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Xavier Birtwich's Collection

Robert Fripp   02/05/1978

The Kitchen (early show), New York, NY
Source AUD - lossless data disk 17153
Media FLAC   1 disc
Notes AUD - lossless data disk 17153
Tech Notes Robert Fripp (solo)
February 5, 1978
The Kitchen
New York City
1st show

Frippertronics

THIS IS ABSOLUTELY MY FAVORITE FRIPPERTRONICS SHOW.
I've got about 30 and this is the one I keep listening to, for almost 30 years now.

I got a tape of this show in September 1978.
I was told then that it was of the 1st show of the evening.
It was Fripp's first live performance since he disbanded King Crimson after a show in Central Park on July 1, 1974.
You can only imagine the pent up demand.
Due to popular demand a 2nd show was added later that evening.

Years later a recording of the later show surfaced.
Now, 28 years later, there seems to be some debate about which show is which. I stand by this one being the first just because that's what the guy I got it from (Cosmophonic Beam Machine - does anybody remember him?) said all those years ago.
This recording also has a freshness and spontaneity to it that the other show (I think) lacks. I can not be sure though. And anyway, does it really matter?

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THE TITLES
I just made them up.
Don't blow a gasket. Some people get upset that I assigned titles to these originally untitled pieces. Lighten up. It's just a goof. If you'd prefer to call them "Piece #1", etc, be my guest.

Can you figure out what the inspiration for the titles was?
It's not too tough a puzzle.
If you are from the era of 12" circular black plastic wafers you'll be better equipped.
"Reflect on it" a bit :-)
or, ask your Dada

01 Endless Reflection 23:22

02 Futurist Manifestations 11:45

03 Camel 6:21

04 Father's Cards 11:47

05 1,928 Days 9:28

* 06 Mooncowisms (Entr'acte) 8:08

BONUS TRACKS
07 Hazaard 3:56
From the Midnight Special TV show 5 October, 1979
I taped this during a fraternity party while in college.
The joint was jumping, but when Fripp came on the TV everyone there
KNEW they had to be quiet.
There I stood, mic in hand, stationed in front of the TV speaker.
Not a bad sound considering the circumstances of it's recording.

08 Part of the Craft 4:37
From The Cutting Edge MTV 4 May 1984


* Mooncowisms was actually performed in the middle of the show as a sort of intermission.
I've put it at the end just because I find it a bit jarring in the midst of the Frippertronics.
I'm sure it was a VERY different thing if you were there in the Kitchen that night a long, long time ago. If you want to stick it after track 02 where it actually happened, go right ahead.

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LINEAGE:
As I said I had a tape of this show 7 months after the performance.
Unfortunately I lost that tape in a move and this recording comes from a clean vinyl boot that I got sometime in the early or mid 1980s.
Since I listened to my original tape incessantly for a few years I can say with assurance that the vinyl is a faithful reproduction of that tape.

Tracks 01-06
audience > vinyl > cassette > CD-R > Appleworks > FLAC via xAct

Track 07
TV speaker into handheld cassette mic > CD-R > Flac 8 via xAct

Track 08
TV > VHS > CD-R > Flac 8 via xAct

Trades Allowed Yes
Ratings Sound: AUD
Reference / Generation data disk 17153
Owned by Xavier Birtwich · Last Updated Oct 19, 2025