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Roxy Music & Chronology
In the picture left to right.
Phil Manzanera, Brian Eno, Rik Kenton, Bryan Ferry, Andy MacKay and Paul Thompson.
Roxy Music Discography:
Albums:
1972 Roxy Music
1973 For Your Pleasure
1973 Stranded
1974 Country Life
1975 Siren
1976 Viva! Roxy Music (Live)
1977 Greatest Hits (Compilation)
1979 Manifesto
1980 Flesh + Blood
1981 The First Seven Albums (Box Set)
1982 Avalon
1983 The High Road (Live Mini Album)
1983 The Atlantic Years (Compilation)
1986 Street Life 20 Great Hits (Compilation With Bryan Ferry Solo Songs)
1988 The Ultimate Collection (Compilation With Bryan Ferry Solo Songs)
1990 Heart Still Beating (Live)
1995 More Than This (Compilation With Bryan Ferry Solo Songs)
1995 The Thrill Of It All (4 CD Box Set Compilation)
2000 The Early Years (Compilation)
2000 Slave To Love (Compilation With Bryan Ferry Solo Songs)
2001 The Best Of Roxy Music (Compilation)
2003 Roxy Music Live (recorded during the 2001 tour)
2004 The Platinum Collection (Compilation With Bryan Ferry Solo Songs)
2004 Collection
Singles:
1972 Virginia Plain
1973 Pyjamarama
1973 Do The Strand (Mainland Europe, Japan & USA)
1973 Street Life
1974 All I Want Is You
1974 The Thrill Of It All (USA)
1975 Love Is The Drug
1975 Both Ends Burning
1977 Virginia Plain (Re-issue)
1978 Do The Strand (Re-issue)
1979 Trash
1979 Dance Away
1979 Angel Eyes
1980 Over You
1980 Oh Yeah (on the radio)
1980 The Same Old Scene
1980 In The Midnight Hour (Portugal & USA)
1981 Jealous Guy
1982 More Than This
1982 Avalon
1982 Take A Chance With me
1990 Love Is The Drug (Live)
1996 Love Is The Drug (The Rollo & Sister Bliss Re-mix)
In the winter of 1970/71, Bryan Ferry (ceramics teacher) advertises for a keyboard player to join with him and Graham Simpson a bass player he knew from his college band, The Gas Board. Andy MacKay replied to the advertisement, not as a keyboard player but as a saxophonist and oboist, however, he did posses a VCS3 synthesiser.
Andy met Brian Eno during university days, as both were interested in avant-guard and electronic music. It was some time later that they met again, and as Brian could play a synthesizer and owned a Revox reel to reel tape machine, Andy co-opted him to join the fledgling band as a technical advisor. It wasn't long before Eno was a performing member of the group. Dexter Lloyd a classically trained timpanist joined the group as a drummer, but he left after a few months and again an advertisement was placed seeking a 'wonder drummer'. It was in June of 1971 that Paul Thompson joined the line-up. Paul had played in a number of Newcastle bands, and he had moved to London with the band Smokestack.
After a succession of guitarists including Roger Bunn who left in September 1971, Phil Manzanera arrived via yet another advertisement, but failed the audition. He was passed over for David O'List. Ferry had admired David's work with the group The Nice. Phil Manzanera found a place with the band as road manager and assistant sound mix engineer.
So by October 1971 there is a band that is formed, and initially called itself Roxy, after Bryan's passion for going to the movie theatres. He wanted to instil a sense of drama, theatre, and glamour. Doubtless the name Roxy would have sufficed, but there was already a band of that name in the US, so it was changed to Roxy Music. During this period with the help of Davy O'List Roxy wrote and arranged the songs for the first album. Davy's input was huge, not only in his guitar playing but in arranging the songs. Davy was the only 'name musician' within the band after playing with The Nice & The Attack. Davy arranged the song structures adding in many cases new sectios to make the music more commercial as this was what Bryan & co had brought him into the band for.
By the end of 1971, they hadn't managed to get a recording contract. But they had a favourable review in the December 12th issue of Melody Maker, as journalist Richard Williams (a fan of O'List's work with The Nice) had been impressed with a demo tape he'd acquired. It was while they were playing gigs they were noticed by John Peel in a club where they were billed with Genesis.
On the strength of what he saw, Roxy were booked for four sessions with John Peel on his Sound of the Seventies show at the beginning of January 1972. This again was hugely due to Davy O'List's influence as John Peel was a fan of Davy's pre Roxy work to the point where he used the B-side of The Attack’s second single, ‘Any More Than I Do’ as the signature tune for his first ever radio programme in 1966. After the first show, David O'List was asked to leave the band, with the reason given as his guitar playing was not suitable for Roxy Music. After time as a session guitarist, he joined Jet. (Read more about Davy here )
It took Phil Manzanera three days of auditions to be accepted as replacement guitarist.
The band still isn't making money, MacKay and Ferry are still teaching, and Thompson is working on a building site. So Ferry enlists the help of Robert Fripp (King Crimson) and goes to E.G. Management in pursuit of a recording contract. Reluctantly they are persuaded to give the band an audition and on the strength of that, they sign the band and E'G orchestrate a deal with Chris Blackwell's Island Records label.
Island Records gave a large advance payment, which went towards the purchase of some glamorous outfits for the band. Roxy's stage outfits were designed by Antony Price, Jim O'Connor, Pamla Motown but it was Carol McNichol who designed some of the memorably outrageous costumes worn by Eno.
In March of 1972, the first album is complete, suitably entitled "Roxy Music". The album is released in June 1972 to rave reviews after the departure of bassist Graham Simpson replaced with Rik Kenton for live work. The bassist in Roxy Music would take the trend of coming to Roxy through a revolving door over the rest of the life of the band. A set of dates around UK and the release of their first single "Virginia Plain" (c/w new piece "The Numberer") found them the wider audience they were looking for.
1973 was a busy year for the Roxy camp, the release of their second album "For Your Pleasure" confirmed them as one of the most important bands of the '70s. The album was promoted with the non album single "Pyjamarama" (c/w new piece "The Pride And The Pain") which climbed into the top 10 like it's predecessor. Roxy continued to play more live dates in UK and USA. The band lost original synth and treatments man, Brian Eno due to friction within the band. The two Bryan's were too much for the one band so Eno left to start a solo career which has led to his involvement with many major artists as a producer. Later the same year saw the release of their third album "Stranded" complete with Eddie Jobson from Curved Air who was a virtuoso violinist and pianist. The additional soloing instrument gave a new dimension to the Roxy sound. This album topped the UK album charts and the single "Street Life" (c/w new piece "Hula Kula") had Roxy blaring out of every radio in the country.
The album "Country Life" released in 1974 shocked the music world with its risqué sleeve with two semi clad females caught by headlamps of a car in the rhododendron bushes. The album spawned the fourth single "All I Want Is You" (c/w new piece "Your Application's Failed") which reached number 12 in the UK charts. The band toured UK, the rest of Europe, USA & Australia to return in 1975 with the smash hit "Love Is The Drug" (c/w new piece "Sultanesque) which was kept off the top spot by David Bowie's re-issue of Space Oddity. The accompanying album, "Siren" featuring unknown Texan model Jerry Hall was a huge success and was the first album to produce more than one single with "Both Ends Burning" as the second release. The band toured the album right into Spring 1976 when they decided to take some time off from their collective duties and work on their own individual solo projects.
A live album "Viva! Roxy Music" was released in the interim in 1976 with a compilation of "Roxy Music's Greatest Hits" supported with the re-release of "Virginia Plain" and the Roxy anthem "Do The Strand" as a UK single for the first time.
With all the solo work out of the system, the band regrouped in 1979 with only four original members, Bryan Ferry, Phil Manzanera, Andy Mackay & Paul Thompson augmented with Dave Skinner on keyboards and Gary Tibbs on bass. The band's come back single, "Trash" stuttered at number 40. Chart success is soon restored with the single "Dance Away" reaching number 2 in the UK singles chart from the album "Manifesto" which Roxy took to the road throughout the World. A third single from "Manifesto" was a disco re-recording of "Angel Eyes" which had the first 12" mix of a Roxy song.
1980 saw the band down to three original members after the departure of Paul Thompson due to 'musical differences'. The single "Over You" was a taster from what was to come in the album "Flesh + Blood" which topped the album charts on four separate occasions that year, helped with the release of the singles "Oh Yeah (on the radio)" (c/w new piece "South Downs") & "The Same Old Scene" (c/w new song "Lover"). A World tour into 1981 saw Roxy perform "Jealous Guy" at the time of John Lennon's death as a tribute to the slain singer. The song was recorded at Phil's Gallery studios and released as a single which topped the UK charts, the only number one single to date.
March 1982 saw the release of the single "More Than This". This proved to be a smash hit throughout Europe and Japan. This was the opening track on the "Avalon" which was released May of 1982. The album topped the charts and stayed in the album charts for 60 weeks. This album is the biggest selling Roxy album to date. The title track, "Avalon" (c/w new song "Always Unknowing") was released as a single reaching number 12 and "Take A Chance With Me" in the top 30 were the last Roxy releases during the life of the band. The Avalon tour took Roxy on the road right up until May 26th 1983 finishing in Philadelphia. News of the bands split hit the press as differences within the band had brought Bryan, Phil & Andy to the end of their collective activities.
A compilation album, "The Atlantic Years" and a live mini album "The High Road" from the Glasgow 1982 show were released in 1983 and a video of the Frejus show titled "The High Road" were released.
The first compilation of both Roxy Music songs and Bryan Ferry's solo works was released in 1986. "Street Life 20 Great Hits" topped the UK charts confirming Roxy were not a forgotten band. A split with the record company in 1987 meant that there were several contractual obligations to be met under the old record company. E'G decided to release the compilation album "The Ultimate Collection" with a mixture of Roxy & Ferry tracks in 1988. 1990 saw the release of a live single "Love Is The Drug" from the live album Heart Still Beating, this single, album and the video collection were released much to the annoyance of Ferry. In a press statement he claimed that he wanted to distance himself from those releases as their due and that their release was a record company decision outwith his control. The live album was recorded eight years earlier in 1982 in France.
1996 saw the release of a re mix of "Love Is The Drug" by Rollo & Sister Bliss form the band Faithless. This CD single with the original version with 3 new mixes that were such a favourite in the clubs that it reached number 33 in the UK charts, 21 years after it was originally released.
An album compiled from their first 3 albums simply titled "The Early Years" was released in 2000 with much of this music being relevant and influential to many of the contemporary artists of 2000.
Roxy announced their planned reformation and forthcoming world tour in a press conference in The Savoy in The Strand (of all places) in February 2001. The World tour kicked of in Dublin 9th June 2001 proving all doubters that Roxy Music were back and back with the style and class that oozed throughout their 12 years together.
A compilation of Roxy Music material from all periods of their career titled "The Best OF Roxy Music" was released at the start of the world tour. The tour ended at Hammersmith Odeon 2nd October 2001. The show was filmed for a DVD and was released on 6th May 2002.
Roxy Music reformed in 2003 for a mini tour of USA and a one off show in Portugal. This tour coincided with the release of 'Roxy Music Live' a 22 song live double CD taken from 17 shows during the 2001 tour. In 2005 the band then announced they would play the Isle Of Wight festival as several other dates in Europe. This news was also greeted with the welcome news that Bryan Ferry, Phil Manzanera, Andy MacKay & Paul Thompson were to record together and release the first Roxy Music album since 1982's 'Avalon' the album is currently an work in progress with no release date announced but should appear some time in 2006.
"...next time is the best time we all know..."
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Roxy
Music
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Bryan
Ferry
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Phil
Manzanera
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Andy
Mackay
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1971
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Roxy Music form
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1972
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Debut album ‘Roxy Music & first single
‘Virginia Plain released. Roxy Tour UK
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1973
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For Your Pleasure & second single Pyjamarama
released.
Third album and single ‘Stranded’ & Street
Life released. Roxy world tour.
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Debut solo album ‘These Foolish Things’ &
single A Hard Rain’s A-Gonna Fall released.
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1974
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‘Country Life’ & All I Want Is You’
released. Roxy Tour
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‘Another Time Another Place’ with the singles The
In Crowd & Smoke gets In Your Eyes released. Live show in Newcastle,
Birmingham and at Royal Albert
Hall
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‘In Search Of Eddie Riff ‘released and the single
‘Ride Of The Valkyries’
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1975
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Fifth album ‘Siren’ released and the singles Love
Is The Drug & Both Ends Burning. Roxy tour.
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‘Diamond Head’ & the Quiet Sun album
‘Mainstream released. ‘Frontera’ released as a single in Germany.
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‘In Search Of Eddie Riff’ re released with new
tracks & the single ‘Wild Weekend’
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1976
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Roxy take a break to work on Solo projects. Live
album ‘Viva Roxy Music’ released.
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The singles ‘You Go To My Head’, ‘Let’s Stick
Together’ & ‘Extended Play’ with the album ‘Let’s Stick
Together’ released.
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Tours with the band 801 and releases the album 801
Live.
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1977
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Greatest Hits released.
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Records the Beatles song ‘She’s leaving Home’
for the soundtrack to ‘All This And World War 2’. Releases the singles
‘This Is Tomorrow’ & ‘Tokyo Joe’ & the album ‘In Your
Mind’ First Bryan Ferry solo world tour.
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Releases the album ‘Listen Now’ & the single
‘Flight 19’ Plays some live shows with a new 801 line up.
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1978
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Releases the album ‘The Bride Stripped Bare’ and
the singles ‘What Goes On’, ‘Sign Of The Times’, &
‘Carrickfergus’
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Releases the album ‘K-Scope’ and the single
‘Remote Control’
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Releases the Album ‘Resolving Contradictions’ and
the single ‘A Song Of Friendship’
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1979
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Roxy reform and release the album ‘Manifesto’
with the singles ‘Trash’, ‘Dance Away’ & ‘Angel Eyes’.
World Tour
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1980
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Release the album ‘Flesh + Blood’ with the
singles ‘Over You’, ‘Oh Yeah (on the radio)’ & ‘The Same Old
Scene’. World tour.
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1981
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A tribute single ‘Jealous Guy’ released after the
death of John Lennon. ‘The First Seven Albums’ box set released.
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Re-mixes some solo recordings left over from The
Bride Stripped bare sessions.
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1982
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The album ‘Avalon’ with the singles ‘More Than
This’, ‘Avalon’, & ‘Take A Chance With Me’ released. World
tour.
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Releases the album ‘Primitive Guitars’ & the
12” single ‘Impossible Guitar’
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1983
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‘The High Road’ mini album and ‘The Atlantic
Years’ released. The video ‘The High Road’ released.
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1984
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Forms the band The Explorers and releases the single
‘Lorelei’
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Forms the band The Explorers and releases the single
‘Lorelei’
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1985
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Performed at Live Aid Wembley Stadium 13th July 1985
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Releases the album ‘Boys & Girls’ with the
singles ‘Slave To Love’, ‘Don’t Stop The Dance’ &
‘Windswept’.
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Release the album ‘The Explorers’ and the singles
‘Falling For Nightlife’, ‘Two Worlds Apart’ & ‘Venus
De Milo’. UK Tour with The Explorers.
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Release the album ‘The Explorers’ and the singles
‘Falling For Nightlife’, ‘Two Worlds Apart’ & ‘Venus
De Milo’. UK Tour with The Explorers.
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1986
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The compilation album’ Street life 20 Great Hits’
released.
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Releases the single ‘Is Your Love Strong Enough?’
from the USA soundtrack to the film ‘Legend’. Records the song ‘Help
Me’ for ‘The Fly’ soundtrack. The compilation album’ Street life
20 Great Hits’ released.
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The compilation album ‘Guitarissimo’ released.
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1987
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Signs new record deal with Virgin and releases the
album Bete Noire with the singles ‘The Right Stuff’, Kiss And Tell’
& ‘Limbo’
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Records the album ‘Wetton Manzanera’ with John
Wetton.
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1988
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The compilation album ‘The Ultimate Collection ‘
released.
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World tour. The compilation album ‘The Ultimate
Collection ‘ released. A 1988 re-mix of the single ‘Let’s Stick
Together’ released.
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Released the album ‘The Wasted Lands’ and the
12” single ‘Nowomowa’ with the band Nowomowa.
Releases the albums, ‘Up In Smoke’ & ‘Crack
The Whip’ in USA (Explorers out-takes)
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Releases the albums, ‘Up In Smoke’ & ‘Crack
The Whip’ in USA (Explorers out-takes).
Released the album 'Christmas' recorded with his band the Players.
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1989
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‘New Town’ Live in Europe video released.
‘He’ll Have To Go’ and a 1989 re-mix of the song ‘The Price Of
Love’ released as singles
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1990
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‘Totla Recall’ video released. Live album
‘Heart Still Beating’ and the live single ‘Love Is The Drug’
released.
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Begins work on the album ‘Horoscope’
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Launches his own record label ‘Expression
Records’. Releases the album ‘Southern Cross’. Releases the album
‘Manzanera Mackay’ The album ‘Mato Grosso’ recorded with Sergio
Dias released.
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Releases the album ‘Manzanera Mackay’.
‘Resolving Contradictions’ released on CD for the first time.
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1991
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The video ‘On The Road’ released.
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Releases the album ‘Southern Cross’ in USA with
new tracks.
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1992
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Releases ‘Are You Lonesome Tonight’ on the
soundtrack for the film ‘Honeymoon In Vegas’. Stops working on the
‘Horoscope’ album and begins working on some old songs for a new
album.
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Plays live shows with the band Moncada and releases
the album ‘Moncada Manzanera’.
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1993
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Releases the album of standards, ‘Taxi’ with the
singles ‘I Put A Spell On You’, ‘Will You Love Me Tomorrow’ &
‘Girl Of My Best Friend’
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Musical director for the Guitar Legends festival in
Seville.
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1994
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Releases the album ‘Mamouna’ (which came from the
Horoscope sessions) and the singles ‘Your Painted Smile’ & Mamouna’
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1995
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The compilation album ‘More Than This’ released.
‘The Thrill Of It All’ 4 CD box set released.
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The compilation album ‘More Than This’ released.
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‘The Manzanera Collection’ released.
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1996
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Records the song ‘Dance With Life (The Brilliant
Light) for the soundtrack to ‘Phenomenon’.
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1997
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Records Sonnet No 18 for ‘The Diana tribute
Album’. ‘Tokyo Joe’ re-released as a single in Japan after it’s
use on a Japanese TV show. The compilation album ‘Tokyo Joe’ released
in Japan.
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Re-releases ‘Southern Cross’ as ‘A Million
reasons Why’. Releases the album ‘Live At Manchester University’
(recorded with 801 in 1977). Re-releases the album ‘Wetton Manzanera’
as ‘One World’. Releases the album ‘Live At The Camden Palace’
(Explorers live 1985)
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Releases the album ‘Live At The Camden Palace’
(Explorers live 1985)
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1998
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Records the song ‘I’ll See You Again’ for the
Noel coward Tribute album ‘Twentieth Century Blues’.
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1999
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The compilation album ‘More Than This’ released
in USA. Back catalogue re-mastered editions released.
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Performs with Michael Kamen in Poland. Performs at
the Meltdown Festival in London. Releases the album As Time Goes By and
the single ‘As Time Goes By. World tour begins. The compilation album
‘More Than This’ released in USA. Back catalogue re-mastered editions
released.
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Releases the album Vozero.
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Releases ‘In Search Of Eddie Riff’ on CD for the
first time.
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2000
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Releases the album ‘Slave To Love The Best Of The
Ballads’ & ‘The Early Years’
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Releases the album ‘Slave To Love The Best Of The
Ballads’
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Releases Diamond Head, Mainstream,
801 Live, Listen Now, K-Scope, & Primitive Guitars on his Expression
label with new artwork and additional tracks.
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2001
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Roxy Music re-form for a reunion world tour.
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Releases the DVD ‘Live In Paris’.
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