A Virtual Museum covering the work of Roxy Music, Bryan Ferry, Phil Manzanera and Andy Mackay.

• Home
  • This site and its Author
  • News
  • Newsletter
  • Site Map
• A History of Roxy Music
  • Roxy Music Chronology
  • Bryan Ferry's solo work
  • Phil Manzanera's solo work
  • Andy Mackay's solo work
  • Paul Thompson's Solo Work
  • Brian Eno & Eddie Jobson
  • Singles Chart History
• The Music
  • The Songs
  • The Albums
  • The Singles
  • Tours
  • Complete Discography
  • DVD, Videos & TV
  • Musicians and Credits
• The Archive
  • Articles
  • Gallery - Coming Soon
  • Memorabillia - Coming Soon
• Forum
• Links

Home > Archive > Articles > 2001 Japan > Concert Preview

Concert Preview - Thu 6th Sep

Concert Preview
06 September 2001

Selected by Dan Grunebaum for the Tokyo Classified

With all the rock dinosaurs lumbering around on reunion tours these days, it's hard to get overly excited about an upcoming Roxy Music tour, their first in two decades. Moreover, the absence of founding member Brian Eno is made doubly painful by his coincidentally showing up in Japan this summer for the Fuji Rock Festival.

Nevertheless, Roxy Music's unique place in the pantheon of rock is unchallenged, and for fans of music from contemporary electronica to Marilyn Manson fetishism, their legacy is immense. For these reasons, the upcoming gigs by Brian Ferry and Co. should be interesting, and in a small way, historic.

The original Roxy Music lineup came together in 1971, with Bryan Ferry on vocals/keyboards, Brian Eno on synths, Graham Simpson on bass, and Andy Mackay on saxophone. After a year of changes, the roster finally settled into place with Paul Thompson on drums and Phil Manzanera on guitar.

Roxy Music debuted with a self-titled release for Island Records in 1972, blending Ferry's bleak surrealism with '70s electronica. After Eno's acrimonious departure in 1973, they went on to issue a series of hit '70s albums, including For Your Pleasure, Stranded, Country Life and Siren.

The members of Roxy Music went their various ways in the late '70s, reuniting in 1979 for their comeback album, Manifesto. The album spawned two hit singles, "Angel Eyes" and "Dance Away," paving the way for their first number one single, "Jealous Guy," which appeared on the 1981 album Flesh and Blood. Their final album, Avalon, topped the charts in 1982, after which Ferry went on to a relatively successful solo career.

The current, touring edition of Roxy Music features Bryan Ferry, Phil Manzanera, Andy Mackay and original drummer Paul Thompson. Ferry told Launch that he had approached Eno about the reunion, but that Eno refused the offer. "I did speak to Brian about doing some dates," Ferry recounted. "He said to me then that he didn't like the idea of ever performing again, you know? I think that's sort of a 'no' really."

Roxy Music play Tokyo International Forum on September 7-9.

Previous Article | Next Article