“It dishonors that brand to say, ‘Now we’re King Crimson.’ But we do have the ability to say, ‘Look, this is legitimate – half of the band is onstage here”: Adrian Belew, Steve Vai and Tony Levin on how they made Beat – with Robert Fripp’s blessing

Steve Vai and Adrian Belew performing onstage with the Beat.

“I’ve had guitar partners in my life,” says Adrian Belew, simultaneously looking backward and forward.

It’s an interesting thought. Given the glorious absurdity and rainbow-like color of his parts – the frenetic samurai-chop rhythms; the effects-heavy solos that can sound like car horns and elephant growls and frazzled dial-up modems, depending on what the song requests – it’s almost shocking that any band could accommodate both his playing and someone else’s.