Happy Hipsters,

C'est vrai que W2 remains a confirmed 'Ferryista'.

Not even DCJ's plan to trap him and oblige him to listen to endless repeats of IYLSE - a torture worthy of a Bond villain — would shake this faith!

W2 is pleased 'The Bonny Lad' has rested pendant l'ete. This gruelling schedule of back to back fandangos was doubtless playing havoc with his Hobson's choice.

Hopefully, the rest has resulted in a full recovery because he will be kicking off another 14 date tour that starts in Dusseldorf on September 10th and climaxes in the city that is permanently helping the police with their enquiries on October 7th.

W2 is praying to the Roxy Gods that all goes well and that he saves the best 'till last.

It will be interesting to see if there are any changes to the band line up and or set lists.

Hopefully Windswept's dream of a bar room version of TNOTG will come to pass.

Salutations,
W2

Bonjour à tous!
W2 a raison. And I would like to go further: Roxy Music, at least at the early stages, were more Bryan Ferry than BF was when he was solo.
Keep my fingers crossed that everything is fine with our hero by now. I skipped all my wishes about change of line up etc; the only thing that matters is that the tour will come along as planned.
Salutations!

Great thread. Wonderful spririt. May I make some random additions?
@w2 I do hope mrs w2 sorts the wardrobe dilemma. rock on Brighton! Totally agree re same old scene
Remember Kenny Everett end of year show well. Loved ITMH that night (but still disappointed when it emerged later on F&B)
BF voice good on F&B...but peak? IRSNSHO: stranded, CL, Siren
Didn't Phil suggest 8 miles high ? BF certainly did ITMH though. And yes, Roxy is not covers. Period. They're Roxy Music not Roxy Covers Music.
And now my opinion on BF is / not Roxy: Roxy has several greats in it. Perhaps two geniuses, both called Bry/ian. But eno said it best: Roxy was/is Bryan's baby. He's the force. But would Roxy have been that great without the others? NO WAY. I believe that Andy's contribution is underrated, and my beloved Eno's contribution is a teensy bit overrated. And Bryan's role hugely underrated. He was not the MOR tendency. This guy is seriously radical.

A rare disagreement with Monsieur Windswept. Bryan Ferry is not Roxy Music. Not quite. They provided a sounding board for him, stood up to his rare lapses in taste and provided some grit. Had the band stayed together after Avalon, it is unlikely there would have been a seven-year hiatus between albums, the debacle of the Horoscope sessions or the dismal set at Live Aid, where he performed three songs from a recently released album, two of which hardly anybody at Wembley would have heard of.

[quote="Oberon"]Bonjour à tous!
W2 a raison. And I would like to go further: Roxy Music, at least at the early stages, were more Bryan Ferry than BF was when he was solo.
[quote="jesmond"]A rare disagreement with Monsieur Windswept. Bryan Ferry is not Roxy Music. Not quite. They provided a sounding board for him, stood up to his rare lapses in taste and provided some grit.
[quote="RoxySiren"]
And now my opinion on BF is / not Roxy: Roxy has several greats in it. Perhaps two geniuses, both called Bry/ian. But eno said it best: Roxy was/is Bryan's baby. He's the force. But would Roxy have been that great without the others? NO WAY. I believe that Andy's contribution is underrated, and my beloved Eno's contribution is a teensy bit overrated. And Bryan's role hugely underrated. He was not the MOR tendency. This guy is seriously radical.

Hedonistic Hipsters,
Que peut-W2 dire?
When it comes to our hero's band, there is nobody that Windswept would rather have on saxophone or oboe than the erstwhile Monsieur Mackay.
There is nobody that Windswept would rather have beating those skins than that maestro of the sticks, Monsieur Paul Thompson.
There is nobody that Windswept would rather see wielding that axe than Phil 'Specs' Manzanera.
W2 has huge affection — indeed love — for the 'Roxy Music' line up and Jesmond makes some great points particularly pertaining to 'grit'.
That said, it was Bryan's, not Brian's band and it was his vehicle at that time. A point well made by Oberon.
This is why Windswept maintains his position that Ferry is Roxy & Roxy is Ferry.
Doubtless the debate will rage but as Roxysiren points out, Brian of the feather boa said; "Roxy was Bryan's baby".
Salutations,
W2

Another great thread! Back to the original question of the best opening and closing tracks. For Roxy - a very tough call - I'd go for Siren (LITD and JAH), and for Ferry The Bride Stripped Bare (SOTT, TIE).

Thanks for this great thread!

Not easy, but I am going for Roxy's Manifesto and Spin Me Round, and Bryan's In Your Mind Album...

The long intro of Manifesto live, and Bryan's entrance was a classic.

a shame that this was cut Short on the dvd....

Melancholic Marauders,

India a raison, Roxy is a very tough call and with the exception of F&B it would be difficult to argue with any choice.

The solo canon is a different kettle of fish and 'The Bride Stripped Bar' is a case in point. Although W2 rates the album as a whole as one of our hero's masterpieces, he doesn't find 'This Island Earth' to be a particularly compelling closer. 'When She Walks In The Room' was the original final track on the vinyl and had this been maintained TBSB may have got his vote.

Still, all Ferry is good Ferry (except IYLSE) and the debate will rage.
Salutations,
W2

Interesting W2. I really love SotT and TIE as individual tracks....but as opener and closer, they're marvellous lRSNSHO. There is a very good remix on souncloud of TIE. Check it out here:
https://soundcloud.com/bryanferry/this- ... th-johnson
Id be interested in W2NSHO...

Cher RoxySiren,
W2 trouve sa formidable!
Normally, for one reason or another, these remix things don't really do it for him but this is an exception — this track has been really enhanced.
Emotionally the originals always remain W2's favourites but objectively this is great.
Salutations,
W2