Roxy Music

[Fox]

Roxy are for me the quintessential example of a "Three great LPs, usually their first" band.

That said Country Life was OK but the rot was beginning to set-in. Their 80's reinvention was inevitable, and a soundtrack to snorting truly olympian levels of all that new cheap cocaine, rough sex, padded suits, pencil ties and expensive cocktails.

....actually not a bad soundtrack really.

 

[Rico]

Fox, perhaps that was why Michael Fremer used to wax lyrical about Avalon back in the 80's?

I like 'For your pleasure' the best. FWIW. Still, I listen almost as much to Country Life, and Stranded (in that order) regularly, too.

 

[cooky1257]

I may be alone in really liking Manifesto.First 2 are faves though.

 

[Seeker_UK]

Funnily enough, I ripped my digital Roxy collection to the iPod at the weekend (I have the 25 years of EG Roxy box set). First 2 are essential IMHO.

- this is why you need those 2 albums.

"Stranded" is OK but lacks real focus, then they lost the creative spark that made their early albums so much fun. "Viva!" however (again IMHO) is a damn fine solid live album - John Wetton and Paul Thompson were an awesome rhythm section.

In their second phase, "Manifesto" benefits from having a few 'new wave' influences resulting in a tighter sound. Then they want all lounge lizard and tipped the balance in favour of 'smooth', forgetting that Roxy balanced that with a bit of 'grit'.

 

[flatpopely]

Avalon was the very first CD I ever heard, that was in Currys in York on a Sony CDP101 IIRC, I was shocked by how good an album it was.

 

[Michael L]

Avalon was the CD that got me into CD - More Than This... as the full band kicks in stil sounds triffic.

And as for Mother Of Pearl... what a song...

 

[mudlark]

Have any of you listened to the last ferry lp? Very good roxy . The dylan covers was also good.

Even if you don't like the man or his voice, the guitar playing is great.

 

[RickyC6]

The Dylan covers album? You're kidding yeah? Hey nearly got me for a minute there.

 

[Gaius]

Avalon was the CD that got me into CD - More Than This... as the full band kicks in stil sounds triffic.

And as for Mother Of Pearl... what a song...

Avalon is super slick and sounds good on anything, bit like the Rickie Lee Jones (love her) and the Steely Dan/Fagan stuff.

Mother of Pearl is indeed a peach of a number and quite possible the best thing Roxy did.

 

[Seeker_UK]

Mother of Pearl is indeed a peach of a number and quite possible the best thing Roxy did.

A killer riff - Manzanera used it on "East of Echo" on his "Diamond Head" album (an essential album if you like early Roxy & Eno). I think he originally created it when he was in "Quiet Sun"

 

[mudlark]

The Dylan covers album? You're kidding yeah? Hey nearly got me for a minute there.

Nope, I actually like the smoky muddy sounds from this record. I am fine in my miserable tasteless state. un

 

[foxwelljsly]

I've owned first pressings of Roxy's first 3 albums, Ferry's solo 'These Foolish Things' and Andy Mackay's 'In search of Eddie Riff' (which I think may be an elaborate art prank and the most ironic artefact of Roxy's early years) since I was 18.

Until I bought the astoundingly good Quiet Sun album recently, this was all the Roxy stuff I had for 20 years.

Sounds like I should fill out my Roxy collection, but are there any other Roxy solo albums worth hearing?

 

[sideshowbob]

Until I bought the astoundingly good Quiet Sun album recently, this was all the Roxy stuff I had for 20 years.

Great album, especially Charles Hayward's contributions. Rongwrong is a brilliant song.

Sounds like I should fill out my Roxy collection, but are there any other Roxy solo albums worth hearing?

The first two or three Eno solo albums, and Manzenera's Diamond Head LP. Phil Manzanera has made some nice contributions to various Robert Wyatt songs over the years too.

 

[ciderglider]

Sounds like I should fill out my Roxy collection, but are there any other Roxy solo albums worth hearing?

The next 2 Ferry solo albums are good. Let's Stick Together is quite similar to Roxy Music, no big surprise as he was the main songwriter in the band. I've not heard any of his albums after that.

Manzanera's Diamond Head is worth a listen, as is 801 Live, another Manzanera vehicle. 801's Listen Now has never really worked for me, it's a bit too laid back.

 

[sideshowbob]

Yes, 801 Live is OK too, I'd forgotten that one.

 

[foxwelljsly]

Great album, especially Charles Hayward's contributions. Rongwrong is a brilliant song.



The first two or three Eno solo albums, and Manzenera's Diamond Head LP. Phil Manzanera has made some nice contributions to various Robert Wyatt songs over the years too.

Had Diamond Head and 801 live on the to-buy list for a while. Must make good on this. Actually have Eno's first 6 albums - but the first two are best.

By far my favourite bit of Manzanera session work is on 'Gun' by John Cale.

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[TheDecameron]

A new Complete Studio Albums box set on the way. I've read elsewhere (huge thread on Hoffman here) that it's intended to be a flatter, more faithful transfer than the rather bright and loud, yet still pretty presentable 1999 HDCDs, so I'm in, I've hit the preorder button. I've been spinning a fair bit of Roxy of late, most of it has held up rather well IMO. Shame they are too tight-ass to stick the live album Viva in the box though. Why not just finish the job?

Tony,
I've only one question.
Do you listen while cavorting in an ostrich feather bolero in front of a defunct Arp Odyssey while lip syncing to Virginia Plain? Man up or I flounce now ( to Do the Strand).

 

[Tony L]

Do you listen while cavorting in an ostrich feather bolero in front of a defunct Arp Odyssey while lip syncing to Virginia Plain? Man up or I flounce now ( to Do the Strand).

I have owned an Arp Odyssey, but never an ostrich feather bolero. Perhaps that was a missed opportunity.

 

[Bluebeard]

Isn't this going a bit Bowiesque?

By my recollection this will be the fourth remastering job of this catalogue. In reverse order that'll be the 2012 remasters, the 1999 Virgin HDCD remasters, the 20bit Sony SBM remasters on the 1995 Boxset "The Thrill of it all" (which includes virtually every album minus 2 or 3 cuts) and the Warner/Polydor release of the 80's. With that amount of "going back to the source", I'm unsurprised that the original masters are of varying quality.

Just saying, is all...

Probably still end up buying them anyway.

regards,

Giles

 

[wacko]

Saw BF in a restaurant in London a few years ago. Said "thank you for the music" to him (on the way to the loo). He stood up and shook my hand : I think I should buy the box set.