From: owner-avalon-digest@smoe.org (avalon-digest) To: avalon-digest@smoe.org Subject: avalon-digest V3 #266 Reply-To: avalon@smoe.org Sender: owner-avalon-digest@smoe.org Errors-To: owner-avalon-digest@smoe.org Precedence: bulk avalon-digest Tuesday, November 3 1998 Volume 03 : Number 266 Today's Subjects: ----------------- [AVALON] Velvet Goldmine [erik simpson ] [AVALON] Velvet Goldmine URL [Brian Folks ] [AVALON] Velvet Goldmine [jas2347@xsite.net] Re: [AVALON] Velvet Goldmine [LizzieJim@aol.com] To leave the list, mail majordomo@smoe.org with: unsubscribe avalon-digest ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: Mon, 02 Nov 1998 01:41:56 -0800 From: erik simpson Subject: [AVALON] Velvet Goldmine Hi; I finally have had a chance to hear the "Velvet Goldmine" soundtrack. It's pretty odd to hear other singers (primarily Radiohead's Thom Yorke) doing the vocals in what are pretty much straightforward re-creations of the original Roxy tracks. They are slowly growing on me ("but the originals are still the greatest"). Since they couldn't get Bowie to cooperate, they came up with some very Bowie-esque period songs, courtesy of Shudder To Think and Grant Lee Buffalo, among others, for the movie. The new issue of SPIN has a big article on the movie, and although there isn't a Bowie song in sight anywhere, you wouldn't know it from the 8 page (including pictures) article, as it's all (sadly) Bowie, Bowie, Bowie. About all they have to say about Roxy can be summed in the following excerpts; "Nonetheless, Bowie wasn't the inventor of glam; T. Rex's Marc Bolan had a better claim (yet Bolan's act, which sold an estimated 37 million records in three years, has been all but obliterated from popular consciousness). Meanwhile, Roxy musicians Bryan Ferry and Brian Eno interwove the ultracool cabaret decadence and wildly androgynous showtime that defined the glam style. Bowie was, quite simply, the genius who arrived to make it all mean something." Whatever. and, from the 1971 section of the article's glam timeline; "Art-schooled Bryan Ferry forms Roxy Music; flamboyant soundman Brian Eno invited to play synthesizer; "I was not gay" says Eno, "but I wanted to look great, and looking great meant dressing like a woman" and, from the 1972 section of their glam (meaning; mainly Bowie) timeline; "Brian (sp) Ferry-led Roxy Music release self-titled debut album; record "For Your Pleasure". Accompanied by one of the singularly most unflattering photos of Ferry from that period I have ever seen. (Even Eno gets a bigger and better and photo elsewhere in the article.) And that is pretty much it. I guess Ferry and Roxy pretty much ceased to exist artistically and creatively after '73. From there it goes on to extol the cultural and artistic significance of Bowie at length, particularly as it relates to the film. Both Lou Reed and Iggy fare much better overall than Ferry/Roxy. Why am I not surprised?!? All this Bowie-centric prejudice would seem to be at odds with the actual soundtrack. No artist from that period is better represented than Roxy (especially so if you consider the 2, post-Roxy, Eno tracks, one the original "Needle In The Camel's Eye", one a remake/remodel job on "Baby's On Fire") with their 4 covers ("2HB", "Bittersweet", "Ladytron" and "Bitters End") and one original version ("Virginia Plain"). All the Wylde Rattz (read Stooges) songs that I thought would be on here, aren't. But I think there may be whole album from them forthcoming. That band consisted of Stooge Ron Asheton, Sonic Youth's Thurston Moore and Steve Shelley, Mudhoney's Mark Arm, Minutemen/Firehose/solo artist Mike Watt, guitarist/producer Don Fleming and Jim Dunbar. With actor Ewan MacGregor (Obi-Wan Kenobi in the forthcoming Star Wars) doing his best Iggy. How's that for range? So I guess I should blame SPIN for totally giving Roxy the short end of the stick again. Thanks for the totally myopic article, dudes. At least the soundtrack does them justice. (Although I can't help think that it might have been very different, if Bowie had allowed them access to his tunes.) Bye; Erik S P.S. I find myself hoping that this soundtrack not only raises some better-late-than-never interest in not only Roxy, but also in Steve Harley and Cockney Rebel (who get the last 2 songs on the soundtrack). Favorites of mine from that era, they received even less stateside attention than Roxy, if that's possible. Their excellent recordings are virually impossible to find on CD. It was nice to hear the Church cover "Ritz" on their "Magician Against the Spirits" Cd of a year or 2 ago. Now with this, I am sure there will be an avalanche of renewed interest. Just like with Roxy. He said with toungue firmly planted-in-cheek. P.P.S. I've got nothing against Bowie. I thought some of his stuff was briliiant. Some I thought was utter crap. And alot, maybe most of it, fell somewhere inbetween. But his work always paled next to Roxy's/Ferry's, overall, I thought. Thus I found it maddening that Bowie seemed to get sole credit for any innovations from that era. To his credit, Bowie always was among the first to give Roxy/Ferry their due. Not that it seemed to help much. But if it seems that I hold the lack of recognition that Roxy/Ferry received, against Bowie, I don't. Now Playing-Atom Shop"-Bill Nelson - -------------------- To unsub, mail majordomo@smoe.org with: unsubscribe avalon ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 02 Nov 1998 06:48:38 -0800 From: Brian Folks Subject: [AVALON] Velvet Goldmine URL Miramax films official web site contains picures and movie clips! http://www.miramax.com:8888/mm_front/owa/mp.entryPoint?action=1&midStr=568 Brian Folks - -------------------- To unsub, mail majordomo@smoe.org with: unsubscribe avalon ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 02 Nov 1998 22:39:44 -0600 From: jas2347@xsite.net Subject: [AVALON] Velvet Goldmine Hi: The latest issue of Rolling Stone( No. #800- Alanis Morissette) has an article on Velvet Goldmine. Lots of Roxy references. It got a favorable review. I can't wait to see this movie and to hear the soundtrack. Oh yes, I did send Virgin my two cents on the dropping of Bryan from the roster. I have yet to get a response. Lizzie: I also sent Terri Hemmert of WXRT a e-mail about the possible reunion and the dropping of Bryan form Virgin. I have yet to hear back. I will call her while her show is going on to see what she knows. I have a feeling she already knows, but want to hear it from her. Of course I will also get in a request for a Roxy/Bryan song. By the way, did you see the Monday Sun-Times? It had an article on the majestic Uptown theatre. I live just down the street. It is still has not reopened, but there is hope ( maybe in time for the Roxy Reunion!). It is at the Uptown that I saw Roxy during the Manifesto tour and had my infamous run in with Bryan in the limo after the show. Jas - -------------------- To unsub, mail majordomo@smoe.org with: unsubscribe avalon ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 2 Nov 1998 23:42:32 EST From: LizzieJim@aol.com Subject: Re: [AVALON] Velvet Goldmine I am surprized that Terri hasn't said anything. I e'd WXRT bout it but never received an answer. Maybe they don't want to dis Virgin because they play their other artists. Its funny though when you look on the Virgin web-site they still have him on their web-site like he's till part of the family. I remember seeing Bryan at the Uptown I believe during the In Your Mind tour. I remember that evening like it was yesterday. He did quite a performance then and really rocked the house. I do hope he does another tour someday because I'm ready to see him again. I don't go to many ocnerts at all because there just isn't anyone I really wnat to see. I am seeing Chris Isaak at the Chicago theatre as he is also one of my favorites. Take Care! Janeen Lizziejim@aol.com - -------------------- To unsub, mail majordomo@smoe.org with: unsubscribe avalon ------------------------------ End of avalon-digest V3 #266 **************************** ======================================================================== For further info, mail majordomo@smoe.org with: info avalon-digest