Click on the streaming service of your choice to listen to the playlist as you read along. The YouTube playlist includes live versions of some songs.

My discovery of Roxy Music happened in stages and worked backwards. First there was Avalon, their final LP, released when I was twelve and, being one of the few rock records my mother could tolerate, was a staple on our family stereo for dinner music. It was one of the earliest of my favourite albums that formed my musical tastes, and thus Roxy Music holds a special place in my memory.

My next exposure to them was Flesh + Blood, the penultimate album and one in my brother’s record collection. I taped it onto a cassette and listened to it many times over my early high school years. I was also familiar with the song, “Love is the Drug,” since it was one of the band’s most popular tunes and a regular on classic rock and pop stations during my youth. In the 1990s, I picked up a compilation of Roxy Music and Bryan Ferry hits, and that tipped me to their earlier choice cuts.

The Playlist

Ladytron
If There Is Something
2HB
Virginia Plain
Pyjamarama
Do the Strand
Beauty Queen
In Every Dream Home A Heartache
Street Life
Just Like You
Serenade
All I Want Is You
Out of the Blue
Prairie Rose
Love is the Drug
Whirlwind
Both Ends Burning
Manifesto
Angel Eyes
Dance Away
Same Old Scene
Flesh and Blood
No Strange Delight
Jealous Guy
More than This
The Main Thing
To Turn You On

In 1999, the Velvet Goldmine (released in late ’98), a movie that looked back at the glam era, exposed me to a few more Roxy Music tunes. Finally, thanks to streaming services, I’ve been able to go back and explore the band’s full discography, and oh what a treat that has been. It has deepened my appreciation all the more.

“Ladytron”; “If There Is Something”; “2HB” \ Roxy Music (1972)

Roxy Music’s story mostly revolved around its primary writer and frontman, vocalist Bryan Ferry. What distinguished Roxy Music from his solo career was the impressively talented musicians that accompanied him in the band over their eight album and twelve-year career.

Ferry was born in 1945 in the northern British county of Durham. His father was a farm worker in the town of Washington, which became a ‘new town’ in 1964 and was located at the centre of the triangle formed by the cities of Newcastle upon Tyne, Sunderland, and Durham. Despite his blue-collar upbringing, Bryan was drawn to art and music, attending Newcastle University in the ‘60s and playing in various bands, including one called The Gas Board with Graham Simpson and John Porter. After graduating, Ferry moved to London where he began teaching art and pottery but was fired when he wouldn’t conform to the curriculum. It was then that he decided to focus on music full-time.

In late 1970, Ferry and Simpson decided to form a band and sought a keyboard player, but instead found themselves Andy Mackay, a horn player. Andy invited his university friend, Brian Eno, to join the band. Eno was making music using an early analog synthesizer, the VCS3, and reel-to-reel tape machines. He started helping the new band by enhancing their sound through these devices, contributing from off-stage during their early shows. The line-up was completed with Roger Bunn (guitar) and Dexter Lloyd (drums), however both would leave the band over the course of 1971, to be replaced by Paul Thompson (drums) and prog rock guitarist, David O’List, who had been in The Nice with Keith Emerson. The audition process also gained them guitarist Phil Manzanera (Philip Targett-Adams), but they only brought him on as a roadie.

This new band named themselves Roxy at first after the common name for old theatres, but when they learned another band was already using that, added ‘Music’ to their name. Ferry had previously auditioned for King Crimson, and though they appreciated his talent didn’t feel he was a fit. They did, however, connect him with their manager, David Enthoven of EG Management and Records. As Roxy Music’s profile in the British music scene grew in awareness, helped by promotion and a recording for BBC DJ John Peel, the band signed with EG in early ‘72. At the same time O’List left the band and Manzanera shifted from behind the scenes into the band.

EG funded the recording of the band’s first album, which took place over a week in March 1972 with King Crimson’s Peter Sinfield producing. They soon after signed with Island Records. Released in June, the self-titled album immediately placed Roxy Music into the vanguard of the British music scene. Written by Ferry, who had an abiding affection for classic R&B, the music built off the rich rhythms and slick melodies of that genre but was accentuated with sharp turns and breaks. Each band member brought distinctive flavours to the mix, making the record sound quite unlike anything else around. Manzanara’s guitar proficiency provided great solos throughout, while Simpson’s bass and Thompson’s drums gave the sound its deep foundation and vibrancy. Eno, who had become a full-fledged band member, provided an intriguing mix of keyboards and sounds. Mackay’s sax flavoured the whole album, punctuating the oft-kilter rhythms and providing added drama with high-pitched squeals, or adding unique elements with the oboe.

Kari-Ann Muller on the first album’s cover

Roxy Music was an instant success, reaching #10 in the UK albums chart. No singles were issued but it contained several standout tracks that were to become classics of the decade. The album’s first side was a stunning twenty minutes of music over four songs. The opener, “Re-Make/Re-Model,” was a rollicking, rhythm driven, rocking track. It didn’t quite introduce the different feel that Roxy would bring to the rock genre – in fact, an interlude that included solos from all the band members suggested just as much a new progressive rock act.

The next track was “Ladytron,” and it was here that the uniqueness of the band became evident. A slow build on Eno’s keyboards and a plaintive oboe from Mackay led to Ferry’s fantastic, melodious voice, “You got me girl on the run around run around / You’ve got me all around town / You’ve got me girl on the run around / And it’s getting me down, getting me down.” The song then settled into a funky, bass and drum groove accompanied with a light piano as Ferry sang in an affected twang. Was it blues? Country? And the rocking breaks marked first with oboe and then sax, along with the guitar, was that soul or rock? And before the listener could settle on any of the above, it descended into an increasing pace of discordant guitar, sound effects, and a propulsive beat before fading out. It was as original a song as one could find in 1972.

The album’s quirky turns resumed on the next track, “If There Is Something.” It was a brilliant, sultry, and epic track that helped define the Roxy sound. After a honky-tonk start, the song evolved into an extended country-rock jam with memorable guitar, piano, and sax sequences. Then as it approached the three-minute mark, it settled into an extended mid-tempo jam that became one of the best moments of the band’s career, highlighted by an extended, exquisite sax solo. At five minutes, a catchy vocal break with impassioned vocals from Ferry helped the song ride into its exultant finish. In an era when the classic rock library was being forged, Roxy Music made their entry and helped bridge that sound to its next generation.

“2HB” was the first side’s closing track, with the title a reference to Humphrey Bogart. It was a mesmerizing song riding a shimmering synth-track from Eno and punctuated by a jazzy beat from Thompson. Ferry presented the vocal in yet another style, almost as if singing with a frog in his throat, giving the song, like the rest on that side of the album, a different character. The song featured extended interludes, with its rhythms repeating in an intertwining dance of sax and keyboards, drawing in the listener to a mesmerizing experience. It was yet another remarkable track.

The second side didn’t match the lofty heights of the first. “The Bob (medley)” was an instrumental meandering of explosion sound effects, joining different pieces of rock sequences that again put the band into a prog rock vibe. The second side’s best track was, “Would You Believe?,” a combination of late ‘50s rock ‘n’ roll and hooky, muggy blues. Its abrupt turns became a defining characteristic for Roxy Music over its ensuing albums.

The album, consistent with its name, contained several references to old-school cinema. Its cover featured a retro-styled pin-up model, making Roxy Music a throwback styled package. The cover photo by Karl Stoecker was of Kari-Ann Muller, a former Bond girl and soon to be sister-in-law to Mick Jagger (she married his brother, Chris). Their thick R&B sound mixed with rock and the band’s fashions also put them on the leading edge of the new glam scene that was exploding that year in England. The first album saw Roxy at their most flamboyant stage.

Roxy Music: Brian Eno, Andy Mackay, Bryan Ferry, Paul Thompson, and Phil Manzanera

“Virginia Plain”; “Pyjamarama” \ non-album singles (1972 & 1973)

As the band set about promoting their debut LP, they decided to release a new song as a single. “Virginia Plain” was thus the first single from the band and was a hit, reaching #4 in the UK singles chart. It made sense why it had been left off the album, with its urgent, driving pace and power pop sound, it wouldn’t have fit neatly into the LP. The US release and later pressings of the album inserted “Virginia Plain” between “If There Is Something” and “2HB,” which, while adding another great song to that already amazing first side of the album, disrupted its flow.

“Virginia Plain” was a proto-punk song accented with staccato sax and Eno’s keyboards that gave it an off-kilter sound. It departed from the thick R&B glam sound and didn’t have the extended meanderings of prog rock. It gave Roxy Music its own place in the music world and started them on the path to influencing a new legion of modern rock artists.

After the recording of the first album Graham Simpson left the band, replaced with Rik Kenton on bass for the recording of “Virginia Plain.” However, he soon left also, leaving the band without a permanent bass player and now a quintet of Ferry, Eno, Mackay, Manzanera, and Thompson.

In March 1973 another single was released and again was an exploration of new song structures. “Pyjamarama” picked up on the quick tempo of “Virginia Plain” but, other than some searing guitar over the final half, dialled back the rock edge, this time distinguished by an impressive beat from Thompson. Ferry also continued to display varied tones and styles with his voice, dipping and weaving around the rhythms to carry a complex melody. The track gave Roxy a second consecutive top ten single in the UK and teed up their second LP, released later the same month.

“Do the Strand”; “Beauty Queen”; “In Every Dream Home A Heartache” \ For Your Pleasure (1973)

For Your Pleasure led off with “Do the Strand,” which was released as the band’s next single but outside the UK. Like “Virginia Plain,” it rode a persistent tempo, but this time carried by piano. The band’s depth of talent was allowing them to explore many approaches to their sound. “Do the Strand” had passages in which all the instruments came together in a cacophony that gave the song an offsetting crescendo to the consistent march of the rest of the song. John Porter, Ferry’s bandmate from The Gas Board and who had played on “Pyjamarama,” also provided bass for the album.

Amanda Lear on the cover of For Your Pleasure — Amanda Lear on the cover of *For Your Pleasure*

The second track was “Beauty Queen,” in which Roxy Music moved back into the rich, bluesy vibe which they delivered so well, and where Ferry was in his suave element. The back half of the song was interspersed with more dissonance rock elements.

The excellent opening duo set up an album that was more cohesive than the first, though still saw the band moving in and out of prog, glam, and edgy rock. All the songs were again written by Ferry and this time, with more time to work in the studio, they were able to generate more experimentation and sound blends. The album was co-produced by Chris Thomas, john Anthony, and the band. Thomas had started as an apprentice to George Martin and worked on The Beatles’ white album and Abbey Road before moving on to mix the likes of Pink Floyd’s The Dark Side of the Moon and several Bad Company LPs. He was new to producing with Roxy Music, starting a career that would see him shape the landscape of modern music through his work with The Sex Pistols, Pretenders, The Human League, and INXS.

The LP included another up-tempo rocker, “Editions of You,” and a solid R&B number, “Grey Lagoons,” and still had the longer, prog-styled tracks like “The Bogus Man” and the title track, which closed the album and featured heavy contributions of keyboards and experimental sounds from Eno. The most remarkable song on the LP was the first side’s closing track, “In Every Dream Home a Heartache,” Ferry’s rumination on architecture that took a sly turn, revealing it a reflection on an inflatable sex doll. After a lengthy build of tension as Ferry lamented in a quiet, spoken delivery over swirling, psychedelic keyboards, the song exploded at the three-minute mark after the cheeky lyric, “I blew up your body / But you blew my mind.” Led by a soaring guitar solo from Manzanera with chanting lyrics and tumbling drums, the song faded out and then back in after more than ten seconds of silence. It was a remarkable track that showed Roxy Music was going to continue to take their music into new dimensions between prog, glam, blues and whatever else could be thrown into the mix.

The cover of the album was another photo of a woman by Karl Stoecker. It was Ferry’s girlfriend, French model Amanda Lear. Her modelling career had brought her into the art world as Salvador Dalí’s muse since the late ‘60s, and into the music world as she hung out with the leading rock stars of the time. She dated Brian Jones of The Rolling Stones, who referred to her as ‘Ms Jones,’ providing inspiration for the song, “Miss Amanda Jones.” Soon after her appearance on the Roxy album she became a top-selling European disco singer. On the album cover she leaned back, looking at the viewer over her shoulder as she held a black panther on a leash with London in the background in a black and white silhouette. No longer harkening to the past like the first LP, this image was futuristic, mysterious, but just as alluring; alluding to darker ideas on what was on offer ‘for your pleasure.’

The LP, like the first, didn’t have any singles but managed a #4 spot in the UK albums chart, giving the band their second consecutive UK top ten, a streak they would not break over their career.

The inside gatefold picture for For Your Pleasure — The inside gatefold picture for *For Your Pleasure*

“Street Life”; “Just Like You”; “Serenade” \ Stranded (1973)

A band with the immense talent of Roxy Music was difficult to hold in good stead. Ferry’s assertive control over the band naturally resulted in conflicts with the creative impulses of the musicians. The band had already lost founding member Graham Simpson, and the next to go was its experimental, flamboyant keyboard player. Of course, Eno would go on to become a leading purveyor of experimental music and a renowned producer of some of the biggest and most successful albums of the modern rock era, and for Roxy Music, his absence would inevitably have an effect on their sound. The band returned to a quintet after replacing Eno with the young Eddie Jobson, another prog rock player from the band Curved Air. Bass was provided in the studio by John Gustafson for the next three albums, but only occasionally for live shows, with a trio of other players filling in on tour. Gustafson had been in the ‘60s band, The Merseybeats, had performed in the original recording of Jesus Christ Superstar as apostle Simon Zealotes.

Roxy Music released their third LP, Stranded, in September 1973, just five months after the prior LP. Ferry again wrote all the songs but this time Manzanera and Mackay received credits on a song each. Chris Thomas returned as producer. The cover again drew eyes with a photo of a beautiful woman, Marilyn Cole, who again was Ferry’s girlfriend of the time and also that year’s Playboy Playmate of that Year. It was another shot by Stoecker and this time had the model laying wet on the ground with a ripped red dress plastered to her body. The back of her hand placed to her forehead enhanced the sense of distress and of indeed being stranded.

Marilyn Cole on the cover of Stranded — Marilyn Cole on the cover of *Stranded*

Stranded continued to build Roxy Music’s profile, delivering them their first #1 album in the UK. North American success remained elusive, where the glam scene had not broken through to any great degree. For the first time, Roxy Music issued a single from the LP. “Street Life” would be their third top ten single in the UK.

Musically the album was their most accessible yet, with less eccentric and lengthy prog rock tracks and more rock tunes. Eno’s experimental elements were gone and other than a couple of guitar solos, the album was mostly the band working in a tight, cohesive sound. “Street Life” was the album’s opening track, with keyboards giving way to a drum and guitar driven song, quick and tight with an even tempo and Ferry alternating between falsetto and growling vocals. It was another proto-punk song, bridging the garage rock of the ‘60s with the punk generation now just a few years away.

The album had more down tempo tunes filled with drama, leaning into their glam sound. “Just Like You” was the second track and pure to that mode. It was a beautiful, piano flavoured tune. “Amazona” rode a funky rhythm and had the signature sharp turns that Roxy had perfected. A moody, atmospheric interlude broke the song in two, before finishing with sizzling guitars and a sharp return to funk over the outro. It was also the first Roxy Music album track (there had been non-album B-sides) to include a writing credit other than Ferry’s, with Phil Manzanera included. Three longer, moody, bluesy ballads, “Psalm,” “A Song for Europe” (which included a writing credit for Mackay) and “Sunset” gave the album a more serious tone than their other LPs. The album also provided another epic track in “Mother of Pearl” and a solid, fast-paced rocker with “Serenade.”

Performing on Top of the Pops in 1973, now with Eddie Jobson on keyboards. Sal Maida was the bassist for this performance. — Performing on *Top of the Pops* in 1973, now with Eddie Jobson on keyboards. Sal Maida was the bassist for this performance.

In just seventeen months Roxy Music had become one of England’s biggest bands, helping lead the breakthrough for the glam scene and starting to influence a new generation of musicians. Bryan Ferry, usually decked out in stylish suits and coiffed hair, was becoming one of England’s many music icons, blending art, fashion, and music in ways rock hadn’t done much before.

“All I Want Is You”; “Out of the Blue”; “Prairie Rose” \ Country Life (1974)

Roxy Music continued their high-flying ways with Country Life issued in November 1974, a full year after Stranded. It was an outstanding album that seemed to galvanize and elevate the various styles the band had been moving through. Though it deserved it, the LP didn’t manage to equal Stranded’s #1 spot on the UK album chart, peaking at #3. However, it did get the band its American break through, cracking the top forty in the US. The album offered two singles, “The Thrill of it All” in the US only and “All I Want Is You,” which just missed reaching the UK top ten.

The band continued their aesthetic of beautiful women on their album covers, this time taking the edge of their art a step further by presenting two models standing in front of some bushes wearing sheer lingerie. One covers her crotch while shielding her eyes to a bright light, while the other covers her bare breasts, suggesting they pair have been caught by surprise; yet both have stolid, defiant stares. The models were German fans that Ferry met in Portugal and who were connected to krautrock act, Can. Eveline Grunwald was the girlfriend of Can’s guitarist, Michael Karoli, and Constanze Karoli was his sister. The racy photo, for the first time not shot by Karl Stoecker but instead by Eric Boman, met its challenges with the reserved American labels and stores, who opted to either wrap the album in an opaque cover or issue it with the back jacket photo of just the background bushes on the cover instead.

Constanze Karoli and Eveline Grunwald on the infamous Country Life album cover — Constanze Karoli and Eveline Grunwald on the infamous *Country Life* album cover

While certainly Roxy’s covers were a mix of the erotic, the ironic, and the creative, they were part of the band’s suave, boundary pushing motif, in which the artistic panache of their album covers conveyed the band’s sultry, edgy sound and sophisticated, dramatic fashions. In the 1970s, the blend of sex and art was reaching a zenith as social mores relaxed. Playboy magazine, along with its clubs, represented a new version of the international, male-focused sophisticated lifestyle, porn movies started to come into mainstream attention as theatre-grade films, and box office hits too included greater exploration of sexual themes and grittier lifestyles. Roxy Music was a part of this milieu, and with Country Life they achieved one of the most recognizable and ephocal album covers in rock history.

Recognized along with Stranded as one of the greatest British art-rock albums, Country Life rolled through one fantastic song after another. The album, as their recent releases were similarly inclined, kicked off with a high tempo rocker, “The Thrill of It All.” The addition of strings gave the song a grander sound than their previous work, though the pounding drums and guitar solos kept it firmly in the rock realm. At over six minutes, it was also a longer exploration of an up-tempo style than they’d done before. “Three and Nine” followed, a lovely mid-tempo tune co-written by Andy Mackay that exuded the now consummate Roxy sound, a mix of dramatic, bluesy rock with a hint of saxy elegance.

“All I Want is You” was another proto-punk tune, mixing blistering guitar and a persistent hammering of drums and piano. The outstanding first side of the album continued with the sublime, “Out of the Blue,” a Ferry/Manzanera composition that moved through the band’s quintessential glam-rock sound, mixing bluesy and dramatic turns before elevating to an extended, high energy rock jam to carry it out over the final minute. It was another epic track to add to the band’s growing litany of such tunes. The band veered back into their country flavouring with a honkey-tonk song to close the first side, “If It Takes All Night.”

As was usually the case with Roxy Music, the second side was good but not as thrilling as the first. It opened with “Bitter Sweet,” a song with the characteristic sharp turn, but this time from a melancholic, slow ballad into a German styled, cabaret oom-pah rhythm complete with German lyrics, translated by none other than the album’s cover models. “Triptych” ventured into prog rock with chanted choruses and harpsichord sounding keyboards. “Casanova” was another funk-blues glam tune with Mackay’s usually distinctive sax personality. The side closed like many of their albums, with a longer, voyage-like tune, this time carried on a fast-strumming guitar riff over complex beats and some scherzo sax interludes. “Prairie Rose” was a fantastic song written as an ode to Texas, an admittedly odd subject for a band like Roxy Music. Was it such a turn in focus that helped the band finally get some deserved attention in the States?

“Love Is the Drug”; “Whirlwind”; “Both Ends Burning” \ Siren (1975)

Jerry Hall on the cover for Siren — Jerry Hall on the cover for *Siren*

Siren, issued in October 1975 and marking the band’s fifth album in just over three years, continued their success and recognition as both a top selling act in the UK but also one of its leading creative artists. It reached #4 in the UK but failed to match Country Life’s top forty achievement in the US, peaking at #50. However, the album provided Roxy Music’s first hit single, “Love is the Drug,” which reached #2 in the UK singles chart and the US top forty, in addition to a top ten in Canada.

“Love is the Drug” was the album’s opening track and was co-written by Andy Mackay, having started as an instrumental before Ferry added lyrics. Its hypnotic, catchy funk-rock rhythm, led by a strong bassline from John Gustafson and a ska-like guitar riff from Manzanera, drew in listeners. It was an undeniable toe-tapper, with further hooks built into its descending break at mid-song and the outro.

The rest of the album included the band’s staple styles. Bluesy sophisticates in “End of the Line” and the album closer, “Just Another High.” The longer meanderings reappeared in the third track on the first side, “Sentimental Fool,” mixing atmospheric electronics with their R&B ballad sound. The album’s two sides were better balanced and there were more up-tempo and beat-driven songs to keep the head bopping more than an any prior LP. “Whirlwind” was a breathless romp, “She Sells” was a glam-funk blast, “Could It Happen to Me?” had the adroit shifts in tempo and styles, and “Nightingale” rode another thick drum and bass foundation. “Both Ends Burning” was the album’s second single (though in an abbreviated edit from the album version), reaching the top forty in the UK, and was a classic Roxy tune, propelled by percussion that included bongos, and for the first time had the swirling new wave style keyboards that would mark their later sound.

Of course, the album’s cover had a woman on it, American model Jerry Hall. She appeared on the rocks of the South Stack coastal area on Holy Island, part of the lsle of Anglesey in Wales. Ferry had been drawn to the area after seeing a documentary about the rock formations of the area. Embodying the veritable siren of Greek mythology, Hall lay stretched across the rocks covered in blue paint wearing a crown on her long, gold hair and with fins on her ankles. Her appearance on the album cover helped launch her career to become one of the world’s most famous models. It was also the start of a two-year relationship with Ferry that included an engagement, broken off when she started seeing Mick Jagger, with whom she would have four children with over a twenty-two year relationship. Like the other Roxy Music albums, she made for another memorable cover shot.

Roxy in ‘75, clockwise from top left: Manzanera, Jobson, Ferry, Mackay, Rick Wills (one of their touring bass players), and Thompson

Over the course of 1973-74, Bryan Ferry had started releasing solo albums in addition to the Roxy Music material. These Foolish Things was a top ten album in the UK and was a collection of cover songs of ‘60s tunes. Some worked, such as the cover of Dylan’s, “A Hard Rain’s A-Gonna Fall,” while most didn’t, even spectacularly so, as with “Sympathy for the Devil.” He cracked the top ten again with Another Time, Another Place, another covers album. It had some better offerings like the cover of Dobie Gray’s (written by Billy Page) “The ‘In’ Crowd,” while most flitted between cheesy, lounge-like versions and mildly intriguing takes of more ‘60s songs. The album did, however, include one original, the title track, which was the only one that approached the quality of a Roxy Music song.

After completing touring for Siren in 1976, Roxy Music took what was likely a much needed break and Ferry focused on his solo work. In September he issued his third album of covers, Let’s Stick Together. The title track, a cover of a 1962 Wilbert Harrison song, is one of the my favourite Bryan Ferry tracks. Curiously, he also chose to refashion no less than five Roxy Music songs, mostly from their first LP, into smoother versions. As had been the case on the first two Ferry LPs, several Roxy contributors past and present participated, including Manzanera, O’List, Gustafson, Porter, Jobson, and Thompson. This new album also including guitarist Chris Spedding. Overall it was a stronger album start to finish but, as an old-school R&B and pop record, remained distinct from the Roxy Music oeuvre. The album curiously did less well than the prior two, just reaching the top twenty in the UK album chart.

There followed two more solo albums from Ferry, 1977’s In Your Mind and ‘78’s The Bride Stripped Bare. The first was an album of all original compositions and hit the top ten in the UK, and once again included Spedding and the ex-Roxy musicians. It mixed a more straightforward blend of rock and even a little soul. The second was a mix of originals and covers and reached the UK top twenty, but for the first time did not include any Roxy participants. It referenced Ferry’s break-up with Jerry Hall and included the first version of his song, “Can’t Let Go,” which would appear more forcefully as on the Roxy Music live album, The High Road. Of Ferry’s five ‘70s albums, The Bride Stripped Bare was probably the most consistent listen.

Meanwhile, the rest of Roxy Music, aside from assisting on Ferry’s work, ventured out on their own. Eddie Jobson released a solo single, “Yesterday Boulevard,” in 1976 and toured in Frank Zappa’s band, appearing in the live record, Zappa in New York. He then joined the prog rock band UK, which included drummer Bill Bruford of Yes and King Crimson, and bassist John Wetton who had played on four of Ferry’s solo LPs, was one of the rotating Roxy Music touring bassists, and had played on albums by King Crimson and Brian Eno. He would later be one of the founding members of ‘80s prog rock supergroup, Asia.

John Gustafson played with the Ian Gillan Band, a jazz rock outfit led by the ex-Deep Purple singer and whom Gustafson had performed with on the Jesus Christ Superstar recording, in which Gillan had been Jesus. The bassist played on three albums for the Ian Gillen Band between 1976 and 1978.

Andy Mackay had already recorded a solo instrumental album in 1974, In Search of Eddie Riff, that allowed him to explore his other musical interests such as jazz, Motown, and old school rock ‘n’ roll. It offered a mix of covers and originals. During the Roxy Music break he wrote, produced, and recorded the music for the ITV musical drama television show, Rock Follies, which released two soundtrack albums in 1976 and 1977. In 1978 Mackay issued his second solo album, Resolving Contradictions, which like the first included contributions from Manzanera and Thompson.

Phil Manzanera was busy during the band’s interregnum. In 1975 he released his first solo album, Diamond Head, an album of originals with writing contributions from Brian Eno and John Wetton. Eno, along with prog rock luminary Robert Wyatt and his Matching Mole bandmate Bill MacCormack, also provided vocals. The album included the entire Roxy Music line-up except for Ferry, and with Eno on board was practically a reunion of the band’s original line-up. Some of Diamond Head’s laid-back styles and airy guitar solos were a thematic match to Pink Floyd, with which he would later collaborate. He then released a second solo album in 1978, K-Scope, which along with Thompson and Wetton included the Finn brothers, for whom Phil had produced Split Enz’ second LP, 1976’s Second Thoughts. Manzanera also put together a live act to support his music, 801, featuring many of the musicians from his albums, and released two live albums and a studio LP between 1976 and ’78. To appreciate the talent in Roxy Music behind Bryan Ferry, one only needs to listen to Manzanera’s many strong solo albums.

Finally, we get to Paul Thompson, who as already noted spent his time during the break playing on his bandmates many releases over the Roxy Music break.

“Manifesto”; “Angel Eyes”; “Dance Away” \ Manifesto (1979)

During the pause, Roxy fans had only had a 1976 live album, Viva, and a 1977 Greatest Hits LP to fill the gap. By late 1978 as all the solo projects continued, it may have seemed less likely that Roxy Music would be revived.

Yet, reconvene they did, with only the quartet of Ferry, Manzanera, Thompson, and Mackay returning to the studio together for the first time in four years. Jobson was still playing with the band, UK, and wasn’t invited for the reconvening. Likewise for Gustafson, though by 1978 the Ian Gillan Band was wrapping up and he was probably available. Regardless, Roxy Music rounded out their recordings with help from bassist Alan Spenner (another player from the Jesus Christ Superstar recording), Paul Carrack on keyboards (also a noted vocalist, he had been in a prog rock band Warm Dust and a pub rock act, Ace, and was eventually a brief member of the band Squeeze), and ex-Vibrators bassist, Gary Tibbs. The band also produced the album themselves, ending the run of four consecutive albums helmed by Chris Thomas.

The music scene in late 1978 and early 1979, when the new album was being recorded, was very different than that which Roxy Music had last participated. The fervent music scene of the mid-’70s had broken open with disco, punk, and an incredible, blossoming post-punk scene that featured emerging new wave and dark wave acts. Glam music was on its last legs, Brian Eno was working with David Bowie in Berlin, putting the finishing touches on the last of their trilogy, Lodger, as the original glam rocker continued his evolution through soul and electronic music into the emergent sounds of the ‘80s. Prog rock was in its last wave of success, as the likes of Emerson, Lake, and Palmer, Jethro Tull, Yes, ELO, Led Zeppelin, and Pink Floyd were either releasing their final albums, changing their sound, or in their final days of pre-eminent success. Mainstream rock was now led by the likes of Bruce Springsteen, Billy Joel, Blondie, The Police, Supertramp, Fleetwood Mac, and AC/DC.

How was Roxy Music to fit into this varied musical universe? In many ways their sound changed in the same ways as the broader musical landscape. The prog elements were left behind, the edgier rock sounds were abandoned – no sense (or interest) in competing with the punks and rockers of the day – and their soulful, R&B styles were leaned into, refreshed with beats to give it a disco vibe.

Released in March 1979, Manifesto, the sixth Roxy Music LP, understandably lost some of the fans looking for the sounds of their earlier LPs but won them a new legion of listeners. It reached #7 in the UK to keep their flawless top ten streak alive but was their lowest showing since their debut LP. In the US, however, it reached #23 to become their first top forty LP stateside. And after a miss with the album’s debut single, “Trash,” the next two, “Dance Away,” and “Angel Eyes,” both reached the top ten in the UK with the first almost cracking the top forty in the US.

The album opened with the title track, a longer tune that featured a long, slow instrumental build before settling into a sublime, mid-tempo rocking tune. It was as if Roxy Music was easing back into their groove, warming up the old vibe while hinting at the new frontiers. The song and album title indicated a new declaration from Ferry and the band, as one of the leading acts of their times sought to re-establish their purpose as one that would continue to strive forward and not be held down by its past.

The next song was a short, punchy song, “Trash,” that failed to click with its off-kilter organ and guitar bits and a throwback feel to old school rock ‘n’ roll. Whether it was intended to be a fit with the new art rock, it didn’t find the groove and wasn’t surprising it missed as a single. The third song, “Angel Eyes,” found the band flitting into the new styles, mixing R&B, dance, and new wave synths into a nice, if unchallenging, groove. However, it was a template they would evolve into a new, quintessentially late Roxy sound that kept them in their lofty status as both a hitmaker and an influencer.

The rest of the album unfolded similarly, with the band no longer challenging with sudden shifts or experimental, ambient interludes or long, extended jams; though “Stronger Through the Years” did a bit of that, sounding like an excerpt from a Manzanera solo album, though was a Ferry track. Phil did co-write another four on the LP, indicating this was more of a band effort than any prior Roxy Music LP. “Cry, Cry, Cry” saw Ferry getting his solo proclivities into the mix, drawing from a soul sound. “Spin Me Round,” was another typical Roxy closing track, though as a soft R&B tune flavoured with bass and keyboards, it strongly hinted at what would be coming over the next two LPs.

Promo pic for the 1979 tour: Phil Manzanera, Paul Thompson, David Skinner (keyboards), Bryan Ferry, Gary Tibbs (bass), and Andy Mackay

The album’s standout track and the one that equalled “Love is the Drug” for chart success with its #2 charting, was “Dance Away.” Nothing marked Roxy Music’s new sound more purely than this easy going dance song. It’s eclectic rhythm and smooth-jazz melody saw Ferry embracing a new vocal style. His smooth vocal complimented the music, gliding over it like the suave, mature band leader he’d become. If it had seemed unlikely that Roxy Music could become a pop band, “Dance Away” convincingly opened that door. Its success, same as with “Angel Eyes,” was aided by a 12” version of the song as well as a more radio-friendly, shorter edit of the album version.

Of course, we can’t move on without talking about the album art. For the first time the band didn’t feature a fetching model, or models, in an intriguing tableau. However, the picture was no less fascinating, made up of a celebrational party scene comprised of mannequins decked out in high fashion from designer Antony Price. At first glance it seemed a straightforward scene, but closer inspection revealed the cold, hard, lifelessness of the participants (though supposedly, two long time fans of the band do appear in the background). It was a clever photo, set-up by Ferry and Price along with other collaborators.

“Same Old Scene”; “Flesh and Blood”; “No Strange Delight” \ Flesh + Blood (1980)

The band toured through 1979 before preparing to record their next LP. In early 1980 Paul Thompson broke his thumb while on his motorcycle, leaving him unavailable for the recordings. However, increasingly out of step with the direction Ferry was taking the band musically, he decided later that year to leave the band permanently. Therefore, Roxy Music recorded their seventh album as a trio of Ferry, Mackay, and Manzanera, joined by various others that included once again Carrack, Spenner, and Tibbs. Drums were provided by Andy Newmark (ex of Sly and the Family Stone) and Allan Schwartzberg, a prolific session player who played on many jazz, disco and funk hits, including the much-sampled James Brown tune, “Funky President.” Rhett Davies, who had been working in the studio over the decade with Brian Eno and had produced one of Ferry’s solo albums, co-produced the album with the band.

Aimee Stephenson and Shelley Mann on the cover for Flesh + Blood — Aimee Stephenson and Shelley Mann on the cover for *Flesh + Blood*

The hints of Roxy’s musical evolution in Manifesto came through as the central strain in Flesh + Blood, released in May 1980. Embracing the new wave sound, the album blended R&B foundations with sweet, flowing, orchestral keyboards. Though invigorated with a variety of beats, the disco feel of the prior album was left behind. Critics and fans didn’t know what to make of it, embracing it and panning it in equal measure. Commercially, it was an unmitigated success, giving the band their second #1 album in the UK, third top forty LP in the US, and scoring three top twenty singles in the UK, including two in the top ten. In the US, the singles continued to only flirt with the bottom rungs of the charts.

Bringing his penchant for ‘60s covers into the album, Ferry included two, Wilson Pickett’s “In the Midnight Hour” and The Byrds’ “Eight Miles High.” In the first, the soul classic was updated with keyboards, but anchored to its past by Mackay’s sax and oboe flourishes. In the second, the psychedelic vibes of the original were impressively transformed into a modern-day R&B-synth dance song. It was a treatment that, like the album itself, likely horrified fans of the original and perplexed those of Roxy Music, but sounded great to those who embraced the new sound.

The first side of the album, in true Roxy style, was flawless. After “In the Midnight Hour” followed four outstanding studies in their contemporary sound. “Oh Yeah” carried on from where “Dance Away” had left off, featuring sweeping sequences of R&B inspired melodies mixed with ethereal keyboards and vocal choruses. As the album’s second single it reached #5 in the UK chart.

The third track was “Same Old Scene,” one of my all-time favourite songs. The superb mix of new wave keyboards, Manzanera’s fantastic guitar work, Mackay’s strong sax interjections, and Ferry’s faraway, smooth vocal, distilled the new Roxy Music sound into absolute perfection. Maybe since it was the third single it didn’t do quite as well as the first two, reaching #12 in the chart.

The title track followed, blending the sounds of “Same Old Scene” with a funky bassline from Alan Spenner that was similar to the style of Mick Karn from the band, Japan. The breezy feel of the song offered a different take on the richer, bluesy sound of their earlier work. The first side of the album closed with the moody, sweeping, “My Only Love.” It was here that their fuller, earlier sound found balance with the new style, marked by a great guitar solo midway through.

The second side kicked off with the album’s lead single, “Over You,” which like “Oh Yeah” reached #5 in the UK chart. It was a more accessible, pop-styled song carried on a buoyant rhythm. It was a song no one could have imagined from this band in their earlier incarnation. The piano, keyboards and sax segment to close out the song was the sound that would carry their next LP. The rest of side two, after “Eight Miles High,” further explored the textured R&B the first two songs on the side had established. The penultimate song was the sublime, “No Strange Delight,” the quality of which revealed the depth and strength of the album. As usual, the album closed with a longer, slower song, the exquisite “Running Wild.”

The album’s cover was by Peter Saville, a co-founder and the central creative pulse behind the visual style of Manchester’s Factory Records. At that point he was becoming renowned thanks to his seminal album covers for Joy Division. The photo was shot by Neil Kirk and, with no influence from the band, saw Saville return Roxy Music to its reputation for featuring beautiful women. However, instead of a sexualized, seductive pose, the three models, Aimee Stephenson, Shelley Mann, and Ashley (Roslyn) Bolton were depicted as javelin throwers. The photo wrapped around the album jacket, so that Bolton only appeared on the back with Stephenson and Mann on the front, appearing below the three javelins angled up and ready for throwing. It was a powerful, athletic, and empowered pose of the women, something not seen on a Roxy LP since the Amanda Lear picture on For Your Pleasure.

“Jealous Guy” \ non-album single (1981)

After John Lennon’s death in December 1980, Roxy Music started performing on tour the song, “Jealous Guy,” from the 1971 Imagine album. They recorded it and released it as a single in February of 1981. It was a fantastic version, carried by beautiful solos from Mackay and Manzanera and a curious whistling vocal from Ferry that brought one of Lennon’s loveliest and most cherished songs to a new generation. Buoyed by the outpouring of grief over Lennon’s passing, the song was sent to #1 in the UK to make it Roxy Music’s only single to reach that peak.

“More Than This”; “The Main Thing”; “To Turn You On” \ Avalon (1982)

The trio of Ferry, Mackay, and Mazanera returned to the studio later in 1981 to start working on their eighth and final album. Many of the same artists from the prior two albums also returned, though Gary Tibbs didn’t as he’d joined Adam and the Ants by that point. Most of the bass playing on the album was Alan Spenner, with Neil Jason, a renowned studio player, providing some deep grooves on several songs. Andy Newmark again did most of the drumming, except for on “To Turn You On,” which was another well-traveled session player, Rick Marotta. The album was again co-produced by the band and Rhett Davies; and like the two before it, several songs had writing credits from Manzanera and Mackay.

Lucy Helmore (soon to be Ferry) on the cover of Avalon — Lucy Helmore (soon to be Ferry) on the cover of *Avalon*

Avalon was released in May 1982 and has been recognized as one of the greatest albums of its generation. Though many fans of the older Roxy Music may not have warmed up to the new music, with this album critics returned to nearly universal praise of the band’s work. The album’s soft edges, lush soundscapes, beautiful melodies, and graceful accents brought the band a wider audience, many of which (such as my mom, as I noted in the intro), would have not known or been the least interested in the early music of Roxy Music. For me, as a fresh twelve-year-old, I found the album mesmerizing and felt very mature listening to it. It was the start of a lifelong relationship with the album. I’m not the only one in that position. The album became the group’s third #1 LP in the UK, though incredibly only reached #53 in the US, especially given the enduring fondness many North American fans have shown for the album over the years. The album featured three singles, with only “More Than This” reaching the top ten in the UK, and with “Avalon” and “Take A Chance with Me” peaking within the top twenty and top forty respectively. In the US none reached the top 100, though “Take A Chance…” reached the top forty in Canada. Remaining an album band to the end, it’s not surprising that Roxy Music’s only #1 single, “Jealous Guy,” came via a cover song that didn’t appear on an album.

The album’s cover kept their traditions alive by featuring a beautiful woman who was also the girlfriend of Bryan Ferry. Lucy Helmore, twenty-two years old and fourteen years younger than Ferry, would marry the Roxy frontman one month after the album’s release and have four sons with him over a twenty-one-year marriage. The Avalon cover, however, broke pattern in that Helmore’s face wasn’t visible and she was fully clothed, helmeted even, as she looked over a steamy lake at dawn (located at Helmore’s parent’s place in Ireland) with a falcon perched on her hand. Designed again by Peter Saville, the image evoked King Arthur’s last journey to Avalon, the island of the legend in which the sword Excalibur was forged and in which the King returned for his final rest. Whether it was known Avalon was to be their final LP, the symbolism worked in signifying the band’s concluding turn.

Revealing the band’s maturity and mastery of its sound, Avalon was a perfect run of ten songs, with both sides evenly balanced and with so many great tracks that none could claim status as a standout. It was the best example of the album, immaculately compiled such that it demanded to be heard in order in a single listen.

“More than This” kicked it off, blending their deep R&B sound and smooth, new wave melody into a magnificent pop song. If “Love is the Drug” was the band’s signature song of the first half of their career, this became the one for their latter half. The funk of their early days returned in “The Space Between,” punctuated by sax, as it did also on the instrumental fourth track, “India.” The title track was in the third slot, a sweltering, languid, bluesy float down a beautiful river propelled by the sparse guitar and sax work and the soulful backing vocals from Haitian singer, Yanick Étienne. She was discovered recording in the next studio with a Haitian band and was recognized as the song’s missing element. She couldn’t speak a word of English. The album’s first side closed with, “While My Heart is Still Beating,” another rich, down tempo offering similar to the title track.

The pace picked up on the second side, kicking off with reverberating percussion and Ferry’s keyboards, subtly easing into a hypnotic pop tune, “The Main Thing.” It wasn’t released as a single but has become one of the band’s best-known tracks. The second track started with a slow, atmospheric, instrumental build-up before exploding – a full eighty seconds into the song – into another pop masterpiece. Dispensing with the upbeat pop vibes, the back half of side two then explored some of the most textured, soulful, achingly beautiful moments of the band’s career. “To Turn You On” effortlessly moved between breezy R&B verses before turning smartly into a beautiful, delicate chorus, before turning the song over to graceful instrumental breaks. “True to Life” floated on a shimmering keyboard line, with reverberating vocals to match and a faraway guitar that sent the song into an effervescent cloud. For the album’s closing track, the band broke their formula by instead offering a short, quiet instrumental that gave Andy Mackay the final word, carrying a soprano sax solo into the final sounds of waves crashing onto a shore. It was the perfect ending to the album and the career of such an accomplished band that had started with such bombast but ended in quiet contemplation.

The band toured Avalon into 1983 and released their second live recording that year, The High Road. The short EP captured the band in Glasgow, Scotland on their final tour, playing “Jealous Guy” and another cover, a fantastic rendition of Neil Young’s, “Like A Hurricane.” The solo Ferry song, “Can’t Let Go,” was given an energetic performance, and the only Roxy Music song was, “My Only Love.”

The band formally split in ’83 and Ferry returned to his solo career, releasing the successful and excellent album, Boys and Girls in 1985 followed by another solid LP, Bête Noire, in 1987. He has since released nine more LPs, often resorting to his predilection for cover songs, drawing from various musical styles. I’ve had the pleasure of seeing him twice in 2016 and 2019 in which he fortunately played many of my favourite Roxy Music tunes.

Phil Manzanera released the excellent album, Primitive Guitars, in 1982, and didn’t release another until 1990. He has now issued nine solo albums over his career. He has played on many others work, including with Andy Mackay and John Wetton, and has written and produced work for many including Pink Floyd and David Gilmour.

Paul Thompson had a turn with the ‘90s alt-rock band, Concrete Blonde, playing on their career-defining 1990 LP, Bloodletting. He has also played with Andy Mackay over the years.

Andy Mackay and Manzanera formed the band, Explorers, and released an album in 1985. They came back again as Manzanera and Mackay and released four albums between 1988 and 2001. Mackay has also issued three more solo albums to add to the four albums he did in the ‘70s.

In 2001, Ferry, Manzanera, Mackay, and Thompson reunited and toured for Roxy Music’s thirtieth anniversary. In 2002 Manzanera and Thompson played and toured with Ferry for his album, Frantic. Then in 2005 and again in 2007 there were rumours of a new Roxy Music album in which Eno was going to contribute songs. It never materialized. The band toured in 2006 (with Newmark on drums instead of Thompson), 2010, and in 2011 for their fortieth anniversary, which was the last time they would play together until their performance for their 2019 induction to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, with a line-up of Ferry, Mackay, Manzanera, and Jobson. And that unfinished album? In 2011 Manzanera put cold water on the idea of it ever being released, saying it wasn’t good enough and they had no desire to finish it. He also declared in 2014 the band was unlikely to reunite again, stating “our job is done.”

Whether Roxy Music reunites again, releases new music, or just retires and leaves its existing legacy to remain, they have nothing to regret given their stellar record. Few bands finish as strong as they started, and in Roxy Music’s case, despite a remarkable shift in sound over their final three albums, there wasn’t a weak album in their discography.

The band’s two career segments are distinguished from each other yet stand together as pillars of incredible periods of creativity and performance. The first five albums were groundbreaking, influential, and put Roxy Music at the forefront of the ,70s British music world, first for glam then for the proto-punk, art rock scene that launched modern rock. The last three albums were remarkable for their quality, consistency, and for embracing the new musical trends of the period, helping make new wave a leading genre.

Roxy Music’s evolution came down to the incredible individual talents of musicians. Yes, Bryan Ferry was an amazing song writer, but without the likes of Brian Eno, Phil Manzanera, Paul Thompson, and Andy Mackay the variety of sounds and complexity of composition the band turned out wouldn’t have been possible. Credit though, must be given to Ferry, who rightly became recognized as one of the leading frontmen of rock music during an era in which some of the biggest and most renowned were also making their mark. Blending art, fashion, and music, he and the band set their own path through the tumultuous music world of the ‘70s and came out on top, not just for many fans around the world, but for an impressionable twelve year old just finding his own path into the music world.

Roxy Music’s album covers were often photos that wrapped around to the back cover. Here are the full photos. Online searches will also find additional photos from some of these photo shoots, showing the models in other poses. Only Siren, Manifesto, and Avalon didn’t have wraparound photos.