Chicago (Terre Roche and Peter Hammill alt take)

RF@80 Vol. 10

In week 10, Robert and David discuss The Roches, as we feature an alternate take of Chicago from Exposure, with vocals shared by Terre Roche and Peter Hammill, and add Hammond Song from The Roches’ first album to the Spotify playlist.

The three singing sisters from New Jersey, Maggie, Terre and Suzzy, had moved to New York City in the 70s and were making a name for themselves playing the Greenwich Village folk clubs.

April 16, 1978, Robert Fripp sees The Roches.

Robert first went to see them play at The Bottom Line on the recommendation of New York Times critic John Rockwell, who would later rate their Fripp-produced first album, The Roches, the best release of 1979.

Once again recording at the Hit Factory with engineer Ed Sprigg, Terre Roche was one of the vocalists brought in by Fripp to sing on Exposure after Daryl Hall’s manager, Tommy Motolla, had prevented Hall from featuring on more than two tracks. This setback proved fortuitous as the incoming singers turned in some spectacular performances.

Before the Roches became a trio, Maggie and Terre had famously crashed an NYU songwriting class with Paul Simon, which led to the two sisters singing backing vocals on There Goes Rhymin’ Simon and getting their own record deal. However, disillusioned by the record industry, they suddenly left it all behind and went to Hammond, Louisiana, a story that forms the subject matter for Hammond Song. Recorded towards the end of an incredibly productive year for Fripp in New York, the album is striking for its restraint. Aside from Fripp’s lyrical guitar solo on Hammond Song, the performances are largely unadorned, allowing the sisters’ close vocal harmonies and acoustic guitars to shine. Their songs of truth are delivered without artifice - but with a good deal of humour - using Fripp’s audio vérité production style.

Suzzy, Maggie and Terre on the cover of their debut album.

Listen to this week’s commentary for the full story.

Download: https://dgmlive.com/tour-dates/2860

Listen to Hammond Song on the Spotify playlist: Robert Fripp 80,000 Hours

Also available on the official RF YouTube channel:

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