Author:Bryan Ferry
I still vividly remember hearing Roxy Music’s debut album for the first time – it sounded so completely different and futuristic, almost as though it had been beamed down from another planet. That was the precursor to many years of great music from the band and from Bryan Ferry as a solo artist, and as such, I was greatly looking forward to perusing this book, which collects all his lyrics from that iconic 1972 debut through to his most recent album of original material, 2014’s Avonmore. As with all books of this type, it’s almost impossible to disconnect the lyrics from the original music that you hear incessantly playing along in your head as you read. I think Ferry is something of an underrated lyricist, and especially on the early Roxy albums they were very much part of the overall sound, a component in a wonderfully inventive machine. However, closer listening revealed to my then teenage ears a pot pourri of day to day experiences and fantastical invention, a blend, you might say, of the real and the make believe. One thing this excellent collection has done is to encourage me to sit down and relisten to the whole back catalogue in conjunction with dipping in and out of the book – the first two Roxy albums still sound so groundbreaking and innovative almost fifty years down the line with their kaleidoscopic mix of sounds, and I also love their final two albums, although it was in some ways almost a different band with a different sound and emphasis by then. I can never quite decide which is their masterpiece, For Your Pleasure or Avalon; perhaps both are in their own unique ways. Of the solo albums (excluding the covers sets of course as they are outside the scope of this book), I’m a huge fan of the Boys and Girls album. This embodies peak Ferry for me with it’s evocative languid and longing lyrics capturing the sound of shattered illusions, unfulfilled romances and broken dreams. A shout out too though for the oft overlooked The Bride Stripped Bare set from 1978, which really doesn’t get the recognition it deserves. This is a super book, which begins with an insightful introduction by the author and a thoughtful lengthy essay by James Truman – it’s a volume that every self respecting fan should have in their collection sitting alongside the music.
Length of Read:Medium
Might appeal to people who enjoyed…
The seventeen albums covered here – a fantastic back catalogue, and the run of Roxy albums in particular must be one of the best and most consistent of any band out there.
One thing you’ve learned
Now if only they would crack on with those superdeluxe reissues I’d be a happy man, although sadly there seems to be no great interest or urgency in doing so as far as one can tell.
Bargepole says
A little gem that doesn’t get played enough, from 1975’s Siren album.
Moose the Mooche says
Guaranteed to blow your minnnnnd…..
Henry Haddock says
This from The Bride Stripped Bare
Tiggerlion says
Looks good. Great review.
In the early days, Ferry liked to leave the title to the very end of the song. I always found that very pleasing. The lyrics on Stranded are truly outstanding, which is partly why it’s my favourite.
Billybob Dylan says
How odd! I’m reading this post and then “Let’s Stick Together” comes on the radio.
It’s a sign! A sign, I tell you!
Gary says
Sixth sense! I knew it!
Black Type says
…Of The Times, undoubtedly.
Beezer says
Avalon. No, ‘ave two. They’re only small
I can’t think of any more than this
Black Type says
But I’m sure you could Re-make/Re-model, if there is something?
Moose the Mooche says
Never. Never, never, never…
retropath2 says
Chapeau, Sir!!. (Or should that be chapp-po)
Paul Wad says
I bought a signed copy from…I can’t actually remember! But if that’s your thing check the usual suspects – Waterstones, WH Smith, Booka, etc – and there may be some left.
Black Type says
There aren’t. Sold out a long time ago. I hummed and aahed about whether to buy it, then saw a pre-owned copy listed as ‘As New’ for around half the price, literally two days after it was in the shops. Turned out to be not quite ‘As New’ but the pages themselves are in pristine condition, which is (ha!) the main thing.
Nick L says
Roxy lyrics are usually superb but in any interviews I’ve read Ferry always seems to go on about how hard he finds the process. Is this just a more recent thing for him?
Black Type says
He has found writing lyrics increasing difficult as his career has progressed/regressed (you choose). At the beginning he was absolutely fecund and bursting with ideas; at that time he was peerless. But the later music has been more concerned with creating atmospheres and impressions, with a much more truncated and economical lyrical approach. I guess he finds expressing complex feelings and ideas in such a minimalist fashion to be onerous. He actually had complete writer’s block when recording the album Horoscope in the early 90s. He ultimately abandoned it, taking refuge in doing the covers album Taxi which in turn enabled him to resume working on the aborted material which ended up as the Mamouna album.