Did you ever wonder what King Crimson would sound like fronted by Nancy Sinatra? Probably not, but Crimson founder, Robert Fripp and his wife, singer Toyah Willcox, collaborate as The Humans and cover Sinatra’s deathless 60s classic, “These Boots Are Made for Walkin’.”
Visually, the video’s a bit on the 1980s cheesy MTV side, think Journey. Musically, like a lot of proggers approaching pop, they’ve got a heavy and strident hand and it actually makes me appreciate even more the understated mood and reverb soaked atmosphere Nancy Sinatra and producer/composer Lee Hazelwood established for the original in 1966, which I actually owned on a 45. But Toyah looks and sounds good at 51 (albeit post cosmetic surgery) and that’s more visual personality than I’ve seen Fripp display in about 20 years. Dig the “Starless”-style double-picked screaming guitar solo he lays on it. This is Fripp having fun, I think. It’s hard to tell with Robert these days.
John Diliberto ((( echoes )))
Fripp looks like “the wife made me do this, but I’ll humor her since she may possibly reciprocate and she don’t look half bad for an old gal” Sorry, just my initial impression. I recently watched the “Eyes Wide Open” DVD, so I am still in awe and willing to provide the benefit of the doubt…
Robert gave Bowie a ‘pop’ boost back in the day, why shouldn’t he do the same for the delectable Toyah?
BRAVO! great stuff….