Roxy Music was a British rock band formed in the early seventies as a collaboration between Bryan Ferry (vocals, keyboards) and Brian Eno (electronic music). The band existed from 1971 to 1975 (after 1973 without Eno) and from 1979 to 1983. Other members were Phil Manzanera (guitar), Andy Mackay (including saxophone) and Paul Thompson (drums and percussion). Eddie Jobson (synthesizer and violin) replaced Brian Eno from 1973 onwards. The group never had a permanent bassist; this role was filled by Graham Simpson, Rik Kenton, Sal Maida, John Porter, John Wetton, John Gustafson and Alan Spenner in succession.
In 2001, a Roxy Music reunion was organised with Ferry, Thompson, Manzanera and Mackay. Together they toured and performed at Live 8 in Berlin in June 2005. On 3 November 2014, it was officially announced that the band had split up.
Roxy Music's biggest hits were Love is the drug, Jealous guy and Avalon. The band's name was partly a tribute to the names of old cinemas and dance halls, and partly a pun on the word 'rock'. The parallel addressing of nostalgic and contemporary (or futuristic) themes was a characteristic feature of the band, especially in their earliest works.
Sunday Morning Classics: Flesh + Blood
On 17 November 2019, Roxy Music's " Flesh + Blood " was on the turntable at our Sunday Morning Classics.
The ten-track album opens with the hit In The Midnight Hour, written by Wilson Picket. This track opens with a mix of guitars and a slightly robotic countdown to this classic song.
Next up is Oh Yeah, the album's first single, with its great piano and guitar riff. The song starts softly, with Bryan Ferry's vocals leading to the more upbeat chorus that sings about itself - 'there's a band on the radio with a rhythm of rhythm guitars'. It's a great pop song.
The next is the third single Same Old Scene, which opens with some very nice synthesizers that give it a disco-meets-trance sound in places. This is a catchy song, briefly interrupted by the obligatory 80s saxophone, which helps carry the song to the end.
The album's title track begins with some growling guitars before being accompanied by some synthesizers and a nice clean 80s beat.
Next is My Only Love, the longest track on the album. It starts with piano and a bassline, giving Bryan a 50-second intro before he comes in with vocals.
The sixth track Over You was the first single from this album in May 1980 and started with bass and guitars - this is really a catchy song. It flows smoothly and Bryan's vocals fit perfectly.
Next is a cover of the 1966 song Eight Miles High by The Byrds, which has a great tempo, beat and funky bassline, and the outro of the song is a nice mix of vocal effects. This version feels less bass-driven than the original, but not as tightly sung. A synthesizer introduces Rain Rain Rain with a slow tempo. It is musically and vocally a fairly simple song that makes its way through Bryan's lyrics about getting high and ending abruptly.
Then follows the penultimate track No Strange Delight, which builds musically, especially when the piano and oboe arrive (the latter really helps add a somewhat otherworldly sound to this track). The bassline carries the song all the way to the end as the keyboards, piano and oboe escalate with the drums.
The tenth and final track on this album is Running Wild. It opens with bass and guitars, soon accompanied by piano and organ. Bryan's vocals here are strong, perhaps the strongest on this album. This track naturally feels like an album closer, as it builds up and then gradually closes.
Flesh+ Blood was a big hit in the United Kingdom and reached #1 twice between May and September 1980. But surprisingly, it didn't quite work in the United States, only reaching the top 40.
source: Jan Liebregts and Wikipedia photo: TopPop and Raph_PH
