bad news I was a little
sad but in another way it allowed me to carry on with my own music which
made me very happy. I formed a band called Siberia (which I’m still in
today) and I’m really enjoying it.
The really great part is that no feelings were hurt and I’ve remained
friendly with all of the band members. I still record with David as I ended
up doing most of the playing on Exiles although I was out of the band by
then. When David records his next album I think that I’ll be playing on that
too, which is something that I’m really looking forward to.
If David decides to ‘go live’ again he knows that I’ll be there if needed.
To sum up, although David’s music was not the kind that I imagined that I’d
end up playing, I really enjoyed it and I learned a great deal in the
process.
How can you not.

______________________________________________________
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Hello friends,

And welcome back to a next issue of The Official David Cross newsletter.

As you already know, this year we are expecting two brand new releases from
David Cross. The first one is a new Radius album called “Civilizations”. The
album is already recorded and right now it’s passing a mixing phase. Last
weekend David was busy selecting from different takes of the recorded
material and mixing the album. One of the finished tracks is called
“Floating”. There is still no confirmed date of the “Civilizations” release,
as soon as I have any information I’ll let you know.

David also keeps on working on his 5th, yet unnamed, solo album. The first
set of lyrics from Richard Palmer-James is already received and, according
to David, they are excellent. What else could we expect from the man who
wrote the lyrics for “The Night Watch”? By the way, I hope to prepare an
interview with Richard for the next Calamity issue, so stay tuned…

At last I have some information about a line-up for David’s forthcoming
album to share. Here are some words from Mr.Cross himself: “On DC5 I will be
recording with Mick Paul (bass), Paul Clark (guitar) and a drummer as yet to
be decided. I hope that Pete McPhail will play some soprano sax and I am now
looking for a singer.”
(Just wanted to remind you that Pete McPhail is a composer/flute/sax player
who is well known in England as an improviser. David worked on some projects
with him when he was in his 'jazz' phase. They had a trio with Sheila
Maloney called Beckett Music, which interpreted the plays of Samuel Beckett
as music. He played on some tracks on “Memos from Purgatory”, “The Big
Picture” and “Exiles”.) Probably, the new album will feature a guest
appearance from Robert Fripp.

By the way, I received some questions about different versions of David’s
latest album, “Exiles”. There are some differences between European,
American and Japanese versions of the album. The USA version of “Exiles” has
“Duo”, the European version has “Cakes” and the Japanese version has both
compositions. Both are Cross/Fripp instrumental duets.

And once again I remind you that on-line credit card sales are now available
from the Noisy Records website at http://www.noisy.co.uk


Here is another interview with David Cross for the "Music Box" magazine
(Russia).

Q. Was it your decision to learn violin or your parents' insistence?
A. I had the opportunity to start learning in a group at school (at the age
of 9). My parents were supportive and bought me a quarter size violin for £1
from a second hand shop. It had no bridge but after we sorted that out it
was fine.

Q. The violin is a quite unusual instrument for rock'n'roll. How did you
decide to play in a rock band?
A. I wanted to be a pop star and playing in a rock band was the nearest I
could get to that.

Q. What was your first band?
A. A group while I was at school where I played an acoustic guitar with a
microphone dangling inside it. We tried to play 'The House of the rising
sun'.

Q. Did you hear King Crimson music before you joined this band? Did you like
their music?
A. I didn't listen to any King Crimson before I met Robert, but before the
day when the band formed I had listened to some. I thought it was like film
music and it didn't seem to have the directness of the rock I had heard. I
don't think I'd heard 'Schizoid man'.

Q. How the King Crimson material was written? Was it created from the band's
improvisations or some of the members just came with ideas and then the
whole band worked on them? How Larks' Tongues In Aspic I was written, for
example?
A. Yes it was written in all the ways you have suggested and others (e.g.
created from recordings).

Q. What did you need to stay with the band? Was your departure inevitable?
A. I think it was inevitable.

Q. Did you keep in touch with your KC colleagues after your departure?
A. Only Bill for a short while.

Q. Have you heard 80's or 90's King Crimson recordings? If so, what do you
think of them?
A. Yes I've listened to some and they are very impressive. I'm glad the
sense of humour has survived.

Q. Are any recordings from your middle-seventies projects available? What
kind of music did you performed in Clearlight Orchestra or ASCEND, for
example?
A. The Clearlight Orchestra made an album with me called 'Forever Blowing
Bubbles'. Ascend did not record much although somewhere there should be a
pilot video of a Thames TV programme featuring the band.............

Q. What was the main reason for your going over from rock music to the
theatre? And since the majority of the readers have no idea on this period
in your life could you, please, tell us more about your work in theatre? At
what kind of theatres did you work? What kind of plays did you stage? What
are your favourite role and/or play in theatres?
A. This should be in my biography... I have enjoyed playing all my theatre
roles.. Particularly a short lived production (called 'That World'
co-written/produced/directed with English Actor/writer Dean Allen) in
October 1995 in which I played 'Shades' (Hades) in a reworking of the
Orpheus and Eurydice story in collision with a Japanese traditional tale of
love and death. I also wrote music for the production, some of which formed
the basis of 'Hero' on the 'Exiles' album. I love 'playing' in most of its
forms.

Q. And back to the music. After leaving King Crimson you worked as a session
musician from time to time and formed David Cross band only in the end of
80's. Why did it take so long? How did you get acquainted with DC band
members?
A. A long story. In musical terms.. I formed a large band in Ireland and did
some concerts, in England I spent a few years confirming that I couldn't
play jazz, I studied violin, I extended my improvising skills, I worked with
community bands, I formed a jazzy kind of improvising group called 'They
came from Plymouth' which I realised ought to be a rock group and then
formed a rock group. Dan Maurer found me playing in 'They came from
Plymouth' in a pub in North London and eventually I played with him and
others on 'Low Flying Aircraft'. I had met Sheila Maloney whilst teaching a
course. We advertised for everybody else in Melody Maker and auditioned
them.

Q. Please, tell us about another important project you were involved in,
Radius. How did you join this band?
A. Geoff Serle asked me to play at a WOMAD festival with 'Research' and then
created Radius....

Q. By the way, is there any unreleased project featuring your playing?
A. Not as a complete album. There are a number of unreleased tracks that I
and others have.

Q. What kind of music do you listen to?
A. I rarely listen to music now.

Q. And what kind of music do you prefer to play: avant-garde, progressive
rock, jazz or classic?
A. I'm not sure how to answer this question. I enjoy improvising with other
musicians, whatever the context. I also enjoy being part of a well organised
band delivering original well rehearsed music.

Q. What kind of equipment do you use? And what equipment did you use in King
Crimson?
A. Now: Zeta violin, Art processor, Peavey combos. Then: Barcus berry bridge
pick-up on a Vincent Violin, Pete Cornish pedal board, H and H stack.
Q. How did you come to the electric sound? Is it current technology that
influences your style or do you choose the equipment for your musical ideas?
A. Both.
Q. Why did you choose to establish your own record company, Noisy Records?
A. To establish a more direct link between myself and the musicians I work
with and our audience. To seek to define what I mean by Noisy music.
Q. Do you plan to release the works of other artists through Noisy Records?
A. In the first phase I will be making available the music of other Noisy
type artists by presenting their CDs and downloads on the Noisy Website.
Later I hope to release suitable performers on the Noisy Records label.

Q. What are you plans for the nearest future?
A. I am working hard at my computer skills in a number of practical areas. I
am working on a final track for Civilizations, the next Radius Album with
Geoff Serle. Mick Paul and I are well advanced on writing the next David
Cross album.
==================================
Here are some places to buy David Cross works:
http://members.aol.com/noisynoisy - Noisy Records (DC's recent solo albums)
http://www.disciplineglobalmobile.com - DGM (King Crimson albums feat. David
Cross)
http://www.artist-shop.com - Gary Davis Artist Shop (King Crimson, David
Cross solo works and some other Cross-related albums).


All the best,

George Khouroshvili




______________________________________________________
Get Your Private, Free Email at http://www.hotmail.com

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-----------------------------CALAMITY------------------------------
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Hello friends,

Everything is quiet by the time. David is busy with the further development
of Noisy Records and completing the new album.

I think you should be warned that recently Noisy Records has set up on-line
sells-forms. All major credit cards are accepted now.
Also there are some King Crimson albums featuring David's playing added to
the catalogue.

For all you newbies out there. The previous issues of Calamity soon to be
featured on the "Demos From Purgatory" site. I'll let you know as soon as
they are uploaded.

To entertain you a little I included another interview with David Cross
kindly provided by its author, Dmitry Epstein, and originally published in
Minsk-based "Music Paper" (42-1999). Enjoy!

All the best,

George Khouroshvili

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

MP. Did you ever consider violin as a rock instrument? It's interesting
because if one thinks about it, he thinks off hand of you, Eddie Jobson and
Jean-Luc Ponty.
DC. I always thought of the violin as a potential rock instrument. It seemed
possible to me because of the blues violin playing of Sugar Kane Harris and
Pap John Creech. Its a question of sound and feel, and over the years I have
gradually got closer to working with the violin as a rock instrument. The
technology now makes it easier and I am beginning to get a feel for it now.

MP. What are memories of work with P.J.Proby? His "trousers extravaganza"?
What of his hits you played on? Did you chance to meet THE BEATLES through
him?
DC. I only played live with PJ Proby; I didn't do any recording. He was a
great performer and a good singer. I have never met any of the Beatles or
anyone who has. I am a very shy person and if I get near any one famous I
usually run away as fast as possible.

MP. You play music for thirty odd years of which only 16 months you spent
with KING CRIMSON. Don't you feel resentful to some extent that most people
know you only by this work?
DC. I'm very lucky that some people know something of my playing. Most
performers never have the opportunities that I have had.

MP. In your childhood days you wanted to be a spy, a psychiatrist or a
detective. Can you say you were three of them playing in CRIMSON?
DC. A very interesting question. I'm not sure what you are implying here but
I guess there are aspects of those activities in being a musician. I suspect
I was the one who needed a psychiatrist!

MP. Let alone Jamie Muir but in classic four-piece CRIMSON you were the one
quite unknown to progressive rock fans. How did you feel about it and how
you were treated by your famous colleagues, Robert Fripp, John Wetton and
Bill Bruford?
DC. My famous colleagues treated me just fine.

MP. Do you feel proud that CRIMSON of 1973-1974 was always considered the
best and "The Great Deceiver" boxed set is entirely dedicated to this era?
DC. Immensely proud.

MP. Playing a sort of jazz before joining KING CRIMSON you should have felt
closer to Bruford rather than to others. So who was your real mate in the
band? What can you say of all of them as persons?
DC. I had quite different perspectives on music than Bill or John and felt
very much in tune with Robert's rhythmic and tonal ideas. Bill particularly
went to great lengths to help me understand what he was doing. Socially,
Robert didn't drink and kept himself to himself so I probably spent more
down time with Bill and John, particularly John, who enjoyed a party.

MP. Your violin was as important to the band's sound as were Bob's guitar,
John's bass or Bill's drums but you shared mellotron with Fripp as well. Who
played it more often?
DC. I think mellotron duties/safaris were pretty equally split.

MP. Wetton also played violin. Did you ever played together live as a violin
duo?
DC. Yes we used to do a violin/viola duet on our first live gigs but someone
in Family criticised what we were doing at a concert and John never wanted
to do it again.

MP. As Fripp wrote, in 1973-1974 he always had a kind of battle with rhythm
section and Wetton and Bruford won in the end. What was your position in
this battle?
DC. I think the evolution of the band can be seen in that way. There was
less and less room for musical doubt, ambiguity, vulnerability; the more
sensitive expressions that had been sustainable at the beginning of the band
were not there at the end. There was also less humour. On the other hand
Bill and John achieved an incredibly powerful and imaginative coalition;
they couldn't understand why their front line didn't want to constantly wail
over the top it.

MP. There always was a question: who played flute on original version of
"Exiles"? Can you shed a light on this one?
DC. I played flute on Exiles.

MP. Either John Wetton or Robert Fripp explained once the reason of KING
CRIMSON's break-up in 1974 - the band discovered they played together only
because they couldn't find other musicians of their kind. You left CRIMSON
before the end but can you comment it?
DC. I think the answer lies in (10) above.

MP. How did it come that during the "Red" recordings there were members of
various KING CRIMSON line-ups - you, Ian McDonald, Mel Collins? Did Robert
feel that "Red" would be the definite last album?
DC. Ask Robert.

MP. You decided to go as there were tour dates planned after the "Red"
recording. They never happened and the band came to its end. Was it
partially because of your departure?
DC. I don't know.

MP. What of your parts on the "USA" live album were re-recorded by Eddie
Jobson and why?
DC. Presumably my parts were bad and needed replacing. Ask Robert.

MP. What kind of person is Richard Palmer-James, the CRIMSON lyricist?
DC. Richard is obviously very talented and an interesting mixture of down to
earth and mystical.

MP. What did you do between KING CRIMSON and your nineties' activity?
DC. Please see my biography on www.noisy.co.uk.  My life is a source of
great pleasure to me. Some frustrations balanced by a lot of good luck!

MP. What do you think of the "double trio" CRIMSON?
DC. Brilliant and NOISY!

MP. In nineties you seem to prefer electric violin to acoustic one. Why?
DC. I understand rock better. I have less respect for classical music, good
tone. I prefer a good NOISE made by a human being; I can't be bothered with
microphones. I don't enjoy recording violin. I don't really know....

MP. Was your brilliant album "Exiles" a some kind of tribute to nostalgia
for old times?
DC. The working title was Unfinished Business, and I suppose that reflected
the feelings I had about the end of my time with Crimson. As the album
progressed the ghosts of the past were buried. Working again with John and
Robert was a pleasure and somewhere along the way the whole experience put
1972/4 into a new perspective. I'm not sure who the exiles are; perhaps all
of us.

MP. How did "Exiles" come about? I mean, were you in touch with Wetton and
Fripp for all these years or was the album just a result of your meeting at
"The Night Watch" presentation?
DC. It all started with the Great Deceiver... ...Robert got in touch out of
the blue.

DC. The new version of song "Exiles" is so majestic in contrary to the old,
gentle, version. Why did you decide to make it this way? Was Wetton the
obvious choice to sing it?
MP. John was the obvious choice and the right choice. The version that we
recorded was based on the way it had evolved with the band in live
performances.

DC. For how long do you know Peter Hammill, who sang "Tonk" on your
"Exiles"?
MP. I met him in the studio on the day he recorded the songs. He did a
wonderful job in very little time. A brilliant performer.

MP. "This Is Your Life" off "Exiles" seems to be your first collaboration
with Peter Sinfield, yes? Did Peter and Fripp meet during your sessions and,
if so, how do they get along now?
DC. This was the first time to work with Peter and I learnt a great deal
from working with him. Robert was not involved in this and did not meet with
him during recording.

MP. How can you describe the kind of music you played with RADIUS?
DC. This is a real problem. Can you help me with this? I need to find some
way of marketing it. Urgently........

==========================================================================
                                     CALAMITY
                           ***David Cross newsletter***
==========================================================================

In this issue:
1. Richard Palmer-James will provide lyrics for the next DC album.
2. Interview for "FUZZ", Russian musical magazine.

Hello friends,

Welcome to the 2nd issue of "Calamity". Though there ain't much news this
time I still have something interesting to report.

As you may remember from the previous issue - a new solo album by David
Cross is in the works. And here is the exciting news: Richard Palmer-James
(I bet you all know this man) will be writing lyrics for the next David
Cross album. David talked to him in Germany last week and Richard was keen
to collaborate. Sounds promising. As soon as more news arrives I'll let you
know.

And here is the short interview with David Cross that I prepared for the
leading Russian musical magazine, "FUZZ" (originally published in October
1999):

GK: Who invited you to join King Crimson? How did you get acquainted with
Robert Fripp?

DC: I was in a band called Waves rehearsing in a cafe in The Fulham Palace
Road in London.  We invited EG management to come and see us.  Fripp came
down. He invited me to work on an album with him and Jamie Muir.  He then
asked me to come to a jam session with Jamie, John Wetton and Bill Bruford
at a rehearsal room in Covent Garden.  It was on the day of my grandfather's
funeral, but I decided I ought to go to the session.  By the end of the day
we had formed the new King Crimson.  I felt guilty about my grandfather for
some years afterwards.

GK: What was it like to play in King Crimson?

DC: Exciting, frustrating, educational, shocking, fun, loud, challenging,
never ever boring.

GK: That line-up became classic and many (if not most) listeners consider it
as the best in the band's history. What do you think of those days (best or
/ and worst moments about it)?

DC: The need to experiment and take chances was wonderful and completely in
tune with the times.  The worst moments were when we repeated ideas trying
to regain the success of the night before; what we needed to repeat was the
attitude!

GK: Live performances were always critically important for King Crimson on
the other hand in 1973-74 the band released 3 studio albums of the highest
quality. And what you preferred: to work in studio or to perform live?

DC: I have very rarely been comfortable with recording.  I can't easily
achieve the balance between control and freedom that is necessary.
Sometimes I can play the right thing straight away, other times I waste
hours and still can't get the simplest thing recorded.  Essentially King
Crimson was a live band.

GK: Did your attitude change these days?

DC: Yes, but only recently. Because of current technology I am now enjoying
recording and manipulating music creatively.  I am becoming interested in
the result rather than the idea or the process!

GK: What was the main reason for your departure from the band?

DC: The band was becoming more heavy rock oriented and less sensitive.  At
that time I didn't have the soloing skills to keep up with the change and
they didn't have the desire to accommodate me any more.

GK: Do you have any idea why Robert Fripp decided to overdub your playing on
two tracks on "USA" with Eddie Jobson's violin? It's still a mystery for me:
I've heard so many live recordings from this period and your playing is
superb. I doubt that Robert found it unsatisfying on that particular show.
Any comments?

DC: Only Robert knows the answer to that! I haven't heard the recordings.
I've always assumed that my performance was crap so it had to be replaced.

GK: How you decided to invite John Wetton & Robert Fripp to record your
latest album? And, by the way, why did you choose to cover "Exiles"?

DC: I felt the need to resolve the tensions of our parting in 1974 and
rediscover our relationship. There was some 'unfinished business' (the
provisional title for Exiles).
I came up with the music for the opening phrase of Exiles ('Here in this far
away land') at our first jam session at Covent Garden.  At that time I
didn't know much about any of my colleagues, nor they about me, but this
phrase found its way into our repertoire.

GK: What was the main difference between working with Robert & John 23 years
ago & now?

DC: Surprisingly little.  I certainly enjoyed every moment of the recording
and mixing.  Obviously enormous changes have taken place in all our lives
but there was a real spark between us.  I was staggered that this was
possible.

GK: Do you still keep in touch with your former bandmates? If so, do you
plan any further collaboration with them?

DC: I am very bad at keeping in touch with anybody.  In writing the next
David Cross album I am aware of the possibility of collaborations.

GK: By the way, how "This is your life" was written? Peter Sinfield left
King Crimson before you joined the band, when did you meet him for the first
time?

DC: While we were recording "Larks' Tongues…" he was working in the studio
next door, and I think I met him them. For Exiles, I had the idea for what I
thought would be a commercial song in an odd time signature.  I thought it
needed a special touch with the lyrics so I approached him to collaborate
with me.  John Wetton put a lot of work into "This is your life" and I am
very happy with the result.

GK: Do you have any plans to work with some other famous musicians (of
non-KC fame)?

DC: There are many musicians that I would like to work with.

GK: Please, tell the Fuzz readers what are you engaged in these days?

DC: I have formed Noisy Records, which I am going to develop as a Record
Company and a quite exceptional Retail Website (www.noisy.co.uk). I am just
finishing production of 'Civilizations', the new Radius album which will be
released on Noisy Records. Mick Paul and I have written 9 tracks for the new
David Cross album, rejected 4 and are developing 5.

GK: Your favorite King Crimson tune (incl. compositions written by other
line-ups)?

DC: 21st Century Schizoid Man

GK: Some words for Russian fans.

DC: I wish I could speak Russian! If you've heard my music, thank you! If
you've heard my music and it wasn't a pirate CD, my children thank you!


Here are some places to buy David Cross works:
http://members.aol.com/noisynoisy/buy.html - Noisy Records (DC's recent solo
albums)
http://www.disciplineglobalmobile.com - DGM (King Crimson albums feat. David
Cross)
http://www.artist-shop.com - Gary Davis Artist Shop (King Crimson, David
Cross solo works and some other Cross-related albums).

Best wishes,

George Khouroshvili

==========================================================================

==============================================================
                             CALAMITY
                   ***David Cross newsletter***
==============================================================


Hello friends,

First and foremost, let me thank you all for joining. I hope you won't be
disappointed. For some mysterious reason the invitation to join Calamity
newsletter didn't make its way to the recent Elephant-Talk issue. Anyway we
gained 20 people during the 1st week of existance. I think it's not bad at
all. And now the news.

As you may already know David Cross formed Noisy Records this year.
According to David, he intends to develop Noisy "as a Record Company
and a quite exceptional Retail Website (www.noisy.co.uk)". The first Noisy
Records release was a remastered edition of the long-out-of-print DC album
"The Big Picture" with an extra track added. David also plans to re-release
his 1st solo album, "Memos From Purgatory" soon (with previously unreleased
material added).

But, of course, David Cross doesn't confine himself to reissuing his old
works only. Here are some words from David himself: "I am just finishing
production of 'Civilizations', the new Radius album which will be released
on Noisy Records." He also said he didn't know "how to categorise" this
work, but promised to provide us with concrete information soon.

And the most important news: new DC album is in the works! David and Mick
Paul have written 9 tracks for the new album, rejected 4 and are developing
5. A couple of days ago I received the more accurate info from David: "The
new David Cross album is still in the composition stage.  We're working from
music first, lyrics are still an open question.  At the moment we have
working titles of Mogul, Depth Nurse, Hometime, Evil Juice, Haiti Fife,
Monday's Child, Senacherib and  States at present lasting between 2 and 7
minutes each.  We like Monday's Child as an album title, but I think Bowie
has Thursday's Child and maybe John Martin had a track with the same name,
so its still up for grabs."

That's all for now. Feel free to send me any questions concerning David
Cross & his music. I'll try to answer myself or forward your questions to
him.

By the way, did you know that "There is no Peace" by Radius was withdrawn
because Steve Topping objected to its release (Somebody had neglected to ask
him if they could release the recording).

And here are some places to buy David Cross works:
http://members.aol.com/noisynoisy/buy.html - Noisy Records (DC's recent solo
albums)
http://www.disciplineglobalmobile.com - DGM (King Crimson albums feat. David
Cross)
www.artist-shop.com - Gary Davis Artist Shop (King Crimson, David Cross solo
works and some other Cross-related albums).

All the best,

George Khouroshvili
============================================================

Hello friends,

Thank you for joining the newsletter. I intend to prepare the 1st issue of
Calamity in the end of the week when we have some more subscribers. So
please, be patient.
David asked me to compile the list about a week ago. I'm not sure if this
newsletter will be issued on a regular basis. It depends on David only. But
you can be sure that as soon as I get the info from him I'll let you all
know.

All the best,

George

Hello friends,

Thank you for joining the newsletter. I intend to prepare the 1st issue of
Calamity this week-end when we have some more subscribers. Please, be
patient. David asked me to compile the list a week ago. I'm not sure if this
newsletter will be issued on a regular basis. It depends on David only. But
you can be sure that as soon as I get the info from him I'll let you know.

All the best,

George