Sportswriter and pundit Michael Wilbon said it best: “Father Time is undefeated.” This is just as true when it comes to music as it does sports. The only difference being that musicians are usually able to hang around a lot longer.

But sooner or later, time will take them out, too. It’s just a fact of life.

Recently, rumors have begun to circulate that King Crimson might once again arise in order to present a new studio album. It is widely assumed this band was done upon the completion of its 2021 tour, primarily because Crimson founder Robert Fripp all but said so!

But in a recent interview, Crimson vocalist Jakko Jakszyk intimated that tunes had been worked on and they could very well lead to a new record. Discipline Global Mobile production manager David Singleton (Fripp’s business partner) has since pumped the brakes on this possibility, saying DGM is building a new recording studio, and the new music comes in conjunction with this effort. But it doesn’t mean anything new is on the horizon. That new Crimson project is a hard “maybe,” at best.

My friends probed me and asked if I knew about the possible project. I told them I did. They also wanted to hear my thoughts about such a project proceeding without Adrian Belew, the band’s former frontman. They asked if I was going to say anything about it publicly. Clearly, they were waiting for me to go off on a rant, since I’ve always preferred Crimson with Belew.

“Nah,” I replied. “I’ve moved on.”

A mild shockwave seemed to run through my friends. “I’d prefer to focus my efforts on younger bands and musicians,” I said. “That’s where the real excitement is now.”

I was telling the truth. For me, youth is where it’s at. But I held something back. Another truth is, for me, there simply isn’t much to be gained from those old acts anymore.

I was ready to say “those old musicians,” but that’s not accurate. Some older musicians have found new life and hunger by playing in different, younger-sounding contexts. Under the Crimson umbrella alone, Tony Levin, Pat Mastelotto, and Trey Gunn have found new life playing with one another (usually two at a time) in bands like Tu-Ner and Stick Men. They might rearrange a Crimson classic to satisfy the older fans, but their emphasis is — thankfully — primarily focused on their new work.

Sooner or later, you have to move on. There’s too much music out there to remain rooted in place.

I’ve even found myself slowly moving on from Belew, whom I still consider my musical idol. His new solo work has gained an air of … familiarity. I like the music, but not a ton of new ground is being broken. I love his sounds, but I’ve heard them before.

To say nothing of the fact that the last two times I’ve seen Adrian live were when he was playing with Remain in Light (reliving the heyday of Talking Heads with Jerry Harrison) and Beat (reliving the heyday of the eighties era Crimson with Levin, Steve Vai, and Danny Carey). Both shows were spectacular, but there’s no getting around the emphasis on music that’s four decades old.

Sooner or later, you have to move on.

As much as I appreciate David Gilmour’s latest work, there’s no escaping the Pink Floyd legacy he brings with him. Seeing him in concert only drives that point home.

Granted, this is more than enough to satisfy more than a few fans. But I’m not one of them. I’m not rooted in nostalgia. I don’t enjoy the feel of moss under my musical feet. I’ll always be looking for fresh ground.

More than a few people don’t buy into this philosophy. They’re happy to remain where they are, aging right along with the musicians they’ve loved for decades. Both the fans and the bands they love will shuffle off the mortal coil together. If that’s your thing, more power to you. I choose a different path.

My nearly-sixty year old body is already starting to break down. Allowing myself to stagnate musically is giving in on a different level. Father Time will take me out eventually, but not because I gave up and decided to remain in place.

New bands playing smaller rooms keep me young. Musically, anyway. My body might be 58, but my music makes me feel like I’m in my early forties or so. Still, I’m reminded of something Neil Peart wrote for Rush. “We are young / Wandering the face of the earth / Wondering what our dreams must be worth / Learning that we’re only immortal / For a limited time.”

Truer words have not been spoken.

Father Time is undefeated. Sooner or later, you’ve got to move on.

It’s the difference between being a fan of the artist and being a fan of music.

#cirdecsongs

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