Mais oui, ils sont Brothers in Arms ... pardon ... Arts. The Davies, Knopfler, Gallagher Bros. and so many others. Some of them even had fist fights as the papers and their biographers tell us.

But now back to our thread: Bryan Ferry and Brian Eno were at best distant relatives and what makes the difference: They didn't hurt each other seriously, at least not in a physical way. Roxy Music were known as the band that only re-made/re-modelled their hotel rooms instead of willfully destructing them like the Stones or the Who. Gentlemen!

And while Ray and Dave Davies are still thinking about revenge (!), Bryan and Brian respect themselves and work with each other since many years. So we come to the conclusion that it sometimes might be useful not to have a band mate that's your older/younger brother (or sister)

True and Eno said shortly after he was asked to leave Roxy that he still liked Bryan, and more recently that he enjoys his company as he is a funny person who makes him laugh. The two obviously get along very well. Bryan has also said that it was their youthful assertiveness and egos that fuelled the 1973 rift.

Pianoman,

I too have an elderly parent - my Father is 88 and suffered a stroke 4 years ago. He lives about 200km from us, but we see him regularly. There is always a lot to do for him and sometimes the situation can be very demanding both physically and emotionally, so I think I can understand your situation.

I'd have to say Pianoman that your postings have a warmth, openness and honesty about them that is very rare on internet forums.

Be well.

Mit freundlichen Grüßen,

Roger

PS Ich denke Bamberg hat das beste Bier der Welt

Dear Roger,

thank you very much for your very personal and warm reply. I think it was Roxy who started this sub-thread about bereavements and personal experiences with grief, sadness and illness.

In fact Roxy Music/Bryan Ferry enthusiasts are all of a certain age. That implies that most of us have had or still have their own experiences with the challenges of life such as separation, divorce, illness, death or care for old parents.

But against all odds things like music and especially the songs of RM/BF have led me through a demanding life.

By the way: I can absolutely imagine that the Franconian breweries in Bamberg produce the best beer in the world. But Bavarian breweries generally do have a certain reputation

Yours sincerely

- Pianoman -

PS: I am a member of a German-British conversation club here in the "Allgäu". A lot of Britons - after their military service - married German "girls" and stayed here because of the lovely alpine landscape. There is one member that flies over to UK once a month to give bone marrow to his brother who suffers from leukemia. That is something that almost drives me to tears ...

I thought that Chris Spedding played (uncredited) guitar on BCR's Saturday Night. Or is that just a legend that has been discredited? I forget. But it's certainly a reason why BCR might warrant mention on VRM..

Duran Duran was always a bit of a Novelty Act for me, driven by early MTV hit videos... Also, Simon LeBon's voice is an acquired taste in my book. But hey, Hungry Like the Wolf is ok if you haven't heard it in a while...

I do enjoy the fact that WS2 is a big fan of Robert Palmer, if only because RP totally ripped off and popularized the "chic & wasted model" look in Addicted to Love that BF had pioneered years before. But that's been Bryan's curse to bear all along, he was an artist ahead of his time!

I think Ray is one of the greats. Surprisingly underrated, still. Very strong performer live too. One of the best repertoires IRSNSHO.

Cher DJC,
I seriously doubt this particular piece of propaganda.
Like our common hero, the late - incredibly great - Robert Palmer (RIP) was an innovator not an imitator albeit the more discerning hipsters that haunt this hallowed cyber hall will know that they had an incredible attention to quality in common.
They both hailed from the North, had an art school background, made fabulous albums with fabulous cover art ('Pressure Drop' is up there with the Roxy covers) and both had a fabulous sense of personal style.
The one area of mutual influence could well have been their attachment to the great American song book.
Geordie's favourite son was the first rock artist to attack the genre with 'These Foolish Things' but Yorkshire's favourite son was the first to devote a full album to the subject with his magnificent 'Ridin High' LP.
Interestingly Windswept saw Robert present 'Ridin High' at the RAH in '92 and although it was a spectacular show and he loved it to bits, it didn't go as well as it might have done with some of the philistines in the audience because the set list was heavily focused on songs from the '40s & '50s.
Windswept sometimes think Monsieur Ferry may have been there that night and leant from it because he certainly didn't make the same mistake when constructing ATGB or BFWS.
In any event, two great British artists and nice that Bryan interpreted 'Johnny and Mary' albeit I wish he'd done 'Rip Tide'
a bien tôt,
Windswept.

Windswept wrote:

Geordie's favourite son was the first rock artist to attack the genre with 'These Foolish Things' but Yorkshire's favourite son was the first to devote a full album to the subject with his magnificent 'Ridin High' LP.

Vous avez raison, M. Windswept. "These Foolish Things", "Smoke Gets In Your Eyes" and "You Go To My Head" were jazzy songs that no one but the elegant Bryan Ferry could afford to sing - in the early 70s!

However, as you mentioned before, Robert Palmer was the first rock singer to fill a complete album with the "American Songbook". Ferry's ATGB was the logical consequence of TFT. Then Robbie Williams started the commercially most successful approach to this genre. Canadian jazz artists Michael Bublé and Diana Krall are doing exactly the same - they're only using the different label "jazz".

I always loved these classic jazz tunes. However, the only voice that didn't fit together with the "American Songbook" IPMNSHO is Rod Stewart. "Maggie May" is one of my all time favorites but who told Rod to record three or more volumes of this genre??

By the way, M. Windswept: "Rip Tide" would perfectly match with Bryan's voice à la "Johnny & Mary".

DCJ, I fear you missed the humour intended in my comment and it was lost in translation.

Thank you again to everyone for your kind words and your comments about the comfort you take from the music of RM/BF at difficult times in your lives.

Lori, in the words of the man himself "all styles served here!".

Cher Pianoman,
Vous êtes vraiment un homme de bon gout!
This is very interesting and probably deserves it's own thread but IWNSHO 'ATGB' & 'Ridin High' are absolutely the best along with Boz Scaggs who made two great albums of Jazz standards, 'But Beautiful' and 'Speak Low'.
As for the rest - particularly 'Rod The Mod' - they are for the listen and laugh file!
a bien tôt,
Windswept