E-X-P-O-S-U-R-E & Torn

Date: Mon, 25 Apr 1994 10:51:17 -0700
From: Malcolm Humes <malcolm at wrs dot com>
Subject: E-X-P-O-S-U-R-E  & Torn

regarding Exposure:

> From: greg dot aranda at toadhall dot com (Greg Aranda)
>   >
> TT> Actually, i replaced my Exposure LP with a CD recently and "Disengage"
> TT> has been thoroughly shot to hell. Weak, weak, weak.
...
>     I couldn't agree more!  Peter Hammill's vocals on the original
>     release of "Disengage" were incredible -- biting, expressive.  To
>     see them diluted the way they were in Mr. Fripp's alternate choice
>     was sad, indeed.
>
>     It's a difficult call, whether to re-release the original expression
>     or release a new interpretation.

There's a peculiar irony to that last comment. See, the versions of the
tracks with Daryl Hall *are* the originals, and Fripp had to re-work them
becase of legal problems so that the versions on the original release were
actually the re-worked copies of the songs. So rather than Hall diluting
the original it appears that Hammill added something to an otherwise weak
track?

I also happen to prefer the Hammill vocals. In a synchronistic alternate
Exposure post, "timothy david hufnagle" hits on the the same subject from a
different angle:

> My favorite artist(s) are Daryl Hall and John Oates.  Daryl Hall worked
> with Robert Fripp as I'm sure you already know.  Robert Fripp originally
> played guitar and produced Daryl's first solo LP in 1980 called "Sacred
> Songs" on the RCA record label.  In return Daryl did some writing and
> singing on Fripp's LP "Exposure".  Now it is understood among fans of H&O
> that there is supposedly a test pressing of "Exposure" with only Daryl
> singing all of the lead vocals.  Is this true?  How could I find a copy of
> it, being that it is so rare and hardly anyone knows about it?

Perhaps the "Definitive Edition" that swaps back the Hall versions of some
tracks is what Timothy is looking for? I wouldn't doubt that there was an
earlier boot or test pressing of the material, but it seems that Fripp
restored Exposure to his original version when he remastered it, so it
presumably would be close to or the same as the test pressing before Hall
was removed. A good point for the FAQ to address would be the exact
differences between the versions of Exposure.

I think the 1980 date above is a little off - my recollection of the story
(which is I think outlined in some older digests too) is that Fripp
originally produced lps by Gabriel, Hall and himself, envisioned as a
trilogy of sorts (anyone else notice Fripp's fetish for threesomes?) but at
the last moment Hall's label was not thrilled at his involvment in Fripp's
Exposure for some reason and they refused to let it all be used, causing
Exposure to be delayed and re-worked. I'd hate to think that Hammill's role
in "Disengage" only came about because they had to peel Hall off the track
but it appears that this is the case. Hall's "Sacred Songs" was released in
1977. Exposure got delayed until 1979. Although I was never very fond of
Daryl Hall the "Sacred Songs" lp is worth a listen for Fripp fans as it is
full or Fripp and Frippertronics and also contains a track (NYC?)  that is
essentially a variation on a track on Exposure. BTW, Fripp helps out on a
Hall & Oates lp too, but not as notably as on "Sacred Songs".

I think adding the "original" or alternate "original" tracks as bonus
tracks would have been the right way to approach ressurecting the original
version of Exposure. Maybe if Robert is listening he can offer us a CD5
with the tracks excorcised from the re-Definitive Edition.

RE: David Torn

> From: allenh at smtpgate dot tais dot com
>
>      5) Finally, would anyone care to discuss the merits (or lack thereof)
>      re: David Torn/Mark Isham/Tony Levin/Bill Bruford album "Cloud About
>      Mercury"? If this territory has been covered, forgive me, I'm new
>      here...

I'll admit that what initially drew my attention to "Cloud About Mercury"
was the involvement of Levin and Bruford, figuring that with half of
Crimson on there it couldn't be more than half bad. :^)

It took a little while to grow on me. I wouldn't describe it as sounding
much like KC. Torn's guitar shifts from ambient waves to wailing snarls or
rhythmic swirls. The music is all instrumental (unlike Torn's follow-up,
Door X, which I think suffers a bit from the vocals) and overall it's a
wonderful musical journey that lives up to the mystery invoked by the
title.

Actually, Levin was second choice for this recording. Torn originally
wanted Mick Karn, fretless bassist from Japan and Dali's Car, but Karn was
on tour and unable to make the recording sessions. The support tour for
"Cloud..." found Karn on bass instead of Levin. I found myself much more
engaged by the live renditions of the music and in retrospect find the
studio recordings sound a bit sterile to me compared to the live
experience. Which is perhaps not unexpected when you compare a live
performance to the studio improvisations the live set was drawn from.  But
Karn's fluid fretless also made the music mutate a bit. Karn and Torn have
worked together a bit since then, as members of the band Lonely Universe,
and appearing on recent (or future) solo works by each other.

 - Malcolm
Mike Stok