Exposure 2LP

After an absence of 30 years, the first edition of Exposure - Robert Fripp’s startling 1979 solo debut - is available on vinyl again. The 2006 ‘third edition’ of the album - also available on vinyl for the first time - comprises sides 3 and 4 of this 2020 200g double LP edition (this is the 1983 remix/1985 reissue including the 3 formerly unreleased Daryl Hall vocal tracks). The album has been mastered by Jason Mitchell at LOUD mastering from masters approved by Robert Fripp. Featuring contributions from Peter Hammill, Peter Gabriel, Phil Collins, Brian Eno, Tony Levin, Terre Roche, Barry Andrews and others, the album has been memorably dubbed, “The Sergeant Pepper of avant-punk,” by The Wire. The term ‘Classic album’ has been devalued somewhat through overuse, but if ever an album has proved worthy of the term it’s Exposure. An invitation from David Bowie and Brian Eno in July 1977 resulted in his appearance as lead guitarist on Heroes, David Bowie’s 2nd 1977 album from his own golden year and marked Fripp’s return to full time musician. Further work with Daryl Hall, Peter Gabriel, The Roches and Blondie (a version of “I Feel Love” sung by Debbie Harry was planned for inclusion on the album but never recorded), preceded the sessions. Recorded at the Record Plant in New York, Exposure was originally conceived as part of a trilogy alongside Daryl Hall’s Sacred Songs and Peter Gabriel’s 2nd solo album (both Fripp produced). Exposure was delayed from its scheduled 1978 release date by RCA’s postponement of the release of the Hall album (that remained unissued until 1980) and Hall’s then manager’s insistence that some of his vocals be removed from the album. When the album finally appeared in 1979, its mixture of songs, singers, instrumentals, snatches of speech, audio-vérité sound collages – all linked by an autobiographical/diary approach - presented a very different musician from that of the initial King Crimson period 1969-74. Even in a period when the wheel - as represented by a vinyl album - seemed to be reinvented on a routine basis, a time when “expect the unexpected” was the best approach to any number of then new or current recordings, Exposure stood apart. It still does. With the emergence of digital technology but, crucially, prior to the emergence of suitable re-mastering equipment, the album was remixed in 1983 and reissued in 1985. This remix was issued as the CD version.