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King Crimson’s Robert Fripp apparently once explained on European TV that his group’s 1995 album title, THRAK, had two meanings.

“The first one is, a sudden impact moving from direction, intention and commitment in service of an aim,” he said. “The second definition is: 117 guitars almost hitting the same chord simultaneously. So, the album THRAK, what is it? 56 minutes and 37 seconds of songs and music about love, dying, redemption and mature guys who get erections.”

 We found that on Reddit, but it seems very plausible as something Fripp might say.

Two thirds of Stick Men—namely Tony Levin and Pat Mastelotto—were actually on THRAK, and they play the Rickshaw this Sunday. The title of the current Stick Men tour is, indeed, Let’s THRAK Again, which is also the name of the band’s new album, which recently dropped on Bandcamp. We are very excited, as THRAK was actually this writer’s gateway drug into the at times dauntingly deep waters of King Crimson, though we note that they may mean something else entirely by the concept from what Fripp is describing.

Many of our questions about Stick Men and its approach to the music and philosophy of King Crimson have already been answered in last year’s extensive interviews with the group’s Markus Reuter. (He is not on any King Crimson recordings, though he does have a direct lineage to Fripp, having been his student). The Straight chapter of those interviews is here, while my massive blog follow up is here.

We don’t really have much to add to those features, but what about this THRAKking? Never mind that Stick Men has verbed the concept (adding a layer to Mr. Fripp’s meanings of the term: we now can actively THRAK something). What, sonically, can Rickshaw attendees expect on this tour? Maybe an instrumental take on THRAK standout cuts like “Dinosaur”?

Perhaps a surprise vocal guest on “People”? Drummer Pat Masteloto’s wife Deborah was on merch last tour, and while she did not get on stage, she has in fact done lead vocals on King Crimson covers for the album A Romantic's Guide to King Crimson. Recorded by the husband-and-wife team of Pat and Deborah, and released under the name The Mastelotos, that album does offer a pleasantly funky, radio-friendly reading of the THRAK tune “People”. It’s one to research before the show, since it may well be on the merch table in CD format.

The potential for revisiting THRAK are wide indeed, but covers of “Dinosaur” or “People”, for example. are not going to happen.

While he has acknowledges that King Crimson’s THRAK is a “massive touchstone” in the work of Stick Men, Reuter tells the Straight that the band's approach on this tour might actually surprise fans.

"While the album title is a direct nod to that era," he says, "we aren’t actually playing THRAK material live, with the sole exception of our version of ‘VROOOM VROOOM.’ Instead, we used the spirit and structural energy of King Crimson from that period as a launching pad to write a wealth of entirely new material for our new album Let’s THRAK Again. It’s about taking that inspiration and pushing it forward; we are planning to play seven of these new songs during the set.”

There will no doubt be some King Crimson material on the setlist, as well (the band's last show in Vancouver had plenty, including “Red”, “Lark’s Tongues in Aspic Part Two”, “Level Five” and “The Sheltering Sky”). But we don’t need to know which of those or other tunes might appear beforehand; we are confident that whatever they touch, they will do so with a gleeful virtuosity.

But while we have Reuter on the line, another question: does doing THRAK-inspired material (and one instrumental from that album) mean that Levin and Mastelloto (who, again, played on that record), get more of a “vote” as to how the band writes and arranges their THRAK-centric new music?

Again, the answer is no.

“Because Tony and Pat literally helped build the original THRAK in 1995, they obviously carry the DNA of that music with them," he says. "However, when we discuss our direction, they don’t pull rank or demand a bigger ‘vote’ simply because it’s their history. Stick Men is very much a living, democratic band. Their institutional memory deeply informed the inspiration for this new album, but we approach the actual writing and arranging as absolute equals, taking those classic concepts and building something fresh for our trio format.”

There wasn’t really anything else we wanted to bug Stick Men about, except to ask if there will be any vinyl on the merch table?

“We will definitely have the new CDs at the merch table," Reuter says. "Unfortunately, the new vinyl is currently delayed, but the CDs are ready to go.”

And while there are still plans to reissue other albums of Stick Men on vinyl—and we see that Umeda is for sale again on Amazon—none of that will be on the merch table, either. No vinyl at all, you fiends. Sorry.

But don't worry about that because Stick Men are stunning live. In fact, they positively THRAK. 

Stick Men play the Rickshaw tonight (September 11). For tickets and info, go here.