Fripp on Peter Sinfield

[acroyear]

From his diary entry of 2 days ago.

Classic Rock magazine for December has interviews with Ian MacDonald & Peter Sinfield. The interviewer asks Peter whether The Great Deceiver (1973) was written about Peter; that is, whether the song is a commentary on the breakdown of our working relationship (1971). Firstly, the question would be better directed towards the lyricist, Richard Palmer-James, and the prime writer, John Wetton. I doubt whether either had Peter in mind and, if they had, I’m sure they would have mentioned it to me. Secondly, I am unaware of how such an impressively dopey notion might acquire enough currency that the question even be asked.

It doesn’t matter very much that Peter & I don’t like each other; it doesn’t matter very much that our views on Peter’s relationship to/with KC are fundamentally incompatible, and probably irreconcilable: the world is a much better place for Peter being in it than were he never to have drawn breath; and my life is better by far for knowing him. The song-writing partnership of Peter & Ian was remarkable, far more successful than mine with Peter, and the wonderful Let There Be Light (1999) continued the magic beyond KC. The suggestion that The Great Believer is a diss on Peter? Well, it’s just a load of bollocks.