Roxy Music is British art-rock group formed in London in 1971 by its vocalist and occasional pianist, main composer and lyrics writer Bryan Ferry. Although they have never been highly successful in United States, at least commercially wise, their carefully polished music expression and eccentric appearance definitely attracted attention around the globe. Stage presentation, highly stylized promotional videos, aesthetically appealing album covers and posters made Roxy Music the most idiosyncratic music group of their time. They went on to become one of the most influential music collectives of all time, especially in domain of modern rock music, which is why they still deserve to have spotlight thrown at them.
Roxy Music were trailblazers when it comes to experimental and sophisticated glam-rock sound in the first half of the 70s. Their impact on the pioneers of punk-rock scene is enormous. The legends such as Sex Pistols and Siouxsie and The Banshees would probably not exist If it wasn’t for Roxy Music. I know this is a bold statement, but just wait until I hit you with another one. New Wave and experimental electronic performers such as The Human League, Japan, Spandau Ballet and Depeche Mode would also not be as they were If Roxy Music didn’t showcase their talent to the world.
During their two decade long career, the members have changed a lot. They have also been preoccupied with their solo, side-projects. Altogether, they have given us eight albums, few compilations and few live albums.
When the members gathered for the very first time, Riber Fripp and Pete Sinfield were impressed by Bryan Ferry’s talent. Let’s take a moment to remember that Brian Eno was also participating in Roxy Music for a while. Although he was not labeled a musician at that time, Eno knew how to manipulate with tracks from the get-go. With the help of Eno’s equippment, the band recorded their demo. Stimulated by their innovative performance on BBC1-TV’s show Top Of The Tops, their debut single Virginia Plain reached #4 on UK singles chat. Only two weeks after this milestone, their debut, self-titled album saw the light of the day. Authentic vocal and interplay of rock and electronic made the album one of the most critically praised materials of the year. Hyper creative album cover just added to the whole impression of the artsy group.
The group’s second full length album For Your Pleasure entered top 10 on UK Album Charts in its first week and subsequently peaked at number four. Interesting trivia is that Ferry’s girlfriend, model Amanda Lear, graced the album cover. For Your Pleasure stands as one of the most influential albums in the history of modern music, so it is my sincere recommendation you start from here. Then I would suggest Country Life, their fourth album, the one that saw Constanza Karoli on the cover (another Ferry’s girlfriend). Constanza was almost naked on the cover, which is why the album cover was banned in Spain, Netherlands and United States. What a marketing trick, right? However, the trick didn’t work in United States. As I have said, Roxy Music never managed to become popular in America.
I would say that my favorite song of Roxy Music is Love Is The Drug, taken from their fifth album Siren. The song reached second spot on UK chart, just behind Space Oddity by David Bowie. No wonder that my favorite song also held beautiful model on the cover. This time, it was Jerry Hall.
The band broke in 1983, but made a big comeback in 2001. At the onset of new millennium, the group went on a highly successful world tour. The fans were hungry to see them perform again. Keep on exploring Roxy Music and you will understand why. I have provided you with some basics, but the full on exploration is yours. You’re welcome!
