Roxy Music. So underrated

[three]

Some excellent writing, fabulous basslines and bass-players (all good but Alan Spenner is a particular favourite), and simply sublime production. Rhett Davies is an absolute genius IMO. I saw Roxy last year in Manchester in a venue that is notorious for dire sound. Somebody/everybody in the Roxy crew had clearly been paying attention - even in the cheapest seats, the sound was staggering - faithful to Davies’ ideas and vision (as far as that’s possible live). A bit of an eye-opener

[meterman]

My wife and I rescued a four week old abandoned kitten out of some bramble bushes by the side of a railway track. We named her Roxy Music, can’t remember what we were thinking. But she is still quite feral and weirder than peak Brian Eno. Also she’s French so she doesn’t have a fake aristo accent like Bryan Ferry. She doesn’t seem to like it much when I sing “Saveloy” to the tune of “Avalon” but then nobody else does either. It’s probably too late to rename her now.

 

 

Apologies for the cat related Roxy Music thread derail. 

[tegs07]

Im pretty sure the technology will be at a point within a few years to allow driverless cars to collect you from home and take you to your destination safely. Your own car will be able to drop you off at the shops and go park itself.

 

At which point we will have achieved the same results as trams and horse drawn cabs did over 100 years ago but with more congestion and less people employed. Progress is remarkable.

Edited April 17, 2023 by tegs07

[Paul S]

1 hour ago, tegs07 said:

Im pretty sure the technology will be at a point within a few years to allow driverless cars to collect you from home and take you to your destination safely. Your own car will be able to drop you off at the shops and go park itself.

 

At which point we will have achieved the same results as trams and horse drawn cabs did over 100 years ago but with more congestion and less people employed. Progress is remarkable.

 

Possibly the wrong thread  

[tegs07]

Just now, Paul S said:

 

Possibly the wrong thread  

🫢🙈😬

[Old Man Riva]

1 hour ago, tegs07 said:

Im pretty sure the technology will be at a point within a few years to allow driverless cars to collect you from home and take you to your destination safely. Your own car will be able to drop you off at the shops and go park itself.

 

At which point we will have achieved the same results as trams and horse drawn cabs did over 100 years ago but with more congestion and less people employed. Progress is remarkable.

Is that the hidden track on the Music For Airports reissue that no one can ever seem to find?! 

[tegs07]

3 minutes ago, Old Man Riva said:

Is that the hidden track on the Music For Airports reissue that no one can ever seem to find?! 

It is indeed. That Eno fella was so ahead of his time.

[Old Man Riva]

1 minute ago, tegs07 said:

It is indeed. That Eno fella was so ahead of his time.

… and in so many ways! 

[Old Man Riva]

1 hour ago, three said:

Some excellent writing, fabulous basslines and bass-players (all good but Alan Spenner is a particular favourite), and simply sublime production. Rhett Davies is an absolute genius IMO. I saw Roxy last year in Manchester in a venue that is notorious for dire sound. Somebody/everybody in the Roxy crew had clearly been paying attention - even in the cheapest seats, the sound was staggering - faithful to Davies’ ideas and vision (as far as that’s possible live). A bit of an eye-opener

Completely agree re. Rhett Davies. Uncannily over the weekend I listened to Discipline and Wild Planet. Stylistically and sonically both completely different albums, but both produced perfectly by Rhett Davies.

 

He tends to get overlooked when lists of ‘influential’ producers pop up (imho)… 

[Lozz196]

1 hour ago, tegs07 said:

It is indeed. That Eno fella was so ahead of his time.

And underrated 

 

Oh no, I said it again 🫢

[tegs07]

Just now, Lozz196 said:

And underrated 

 

Oh no, I said it again 🫢

Indeed if he was minister for transport (a role he clearly excelled in) we wouldn’t be in this mess. Additionally music in airports, lifts, shops in railways and other mass transport systems wouldn’t be so insufferably sh1te.

[toneknob]

Stranded and Manifesto are my favourites. Session ace Alan Spenner played on the latter, and he and Gary Tibbs (latter of & The Ants) leapfrogged around the line-ups for a while in the late 70s and early 80s. If you're a fan of Alan Spenner from this era then you should really hear what he's doing on the original Jesus Christ Superstar, eg

 

[toneknob]

And here's Tony Levin miming on Top Of The Pops to what I think is another Spenner line. Is that Andy Newmark on drums?

 

[lonestar]

On 14/04/2023 at 20:50, PaulThePlug said:

Have you heard 801 Live?...

 

Love this album 

I bought it in the´80s and still have it.

[Mickyk]

I saw them live in Nottingham in 1975,no one back then ever described Roxy has being underrated, they where a massive influence on so many other bands over the years Even Bowie copied them to some extent, so the word Underrated is not valid at all really.

 

[Kevsy71]

On 14/04/2023 at 21:58, Old Man Riva said:

There’s a fine reworking of Re-Make/Re-Model that Bryan Ferry does on his Let’s Stick Together album that features a fabulous slinky and groovy bass performance by John Gustafson. You’ve probably heard it, but well worth checking out if not… 

I hadn't heard that version (possibly put off by Ferry's 'tache on the cover) - but as its my favourite song by anyone I just listened...loved it, an unexpected rework (😁) that sounds like the original in the style of In every dream home a heartache. Thanks for the tip Mick!

 

I'm a big fan of the bass on all the early albums, Country Life has some cracking basslines from JG (Song for Europe, Mother of Pearl...)

 

 

[Old Man Riva]

30 minutes ago, Kevsy71 said:

I hadn't heard that version (possibly put off by Ferry's 'tache on the cover) - but as its my favourite song by anyone I just listened...loved it, an unexpected rework (😁) that sounds like the original in the style of In every dream home a heartache. Thanks for the tip Mick!

 

I'm a big fan of the bass on all the early albums, Country Life has some cracking basslines from JG (Song for Europe, Mother of Pearl...)

 

 

I did instantly think of you when this thread popped up! 

[Old Man Riva]

This popped up a few days ago. Never really seen proper full concert footage of this era before…

 

 

[Happy Jack]

Two years later ...

 

This popped up halfway down another rabbit hole I was pursuing: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Gustafson_(musician)

 

I had never heard that JG had played on most of Roxy Music's biggest hits (which I danced to in the discos at the time), so I came back to this topic from 2023. Three pages of posts before a single, glancing mention of JG playing on one song.

 

Now I really am confused. Did JG play on the albums (and singles) listed in Wikipedia, or was that all John Wetton and others?

 

[petebassist]

16 minutes ago, Happy Jack said:

Two years later ...

 

This popped up halfway down another rabbit hole I was pursuing: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Gustafson_(musician)

 

I had never heard that JG had played on most of Roxy Music's biggest hits (which I danced to in the discos at the time), so I came back to this topic from 2023. Three pages of posts before a single, glancing mention of JG playing on one song.

 

Now I really am confused. Did JG play on the albums (and singles) listed in Wikipedia, or was that all John Wetton and others?

 

I think JG played on Love is the Drug, absolutely epic bass groove. 

[zitherman]

I was fortunate enough to play in a band with the great Paul Thompson for a while.great player and a great bloke.

[Misdee]

Roxy Music underrated? You must be joking!

 

I cannot think of many bands who have been so lionised by the media in the years since their heyday. "Serious" music critics and commentators fawn over Roxy at every opportunity. They've become a lynchpin in the narrative that rewrites music history from what actually happened to what certain people like to believe happened. 

 

They were an important band at the time, but not as important as some folks would have us believe. I remember the 1970's and they were a cult band with a ardent following, as well as having mainstream chart success. However, their status as saviours of flamboyant music in an age of drab conformity is largely a more recent invention.

 

Don't get me wrong, I'm a Roxy fan going back to those days. My favourite era was the late '70's/early'80's. Alan Spenner and Gary Tibbs were and still are role models for me as a bass player. So inspiring and always interesting. Ironically enough, I remember that iteration of Roxy music being slammed by the music press at the time as being a polyester-clad slick disco/easy listening pastiche. I thought they were great.

 

I liked a lot of Bryan Ferry's solo work in the '80's, too. Some very tasty bass playing on those records, and that always helps.

 

 

Edited 5 hours ago by Misdee

[BassBiscuit]

Roxy...  Fabulous.....!!

Saw 'em with Eno not long before he left. I was just a teenager... And... WOW....! He released 'Here come the warm Jets'.. His first release after leaving, and it blew me.... Not heard anything like it, as revolutionary to me as 'Iggy' was....

Not Roxy I know but I'd put the Ferry version of 'Hard rains a gonna fall' in my all time top 10.....

[spongebob]

When I was on Twitter (haven’t used it in years), I had an interaction with John Gustafson’s daughter. I’d mentioned his Roxy work, how great he was, and she messaged me to say thank you. Thought that was really nice. 
 

I responded in telling how her how her Dad’s name is still held in high regard in bass circles. She said how unassuming he was, but knew he’d love the thought that we’re still being inspired by his playing. 

[Beedster]

33 minutes ago, Misdee said:

Alan Spenner and Gary Tibbs were and still are role models for me as a bass player

 

Gary Tibbs' bass line on Trash makes me fall in love with bass again every time I hear it, nothing special technically but perfect for the track, what bass is all about 👍