Happy Late Night, my Darling,
Tonight was the final screening of the Robert Bresson series at CSUN. We saw his last film, "L'argent", in which he pared down his style even further than he had before, refined his photographic, editing and sound techniques like a master jeweler cutting facets on a diamond. The story, taken from Tolstoy, concerns a counterfeit note (the "money" of the title) that is passed by two kids during a sales transaction with a shopkeeper. She discovers the note is fake, but instead of tearing it up or turning it in, passes it herself in a transaction with a workman at her shop. Once he gets the counterfeit money in his possession, his life begins to change for the worse, until he is going completely down the tubes. I won't give anything away, but the film ends in what might be considered a very un-Bressonian manner : something more akin to "Friday The 13th"!
Except for that it's Bresson directing, which makes it the final minutes of a masterpiece instead of a slasher film.
I have been going to the Cinematheque for eight years now. We've done sixteen directors over just as many semesters, and this Bresson retrospective has been, for me, the very best of them all. I don't even know what to say about the man anymore, which should spare you a Bresson Tirade for the evening (though I may go on a spontaneous one at some point in the future). I was a little humbled, too, because at the end of his introduction, the Professor pointed at me and said, "this series was for you". I had suggested Bresson as a retrospective way back in.......hmmm, I think it was 2011 or so. It was quite a few years ago. But I did not know the Professor selected him because of my suggestion until tonight. So that was very cool, indeed. I have a lot of filmmakers I love, as you know. But I have gotta say once again that Robert Bresson is the Master of The Masters.....
Well, SB, it has been quite a day, and of course I am talking about the passing of one of the giants of rock music, Mr. Greg Lake. For me, he may have been The King Of Progressive Rock. I've always thought it was a choice between him and Rick Wakeman. Rick was a member of two legendary bands, The Strawbs and Yes, and he also had a solo career. I think I recently mentioned all of this after the ARW concert a couple weeks ago. But Greg Lake had perhaps an even more impressive resume, if that's possible : he was a founding member of King Crimson and ELP, two of the greatest bands that ever walked the planet.
It's impossible to overstate what he accomplished in a relatively brief - by today's standards - period of time. You may or may not be familiar with the albums I will mention, but you can take it from me that each one is a Stellar Achievement, and more than half are among the greatest albums ever made.
Starting in 1969, when he was only 21, Greg recorded the album "In The Court Of The Crimson King" with King Crimson. If you've ever heard the song "21st Century Schizoid Man", that's him singing. For many people, that album is the greatest in all of Progressive Rock. If that were all he had done, Greg Lake would be a legend for that record alone.
But he then went on to record :
"In The Wake Of Poseidon" (1970) by King Crimson, which was released a mere seven months after "Court Of...", and is a Stellar Album in it's own right.
"Emerson, Lake and Palmer", the debut album from ELP, which came out a mere six months after "In The Wake Of Poseidon". Three incredible albums in about a 14 month period, with two different bands.
"Tarkus" by ELP, which many consider to be their best album, and could easily be considered one of the greatest albums ever made. That came out a whole year later, lol, in 1971.
Then six months later ELP released their live album of "Pictures At An Exhibition", a revolutionary rock version of Mussorgsky's famous classical work.
A mere seven months after that, ELP released their next studio album, "Trilogy". That one also could legitimately be called one of the greatest records ever made. It came out in Summer 1972.
And then finally, to end my list, Greg Lake played, sang on and also produced "Brain Salad Surgery" by ELP, which took an "extra" long time to finish: It was released a whole 16 months after "Trilogy", haha, in November 1973.
I was hanging out at College Records on the day that album was released. I may have heard "Lucky Man" or some other ELP song on the radio prior to that, but I was only 13 and basically not familiar with the band. Then I saw the HR Giger album cover, and when somebody from the store put the album on the turntable, the first thing I heard from Emerson Lake and Palmer was the opening song, "Jerusalem", which is based on a poem by William Blake.
To me, it remains the greatest vocal performance ever by Greg, my favorite to this day. When you listen to it, you can hear why he was known as "The Voice". If I could sing any song and sing it well, it would be that one. His vocal reminds me of the greatest choral music on "Jerusalem".
I remember running home after hearing "Brain Salad Surgery" that night, and asking my folks if I could have the 3 bucks to buy a copy. Records were cheap then. I went back to the store and bought it, then came home. My Mom wanted to know what the big deal was, why had I been in such a hurry to buy it?
So I played it for her and my Dad. If I recall correctly, it was either the night of my Mom's 50th birthday, or just a night or two afterward. So Mom was younger than I am now, and still pretty hip, even though she didn't grow up with or really listen to rock music. She liked the classical aspects of the music, though, and also remarked on the synthesizer sounds, which as I've remarked still sound futuristic today.
I don't remember if Dad commented. He was not a rock fan, though, so I would not have expected him to like it, haha.
But I always will remember how stunned I was by hearing "Brain Salad Surgery" for the first time, how I ran home to ask for the money to buy it, then ran back home to play it on the family console stereo, which was located in the living room. You see, I couldn't just play it for myself, because our only stereo was for the whole family, and located in the living room. So that's why I played it for Mom and Dad, too. :)
Greg Lake played on all those albums I mentioned in a four year period.
Seven amazing albums from two legendary bands in four years. Plus non-stop touring.
This is why he was The King Of Progressive Music. He was also "The Voice", and was my favorite singer.
I also saw Greg, with Keith and Carl too, at my first concert ever, the California Jam in April 1974, on the tour for "Brain Salad Surgery".
I was fortunate to see ELP in later years, and to see Greg one final time on his solo tour in 2012 (which I am beyond grateful for), but tonight I write about the heyday of an Actual Giant of Rock Music, every bit as gigantic as Elvis Presley or Paul McCartney, in his own way.
Give or take a few hours, Greg passed away on the same day John Lennon did in 1980.
December 8th.
And so did my Mom, on December 8, 2005.
John Glenn did too, also today. He was a true American Hero, the first American to orbit the Earth.
It must be a good day to go.
I am glad Greg left his voice and music behind for us to listen to in the meantime.
Wow, Sweet Baby, I am blown away........but in a good way, by how amazing the music has been in my life.
It's been a terrible year for losing people but an important year for realising what we have been a part of...
So as always, I can only say "Thank You, Lord".
And also, "Thanks Greg"!
That's all I know for tonight, Sweet Baby. I Love You and will see you in the morning.
xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxo :):)
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