Whew. I'm glad that WS2 and I don't agree too much! That gives me hope that The Apocalypse will hold off for a little while (hopefully until after the Oct 4th show that I just bought tix for!).

WS2 references a (presumably bewildered) BF who "doesn't want to be dictatorial" when he tries to explain the fashion choices of the new axe men. Hmmm. The idea of a BF who does not want "to be dictatorial" strikes me as impossible. What? A BF who is not dictatorial? That is the very nature/heart of his genius and success! A change to this constant in the space/time continuum would indeed be a sign that The Apocalypse is nigh!

WS2 is correct in pointing out that "Roxy" music needn't be hermetically sealed in some bell jar whence only the original players might perform it to great effect. The example of CG's intro to ASFE makes this point with gusto. Nonetheless, assembling a group of skilled musicians to play Roxy Music is fraught with potential pitfalls.

The most notable change reflected in this new band is of course the absence of of (WS2's much beloved) Colin Good. CG had been such a huge part of BF's music for the past 15 years that I wonder what would have precipitated such a split. I don't know. But it is a mystery...

Elegantly Ageing Hipsters & Other Interested Parties,
DJC and I are unlikely to find an accord on the sartorial but on the music front I detect that we are perhaps not so fare apart. He seems to acknowledge the huge contribution made by the great Monsieur Good.
Here he is not wrong. IMNSHO, in Colin, our hero found his post Roxy musical soul mate and their output from ATGB up to this present tour has been as prolific as the Roxy years.
Colin is a phenomenal musical director as well as being a great Jazz player and the fruits of their relationship have touched every album and tour since 1999.
I adore their Jazz Age album and can't stop playing it. I do hope that TBFO continues as a side project. There is just so much potential for a second LP and beyond the huge critical acclaim there must have been great commercial success.
I make no excuses, I am both a firm Goodist and devout Ferryista and I hope they are going to do a lot more together.
Who knows, maybe Colin will turn up in Dublin. I certainly hope so.
Regards,
Windswept.

While I've never thought of myself as a Goodist per se, I certainly have appreciated his contributions to Roxy/BF, especially in relation to the 2001 Roxy Tour that spawned a great concert CD (Note to those who think I might be going soft: I was NEVER a fan of the 2001 DVD of the Apollo shows because of excessive editing/cutting/camera movement)

I agree with WS2 that The Jazz Age was an excellent album that depended mightily upon the skills of CG.

Perhaps CG had some personal commitments or situations that precluded him from participating in the Can't Let Go Tour. And perhaps he'll be back in the fold for Dublin and other gigs this year. We'll have to see...

For what it's worth, I have to say I feel perplexed by the current setlist. Having toured (OK, to a limited number of venues) with Roxy in 2011, why is the current BF setlist so choc-full of RM? I just don't get it. There's a huge BF solo back catalogue to draw on, much of which hasn't been performed live at all (and much more not for many years) but even most of the BF hits don't even get a look in.
I agree, you can't really separate the two - the days of that are long gone and many audiences just don't make the distinction anyway. But personally, when I go to see BF I expect to see, predominantly, solo material with a few Roxy classics thrown in and vice versa. Were RM ever to tour again (and after the 2011 shows I both hope and doubt they will), it would be hard to sell it along the lines of 'come and see us perform these songs because no-one else is' (as cited in the 2010 hype) when BF is doing just that. The main attraction would be seeing the band back together and a degree of camaraderie that was so badly missing last time around.
US audiences see so much less of BF than we do here so I can understand the appetite there is for this setlist and why it is being so well received which is great, but were it delivered here I'd be mightily disappointed.

I echo the words of UKRichard; I think he may speak for many of us here.

I've booked for Dublin because the acoustic + orchestra element is so different, but have thus far failed to work up sufficient enthusiasm for the cost of a trip further afield.

I'll doubtless do some UK gigs later in the year (but probably not Henley), although I'd hope more solo material might find its way into the set list by then.

As for the apparent Colin Good "love-in" here, I don't underestimate his contribution as band MD, but he's not a rock musician and it would seem perverse for him to be included in every BF project.

Hipsters,
UK Richard makes an interesting point. There is much to mine from our hero's solo back catalogue that many of us would love to hear. Maybe the current set list is driven by Coachella and what would go down well with a US festival audience?
I lived in NYC for ten years and found the fan base on the East and West coast to be more Roxy orientated albeit his solo gigs always sold out big time and were tremendously appreciated.
As for the new band, I don't want to be too critical based on a few youtube viewings but I think DJC is potentially right when he described it as 'Roxy Lite'. I'm not sure they would have gone down well in the UK after the absolute triumph that was AEWBF. I listened to the 'Nuits de Fourviere' album today and frankly I think that line up had a lot more heft but who knows, maybe the current line up is just a US thing that will be built on for other scenarios?
Regarding the great Monsieur Good, although that renowned Roxologist, Smudge, is correct that rock is not Colin's predominant background frankly, I think he can play and add class to anything. The arrangements of the Roxy songs for the ATGB tour were the best ever - Chance Meeting, Casanova, Out Of The Blue and Do The Strand were simply sublime. Our hero and The Goodster made a formidable Roxy Cocktail!
Must go before DJC accuses me of drinking that Kool Aid stuff.
a bientôt,
Windswept

By the time September rolls around lots could change in terms of the BF show and band. September is when his new album is supposed to be released (although there is always the possibility of "slippage" when it comes to BF and deadlines...) and this might radically reorient the set list.

One of the interesting things about BF and Roxy is that he really "can't let go." At this point you'd think he'd be done forever with Roxy given how he has essentially pretended that the 2011 FYP tour (your pleasure, not his) never happened as he walked away from his bandmates like they were Ebola carriers. But then earlier this year in prep for the West Coast tour he pointedly remarked to an interviewer he he intends to meet/talk with Andy M when he gets back to England. Can't Let Go can you Mr. Ferry!

Is Roxy Lite a prelude to a return of the Real Roxy sometime next year? Sigh. We've been down this path before. More times then I want to think about. But we (at least many on this Forum) also Can't Let Go.

OK. Take a deep breathe. I think I'm going to step outside just to dig the air...

Good thread.

Just my three penneth re the beloved Mr Good. Great at jazz. Great on ATGB and TJA. Really outstanding contributions. Many other plus points, etc.

BUT I'm so pleased he's out of the frame, at least for now. At chez RoxySiren we call him the Alphavilleminator (he almost destroyed it and made it into Frantic, among other overplaying, overvirtuosing crimes). Gimme some more Chris Thomas please.


Oops.

Mes Amis,
Today listened to F&B for the first time in a while and I must concur with the great RoxySiren, it is a seriously underrated work.
A number of things in struck me - how much I prefer 'Oh Yeah" in the classier slower original tempo. What an absolute storm Andy blows in 'My Only Love' and what a haunting closer 'Running Wild' is.
All in all just a great concept album and what artwork!
Pass me the Kool Aid,
a bien tôt,
Windswept

F&B has always been one of my favourites. "Same old scene" was a highlight at 02 in 2011. And the cover is, in my opinion, the second best ever. The best? Well, we all know that!