The long term head of King Crimson, Robert Fripp, had created a landscape of music with a heavy dose of experimentation. Not only do you hear this on the King Crimson studio sets, it’s even more evident in all of the solo albums by Fripp. His first was Exposure, which was released in 1979. Since then, there are three others that involve the use of his creative Frippertronics output. The next issue was a 2-sided combined set called God Save The Queen/ Under Heavy Manners that first gave Frippertronics front stage as a musical outlet.
On July 1, DGM will make God Save The Queen / Under Heavy Manners available with a new remaster (2021). This set will feature the ground-breaking original tracks and will add in two bonus tracks that include a previously released “God Save The Queen”, issued only on a compilation set. The other track is the previously unreleased “Music On Hold”, discovered while the Exposures box was being assembled.
Another Fripp album being reissued is Let the Power Fall. This album, released in 1981, continued the Frippertronics style with six more tracks. This 2021 remaster reissue will contain the original album along with three bonus tracks of “1984” as separate mixes including a single edit.
Both God Save The Queen/Under Heavy Manners, and Let The Power Fall will be released on CD, vinyl LP, and DD. Both albums have been unavailable for quite some time on physical media so this is a gift for Fripp and Frippertronics fans.
God Save The Queen / Under Heavy Manners – Robert Fripp
01 Red Two Scorer
02 God Save The Queen
03. 1983
04 Under Heavy Manners
05 The Zero Of The Signified
Bonus Tracks
06 God Save the King
07 Music on Hold (previously unreleased)
Let The Power Fall – Robert Fripp
01 1984
02 1985
03 1986
04 1987
05 1988
06 1989
Bonus Tracks
07 1984 (single edit)
08 1984 (mix one)
09 1984 (mix two)
I have periodically searched for GSQ and UHM on CD for years. To my knowledge it has never been available in that format. I was contemplating purchasing the box set of Exposure just for this recording. I am pleased it will be available as an individual purchase. Let the Power Fall is a live album recorded at various stops in 1979. I was at the show listed as the Walker Art Center. After he had composed, accompanied and recorded a lengthy piece, Fripp invited the audience to come out to the lobby to talk. I was the only one who went! He was a very nice man who, although very soft spoken, was very accommodating.
There was a previous CD release (I happen to own them), though they weren’t easy to find. Regardless, these new ones will no doubt be superior, if only for the bonus tracks. I love frippertronics. Fripp went on to record “Soundscapes” which are similar, but use much better tech. However, for me that robs the music of something special, these cruder performances are superior, imo.
Mind you, the big box is definitely a must buy for me.