Adrian Belew Shapeshifting whammy bar king

[Core Shot]

His first solo album was off the hook awesome.













Perhaps best known for his long career as frontman and co-guitarist for the progressive rock group King Crimson from 1981 to 2009, Belew is widely recognized as an "incredibly versatile player"[1] who has released nearly twenty solo albums for Island Records and Atlantic Records, blending or alternating Beatles-inspired pop-rock with more experimental fare. Belew is a member of the intermittently-active pop band the Bears, and fronted his own band GaGa in the late 1970s and early 1980s. He has worked extensively as a session and touring musician, including periods with Frank Zappa, David Bowie, Talking Heads, King Crimson, Laurie Anderson, and Nine Inch Nails, as well as contributing to hit singles by Paul Simon, Tom Tom Club, and others.

[dookeyXXX]

He contributed to some stellar guitar pop with The Bears, too:

[dookeyXXX]

He was no slouch with Bowie, either...

[rideit]

I bought that album when it first came out.
Stupendous!
Also saw him live with King Crimson a few times, which was amazing...but even more obscure, I saw him playing guitar for David Bowie when I had no idea who he was...

[dookeyXXX]

I was lucky enough to see him with King Crimson on their Three of a Perfect Pair Tour in 1984. Still one of the greatest live shows I have seen.

Saw him with The Bears in a small venue on State St. In Santa Barbara sometime between 1987 and 1988.

Then I saw him with Bowie on the Sound/Vision Tour in 1990. Bought 4th row tix for me and my GF of the time for $45 a pop (cannot remember what the true face value was, but $90 for two 4th row seats seemed like a bargain at the time).

Last time I saw him was with Crimson in 1995 (Thrak Tour).

Kinda wish I'd seen him since then...

[Core Shot]

He was no slouch with Bowie, either...

Holeeee fuck
That was amazing guitar work. Up in the headstock, harmonics, two hand hammers, whammy’s and slide? Fuck

Cool to see Bowie just stand back with his arms folded, admiring the talent.

[dookeyXXX]

https://www.guitarplayer.com/players...tar-collection

[dookeyXXX]

Holeeee fuck
That was amazing guitar work. Up in the headstock, harmonics, two hand hammers, whammy’s and slide? Fuck

Cool to see Bowie just stand back with his arms folded, admiring the talent.

Yeah, I dug how DB just stood to the side and smiled.

If I am not mistaken, Bowie essentially "stole" Belew from Zappa:

https://musicaficionado.blog/2020/02...t-1-1976-1980/

[Core Shot]

In 1977, while playing at a Sweetheart gig at Fanny's Bar in Nashville, Belew was discovered by Frank Zappa, who had been tipped off regarding the band's talents by his chauffeur. Zappa approached Belew and discussed auditioning him for an upcoming tour, although Belew did not receive an official invitation to audition for the better part of a year. During this time Sweetheart split up. Once the formal invitation came, Belew flew out to Los Angeles and found himself auditioning alongside more formally trained musicians. Believing that he'd messed up his first audition, Belew persuaded Zappa to give him a second one. Belew's second audition was a more intimate one-on-one experience which took place in Zappa's living room. Zappa was impressed enough to hire Belew on a handshake deal for a year.[3]

Belew toured with the Zappa band and appeared on Zappa's 1979 album Sheik Yerbouti, most notably performing a Bob Dylan impersonation on the song "Flakes." He also appeared in Zappa's 1979 concert film, Baby Snakes, a document of the October 1977 Halloween week shows at New York City's Palladium. While with Zappa, Belew was mostly credited as rhythm guitarist, although he also played lead, melody, or noise lines, as well as singing lead on two songs ("Jones Crusher" and "City of Tiny Lites"). Belew has described his year in Zappa's band as a "crash course" in music theory due to Zappa's rigorous rehearsals and often technically demanding music, and has commented, "I went to the Frank Zappa School of Rock."[4]

Work with David Bowie (1978–1979) Edit
On the recommendation of musician/producer Brian Eno, after seeing a Zappa concert in Cologne, Germany, David Bowie offered to hire Belew once the Zappa tour was finished. Belew accepted the offer, as Zappa intended to spend four months editing the film Baby Snakes.[3] Belew then played on Bowie's Isolar II world tour in 1978; he played on the double-live album Stage, and also contributed to Bowie's next album, Lodger. Twelve years later, he returned to working with Bowie, acting as musical director on the 1990 Sound+Vision Tour, while also playing guitar and singing.

Talking Heads, GaGa and The Tom Tom Club (1979–1982) Edit
In 1980, Belew formed a new band, GaGa (based in his then-current hometown of Urbana, Illinois), for which he served as the singer, guitarist and primary songwriter, as well as, via backing tapes, the drummer. By now a frequent visitor to New York City, Belew had also become friends with the up-and-coming new wave/art-rock band Talking Heads. Invited to join the band onstage for performances of their signature song "Psycho Killer," Belew impressed them with his wild and unorthodox guitar soloing and became an occasional guest performer at live concerts. Around this time, Belew also met King Crimson guitarist Robert Fripp at a Steve Reich concert. In July of that year, GaGa was invited to open several New York-area concerts for Fripp's band, the League of Gentlemen.[5]

At the same time, Belew had been tapped by Talking Heads and their producer Brian Eno (with whom he'd worked on Lodger) to add guitar solos to several tracks on the Remain in Light album, and was subsequently added to the expanded nine-piece Talking Heads live band for tours in late 1980 and early 1981. These concerts were documented in the DVD Live in Roma and in the second half of the band's 1982 live album, The Name of This Band is Talking Heads.

[MagnificentUnicorn]

Saw Belew with King Crimson a couple times in the late ‘90s and with ProjecKt Two, with Belew on drums. All at the Fillmore in SF. Incredible shows.


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[rideit]

I have talked about this before, but one of the best shows I ever went to was King Crimson and the Cure on the Pier in NYC (‘83 or ‘84?).
Both groups of fans were very different...and both groups left utterly blown away by the ‘other’ group. This was this sense of astonishment while everyone was shuffling off the boat. Truly amazing.

[fomofo]

Like others who found their way here I'm a longtime Belew fan. Lucky enough to have seen him with Zappa in '77, Bowie in '90, and a few times in between with The Bears in small clubs in the 80's. Of all the things he's done over his long and varied career Matte Kudasai is still my number one favorite - gets me every time.

Most recently...



This interview is 10 years old now, but it's a nice conversation that gives some insight to his approach to music and gear.

[MagnificentUnicorn]

Discipline is one of my favorite albums. Great stuff


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[bodywhomper]

The set for last weekend’s HSB was excellent!!!

[dookeyXXX]

[boltonoutlaw]

Discipline is one of my favorite albums. Great stuff

Legend that should be in the HOF. Zappa, Bowie, King Crimson, Talking Heads would say so.
Saw him in spring '83 with King Crimson (Discipline Tour), and then Fall '83 with TH (Speaking in Tongues Tour). Amazing performer, and I think, wearer of The Big Suit before David Byrne.
https://www.setlist.fm/setlist/talki...-23c7a81b.html

EDIT: Wishful thinking, and poor memory. I saw Belew with TH in 1980 (Remain in Light Tour)

[boltonoutlaw]

[fomofo]

What a beautiful guy, and what a ride he's had! And it ain't over yet.

Fun version of Fame starting at 1:21:45

[basinbeater]

I didn't know about this guy ever, but there was always a track i liked on the old ski movie, Skiers guide to the Galaxy (have it on VHS yo!) And it is this track by Adrian belew. Love it

https://youtu.be/NB-brANv2YM

[Core Shot]

Good interview.

7:30 in
Recording Bowies Lodger album
Band in the studio, Belew in a separate blind room.
Didn’t know the songs or even the key. The band played and he improvised.
That’s insane.
Need to play that album again, it’s been a while.