Search - King Crimson :: Inside King Crimson 1972-1975

Stolen clips, inaccurate statements, irrelevent comments

N. Caine | Los Angeles, CA | 04/22/2005

(1 out of 5 stars)

"If you care about ethical behavior, then avoid the Inside series from Classic Rock. To avoid paying royalties, they use clips less than 20 seconds long, often of very poor quality, and argue that it is fair use, since they are doing "critical reviews."



From Robert Fripp:



The Inside The Music series is a "pot of gold" for Bob Carruthers & classic rock productions. It addresses a valuable & useful area of popular music studies; but in a cheap, nasty & cynical fashion that exploits everyone & scams the artists, the music & the fans.





Bob Carruthers is a likeable, personable & slippery, evasive character who has upset nearly everyone whose music he has, in some way, presented.





If transparency & accountability are two features of the ethical company, then Classic Rock Productions must be considered ethically challenged in extremis. Given my 38 years of hard experience as a professional within the music industry, Bob Carruthers' company would be better named Classic Crock Productions.



Robert Fripp,

World HQ, April 22nd 2005.



From Sid Smith:



In recent days I've received a number of enquiries from KC fans regarding a DVD entitled Inside King Crimson 1972 - 1975 and a CD, Inside King Crimson 1975-1979, Classic Rock Productions.





Potential purchasers should understand that neither item has been approved nor licensed by Robert Fripp, the copyright holder of the music.





As with many other products in this series, fans hoping to see full performances will be disappointed. In order to get around the copyright act, the DVD is marketed as a 'critical review'. In this context, snippets of footage under 20 seconds are deemed legal.





The majority of the content is made up of critical opinions by journalists, musicians, etc. On the Inside King Crimson DVD there are 10 second bursts of music.





The two bonus tracks are recycled from the John Wetton Ultimate Anthology, another product advertised by Classic Rock Direct. John did not give approval of the original release or its use on either of these King Crimson items. John, in common with many other artists featured in this series, has never received any royalties.

"

Fripp & Co. silenced by threat of Carruthers' lawyers!

J. Lehman | 05/25/2005

(1 out of 5 stars)

"Amazon needs to allow a ZERO STARS rating, because that's what I give this.



The people professionally associated with Robert Fripp are afraid to speak another public word about Fripp & Crimson being RIPPED OFF by Carruthers & Co. From what they won't say, I can gather that he's responded to Robert's quite accurate assessment of the thievery being perpetrated with a swarm of lawyers and legalistic slime. Robert Fripp, not being a shameless commercial sell-out, does not have the big money needed to hire his own swarm of lawyers to defend himself. He's in legitimate danger of getting royally screwed by this Carruthers creep.



If you are in any way a fan of Robert Fripp or King Crimson, please do not buy this DVD, or anything else from this schlock outfit. It is only putting money into the pockets of a shameless, usurious creep, who will only turn around and use the proceeds to hurt Robert Fripp, a man who is only guilty of being honest and objecting to having his work stolen from him and his band-mates."

Re: Robert Fripp's remarks

Lucius | northeast | 05/28/2005

(1 out of 5 stars)

"When the principal creative artist objects on both ethical and aesthetic grounds to a dvd "documentary" of his work, and furthermore cautions potential buyers to desist from purchasing and thereby supporting Classic Rock Productions, its got to be a pretty fair estimation of the worth of the product.



As Mr. Fripp notes, Classic Rock Productions might be a genuinely worthwhile enterprize if it weren't for the fact they are a more or less cheapskate outfit with little real concern for either the consumer or the artist.



That said, it must be noted that Classic Rock anthologies and concert DVDs are about the only source I know of for live performances by musical groups otherwise unavailable. And so while the "Inside the Music" series may be a rip-off (given the assessment of Mr. Fripp and counsel), in other respects Classic Rock, as the only distributor of some terrific vintage concert footage, is to be commended. Again, though, that said, the packaging is, at best, minimalist, so don't expect any useful liner notes."