I know zip about Roxy Music. Never heard their stuff. I know who Brian Ferry is though, but that's about it.

On the last MusicLAB show that Lisa Coleman hosted on LuxuriaMusic.com, I said in the chat room that I have never listened to their music. Wendy said, "Ernest! What are you, 15???" I said I was 41, and just never listened to them. They were never on my radar. She and others recommended starting with the Avalon album and work from there. I've listened to a few songs from the album so far, but I need to go back and listen front to back. Thoughts/recommendations?

Also, what bands are always talked about but you've never heard anything from? Roxy Music is on my list. Supertramp is another (although "Long Way Home" was on the radio today and when I asked my friend who it was, they told me Supertramp, so I thought....oh, that's a first then.)

"Avalon," great recommendation to start there. Beautiful.
"Breakfast In America," is the place to start with Supertramp. ('The Long Way Home.' is on this album.)
If you've heard Bryan Ferry's "Boys and Girls," you will also probably be thrilled with "Avalon."

For me that would be very few bands. Usually newer. I've started watching videos again so getting to hear a lot of stuff. Away from home its always the ITunes, either computer or IPod.
[Edited 8/8/09 22:48pm]

SUPRMAN said:

I've never heard anything but that one popular song (lady in red?). I never had a desire to listen to Supertramp. They just came up because I asked who sang "Long Way Home", which was on the radio today. That song, although cute, doesn't make me wanna listen to them. haha

I do plan on listening to Avalon again, all the way through. Wendy later said, "listen to EVERYTHING" from Roxy Music.

ernestsewell said:

I haven't listened to EVERYTHING from Roxy Music . . . I have more Joy Division, Ultravox, ABC and probably Human League.
But Bryan Ferry left after 'Avalon,' and I followed him after I heard 'Boys and Girls.'
Two very influential albums for me.

ernestsewell said:

SUPRMAN said:

I've never heard Joy Division, Ultravox. Heard OF them, though. LOVE ABC and Human League. (Fascination is still one of my all time favorite songs.)

I never followed Ferry. The first I heard of him was with "The Lady In Red". I have never heard of the songs you listed in your second reply.

ernestsewell said:

That was not Bryan Ferry! That was Chris De Burgh. (WHO? Exactly.)

So you've never heard 'Slave to Love,' I can assume.

SUPRMAN said:

Oh Crap, you're right about Chris! DOH! LOL Well, shows you how big of an influence HE was on me.

Never heard "Slave To Love". Honest....Ferry, and Roxy were as much on my radar as Akon is on Phyllis Diller's.

ernestsewell said:

Tell her i´ll be waiting
In the usual place
With the tired and weary
There´s no escape
To need a woman
You´ve got to know
How the strong get weak
And the rich get poor
You´re running with me
Don´t touch the ground
We´re restless hearted
Not the chained and bound
The sky is burning
A sea of flame
Though your world is changing
I will be the same
The storm is breaking
Or so it seems
We´re too young to reason
Too grown up to dream
Now spring is turning
Your face to mine
I can hear your laughter
I can see your smile
No I can´t escape
I´m a slave to love
[Edited 8/8/09 23:57pm]

I prefer the first two Roxy Music releases, "Roxy Music" and "For Your Pleasure". Nothing else like it existed in the early seventies, and Brian Eno's presence is sorely missed after these first two excellent albums.

Man, Roxy Music is one of my all time favorite bands. I have all of their albums from their self titled Roxy Music from 72 to Avalon from 82. Two of my all time fave songs by ANYONE are "Virginia Plain" and "Love Is the Drug". Brian Eno is the shit to me so that's my favorite lineup of Roxy was when he was in the band. Which wasn't for that very long. 1973's "For Your Pleasure" is my favorite album by them but I heavily dig Stranded also from 73, Siren from 75, Country Life from 74 and their debut from 72. They are DEFINATELY worth checking out. They DEFINATELY influenced Chic. All one has to do is to listen to the bassline to "Love Is The Drug". And then through Chic, Roxy influenced Duran Duran!
[Edited 8/9/09 0:15am]

ernestsewell said:

Joy Division & Ultravox are very cool bands. ABC was the shit though. They were NO joke. I dug Human League too. I bought their "Don't You Want Me" 45 and the "Fascination" 45. I also have the Jam/Lewis "Only Human" which was really bangin'. A good switch for them, I thought.

Roxy Music were COOL... Brian Ferry, I loved 'Jealous Guy'. I love all those bands, Ultravox... 'Vienna' is one of my all time favourite songs!! I must have worn that record out. Human League I saw in concert, I was just a kid really... but it was cool, well they actually weren't too great in concert to be honest, but I loved Phil Oakey's hair so it was fine 'Don't You Want Me' is a classic song from that era, I think. Supertramp are BRILLIANT 'Breakfast In America' is a classic song too, but there's lots of others, 'The Logical Song'... While you're at it, listen to Laurie Anderson 'Oh Superman' Oh yeah, ABC were great too. LOVE all this stuff....

I LOVE this, love the lyrics..




Beautiful....





DIVINE... To die for .... shivers....






[Edited 8/9/09 2:27am]

One of my favs

Ellie said:

That one is spectactular- one of my top 100 songs ever recorded.

YOU ARE IN FOR A TREAT!!!!

Roxy Music is one of the most wildly inventive and addictive bands I've ever heard. They're close to my top 10 artists. They began with some absolutely mind-bending glam rock with Bryan Ferry and Brian Eno leading the way, before going into more rock/soul territory and gliding into elegant new wave.

My favorite period of theirs is the early stuff. Here's a review of their debut album I wrote.

In the annals of modern music history, few bands have proven themselves as trailblazing and wildly experimental as Roxy Music. With its grand artistic aspirations and sundry political, mythological and literary references, the band transcended the mere sleazefest fun of most glam rock acts. Their incredible career trajectory begins on this eponymous debut, which features some of the most cinematic songs in their history.

The first side of Roxy Music stands to date as one of the most adventurous and varied displays of vision, talent and unbridled macho revelry in the history of modern music. Leading the way is the raucous rave-up "Remake/Remodel", which sees each musical component vying to be heard among the cacophonous roar. Synthesizers, saxophones, drums and guitars offer a full-fledged onslaught on the senses geared by Bryan Ferry's vocal lunacy. The intensity proves too potent as the song literally breaks down and collapses at its finish. This dramatic opener yields to a slightly more peaceful but no less affecting "Ladytron". As Brian Eno maps out uncharted, almost medieval territory with his pioneering synthesizers, Ferry unveils his clandestine seduction: "I'll use you and I'll confuse you and then I'll lose you, but still you won't suspect me." Like its predecessor, the song comes apart at the end, this time via some screeching staccato synth stabs. Next is the album's highlight, "If There Is Something". The song begins with a silly honky tonk false start before opening up into a sweeping, sorrowful epic. A descending chord progression carries an air of death as Ferry's vocals swerve of control, his offerings being superlatives of commitment. Eventually, the song launches into a visceral synthesized oboe solo whose drawn out delivery is one of mourning as the chord progression continues before some synth strings and chorus-backed Ferry close the song in grand splendor. Although originally unissued on the album, orphaned single "Virginia Plain" has thankfully been added to later versions, its peppy percussive piano and sleazy swagger offering a perfect introduction to the band's sound. The song rightly stands as Roxy's most famous and seminal. Closing the first side, the subdued delight "2HB" is a heartfelt ode to the late Humphrey Bogart. That the band is able to dexterously showcase its variety weaving through a myriad of styles and sounds only fortifies its claim to greatness.

After the unimaginable highs presented on the first side, the second side is unable to keep up, although it succeeds in closing the album in great style. Not short of ideas, the band compiles three songs into one on the slinky, meandering "The Bob". Roxy's assortment of influences becomes more evident here, particularly Bryan Ferry's fascination with crooning on such tracks as the poignant piano ballad "Chance Meeting". Nevertheless, there are always a few tricks up the band's sleeve, and the song is eventually propelled by a distorted guitar screech into a bopping synth shuffle. Elsewhere, "Would You Believe?" sees Bryan Ferry pulling out the panache before evolving into a fun ode to 50s rockabilly. The highlight of the second side, "Sea Breezes" features an ancient melody backed by ocean swells, soft organ touches and a wandering oboe before switching gears to a bass-driven groove that grows more desperate with increasingly rowdy scratching guitars and eventually subsiding to the opening refrain. The 50s make an even more prominent return on the bellhop bebop of the album's final track, "Bitters End".

Many bands go through their entire careers without as many ideas as are present on this album alone. Unfortunately, the tempestuous sound would extend itself to Roxy Music's chemistry and the original lineup would only remain intact for one more album. While Roxy Music opened the gates to even greater pastures on For Your Pleasure, it stands as one of the most thoroughly satisfying and bold debut albums on record. That the band was able to carve out a slice of commercial success and forge a great deal of critical acclaim is testimony to its greatness.

Here's my favorite Roxy track, taken from their second album For Your Pleasure.

Dating from 1973, "Editions of You" bristles with more bursting energy and is a more thrilling and awe-inspiring display of bombastic zaniness than anything punk threw our way.

Moonbeam said:

blackguitaristz said:

Yeah, this is really cool..






Oh, love this too...



...and guess who's DYING...
[Edited 8/9/09 3:20am]

And of COURSE

^^^

btw, you going to the Boat Party Ellie?
[Edited 8/9/09 3:46am]

ernestsewell said:

Oh have you listened to Simple Minds, OMD, Grace Jones, Dire Straights..????

Well, just an excuse to post something else I love from that era..


[Edited 8/9/09 3:53am]

Jeffiner said:

No, not this year. The whole MJ thing has depressed us & we were supposed to be at the O2 that day anyway. Not really in the mood for partying

Ellie said:

Oh that's a shame, but life must go on you know!! I can offer you 2 tix for £50 and willing to haggle.. (But, yeah I understand )

Sorry to hijack thread.

Jeffiner said:

I love Simple Minds. "Sanctify Yourself" I think never quite got the attention it should have, but it's a great track. I like OMD. I'm not hip to much Grace Jones although I've been listening to some of her stuff lately. Not big on Dire Straights. I just hate Mark Knopfler's voice. I hate Tom Petty too.

ernestsewell said:

"love is the drug" is one of my favorite songs ever! love roxy music!

love this one, phil manzanera





.

Moonbeam said:

Great post.

kumala75 said:

There u go. Phil is a very underrated guitarist.