Really disappointed about Hard Rain and Remake Remodel and additional jazz numbers. It is just wrong to do a Song for Europe without Andy. Do love Sign of the Times though. Hopefully ATAP will be in soon. In saying that the full set list is a big improvement from some of the earlier shows IMHO.

It is interesting that he pulled SFE out of the Roxy bag for this tour. It is so much Andy's song (although BF's lyrics are impressive in their own right) that I wonder what prompted BF to include it. Did he do it to rankle AM? Or did he do it as a signal of how much he respects the songwriting skills of AM? I dunno. Mayne he just felt like playing it. It is a great song, no question!

Maybe he did it because it is such a great song.

The interesting thing about this performance is that Iain Dixon reproduces exactly what was played on the record note for note and Andy always ad-lib every time he played it.

The first sax break was performed by Robert Fowler.

J.O'B.

"I wonder what prompted BF to include it. Did he do it to rankle AM?"

Yes of course that was the reason, you don't think it was because it was a classic song that he co-wrote and hadn't played in years do you?
He's a 68 year old man, childish things like that will be the top of his list of priorities, especially when choosing a set list.
Deary me .

I raised the "ranklle Am" possibility as simply that, a possibility. It is in deed a great song and I also raised that as a possible reason for its inclusion in a BF solo tour.

If someone is unaware of possible tensions that exist between BF and AM they are simply not paying attention. Recall that last year AM publicly raised the question to BF about when was he going to finish the Roxy recording project. And more recently BF referred to his tour band as his new version of Roxy Music. Gee, I'm sure that made PM and TGPT and AM feel wonderful! Also, BF somehow dropped AM from a song-writing credit on the Lyon DVD package.

Anyway, just because BF is 68 years old doesn't obviate the possible existence of a feud/rivalry existing between him and AM. As people get older, they don't necessarily become more gracious and magnanimous. Perhaps some people do, But it is hardly a given that a 68 year old can't bear a grudge. And of course that would also apply to AM.

Those tensions have been there since Enos departure from Roxy and came to a head in 1976 when BF announced the Roxy "sabbatical". There was quite a hard hitting interview with melody maker in the UK by AM in which he criticised BF and I somehow think that things have never been the same since. When Roxy resurfaced in 78/79 AM was the only member of Roxy not still signed to EG management, I've often wondered if that was one of the reasons for the lack of song writing from AM on manifesto, flesh and blood and avalon. There was also the glee in AM's recounting of Sid Vicious comments regarding BF on the more than this documentary and also his comments regarding his participation in the olympia sessions.

wrighta:
I hadn't realized that AM had cut his ties to EG management by the time that Manifesto came around. By that time AM had had considerable solo success resulting from his involvement in Rock Follies and that may have been when he separated from EG.

I do have some recollection of tensions between AM and BF over publishing rights related to Angel Eyes (a hit they co-wrote) Perhaps this was related to AM's earlier departure from EG management. (of course, eventually BF had a major falling out with EG in the late 1980s - there is a posting over in the General Discussion section of the VRM forum that provides a link to some extensive Robert Fripp web postings where Fripp is vitriolic in his criticism of EG and makes reference to BF's own legal battles with EG)

Getting back to Song for Europe, BF has certainly written some evocative and engaging songs over the years, But nothing in the Roxy/BF catalog IMHO equals the magisterial beauty of SFE. BF lyrics are superb, but the melody and orchestral structure are all Andy's.

I've always thought that of all the Roxy songs, ASFE was sacrosanct and up to now it seemed the one song that BF would leave alone. Doe's the current version retain the lengthy prelude that has been a feature since 2001?

The rhapsodic intro from the 2001 tour is still in and played impeccably by Colin Good.

The first sax solo is taken up by Robert Fowler but the second one at the end is performed by Ian Dixon. The beauty of his take on it is that he has transcribed Andy's 'Stranded' recording note for note and plays it just like the record whereas Andy always did an ad lib version that would change from night to night.


J.O'B.

Hi guys, just read the reviews of the Manchester gigs and really looking forward to Birmingham. The only draw back with the Symphony Hall (though a beautiful venue) is that they flatly refuse to let the audience stand up. I hope our hero doesn't think that the Brum audience are unresponsive, as we found at the Dylanesque gig, they just WON'T let us stand up.