The Professor Calls it Quits

In 2009 English prog rock/jazz drummer Bill Bruford was about to have his 60th birthday and he did something unexpected. He retired.

Neil Peart, a well known Bill Bruford fan, was probably sitting at home reading the news and thinking: Life goal. Retire at 60. I don’t know whether or not that actually happened, but I’ve always imagined that’s how it went down.

That was six years ago. Neil Peart is now 63. It’s about three years late, but it’s finally happened. The Professor has announced his retirement.

I’m happy for him without actually being happy, if you know what I mean. It pleases me very much that we got to see Rush on the R40 tour as it now pretty much looks like Rush is done for good.

I am sad. Very sad. But also pretty happy that I got as much great music and as many great shows as I did.

Thanks, Professor.

King Crimson

Tonight’s Red Sox game is even more stressful than all of the previous games in this series. Maybe King Crimson can distract me from my panic.

Or maybe they’ll just melt my brain.

Repetitive Stress Injury

This is an interesting little video of King Crimson, in ’81 or so, playing “Discipline”. The interview segments are annoying, especially Robert Fripp talking about how cymbals get in his way. Really Robert? The little Bill Bruford snippet is cool though. He talks about playing a simple beat in 17/4 time. Bill… there is no such thing as a simple beat in 17/4 time. Just sayin’.

The real interesting thing about this video is that I am convinced to the core of my being that this song represents the birth of repetitive stress injuries in the Western world. Seriously. I developed carpal tunnel (sp?) just watching it. These guys are flat out insane.