Advice for the young(er) musician. 
I m often asked that question and give a reply I heard years ago from my friend Robert Fripp. . ‘Never fly Air Iberia’. After a short chuckle the interviewer repeats the question and I give the same reply with a somewhat more serious look, just as Robert did the first time I heard him use the reply. Sometimes we have to repeat it a few more times until the journalist realizes it is in fact a serious answer. 
I was reminded of this yesterday when we flew Air Iberia, from Madrid to Budapest. After an extremely long day driving from Portugal to Madrid and a very late sound check (due to local promoters pickup van getting in accident and then arriving at the venue to find they didn’t have proper 110 power specified on our rider) we played to an extremely nice Spanish crowd that seemed to all be chain smoking, cough cough, we left the club about 2am . Well we tried to leave. . – The cab that had Tony and I and our bags in had parked half on the curb as they often do on smaller euro streets and when he started to leave we heard the vicious sounds of him bottoming out and getting stuck with wheel(s) off the ground. . Tony and I get out to save weight and help lift the car and eventually get back to hotel for a few hrs sleep before out 6am wake up to get to Madrid airport. We are arriving early because we expect some delays with our overweight baggage, but today is going to be special . . .It starts as we offer the check in lady our Frequent Flyer cards, since our moocho mileage gold and silver elite status with most of the airlines often gets us a little extra baggage allowance.. . . However she replied, in a somewhat Soviet way, “these are meaningless”,. . mmmm. . .next as she tells us our overweight will be several hundred euros and is unwilling to negotiate at all , we try to repack and get more into our small carry on, in fact we didn’t even all have carry ons !. . But she doesn’t like that. . So next she sends us to another location to put every bag across scales. . At this point Tony suggested since there is not a stipulated amount of weight for our ‘person’ we could start stuffing our pockets with fuzz tones and compressors and draping our selves with cables ( . . cables really add up and can be extremely heavy so on most euro trips I ‘rent’ cables at each show. . but since this is 26 shows we have been taking some smaller items like cables). Next we return, but to the end of the line. . And accept our 10-euro per kilo overweight fee – ouch- - I understand the airlines are in trouble and need to raise prices but this does seem like gouging to me ( am I nuts?). 
After clearing security and getting to our gate (its getting close to boarding time) we realize, despite our confirmed seat request, she has put us in middle seats. . I also notice she never even bothered to enter ANY of the FF information. . So I approach the gate desk to inquire, but the employee refuses to look up or acknowledge me (or any one else in the line forming behind me)- - as I stand and holding my information so he could see in a quick glance I eventually interrupt him (he doesn’t seem to be ‘doing anything’ just looking down refusing to make any eye contact and acting like he cant hear. but when he does respond he says ‘no , your to late!’, he doesn’t care as I explain I was here almost two hrs ago, . . .same story with the seats, despite the flight not even being full we cannot have a change of seating assignments. OK. We board and after a few minutes Michael, who’s Birthday is today on this very flight, is one of the last to board explaining how that same lady appeared at the final check in and need a receipt from him. . What? He has no idea. . In fact neither do anyone of us or I recall being asked for the original credit card reciepts. . Especially in these days of Etickets. . As I adjust my seatbelt I open the in-flight airline magazine and first page I turn to has a full page photo of us Stickmen! In our Charlie’s Angles pose (or what I just call the ‘smell the pit’ pic) with a story of our gig promoting our talents that they seem to be very proud of . . .WTF? Why didn’t we have this mag a few hrs ago! I even wonder who the hell gave them permission to even use my photo?? As I look up I see our check in girl has boarded the plane and is walking directly to us, with a small smirk saying something like ‘so do you musicians have your receipts ? Luckily our road manager Frazza does and begins digging them out, while I hold up the magazine. She recognizes we are the same three dudes in their mag! She beams a smile and asks me to pass it to have a closer look, then while rummaging in her pocket for a pen to have us autograph ( I assume), I ask for it back. . She looks surprised as I say ‘I’d like to take that home to my mother’ . . . as she leaves as the 6 VERY loud men behind us are singing and shouting in drunk foreign voices while I keep thinking there might be an adjustment or change in seat assignments s coming our way. . .but no. . This is Air Iberia. 
 Ok enough of my venting- - In case you crave more ‘musical’ suggestions on advice to the young(er) musicians --- I’ll add a few less sarcastic things. 

1) Learn languages. . Its a huge asset . . .Tony Levin's Italian, Trey Gunn's Spanish, Paul Gilbert's Japanese, Bill Buford’s French have all gotten us out of various jams. You will be the hero of a tour when you can read the menue, find the venue, toilet, etc 
1B) learn to make good coffee. . .your buddies will appreciate this too.

2)- practice and play often, and whenever possible find musicians better than your self to play with. take every audition and don't worry about the money, just play! 
2B) Take every gig , even the crap ones. . Its remarkable the way musicians move up and down the food chain and in my experience work has always come from word of mouth . 

3)- get a metronome, and use it, -- and then don’t use it! Really. Try programming a few bars (loops or click or whatever) and then leave a few bars of silence and see if you can keep time without the metronome being your crutch. 
3B)- anything you think you can play easily try to slow down or speed up, or play at half or double the volume . . . that comfortable easy shit suddenly becomes VERY hard.

go here

KTU coming to North America (USA, Canada, Mexico)- Fan Reviews of our recent warm up gigs in Finland.


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Live review, Aamulehti, Tampere, Finland:
"KTU, the world's most psychedelic power trio!...KTU comes on like a hybrid of Cream and latter day King Crimson, led by a Siberian mushroom shaman" (Jussi Niemi, Aamulehti)


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KTU gig in Helsinki
:: Posted by HarriV on February 01, 2007

I saw KTU live in Helsinki this Monday. That's Pat Mastelotto, Trey Gunn and Kimmo Pohjonen, a Finnish accordion player of the highest caliber. The set was amazing with excellent six-channel sound in a relatively small venue filled to capacity. They played lots of new material not featured on their latest CD 8 Armed Monkey, including two encores demanded by the rapturous crowd.

Pat told us they are eager to "unleash Kimmo" in America in March and I think you're really in for a surprise there if you haven't heard him before.

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Posted: Tue Jan 30, 2007 12:00 am Post subject: KTU live @ Tavastia, Helsinki 29.1.2007
Oh boy. What to say. What would you like to know? This was the best live gig I've ever been to.

If you miss this band it's going to be the best show you've ever missed.

All these guys are monsters. Not the evil kind. Mastelotto especially was very sympathetic, with his little waves hello and thank yous to individual audience members during bows. Also his long announcement before the final encore was very nice and funny, as he explained why Samuli (who was present at the gig) is not playing this tour ((paraphrasing) "he has his solo career.. he'll be back when it flops" (joking of course)).

Pat asked how many were at KTU's first gig in Tavastia (or was it Nosturi?) in 2004 and there was a good handful. He went on to say how every gig is a first gig for KTU as it's so hard and expensive to find time together to rehearse and there are such long intervals between gigs etc.. among other things. The man has a lovely speaking voice.

Pat also said to the effect this Finnish tour is a warm-up tour for the States and commented that the music was a little rough around the edges - ok, whatever.. ;) Well, Pat had visible difficulties (although the music didn't really suffer) to do Samuli's part in Kohtu, the last piece but these are really good players and the new music is so exciting to hear (and probably play) for the first time who could complain.

I'm happy the attendance seemed to be pretty good, the main area was pretty packed. We were pretty close to the stage with my girlfriend and a friend of hers. Sound was excellent and the volume was just right - no need for earplugs but satisfyingly loud. Lot's of dynamics as you'd except from this band. Trey's bass sound was huge and you could feel it as much as hear it. Kimmo was perhaps a little overpowered by TU but still no problems hearing him. Anyway, thanks to their soundman!

Good insight from Pirjo (my girlfriend) was how absence of Samuli affected the band. Samuli's playing and presence adds a certain lightness and "air" to the music. This time it was closer to "gothic jazz" mentioned on the myspace site. Denser and darker.

Not that this was a funless, somber band - quite the contrary! It seemed to me there was a lot of fun, even a dose of silliness in the music and interplay between the musicians. Their communication, smiles nods and a little laughter was really great to watch. A lot of times I had to laugh out loud.

Another good insight from Pirjo's friend was that this was a band you didn't need to know well beforehand to enjoy live. (She's heard some 8AM though). Many rock bands are not super-enjoyable if you don't know the songs. I felt that almost the contrary was true for this gig: I enjoyed hearing new music the most, which is not to say I didn't enjoy pieces I knew! And there was a good bit of new and different arrangements in those too (obviously since they lacked a player).

And yet another good insight from her was that the gig was a cleansing experience - this we all agreed on. I had dared to hope it would be and I'm really happy now - from this experiece I can draw strength and power for the rest of the year. Oh boy, what music can do. Last couple of days I've felt sort of dull (although not unhappy) and wondered if I've seemed unsocial - so it was also really wonderful to share thoughts and feelings with Pirjo and our friend after this gig. I felt like I kind of could open up.

I'm going to see the guys the day after tomorrow (well, technically tomorrow) in Jyv..skyl.. with a friend of mine, and we are seriously contemplating with Pirjo if we should change our plans and see them in Tampere tomorrow/today too.

Ok, that's everything worthwhile I had to say. Now the setlist as I remember it and some probably worthless track-by-track fanboi/fetishist ramblings:

New song (prog epic)
Absinthe
Animus
Optikus
New song (30th century agent film theme)
New song (doubletapped)
New song (slavic melody meets portishead)
Voima
---
New song (improv?)
Untamed Chicken
---
Kohtu

I really loved the first piece - it began with an atmospheric build-up which in itself was such a huge sound.. I recall the track was slightly Sumu-like and I was hoping when it would build-up there would be a heavy riff breakout.. and what do you know, there was! This I appreciated, as especially on 8AM KTU's pieces seem to consist of a single "mood" or even part which is built upon. I think the new tracks have more chord changes an' stuff, well that's how far my musospeak goes and don't know if that made sense.

The piece had in the beginning some Kimmo's patented vocals, which this time resembled an org gurgling. I admire this man's ability to go onstage and sing without lyrics, often making weird sounds and making it work.

There were really good atmospheric and otherwise transitions between the pieces. Pat played small cymbals slowly for a while between the first piece and Absinthe and then struck the vocal/wail/singing sample which begun Absinthe. There was no applause in between and at least I felt it was appropriate - it didn't mean we hadn't liked the first one, quite the contrary! There was just no need to break the music/silence.

One of the high points was Trey's playing the main bass part on Absinthe. He did incredibly good and rhythmic, leaving little stops and pauses which popped beautifully. Magnificent.

Animus was very good, I think better than in Tampere, somehow more confident. I think there was a soundscapey intro and outro, with Trey at least looping his own playing. Optikus was next and, while sounding a little sparse without Samuli, was still great. I think Trey had changed his tapping part after The Best Bassline In The World, which was exciting to hear. Also I think the middle break was different, with Pat doing a tom-tom solo-ish thing. (On top of his snare Pat had a pair of bongos instead of the usual tomtoms, which was one of the many fun things of the gig).

Next up was three new tracks if I recall correctly. First one was fun tune where Kimmo and Trey shared a descending, syncopated line a little like in Voima, except that this was a bass part. There were also some heavy distorted bass riffing if memory serves. An' stuff. I dubbed it a 30th Century Agent Film Theme (a'la The Saint more than Bond though).

Next one was built upon a double tapped touch guitar line, which was pretty archetypal as far as those lines go. Trey was tapping it, trying to find a proper tempo and "discussing" it with Kimmo and Pat, all the while tapping the line, which prompted Kimmo to introduce him, "mister Trey Gunn" to an applause. Pat and Kimmo joined in and there was one bass line which I think was in a major key.. This felt like music I would describe as "good natured", suitable for a children's playground. A gothic jazz children's playground.

Final new piece of the main set begun with a rhythm loop being constructed (I think), then a beautiful slavic accordion melody came in. Pat threw in a really nice snare beat (which reminded me of Portishead) later after playing the rhythm on a shaker. I think this piece ended with a little looping from Trey as well.

The main set was finished with Voima, which was received really well. This track didn't hold together as well as the rest of the set, for me at least. I really like the first half of Voima but when the loud cacophonic stuff starts (with Trey's solo and all) I usually lose it. Oh well, can't love it all!

The first encore was a beautiful, sweet accordion melody with aetheric accompaniement from Trey on the upper register of his Warr guitar and some shakerscaping from Pat. This might have been a really good improv too, as it was followed with Untamed Chicken. I love this fun romping beast. More fun towards the end where the heavy single "stabs" occur Pat was saying the number of stabs out like "five-five-five!" STOMP STOMP STOMP STOMP STOMP THP-THP-THP-THP-THP STAB-STAB-STAB-STAB-STAB "umm.. four..three?-five" STOMP STOMP STOMP etc. Hard to describe but hope you get the idea!

The second encore was Kohtu, unfortunately I've run out of things to say except to refrain: go see this band if you can. No excuses. We are poor students and we travelled hundreds of miles. ;)

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Author Message
Hans
ProjeKction Cognoscente


Joined: 07 Jun 2003
Posts: 335
Location: Tampere, Finland
Posted: Wed Jan 31, 2007 10:58 am Post subject: KTU Live @ Tulli Klubi, Tampere Finland 30.1. 2007
Got to the venue early enough to catch a glimpse of the guys finishing their soundcheck. Didn't hear any actual music, but it was still fun to sit and drink a pint and see Kimmo, Trey and Pat walking about collecting their stuff. I left for a while to grab something to eat.

When I came back, the crowd had started gathering. The best tables had gone, but I still managed to find a free one in front of the left side of the stage with a view to Kimmo's gear. I would have liked to be closer to Trey. It's allways a joy to see him play.

As I was suspecting, there was no way to sit while the band was playing. Too many people standing in between our table and the stage, but that was a good thing. In my experience the energy level rises as more people get up on their feet.

And what energy! Kimmo seemed very fired up and his vocals were intense with more growling and screaming and laughter. I think he was on his feet most of the show dancing and bouncing around, even stepped up on the drum riser. I think he even did a couple of cymbal hits with his accordion on one of Pat's crashes.

I'll copy the setlist here from Eino's review as it was – as far as I could tell – exactly the same.

New song (prog epic)
Absinthe
Animus
Optikus
New song (30th century agent film theme)
New song (doubletapped)
New song (slavic melody meets portishead)
Voima
---
New song (improv?)
Untamed Chicken
---
Kohtu

The new pieces were fantastic. I had no trouble following them. That doesn't mean they were easy, far from it. I think many of them were more complex than the older ones. It was fun to see the guys trying to follow each others cues to go to the next part at the same time.. and many times missing! For me this was very entertaining, though I think most of the audience didn't notice anything out of the ordinary (if that's the word to use in this case). I think even some of the older tracks were rearanged on the fly as Kimmo got carried away with the music.

One of the funniest moments happened during Optikus. First the track started out of the blue and left me wondering did Pat have a premature triggering. If it was an accident, it worked well and supprised me and – by the look of it – Trey. The track was about half way through when I noticed there was something strange going on. There was this constant accordion chord underlying the music and Trey started to smile and looked at Kimmo, who was deep into the music. The piece came into a quieter part and Tray was laughing and making a face to Pat as if he was screaming the constant sound coming from somewhere. If I'm not mistaking, Pat realised he had accidentaly sampled Kimmo's playing on the fly and the loop was playing this hellish chord on and on.

There were many mistakes made, but the way the band recovered from them was nothing short from incredible. A true musician is defined by the quality of their mistakes.

Not too much talking by the band during the evening. Most of it happened at the beginning of the first encore. Pat started talking about Samuli's ("I call him Sam, 'cause I mispronounce his finnish name") absence. Somebody interrupted him from the audience. I couldn't make out what he was shouting or see what was happening. Pat replied (I'm paraphrasing as allways): "Oh, he's throwing coins on the stage. My favorite part of the show. That's propapbly the most money we'll make on this tour."

Kimmo spoke a few words (mentioning Trey's flatulence problems on the fly over to Finland) and he and Pat got Trey to speak too: "Thank's for coming."

The band went into a stunningly beautifull new piece followed by Untamed Chicken (complete with chicken noises).

After that Kimmo looked like he was so happy and fired up he was ready to climb up the walls. Like a schoolboy prankster he actually threw some water from his bottle at Trey's face! Trey stood there a bit surprised, but with a smile on his face like saying "I'll get you for that, just wait and see."

The band got up on the stage for the second time and played Kohtu. Trey's solo on this track moves me every time. Hauntingly beutifull.

After the show I felt as I was walking on air to catch the last buss. All the pedestrian traffic lights played interesting polyrhythms and I knew this was one of the best gigs I will ever see.

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Posted: Thu Feb 01, 2007 12:43 am Post subject: KTU live @ Lutakko, Jyv..skyl.., Finland in 31.1.2007
Was it good? Yes it was good, good, good!

Setlist was the same as the previous nights. The boombastic opener began it's buildup through blue lights and smoke. When it locked on an ethereal groove I experienced a few minutes of the best music that's ever come across me. I was shaking and moved not far from tears - sorry for being corny! Seriously, this one is a powerful piece of music.

As the tune shifted gears into a more earthly groove, however, I must say that this time the transition didn't have the kick that it had in Tavastia. The first three tunes had their share of flaky moments: equipment not working, players out of synch, and other sort of fumbles. When it was good, it was really good. When it was flaky, it was rather flaky.

Sometimes both happened: during Absinthe Trey's solo didn't: for the first bars all he could get out of the upper register of his Warr guitar was a screeching sound and it sounded the same regardless of what notes he played on the fretboard. I thought it sounded pretty good, although it didn't seem intentional! Trey looked at Pat and Kimmo, they went "oh well" and Kimmo took the reins, going absolutely apeshit with his solo. Wonderful recovery, I'd say!

Animus next didn't start all that smoothly either, but somewhere along the way the music came together and it was complete bliss once again. >From here on the gig was consistently good. While the playing wasn't 100% accurate, the mistakes started turning into happy accidents: There was a bit of silence in the middle of Optikus after a buildup, which I think was supposed to be followed by the main percussion loop starting up again, but Pat only struck the pad after a bar or two of silence/applause - this was fun and good. The players started to communicate more and have more fun.. this gig was perhaps a bit more relaxed than Tavastia, actually a bit more wild!

The circular-saw lines by Trey I mentioned in the previous gig review were indeed the intro to "30th Century Agent Film Theme". Next piece, the doubletapped merry-go-round theme seemed to me really different from Tavastia! I thought the guys were really jamming there a bit. Especially Kimmo I recall shined on this one. Personally the naked doubletapped line which began the piece sounds a little anachronisticly Typical 80's Stick Line when played alone, but some really really great music emerges in this piece! And it's pleasantly different from the other material.

Next piece ("slavic") was began with a heavy STAB "interlude" and the construction of the rhythmic loop, along with evocative accordion lines from Kimmo (for a while I thought they'd changed the set list and would play the beautiful encore piece here). This was a lovely transition. I seem to recall in Tavastia the transition was different, with Trey playing soundscapey looping, nearly solo - or maybe it was in some other part of the set, anyhow it didn't occur in Lutakko. The piece it self was one of the high points of the evening. Beautiful, beautiful.

Voima this time held together, altough the later half still isn't one of my favourites. :) The sound was a notch too loud, I managed without earplugs but it was slightly uncomfortable during one or two pieces.

Before the first improv Pat had to do a bit of stand-up comedy because "Kimmo needed to hydrate because of consuming so much alcohol". Then they went on to perform the beatiful piece, which I'm happy was indeed a solid new piece (or who knows, became such). It was really unashamedly beautiful and melodic, and a great contrast to some of the darker more muscular pieces.

Unbelievable Untamed Chicken followed. It was played with a crazy energy (great red and white lights too!) and really relaxed: there was a lot of communication between the three where to go with the riffing and in the STABSTABSTABbing section Pat was again suggesting numbers to the other guys, which was funny in itself but when he struck the chicken samples into the mix it was hilarious - a thought/image struck my head: the man was selling chickens! There was a lot of laughter from the audience too in this bit, which was really, really wonderful. I love this side of the band which has really come up during this tour!

Roaring, roaring applause and good vibes. They did indeed come back for a second encore and Kimmo this time announced that Trey wanted to do a little speech. As you probably can guess this was Kimmo being mischievious again. He said that we should really be quiet now, since Trey didn't have a microphone and his voice was "really soft and feminine".. Well, Trey was up to the challenge, didn't blink and decided he would speak into Kimmo's microphone (which is one of those types that you wear on your head a'la Britney), so things got a little intimate.. in fact I can't remember what Trey did announce in his soft voice while staring into Kimmo's eyes!

I was rather hyped for the evening and it wasn't for nought! People I've been staying with have noticed it also and one even let himself be persuaded to join me and another friend to the gig, although he at least so far hasn't been into this kind of music. We watched Absinthe and Optikus from Youtube and he thought that the music had an intresting atmosphere and had potential.. He rather enjoyed it and thought Mastelotto was The Man, and that Kimmo was quite crazy, jumping up and down and not deciding whether to sit or stand..

BPM&M was apparently sold out, but I did get a setlist from the lights guy (written on a piece of hand-wiping paper from the toilet, no less). Unfortunately the titles aren't obviously final, here's what I think it reads:

Boom2
Absinthe
Animus
Optikus
Matka
----
Clown
Vienna
Voima
----
Boom1
Chicken
----
Kz

"Vienna" would be a pretty nice title for the slavic piece, and I guess "Matka" is another nice-sounding exotic Finnish word (meaning "journey"), although "30th Century Secret Agent Man" wouldn't be bad either (just kidding). I'm actually quite delighted to see the merry-go-round tune called "Clown" since it reflects my thoughts about this tune nicely. Not so serious. "Boom2" definitely is boombastic, but "Boom1".. now I don't quite get where that comes from!

That's all for today! Hope to see these guys reasonably soon again. This tour has been a real boon.
Eino


These and more reviews and comments can be found at http://www.projekction.net/phpBB2/portal.php and http://www.dgmlive.com/index.php and http://members.aol.com/kingcrimsonlive/ktureviews.htm

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and who made the choice.

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It's just that some people require more understanding than others.
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