callioperecords@... wrote:
>
> Amazing!
>
> I've heard the story about the "local" mellotron first hand a few months back. Might be a different tale but...
>
> I was on tour across the states opening for Daltrey, we were in Maryland, and I was apporached by the director of the venue inquiring about the tron I was using, we got to talking and he showed me some very interesting pics on his computer. Apparently this guys band got offered an opening slot at KC shows in exchange for use of his tron. He showed me several scanned pics from through the years w KC. Some very funny,but I'm positive I remember the pics of him w his 400 and wetton. I also believed he mentioned something about late '69, "when he first met them"
>
> Since that conversation I've been wondering, "where are the trons now?" Really exciting to see you guys have the answer! Think they'll get auctioned off anytime soon? ;)
>
> -Martin
To fill in some gaps that I inadvertantly missed (sorry), Fripp put up all his trons up for auction in 1999. They were as per the entries on his his diaries (look for yourself on dgmlive.com). Apparently, he received no "...adequate..." or "...suitable..." bids (my phraseology). I'm guessing that, due to the history of them, Fripp's looking for a helluva lot of money. Anyway, he didn't a bid he regarded as 'realistic', so he closed the auction in 2004 or 2005 and retained the trons. Apparently, Fripp owns 5 of the trons, so I'm guessing that the 6th is owned by the "King Crimson Company", whatever form that now takes.
I contacted Sid Smith in early 2007 to find out Fripp's attitude towards his trons in view of his inability to auction them off, and Sid personally told me (via e-mail) that Fripp "...HAD NO PLANS TO DISPOSE OF THEM"! I'm looking for an M400, which was why I asked the question in the first place.