the League of Gentlemen | ||||
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Studio album by | ||||
Released | February 1981 | |||
Recorded | July – December 1980 [1] | |||
Genre | Post-punk, new wave | |||
Length | 42:27 | |||
Label | EG Records (UK) | |||
Producer | Robert Fripp | |||
Robert Fripp and the League of Gentlemen chronology | ||||
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Review scores | |
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Source | Rating |
AllMusic | [2] |
Robert Christgau | B [3] |
The Rolling Stone Album Guide | [4] |
The League of Gentlemen is an album by Robert Fripp and his short-lived band the League of Gentlemen, released in the UK in 1981 on the Editions EG label. [5] The original album has never been reissued in full on CD although most of the band tracks are on the Robert Fripp and the League of Gentlemen compliation God Save the King, released in 1985.
The album sleevenotes state that the League of Gentlemen played a total of 77 gigs during 1980 and includes a full list of all these gigs starting at Moles, Bath on 10 April 1980 and finishing at the School of Economics, London on 29 November 1980.
The tour was split into three discernible parts;
Drummer Jonny Toobad left the band during Part 3 of the tour in Manchester on 22 November and was replaced for the remaining dates by Kevin Wilkinson.
The album was recorded in several sessions, featuring either Jonny Toobad and then Kevin Wilkinson on drums.
The album was then released in February 1981 in the UK, Japan, France and the US [6] as well as Germany and Italy.
The album was produced by Fripp and engineered by Tony Arnold at 'Arny's Shack' studio in Parkstone, Dorset, England.
All the tracks are titled in upper case on the album sleeve and on the record label itself. Roman numerals are used for each side and for all part numbering of tracks.
All songs above are credited as being by Robert Fripp except those marked † which are credited as being by 'The League of Gentlemen'.
The primary performances on the album are credited to;
Also credited are;
In addition Robert Christgau claims to recognise uncredited 'spoken overlays' (or samples as we would now call them) by Karen Durbin, Chip Stern, Terre Roche, Richard Goldstein and Ellen Willis [8] but does not state who he thinks is responsible for any specific instance.
The various uncredited spoken overlays on the album occur mainly on the tracks INDISCREET I, II and III. The compilation of these 'indiscretions' is credited to Robert Fripp.
They may be classified by their location in the running order of the album, the distinct voices heard and the following opening phrases or sounds;
INDISCREET I
INDISCREET II
COGNITIVE DISSONANCE
INDISCREET III
Key to voices:
Music reviewer Robert Christgau claims to recognise the voices of the following people: Karen Durbin, Chip Stern, Terre Roche, Richard Goldstein and Ellen Willis [8]
Robert Fripp is an English musician, songwriter, record producer, and author, best known as the guitarist, founder and longest-lasting member of the progressive rock band King Crimson. He has worked extensively as a session musician and collaborator, notably with David Bowie, Blondie, Brian Eno, Peter Gabriel, Daryl Hall, the Roches, Talking Heads, and David Sylvian. He also composed the startup sound of Windows Vista, in collaboration with Tucker Martine and Steve Ball. His discography includes contributions to more than 700 official releases.
Barry Andrews is an English songwriter, singer and keyboard player who is a co-founder of Shriekback and was formerly a member of XTC and the League of Gentlemen.
The Roches were an American vocal trio of sisters Maggie, Terre and Suzzy Roche, from Park Ridge, New Jersey.
In the Court of the Crimson King is the debut studio album by English progressive rock band King Crimson, released on 10 October 1969, by Island Records. The album is considered one of the earliest and most influential of the progressive rock genre, with the band combining musical influences that rock music was founded upon with elements of jazz, classical, and symphonic music.
In the Wake of Poseidon is the second studio album by English progressive rock group King Crimson, released in May 1970 by Island Records in Europe, Atlantic Records in the United States, Philips Records in Australia, and Vertigo Records in New Zealand. To date the album is their highest-charting in the UK, reaching number 4.
Islands is the fourth studio album by English band King Crimson, released in 3 December 1971 on the record label Island. Islands is the only studio album to feature the 1971–1972 touring line-up of Robert Fripp, Mel Collins, Boz Burrell and Ian Wallace. This would be the last album before an entirely new group would record the trilogy of Larks' Tongues in Aspic, Starless and Bible Black and Red between 1973 and 1974. This is also the last album to feature the lyrics of co-founding member Peter Sinfield.
Lizard is the third studio album by British progressive rock band King Crimson, released on 11 December 1970 by Island Records in the UK, and in January 1971 by Atlantic Records in the United States and Canada. It was the second consecutive King Crimson album recorded by transitional line-ups of the group that did not perform live, following In the Wake of Poseidon. This is the last of two albums by the band to feature Gordon Haskell and the band's only album to feature drummer Andy McCulloch.
Discipline is the eighth studio album by English progressive rock band King Crimson, released on 2 October 1981 by E.G. Records in the United Kingdom and by Warner Bros. Records in the United States.
Red is the seventh studio album by English progressive rock band King Crimson, released on 6 October 1974 on Island Records in the United Kingdom and Atlantic Records in North America and Japan. The album was recorded at Olympic Studios in London in July and August 1974, and produced by the band themselves.
Evening Star is the second studio album by British musicians Robert Fripp and Brian Eno. It was recorded from 1974 to 1975 and released in December 1975 by Island Records.
Peter Gabriel is the second studio album by the English singer-songwriter Peter Gabriel, released on 2 June 1978 by Charisma Records. Gabriel started recording the album in November 1977, the same month that he had completed touring in support of his debut solo release. He employed former King Crimson guitarist Robert Fripp, who was part of Gabriel's early touring band, to produce the album. Fripp used his Frippertronics effects on the co-written song "Exposure".
The League of Gentlemen were a band active during March–December 1980 that featured King Crimson guitarist Robert Fripp.
The Stranglers and Friends: Live in Concert is a live album by English rock band the Stranglers, released in 1995 by Receiver Records. In 2002, the album was re-released on the Castle Music label, digitally remastered from the original master tapes with new artwork and sleeve notes.
The Roches is the eponymous debut album by the Roches, released on the Warner Bros. Records in April 1979. The album was produced and features electric guitar parts by Robert Fripp; also playing on the album are percussionist Jimmy Maelen and Fripp's future King Crimson bandmate Tony Levin.
Exposure is the debut solo album by guitarist and composer Robert Fripp. Unique among Fripp solo projects for its focus on the pop song format, it grew out of his previous collaborations with David Bowie, Peter Gabriel, and Daryl Hall, and the latter two singers appear on the album. Released in 1979, it peaked at No. 79 on the Billboard Album Chart. Most of the lyrics were provided by the poet and lyricist Joanna Walton, who also coined the term "Frippertronics" to describe Fripp's tape looping techniques.
I'm Alright is a 1985 album by Loudon Wainwright III. It was his third release on Rounder Records, recorded in London. It was produced by Richard Thompson, who also played electric lead guitar on several songs. The back cover features a photo of the two together, captioned 'Loud and Rich'.
Mouth by Mouth is the third studio album by American rock band His Name Is Alive, released by 4AD in 1993.
Nurds is the second studio album by the American musical trio the Roches, released on Warner Bros. Records in 1980. It peaked at number 130 on the Billboard 200. Nurds was produced by Roy Halee.
Keep On Doing is the third studio album by the folk trio the Roches, released in 1982 on Warner Bros. Records. It is their second collaboration with Robert Fripp, following their 1979 debut album.
(No Pussyfooting) is the debut studio album by the British duo Fripp & Eno, released 9 November 1973. (No Pussyfooting) was the first of three major collaborations between the musicians, growing out of Brian Eno's early tape delay looping experiments and Robert Fripp's "Frippertronics" electric guitar technique.