Ok, they don't get mentioned here much, but I'm a huge fan. Anyone else?

I did a thread about them one year ago, I don't think there has been others before this one.
THey have some very good albums, but the last ones were awful, I think.
Siren is my favourite, and the first 2 ones + Country Life is good, and CLife has a fantastic cover.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2006-10-13 23:44 by Erik_Snow.

Interesting pick of Siren, as your favourite. I consider it their weakest. My favourites are the first three, Viva, Manifesto and Avalon. All masterpieces, with Viva being one of the three greatest live albums ever made.

Country Life was great, but Ferry really did sound a little bored during Siren. It had some cracking moments - Love is The Drug, Sentimental Fool, Both Ends Burning, but you could hear the dregs rattling around the bottom of the creative cup at that moment. Manifesto, to me, is a hugely underrated album; it's transitional in the very best sense of the word.

Like Avalon a lot..But rather listen to Ferry solo.

And I bet your last post got the "Didn't she dump Ferry for Mick responses, right?

Anyway, while on the subject, Jerry Hall very recently said the following about Ferry:

"It's not good having regrets, but he has aged beautifully. One of the classic crooners". Got to admit, he looks WAY better than Mick now.

Nikolai Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Interesting pick of Siren, as your favourite. I
> consider it their weakest. My favourites are the
> first three, Viva, Manifesto and Avalon. All
> masterpieces, with Viva being one of the three
> greatest live albums ever made.
>
> Country Life was great, but Ferry really did sound
> a little bored during Siren. It had some cracking
> moments - Love is The Drug, Sentimental Fool, Both
> Ends Burning, but you could hear the dregs
> rattling around the bottom of the creative cup at
> that moment. Manifesto, to me, is a hugely
> underrated album; it's transitional in the very
> best sense of the word.


I'll have to give Manifesto another spin, I really didn't like that one. Listened to it 4-5 times, but I didn't get it. Avalon...More Than This is terrific, but I didn't like the rest.
When it comes to Siren, there's only one weak song in my eyes, "End of The Line".
I became interested in them just by seeing Do The Strand on the TV, fantastic.
Brian Eno did some great stuff in the 70s, very far away from Roxy Music's work, but I suppose you know that. Another Green World and Before And After Science...amazing stuff.
In other words....1972-1976 does it for me. But I'll look up Manifesto again in your honour.

I love the earlier Roxy Music albums - i.e., the first four, but I don't much like the ones after Siren. I agree with Jerry 100% - Bryan looks great and is the ultimate Mr. Cool. I saw Roxy last year and was amazed at how well preserved he is. But he ain't rock 'n' roll. Thank God Mick has a different look.

Erik_Snow Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Nikolai Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > Interesting pick of Siren, as your favourite.
> I
> > consider it their weakest. My favourites are
> the
> > first three, Viva, Manifesto and Avalon. All
> > masterpieces, with Viva being one of the three
> > greatest live albums ever made.
> >
> > Country Life was great, but Ferry really did
> sound
> > a little bored during Siren. It had some
> cracking
> > moments - Love is The Drug, Sentimental Fool,
> Both
> > Ends Burning, but you could hear the dregs
> > rattling around the bottom of the creative cup
> at
> > that moment. Manifesto, to me, is a hugely
> > underrated album; it's transitional in the very
> > best sense of the word.
>
>
> I'll have to give Manifesto another spin, I really
> didn't like that one. Listened to it 4-5 times,
> but I didn't get it. Avalon...More Than This is
> terrific, but I didn't like the rest.
> When it comes to Siren, there's only one weak song
> in my eyes, "End of The Line".
> I became interested in them just by seeing Do The
> Strand on the TV, fantastic.
> Brian Eno did some great stuff in the 70s, very
> far away from Roxy Music's work, but I suppose you
> know that. Another Green World and Before And
> After Science...amazing stuff.
> In other words....1972-1976 does it for me. But
> I'll look up Manifesto again in your honour.


Thank you sir! Don't forget that in its original vinyl incarnation, Manifesto was split between East (European) and West (American) sides. Thus Manifesto starts off with a Krautrock tribute (the title track), a power pop dismissal of punk (Trash), before moving off into standard off-kilter Roxy territory recast as modern pop. Things get pretty interesting from Ain't That So onwards, because not only is that half of the album a virtual blueprint for the sound Roxy would adopt over their next two albums (and Ferry's next FOUR), but it's a great pastiche of modern American music of the time, a cross between disco and soft rock - without sounding like either. Fascinating album.

Ferry's voice also changed on this album. He started turning into the crooner he is today around the previous year's solo album, The Bride Stripped Bare (his break-up with Jerry album), and his voice matured on Manifesto.

I agree with you about Eno. I love his vocal albums. Touch and go with the ambient stuff though. Some of its superb (Music for Airports, Music For Films, My Life in the Bush of Ghosts), but some of it is really aimless, to the point where you start wondering if, under the boffinish demeanour, Eno isn't just really a smirking charlatan.



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 2006-10-14 00:19 by Nikolai.

Oh, yes! Big fan too, especially the first album which I think has quite a different feel to all the others. but I love all the albums really and also am a huge fan of Eno's first two solo albums. Especially Here Come The Warm Jets. But I haven't kept up with his output.

I can't resist saying that the first time I saw Roxy Music was at Croydon Greyhound, (capacity about 600), in June 1972 when they supported David Bowie! Impossible to imagine even six months later!

rebelrebel Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Oh, yes! Big fan too, especially the first album
> which I think has quite a different feel to all
> the others. but I love all the albums really and
> also am a huge fan of Eno's first two solo albums.
> Especially Here Come The Warm Jets. But I haven't
> kept up with his output.
>
> I can't resist saying that the first time I saw
> Roxy Music was at Croydon Greyhound, (capacity
> about 600), in June 1972 when they supported David
> Bowie! Impossible to imagine even six months
> later!


JESUS!!!!

I'm impressed that you like all their albums, having been there from the start. I first saw them in 1980, and last saw them in London a couple of months ago. They were almost as good now as they were then. I'm really looking forward to the new album too.

I recommend Eno's Another Green World and Before & After science (both vocal albums). You'll find them pretty lsme after the excesses of the first two solo albums, but there should be enough there to hold your interest. another green world is half instrumental, like a precursor to Low - but with a bit more humanity and lot more optimism.

Roxy (and Ferry) is one of my fave bands. An aquired taste for sure. Country Life and Siren are my favorite LPs. Avalon is a beautiful track. Saw them at The Academy of Music in NYC on the Siren Tour. Excellent!

Thanks, Nikolai!

I was considering Another Green World just the other day so I'll follow your recommendation. I love the humour of Eno's stuff - Babys On Fire, for example, is great! I was listening to it the other day and I thought how Fripp played on it and the whole things was kind of evolving before he, (Eno), went into the studio with Bowie anyway but then they got together and the Low/Heroes output is simply two of the most sublime pieces of work ever done as far as I'm concerned.

(But to get the Stones in somewhere on this thread I'll say that I still think Exile is the best rock album ever. Low/Heroes, Roxy and Eno are not rock n roll of course.)

Country Life is their Pinnacle of achivement - at least for their "rock" period. Siren is great too. For Your Pleasure is scary good - too bad Eno & Bryan's egos couldn't fit in the same band - they would have been even better!

Avalon is cool, but ever since, Bryan has been stuck in that style. He needs to ROCK again!

I read that Roxy Music are recording a new album.

In Every Dream Home a Heartache.

Nikolai I have a question: I am also a big fan of "Manifesto". I see it gets this terrible rap, but I don't understand why. I remember the original vynil version with the East and West. My Q is: was the original version of "Dance Away" different from the one that is now on the album? And I am not talking about the wimpy disco mix they did at some point. It's the album version. I seem to recall that in the very early days when listening to that song that it was harder; especially the music to the lines "...when I walked you home, said goodnight..etc"
IMO Roxy got too soft after "Manifesto".On "mMnifesto" itself the only song I do not like is "Spin me round". Even the album with "Over You" was soft. Roxy became too much like Ferry solo. And I don't think it helped when Manzanera co-wrote. "Avalon" is probably my least favorite album. "Pleasure" the best.
"
The Bogus Man is on his way as fast as he can run..he's tired but he'll get to you and show you lots of fun HAHAHAWWW"

"...no longer shall you trudge 'cross my peaceful mind."

Bryan Ferry very talented. Roxy very underrated band.

It's a hype lately of recording standards.
I do find this very cheap marketing. Only one man pulled it off...Bryan Ferry.
His 'As Time Goes By' album sold nothing, but if you have to record standards... do it like him... with class. Beautiful record.

Roxy never released a bad album IMHO. Most Roxy Music fans aren't really pleased with albums Like Avalon, Flesh+Blood & Manifesto, but those albums are art, beautifully arranged, written & produced popmusic. Again: class.
First 5 albums are classics, period. Never liked Viva that much, besides a blisstering version of In Every Dreamhome.

By the way... their live album of a couple of years ago is worth checking out. Great live album from a great tour.

I'm really curious about the new album... especially because I think Bryan is on a high, after his fantastic 'Frantic' album.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2006-10-14 10:39 by BowieStone.

ChelseaDrugstore Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Nikolai I have a question: I am also a big fan of
> "Manifesto". I see it gets this terrible rap, but
> I don't understand why. I remember the original
> vynil version with the East and West. My Q is: was
> the original version of "Dance Away" different
> from the one that is now on the album? And I am
> not talking about the wimpy disco mix they did at
> some point. It's the album version. I seem to
> recall that in the very early days when listening
> to that song that it was harder; especially the
> music to the lines "...when I walked you home,
> said goodnight..etc"
> IMO Roxy got too soft after "Manifesto".On
> "mMnifesto" itself the only song I do not like is
> "Spin me round". Even the album with "Over You"
> was soft. Roxy became too much like Ferry solo.
> And I don't think it helped when Manzanera
> co-wrote. "Avalon" is probably my least favorite
> album. "Pleasure" the best.
> "
> The Bogus Man is on his way as fast as he can
> run..he's tired but he'll get to you and show you
> lots of fun HAHAHAWWW"



Yes, you're absolutely right. There were three vinyl versions of Manifesto - the first had hard, guitar-heavy, rock versions of "Angel Eyes" and "Dance Away". Then, when a remixed, smoother version of "Dance Away" became a hit that replaced the original mix. And then when the a discofied remix of "Angel Eyes" also became a hit that replaced the original version too.

The current remastered CD is the second version of the album, with the "Dance Away" remix. You can get the original versions on "The Thrill Of It All" box set.

BowieStone Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> It's a hype lately of recording standards.
> I do find this very cheap marketing. Only one man
> pulled it off...Bryan Ferry.
> His 'As Time Goes By' album sold nothing, but if
> you have to record standards... do it like him...
> with class. Beautiful record.
>
> Roxy never released a bad album IMHO. Most Roxy
> Music fans aren't really pleased with albums Like
> Avalon, Flesh+Blood & Manifesto, but those albums
> are art, beautifully arranged, written & produced
> popmusic. Again: class.
> First 5 albums are classics, period. Never liked
> Viva that much, besides a blisstering version of
> In Every Dreamhome.
>
> By the way... their live album of a couple of
> years ago is worth checking out. Great live album
> from a great tour.
>
> I'm really curious about the new album...
> especially because I think Bryan is on a high,
> after his fantastic 'Frantic' album.


I completely agree with EVERY word you've written. Except Viva. You're forgetting the stunning versions of "If There Is Something"and "Both Ends Burning", which trump the studio versions in my opinion. And then there's that reworked version of "Pyjamarama" which turns the joie de vivre of the original and makes it sound very sinister - Bryan as pyjama-clad stalker, Noel Coward with fangs.

brokenhands Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Country Life is their Pinnacle of achivement - at
> least for their "rock" period. Siren is great
> too. For Your Pleasure is scary good - too bad
> Eno & Bryan's egos couldn't fit in the same band -
> they would have been even better!
>
> Avalon is cool, but ever since, Bryan has been
> stuck in that style. He needs to ROCK again!


Didn't you hear his last album, Frantic? It's very different to the last four solo albums - immediate, harsher; less about texture and more about the songs.

By the way, only Boys & Girls really resembles Avalon, but it's a far darker offering and sounds absolutely nothing like typical mid-eighties album. Ferty's albums, like Roxy's, are timeless.

Siren is my favourite - Just another High - love that. Also love the one Just like you (buttercups daisies and most everything). Cant remember what album that was on. I saw Bryan Ferry years ago and he did "in every dream home..." Awesome!

Just Like You is off Stranded, another masterpiece. I mean:

Oh mother of pearl
Lustrous lady
Of a scared world
Thus: even Zarathustra
Another-time-loser
Could believe in you
With every goddess a let down
Every idol a bring you down

Can't remember the name, but the 3rd album (the one with "Street Life"), Country Life and Siren are my favorites. I always thought that the Bride Stripped Bare (with Waddy Wachtel) was woefully underrated -- amazing covers (That's How Strong My Love Is, What Goes On, Take me to the River). If you have a SACD player and a surround (5 speakers + subwoofer) set up, the SACD's of Avalon and Boys and Girls are worth seeking out. Those albums, with their lush vocals and swirling instrumental arrangements, were made for multi-channel.

Nikolai Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Just Like You is off Stranded, another
> masterpiece. I mean:
>
> Oh mother of pearl
> Lustrous lady
> Of a scared world
> Thus: even Zarathustra
> Another-time-loser
> Could believe in you
> With every goddess a let down
> Every idol a bring you down

That's another reason I love Roxy - the lyrics, which are like nothing else.

Speaking of underrated records.
Bryan Ferry must be in the top 5 with his In Your Mind album.
That was actually the first Roxy Music or Bryan Ferry full album I bought and that album made me wanna buy everything Bryan ever did.
And I'm not regretting it.

drbryant Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Can't remember the name, but the 3rd album (the
> one with "Street Life"), Country Life and Siren
> are my favorites. I always thought that the Bride
> Stripped Bare (with Waddy Wachtel) was woefully
> underrated -- amazing covers (That's How Strong My
> Love Is, What Goes On, Take me to the River). If
> you have a SACD player and a surround (5 speakers
> + subwoofer) set up, the SACD's of Avalon and Boys
> and Girls are worth seeking out. Those albums,
> with their lush vocals and swirling instrumental
> arrangements, were made for multi-channel.


The Bride Stripped Bare is one of the saddest, loneliest, most heartbroken albums ever made. I think it marled a turning point for Ferry as a vocalist and lyricist. Do you know the story behind it? Recorded in Switzerland in 1977, Ferry doing a Matterhorn's worth of coke and reeling from Jerry Hall's betrayal; it was planned as a double album (some of the outtakes are brilliant and were remixed for release in 1987, but then Bryan changed record company so the project never saw the light of day, but a few came out as B-sides), then slimmed down. It flopped on release and ticket sales for a projected 1978 solo tour of the UK were so low the tour was cancelled. So Bryan reformed Roxy ...

I haven't got an SACD player, but I do have both Avalon and Boys & Girls on SACD. The sound is incredible - and inimitable.

BowieStone Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Speaking of underrated records.
> Bryan Ferry must be in the top 5 with his In Your
> Mind album.
> That was actually the first Roxy Music or Bryan
> Ferry full album I bought and that album made me
> wanna buy everything Bryan ever did.
> And I'm not regretting it.


Never got into In Your Mind. My favourite solo album of his is either Frantic or Mamouna. Have you heard the Horoscope album? It's a bootleg, but has some great unreleased stuff on there - including a surreal re-recording of Mother of Pearl (done Bete Noire style - doesn't touch the original, but it sounds like one of Bryan's off the wall covers). If you don't have it, let me know and I'll dig it out and put it up on Hot Stuff for you.

Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh, a slipstream of intelligent critiques of Roxy Music!!!

It is heart-warming to see praise lauded on:
"Siren"
"In Your Mind"
"The Bride Stripped Bare"

I never understood the dismissive disposition adopted when people refer to them.

And, Bryan Ferry...... talked about a charmed life, the bastard!!! Only David Bowie, Jimmy Page and Mick Jagger can equal him in those stakes.

SD

If my house's on fire, my vinyl copy of Country Life
will be saved right after the kids. Not only for the cover...