Robert Fripp - (4) Vintage LPs, Drive to 1981, Exposure, League of Gentlemen, +2
Originally, Fripp envisioned Exposure as the third part of a trilogy also comprising Daryl Hall's Sacred Songs and Peter Gabriel's second album aka Scratch, both of which Fripp contributed to and produced. The trilogy did not work out as intended and, after the changes and compromises that had to be made, this version of the Exposure album was released in 1979.
Fripp then envisioned a new Trilogy, which he called "The Drive to 1981", and reconceptualized Exposure as the first "step". The other two parts of the trilogy were to consist of Frippertronics (his tape loop process of building lush soundscapes) and Discotronics (his brand of "dance music" which may or may not involve Frippertronics). He released "God Save the Queen \ Under Heavy Manners" in 1979 as the next two steps of the trilogy, in such that "Side A" (God Save the Queen) is pure Frippertronics with no overdubs and "Side 1" (Under Heavy Manners) is Discotronics. His concept of these two sides each representing a portion of the "trilogy" is emphasized by calling one "Side 1" and the other "Side A", rather than having a Side 2 or Side B. Both songs on the Under Heavy Manners side include Buster Jones on bass and Paul Duskin on drums playing along with Frippertronics loops. The song Under Heavy Manners has lyrics sung by David Byrne of the Talking Heads (under the pseudonym Absalm al Habib). Also note that the repetitive guitar part that runs throughout The Zero of the Signified is Fripp playing live along with the background Frippertronic backdrop, bass, and drums, and it is a riff later used in the song Frame by Frame on the King Crimson Discipline album. He plays this incredibly fast riff for most of the songs’ entire twelve-and-a-half-minute length!
"Step 4" of the trilogy was the release of "The League of Gentlemen" in 1981, an album of Discotronics that he considered a continuation of the Under Heavy Manners side of the second album. The album features a band that Fripp formed and toured with through 1980. It features Barry Andrews on organ, Sarah Lee on bass and either Jonny Toobad or Kevin Wilkinson on drums. Rather than lyrics, the non-instrumental songs feature tape loops of dialog similar to what was done on NY3 on Exposure.
The final, "Step 5" of the trilogy, was the release of “Let the Power Fall” in 1981, which was a continuation of the God Save the Queen side of the second album. Again, pure Frippertronic loops that demonstrate the buildup of the soundscape note by note and chord by chord with old notes fading away as new sounds are added.
As an original listener of these albums. I was distraught to learn that most of them were remixed, and in my opinion ruined. To me, a completely sacrilegious gaff was how they remixed the end of the title track of Exposure. Originally, this song had a voice spelling EXPOSURE throughout the song and at the end you heard "S...U...R...E...X" which gave the clear understanding that the spelling was a constant loop using a single E for the beginning and end of the word, forming sort of a mobius strip. But in the "new improved" mix they cut this off early, which totally annoys me. Same with the missing tape loops in the League of Gentlemen songs; they just don't have as much interest when you are used to always hearing them the other way. The "guitar solo" overdubbed on Signified is another distraction. Mostly just annoying, sustained notes with little imagination or creativity that totally distracts from the subtle groove of the original Frippertronics loop and the vamp. And I say this as a big fan of Fripps’ dissonance. My final complaint is the use of alternate takes of Peter Hammill's vocals on Chicago and Disengage on Exposure. They are fine as "bonus tracks" but to re-release an album with them as primary songs was a misstep that Fripp has been trying to rectify with various other special releases of the album ever since.
Fortunately for you, all four of the original "Trilogy" are here for your enjoyment! If you are someone who has only heard the remixed versions and were used to them, I would be very interested to know if these original versions are just as annoying to you or if you enjoy them as much as I did over the years!
The album cover sleeves and records are all in VG condition or better with the Exposure and League of Gentlemen sleeves and records in the lower VG and the other two with significantly less wear, probably VG+ or VG++. The printed inner sleeves do have side tears (and Exposure has one side completely torn open) but are still very clean and legible, as shown in the pictures.
