This day 49 years ago, on 8 December 1973, glam rock icons ROXY MUSIC
scored their 1st No 1 album in the UK with their third one, called STRANDED.
The front sleeve featured the Playboy’s Playmate of The Year, model Marilyn Cole,
who was the mag’s first full-frontal nude centerfold. The photos were taken by Karl Stoecker and stylished by Antony Price.
FRONT
BACK
OUTTAKE
SINGLE
ALBUM
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ROXY MUSIC: Bio – Discography – Website
26 September 2022
Debut LP released 50 years ago
British iconic glam rockers ROXY MUSIC celebrate the 50 birthday of their
eponymous debut album the band including original members Bryan Ferry,
Andy Mackay, Phil Manzanera and Paul Thompson with shows in the US and
the UK.
7 Sep Scotiabank Arena, Toronto
9 Sep Capitol One Arena, Washington DC
12 Sep Madison Square Garden, New York
15 Sep Wells Fargo Center, Philadelphia
17 Sep TD Garden, Boston
19 Sep United Center, Chicago
21 Sep Moody Center, Austin
23 Sep American Airlines Center, Dallas
26 Sep Chase Center, San Francisco
28 Sep The Kia Forum, Los Angeles
10 Oct OVO Hydro, Glasgow
12 Oct AO Arena, Manchester
14 Oct The O2, London
Tour trailer
Three classics they should play
– VIRGINIA PLAINE –
Debut single – 1972
– DO THE STRAND –
1973
– LOVE IS THE DRUG –
1975
ROXY MUSIC: Bio – Discography – Instagram
Back in time
16 June 2022
Band: ROXY MUSIC
Original line-up: Bryan Ferry (vocals), Phil Manzanera (lead guitar),
Brian Eno (synths), Eddie Jobson (bass), Andy MacKay (sax) and Paul
Thompson (drummer)
Active: 1970–1976, 1978–1983, 2001–2011 / 8 LPs
Anniversary album: ROXY MUSIC
Released: 16 June 1972 – 50 years ago today
Peaked at #10 in the UK, didn’t make the US charts
AllMusic said: “Falling halfway between musical primitivism and art rock ambition, Roxy Music’s eponymous debut remains a startling redefinition of rock’s boundaries. Simultaneously embracing kitschy glamour and avant-pop, Roxy Music shimmers with seductive style and pulsates with disturbing synthetic textures.” Score 4.5/5.
Turn Up The Volume: A ladykiller from London called Bryan Ferry went to Mars
to pick up some weirdos for his band. They flew back together to Earth in Ferry‘s
glamorous spaceship and made some of the most innovate pop/rock longplayers
of the 70s starting with this far-out debut.
Single: Virginia Plain (debut 7″, still a striking stunner)
Full album stream on Spotify
Back in time
28 May 20222
Band: ROXY MUSIC
Active: 1970–1976, 1978–1983, 2001–2011
Albums: 8 – Check them here</a>
Anniversary album: AVALON
Released: 28 May 1982 – 40 years ago today
Rolling Stone said: “Roxy Music’s Avalon takes a long time to kick in, but it finally does,
and it’s a good one. Bryan Ferry stars as a remarkably expressive keyboard player and singer whose familiar mannerisms are subsumed in a rich, benevolent self-assurance. And reed man Andy Mackay shines in a series of cameos (his oboe meditation on Ferry’s “Tara” is particularly lovely). The sound is softer, dreamier and less determinedly dramatic now. Ferry’s songwriting, however, has seldom seemed stronger. Score: 4/5.
Turn Up The Volume: A bit to glossy for my liking. The challenging Bryan Ferry rockstar became a mellow Bryan Ferry gentleman in the end. Mind you, this is a fine pop record,
but without the swagger of the early LPs.
Singles/clips: More Than This / Avalon
– MORE THAN THIS –
– AVALON –
Full album on Spotify
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ROXY MUSIC: Story
Great concert posters from the past
ROXY MUSIC
New York City
1975
The glam and glitter years…
1. The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars by DAVID BOWIE
The photo for the LP’s front cover was taken by photographer Brian Ward and recoloured by illustrator Terry Pastor. Bowie, who was ill with flu went outside just as it started to rain. Not willing to go very far, he stood outside the home of furriers “K. West” at 23 Heddon Street.
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2. The Slider by T. REX
The album notes credit Ringo Starr for the photo taken the same day that the drumming Beatle was filming T. Rex documentary Born to Boogie. But it was actually the LP’s famous producer Tony Visconti who toke the shots: “Marc handed me his motorized Nikon and asked me to fire off two rolls of black and white film while we were on the set as Ringo was busy all day with the docu. Marc apparently saw a photo credit opportunity for his good friend gave Ringo the credi. “
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3. Pink Moon by NICK DRAKE
Island’s creative director Annie Sullivan: “I remember going to talk to Nick, and he just sat there, hunched up, and even though he didn’t speak, I knew the album was called Pink Moon, and I can’t remember how he conveyed it, whether he wrote it down … he wanted a pink moon. He couldn’t tell me what he wanted, but I had ‘pink moon’ to go on. We picked a piece of surrealist Dalí-esque art by Michael Trevithick.
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4. Can’t Buy A Thrill by STEELY DAN
The artwork is a photo montage by Robert Lockart, featuring prostitutes, standing in
a red-light area from Rouen in France, chosen because of its relevance to the album
title. Walter Becker and Donald Fagen about the artwork: “That album possessed the
most hideous album cover of the seventies, bar none, except perhaps Can’t Buy a Thrill.”
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5. Roxy Music by ROXY MUSIC
The 1950s-style cover photo was taken by Karl Stoecker. The model was
Kari-Ann Muller, who later married Mick Jagger’s brother Chris.
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6. Transformer by LOU REED
Legendary photographer Mick Rock: “When I showed Lou the contact sheets, he
zeroed in on the transformer shot. I made the print myself – as I usually did in those
days. The first test I made fell out of focus in the exposure. Lou loved the result. It took
me twelve attempts to reproduce this accident for the final larger print.”
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7. Demons And Wizards by URIAH HEEP
The artwork was designed by brilliant English artist Roger Dean
who designed almost all the LPs of prog rock titans YES.
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8. The Grand Wazoo by FRANK ZAPPA
“This is the tale of our funky emperor Cleetus Awreetus-Awrightus and his dealings with war and a civic uprising concerning a faction consisting of individuals who don’t like music. As you can see from the cover, horns play a forward role on this record and with George Duke on keys the jazz element is prominent.”
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9. All The Young Dudes by MOTT THE HOOPLE
The front cover image depicts the dudes. Young, well-dressed and full of energy.
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10. Piledriver by STATUS QUO
The cover showed a live shot of the band in their
classic “heads down, no-nonsense boogie” mode.
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31 December 2021
10 turning 50 in 2022
1. ‘Virginia Plane’ by ROXY MUSIC
Where my Studebaker takes me
That’s where I’ll make my stand but wait
Can’t you see that Holzer mane’
What’s her name? Virginia Plain
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2. ‘Walk On The Wild Side’ by LOU REED
Holly came from Miami, F.L.A.
Hitch-hiked her way across the U.S.A.
Plucked her eyebrows on the way
Shaved her legs and then he was a she
She says, “Hey, babe
Take a walk on the wild side”
Said, “Hey, honey
Take a walk on the wild side”
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3. ‘Give Ireland Back To The Irish’ by WINGS
Give Ireland back to the Irish
Don’t make them have to get it
Give Ireland back to the Irish
Still makes Ireland Irish today
Great Britain, you are enormous
And nobody knows that better than me.
But really, what are you doing there?
In that land over the sea?
Tell me how you think
When you on your way to work
Would you be stopped by Irish soldiers?
Would you lie down and do nothing?
Would you give in or go mad?
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4. ‘Telegram Sam’ by T. REX
Golden Nose Slim Golden Nose Slim
I know’s where you’ve been
Purple Pie Pete Purple Pie Pete
Your lips are like lightning
Girls melt in the heat
Telegram Sam
You’re my main man
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5. ‘Rock And Roll’ by LED ZEPPELIN
It’s been a long time since I rock and rolled
It’s been a long time since I did the stroll
Ooh let me get it back, let me get it back
Let me get it back, baby, where I come from
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6. ‘Heart Of Gold’ by NEIL YOUNG
I want to live, I want to give
I’ve been a miner for a heart of gold
It’s these expressions I never give
That keep me searchin’ for a heart of gold
And I’m getting old
Keep me searchin’ for a heart of gold
And I’m getting old
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6. ‘Starman’ by DAVID BOWIE
There’s a starman waiting in the sky
He’d like to come and meet us
But he thinks he’d blow our minds
There’s a starman waiting in the sky
He’s told us not to blow it
‘Cause he knows it’s all worthwhile
He told me
Let the children lose it
Let the children use it
Let all the children boogie
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7. ‘Smoke On The Water’ by DEEP PUPRLE
We all came out to Montreux
On the Lake Geneva shoreline
To make records with a mobile
We didn’t have much time
Frank Zappa and the Mothers
Were at the best place around
But some stupid with a flare gun
Burned the place to the ground
Smoke on the water
A fire in the sky
Smoke on the water
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8. ‘Mama Weer All Crazee Now’ by SLADE
I don’t want to drink my whisky like you do
I don’t need to spend my money but still do
Don’t stop now a c-‘mon
Another drop now c-‘mon
I wanna lot now so c-‘mon
That’s right, that’s right
I said Mama but we’re all crazy now
I said Mama but we’re all crazy now
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9. ‘Tumbling Dice’ by THE ROLLING STONES
Mmm yeah!
Women think I’m tasty, but they’re always tryin’ to waste me
Make me burn the candle right down
But, baby, baby, don’t need no jewels in my crown
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10. ‘Do It Again’ by STEELY DAN
In the mornin’ you go gunnin’ for the man who stole your water
And you fire ’til he is done in but they catch you at the border
And the mourners are all singin’ as they drag you by your feet
But the hangman isn’t hangin’ and they put you on the street
You go back, Jack, do it again, wheel turnin’ ’round and ’round
You go back, Jack, do it again
Back to 1972
1.’Transformer’ by LOU REED
Released: 8 November 1972 – second LP
Charts: #13 in the UK, #29 in the USA, #12 in Australia
AllMusic wrote: “The sound and style of Transformer would
in many ways define Reed’s career in the 1970s, and while it
led him into a style that proved to be a dead end, you can’t
deny that Bowie and Ronson gave their hero a new lease on
life, and a solid album in the bargain.” Score: 4.5/5
TUTV: Lou took a vicious walk on the wild side
on a perfect day, found a satellite of love, and
scored his first masterpiece.
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2. ‘The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars’ by DAVID BOWIE
Released: 16 June 1972 – 5th LP
Charts: #5 in the UK, #21 in the USA
AllMusic: “Bowie succeeds not in spite of his pretensions but because of them,
and Ziggy Stardust, familiar in structure, but alien in performance, is the first
time his vision and execution met in such a grand, sweeping fashion.” Score: 5/5.
TUTV: Author! Author!
Stream here…
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3. ‘Harvest’ by NEIL YOUNG
Released: 14 February 2021 – 4th LP
Charts: #1 in the UK and the USA and
in most European countries.
AllMusic said: “Neil Young’s most
popular album.” Score: 4.5/5.
TUTV: Young looking for hearts of gold.
Stream here…
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4.’Exile On Main St.’ by THE ROLLING STONES
Released: 12 May 1972 – the band’s 12th LP
Charts: #1 in the UK, US, Canada, and all over Europe
Rolling Stone wrote: “There are songs that are better, there
are songs that are worse, there are songs that’ll become your
favorites and others you’ll probably lift the needle for when
their time is due.”
TUTV: With only its best 9 tracks out of the total
of 18 tracks, this would have been a masterpiece.
Ps: Recently The Who’s Roger Daltrey (commonly known as the dumbest Who)
said that the Stones sounded like a pub rock band. He also said after his beloved
England turned into Brexshit that British bands still could tour Europe without extra
financial problems. Yes, the rich ones, you dickhead. And last but not least the greedy
billionaire defended the fact that The Who charge exorbitant prices for their gigs lately
with “We are worth it” I think if Keith Moon was still alive he
would smash Daltrey‘s brains in. Fuck you fake rock star.
Stream here…
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5. ‘Roxy Music’ by ROXY MUSIC
Released: 16 June 2022 – debut LP
Charts: #10 in the UK, #19 in Australia
Pitchfork said: “Bryan Ferry and Brian Eno’s
glam-rock, art-school masterpiece.” Score: 9.5/10
TUTV: Unfortunately Ferry and Eno didn’t stick together,
they were a match in glam and glitter rock heaven.
Stream here…
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6. ‘NEU!’ by NEU!
7. ‘Close To The Edge’ by YES
8. ‘The Slider’ by T. REX
9. ‘Made In Japan’ by DEEP PURPLE
10. Piledriver by STATUS QUO
Every pop/rock junkie knows the glamtatsic exploits of ROXY MUSIC
but she/he also knows the sexy album artwork of several of their LPs.
Let’s have another look at foxy ladies on most of the roxy albums.
– ROXY MUSIC – 1972
– FOR YOUR PLEASURE – 1973
– STRANDED – 1973
– COUNTRY LIFE – 1974
– SIREN – 1975
– MANIFESTO – 1979
– THE BEST OF ROXY MUSIC – 2001
TURN UP THE VOLUME 