Bete Noire may well be of its time but there's much to commend that in my view. If it was revisited, unless this was to do it in an entirely different style (a la Bitter-sweet), I feel its unique identity would be entirely lost and potentially homogenised. There's a vibrancy about some parts of the album that hadn't been seen since the Chris Thomas years and has rarely been seen since. It's a statement of its time that captures what BF wished to communicate musically and lyrically and, through the chosen production values, how he wished to do it. Tinkering with it would be a diminution of that message. Leave well alone I say. I'd much rather hear what is moving our hero at this time in his life if he can summon the creative juices.

I don`t think this will happen. It was just a remark. There is not much news these days. It was just a thought, really. I would guess Bryan has better things to do. Bete Noir was an album more acessible than both Boys & Girls and Mamouna. -But there were Seven Deadly Sins, The Name of The Game and the title track. -Hmm...

I'm not a friend of Bryan's solo output in the 80s + 90s except from Don't Stop The Dance (the song), Mamouna (the song) and, of course: Bete Noire. When I listended to The Right Stuff on the radio I was deeply disappointed but after having bought the album I saw that TRS was the weakest track on this by far. Limbo/Kiss + Tell/New Town were fantastic tracks which I don't want to be re-made/re-modelled. It was the historic sound of the late 80s and I'm afraid we liked that . New Town was the song who sounded more like Roxy Music than any other solo track (I've read that NT had been left from the Manifesto sessions). So I have to say that I like Bete Noire as a whole, although The Right Stuff and Zamba aren't my cup of tea. Don't touch it, please !! - Peter -

The Right Stuff - oh my! I still consider it possibly BF's most underrated single - back when singles actually meant something. I love the promo video and I'd count the remixes at the time as possibly the finest ever applied to BF's solo work. Love them.

Perpetual Procrastinators,

‘Roxology’ is a broad church but Windswept finds himself in violent disagreement with renowned Roxologists who resist a ‘Re-Make/‘Re-Model’ of ‘Bete Noire’.

In W2’s not so humble opinion (IWNSHO), some of our hero’s finest work has come by turning the canvass. Where would we be without those peerless versions of ‘Casanova’, ‘2HB’ and ‘Sea Breezes’ that appeared on ‘Let’s Stick Together’ ? All infinity superior to their VO counterparts.

Not to mention the triumph that was ‘The Jazz Age’ album and the recent magnificent interpretations of ‘New Town’ and ‘Boys & Girls’.

IWNSHO ‘Bete Noire’ has magnificent songs that could translate beautifully with new arrangements. W2 finds himself getting indecently excited at the prospect of a new version of ‘The Name Of The Game’ and those other gems.

Writing this, W2 knows that the doomsayers will all cry ‘Oh no, we need a new Roxy album’ . But we’d all be still wearing flares if we followed this mantra.

‘Bryan, il faut re-make/re-model ‘ is the cry that reverberates around Windswept’s lock-down maison.

Salutations,

Windswept.

For the record, this Roxologist does not subscribe to this view, but would like something new from our hero. Bitter-sweet and two live albums aside, we're entering Bete Noire /Taxi territory here, bereft of new material. Surely lockdown focuses the writing process unless BF is ensconced in his kitchen baking along with what seems like the rest of the nation?

Cher UKRichard,
Wouldn’t we all like to know ?
As Fandangos look out of the window for the foreseeable, our hero will doubtless be incarcerated in his West Sussex luxury lockdown where the only kitchen activity will involve him social distancing from his chef.
Hopefully this will put writing on the agenda albeit the absence of a bon coiffure will doubtless weigh heavily on his mind.
Windswept’s own ‘Barnet Fair’ has taken on a lock-down look that is starting to resemble the TFT album cover !
Salutations,
W2

Sorry, Richard, but you know that Roxology is a broad church, as Windswept2 uses to put it . Would be an interesting thread to name one's least favourite Roxy or Ferry track ...

Well I don't like "To Turn You On", mainly because of no Phil or Andy. The album version of "Flesh and Blood" isn't great either, unlike the live version. Why no Phil again? In some respects these were strange times for Roxy, particularly with no TGPT

There is absolutely nothing wrong with Bete Noire there are some terrific songs on it and its very different to the other albums. Leave it as it is.