December 1, 1977    Early Exposure Rehearsals

AUDIO SOURCE: 1/4 Inch Tape

DGM AUDIO QUALITY

AVERAGE CUSTOMER RATING

Some fascinating sketches from Exposure for your delectation and delight.[endtease] Because of the mists of time, there is some debate about the origins of and personnel on these tracks.

The first is titled Disengage and has John Wetton and Phil Collins listed as the players. Mr. Stormy hears the Wetton rumble at work here, where as to my ears it sounds stylistically closer to Tony Levin, whereas RF isn’t sure.

Whilst this may be titled Disengage it’s not Disengage as we know it. In some respects this is actually nearer to Haaden Two but it's not quite that either. The angular ascending motif opening the piece has something in common with both Disengage and Haaden Two but is distinct and different from both of those. Perhaps after recording this RF clarified it to become Disengage, and maybe borrowed the feel of this demo when it came to recording the stomping section of Haaden Two?

What is interesting is the use of the power sections of Neurotica from the Beat album, but here played almost as Red mark II. Could this be Blue? Both RF and JW have mentioned a counterpart to Red with that title and if so then, Mr. Stormy would be right about this being John on bass.

Whilst confusion about this fragment may well be our epitaph, there’s no mistaking North Star. That said, the bass playing here is somewhat reticent and could, I suppose be John or Tony.

Oh well never mind. Let’s just enjoy this blast from the archives and raise a glass to Mr. Stormy for his impeccable sense of selection.

This track is now available for download as part of a bumper collection of Mr Stormy's Monday Selections - his first year of random romps through the murky, cavernous DGM archives, torch in hand, fedora upon his head.
December 1, 1977    Early Exposure Rehearsals

AUDIO SOURCE: 1/4 Inch Tape

DGM AUDIO QUALITY

AVERAGE CUSTOMER RATING

TRACK
TIME
01
Disengage
02:04
02
North Star
03:25
Written by Steve Steele
That's Wetton
I’m a bass player, and I’ve studied a lot of Wetton (mostly his 73’ -78’ work) and I can tell you for sure that is Wetton’s bass playing on Disengage. There are a couple of distinctive things, such as the low end growl he gets at the beginning of the sample, and then staying on the octaves after that - very Wetton-ish.
Written by Marcos López García
AWESOME
These pieces are incredible to be available in this particular form, with that particular line-up (i want to think is John Wetton on bass), and with such a fine and clear sound quality.Thanks!!!!
Written by Filippo Guerini
North Star
Great karaoke version of "North Star", if only I was able to sing it...You can also hum "She waits in the air, Matte Kudasai" over the first chord changes. :)
Written by ALLAN G OKADA
Interesting
Thanks Mr.Monday ! Super interesting stuff here.  Sounds like Wetton to me on Disengage, but hard to tell as for some odd reason he recorded his bass direct for most of the studio recordings back then.  Odd because he had one of the best amp sounds I’ve ever heard, which is super evident on all of these recent live recordings from late 73 and 74 especially. While North Star is pretty straightforward, this Disengage thing is really strange and a worthwhile listen, worthy of the ...
DISCOVER THE DGM HISTORY
.

1940s
1950s
1960s
1970s
1980s
1990s
2000s
2010s
.