Avalon isn't a low point in comparison with most AOR but compared with 70s Roxy output there is probably more originality and 'music' in The Bob alone. Ferry acknowledged this himself in an interview regarding These Foolish Things where he noted that many of the covers were incredibly simple in structure and he was putting three songs worth of material into one song - think If There is Something for example. My issue with post Roxy material is that a chord sequence and stunning production values don't make a memorable song. Someone needs to tell him to write the lyrics first, then the chords, then the tune and then go into the studio. It would save him the cost of a divorce at least.

Good post. For me as I have said before, 80 onwards RM became the BF band. Now, not that was a really bad thing as some good songs were recorded but they are less memorable. I love Ava, mtt, ova u, oyeh, and the popular one's but like you say it wasn't ground breaking like up to 79 - just great tunes (duuno if Manifesto was really gound breaking actualy but)?? Probably should have the cut off at Country Life ?
You mention Roxy's Behomien Rapsody - far far better than anything Queen did. ITIS is a masterpiece and presumably all RM was involved in it's construction on the first album, Bryan should remember this but maybe he views the others as wells now run dry.

I reckon that's what happened. He went into the studio with the rest of Roxy and soon realised that they were dry too !!

Cher DJC,
You'r correct, not every action is to be celebrated.
I, for one, was never a fan of the "gaucho" look and his Gi extravaganza left me a little cold.
Very recently I would even say that the fur trimmed parka was not his finest moment and somewhat alarmingly, his trouser break was a little too prominent when he performed at the Titanic celebration. I would even say that some of his more extreme scarfs would not be out of place swathed around a jihadist.
However, independent of the aforementioned, I would have to say that our hero is both musically and stylistically beyond reproach and his work post Roxy is equally as strong as the boa years. Albums like "Boys & Girls", "Bette Noir" and "Mamouna" are timeless classics that are every bit as influential as the first Roxy albums.
His musical trajectory over the last four decades has been ever upward and his capacity to experiment and innovate continues to be an inspiration.
I doubt if this would not have been the case if Roxy had remained his primary vehicle - his artistic spirit should remain free!
Regards,
Windswept

i would much rather listen to anything BF has done..contemporary work included..than the vocal stylings of..Rod Stewart,Paul McCartney,Elton John,Neil Young,Bruce Springsteen, Mick Jagger..etcetera...to be a singer and a songwriter is a rare thing..when it clicks it's a good thing..and a voice?..Nothing Lasts Forever

Spot on, Windswept.

Oh dear! I fear that our chum, WS2, must have enjoyed a restorative or two over the eight before he wrote this.

Boys & Girls is a cold album, Bete Noir is a dark album, and Mamouna, well, eh, only the Swedes loved it...

[quote="le freak and Mamouna, well, eh, only the Swedes loved it...[/quote]


.... and a wee baldy guy from Inverness (though I wasn't bald at the time)

J.O'B.

me too. one of my favourites. indeed, mamouna and the unreleased alphavile are my second and first favourite bf albums respectively, with the latter up there with his best, including roxy (IMO)