Ep562: The Discipline of Tony Levin

Bass legend Tony Levin (King Crimson, Peter Gabriel, etc) reflects on Fripp, John Lennon, near-misses with Zappa, Pink Floyd, and life on the road.

new Stick Men album "Let's Thrak Again" available here

Topics Include:

• Scheduling chaos / Ron Carter
• Stickmen's "Let's Thrack Again" reworks a King Crimson rhythm concept
• Tony defines "thracking" — playing five against seven simultaneously
• Robert Fripp names complex King Crimson riffs with odd phrases
• Tony rarely forgets bass parts, even decades later
• Simple transitions, not hard parts, cause live disasters
• Upcoming Beat tour features Zappa alumni, except Tony
• Tony's first NYC band included ex-Mothers of Invention members
• Peter Gabriel froze onstage during a hostile Zappa co-bill
• Tony regrets missing a Herbie Hancock/Joni Mitchell session
• He also turned down touring with Pink Floyd
• David Gilmour flew in unannounced for a Les Paul tribute
• Radio Registry once dispatched interchangeable NYC session bassists fast
• Tony preferred live touring over endless studio session work
• He's a self-described "road dog" still touring at his age
• Off-stage, Tony writes memoirs, poetry, and takes photographs
• He owns many basses but doesn't consider himself a collector
• Discipline started as a side project before becoming King Crimson
• Tony chose the Chapman stick over bass in that first rehearsal
• Fripp lets players interpret parts; Gabriel invents wild new techniques
• Peter Gabriel suggested cymbals on fingers, inspiring "funk fingers"
• Tony isn't certain whether "Blood of Eden" used fretless bass
• He senses a song's emotion before lyrics are finished
• Tony learned King Crimson disbanded from a stranger at the opera
• He never actually felt Thrak function as a "double trio"
• No Australian dates planned yet, though he'd love to visit
• King Crimson's future depends entirely on Robert Fripp's instincts
• Aging has slowed his technical dexterity, but not memory
• He recalls John Lennon's advice: "don't play too many notes"

High resolution version of this podcast is available at: www.Patreon.com/VinylGuide

• Apple: https://tinyurl.com/tvg-ios
• Spotify: https://tinyurl.com/tvg-spot
• Amazon Music: https://tinyurl.com/tvg-amazon
• Support the show at Patreon.com/VinylGuide