I Advance Masked

RF@80 Vol. 13

Advance Masked from the album of the same name, by Andy Summers and Robert Fripp. The two guitarists had grown up playing on the Bournemouth scene during the 60s, and although they knew each other, they did not work together at that time. The closest they came was when Robert took over the guitar seat formerly occupied by Andy with the Majestic Hotel dance orchestra, when Summers had moved to London to join Zoot Money’s Big Roll Band.

Andy Summers and Robert Fripp in Bournemouth in the 1960s.

Andy’s path would lead him to California and a job as guitarist with Eric Burdon and the Animals. When this came to an end, he found himself back in London and out of work. There, at a chance meeting with Robert at Ronnie Scott’s club in Soho, he asked the by-then successful King Crimson guitarist if he would put the word out that he was available. A subsequent introduction via Michael Giles led to a gig with Neil Sedaka, and from there world domination with The Police would follow.

Summers and Fripp at the 1982 video shoot.

Having both achieved considerable success with major bands, the pair reconvened in Bournemouth in 1981 to work together on a more personal project, and the first of two albums they recorded at Arny’s Shack in Parkstone with engineer Tony Arnold.

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

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