In August 2024, former Police guitarist Andy Summers revealed in an interview with Ultimate Guitar that unreleased instrumental recordings he made with King Crimson’s Robert Fripp during the 1980s would be seeing the light of day soon. Now, full details about the plans to release the recordings have been announced.
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The unreleased material will be included in a three-CD/Blu-ray set titled The Complete Recordings 1981-1984 that will be released on March 28. The four-disc collection features Summers and Fripp’s two collaborative instrumental albums—I Advance Masked (1982) and Bewitched (1984). It also boasts a newly created album titled Mother Hold the Candle Steady that features unreleased tracks discovered by Summers while looking for archival material to include on the reissues of I Advance Masked and Bewitched.
The I Advance Masked and Bewitched CDs each include a few bonus tracks. The Mother Hold the Candle Steady CD features previously unheard that were tracks newly mixed and assembled by longtime Fripp studio collaborator David Singleton. They include the material discovered by Summers, plus additional unreleased tracks from the I Advance Masked and Bewitched sessions.
The Blu-ray features multiple mixes, included 5.1 surround sound, of I Advance Masked, Bewitched, and Mother Hold the Candle Steady. It also includes a “fly on the wall” audio documentary, titled “Can We Record Tony?,” put together from Fripp’s archival cassettes featuring his and Summers’ improvisations and conversations.
The Complete Recordings 1981-1984 features the discs housed in a 10-panel digi-sleeve that includes a 16-page booklet. The booklet features photos and sleeve notes that include new interviews with Summers and Fripp. Also included is a “Tale of the Tapes” page in which Singleton explains where and how the unreleased tracks were discovered and sourced.
Advance Tracks from The Complete Recordings 1981-1984
An unreleased track from the Fripp-Summers compilation titled “Skyline” has been released digitally in advance of the box set. A second unheard track, “Entropy Pulse,” will be made available on February 28.
Vinyl Reissue of I Advance Masked
Also on March 28, a vinyl reissue of the I Advance Masked will be released. The LP, which will be pressed on 200-gram vinyl, will feature a 2024 mix of the album. The disc also will include “Skyline” and “Entropy Pulse.”
More About Summers’ Collaborations with Fripp
In his interview with Ultimate Guitar, Summers talked about how he wound up recording with Fripp in the 1980s. He explained that he and Robert grew up near each other and began playing music in the same scene. Andy also revealed that before he joined The Police, Fripp helped get him a gig after he’d moved back to the U.K. following several years living in the U.S.
Then, in 1981, Summers decided to reach out to Fripp to see if he wanted to collaborate. At the time, Andy said he wanted to branch out from the music he was playing with The Police. Fripp, who had recently completed work on King Crimson’s Discipline album, liked the idea of collaborating with Summers.
I Advance Masked was a collection of avant-garde tracks that featured the two musicians on guitars, bass, synthesizers, and percussion. Bewitched was a bit more pop oriented and included contributions from a number of session musicians, including bassists Sara Lee and Chris Childs, drummer Paul Beavis, and sax player Chris Winter.
The Complete Recordings 1981-1984 Track List (CDs Only):
CD 1: I Advance Masked
“I Advance Masked”
“Under Bridges of Silence”
“China – Yellow Leader”
“In the Cloud Forest”
“New Marimba”
“Girl on a Swing”
“Hardy Country”
“The Truth of Skies”
“Painting and Dance”
“Still Point”
“Lakeland / Aquarelle”
“Seven on Seven”
“Stultified”
Additional Material:
“Brainstorm”
“New Marimba” (Early Mix)
“Balinese”
Seven on Seven (Reprise)
CD 2: Bewitched
“Parade”
“What Kind of Man Reads Playboy”
“Begin the Day”
“Train”
“Bewitched””
“Tribe”
“Maquillage”
“Guide”
“Forgotten Steps”
“Image and Likeness”
Additional Material:
“Tribe” (Original Version)
“Maquillage” (Alternate Original Mix)
CD 3: Mother Hold the Candle Steady (Previously Unreleased)
“Impudent Prelude”
“Brainstorm”
“Tremors”
“Turkish Kitchen”
“Skyline”
“Foi Um Optimo Dia”
“San Antonio Blues”
“Mother Hold the Candle Steady”
“Entropy Pulse”
“Ninja Acid Dance”
“Step n’ Fetchit”
“Maquillage II”
“Parade II”
“Can We Record Tony?” (Edit)
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