From: owner-avalon-digest@smoe.org (avalon-digest) To: avalon-digest@smoe.org Subject: avalon-digest V5 #115 Reply-To: avalon@smoe.org Sender: owner-avalon-digest@smoe.org Errors-To: owner-avalon-digest@smoe.org Precedence: bulk avalon-digest Monday, March 20 2000 Volume 05 : Number 115 Today's Subjects: ----------------- Re: [AVALON] Greatest Rock Band Ever [AESYSTON@aol.com] [AVALON] ferry, stardom and his concert in linz ["Sebastian Fasthuber" ] Re: [AVALON] 28 years and counting ["Martin Stockman" ] [AVALON] Stuff [Peter Dewey ] [AVALON] Avalon update [Kicki Gustafsson ] Re: [AVALON] Slave to love [Kicki Gustafsson ] Re: [AVALON] Slave to love [Kicki Gustafsson ] Re: [AVALON] Re: La Perla ["the siren" ] [AVALON] Re: Brand Name [avalon-digest V5 #114} ["David Squires" ] Re: [AVALON] Support bands [avalon-digest V5 #114] ["David Squires" ] Re: [AVALON] Stuff ["Frank Herrebout" ] To leave the list, mail majordomo@smoe.org with: unsubscribe avalon-digest ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: Sun, 19 Mar 2000 04:59:28 EST From: AESYSTON@aol.com Subject: Re: [AVALON] Greatest Rock Band Ever What a dilema! I suppose Roxy must be my all time fave band, followed by , velvet underground, Clash, Beatlesand the Buzzcocks. Only one CD! , it would have to be Siren - -------------------- To unsub, mail majordomo@smoe.org with: unsubscribe avalon ------------------------------ Date: Sun, 19 Mar 2000 11:16:22 +0100 From: "Sebastian Fasthuber" Subject: [AVALON] ferry, stardom and his concert in linz hi all you avalonians, i'm pretty new to the list and would like to offer you my comment on ferry, popularity and so on. i bought my first RM album (avalon) only about a year ago, but my passion for the group is really a big one and ever growing, so that it amazes me sometimes. i'm 22 and recall that when 'heart still beating' came out, i used to walk through the crappy record-stores of the small city i lived in and saw that album. the name RM was common to me, but i did not know what to do with it and i did not buy the record. i don't know how i would have felt about RM and BF back then. maybe the music and the whole feel would have hit me even harder as i was in my teens and already the sentimental fool i am now. favourite album, by the way, 'country life'. so what do i think about ferry and stardom? i guess, the tour shows that he still IS a star (of a certain dimension, of course). one of you asked, how big the venues he plays in are. speaking for austria, they were about 1.000-2.000 (i'm not to good at this) and the concert in linz (upper austria) i went to see was sold out. but this may also have to do with the fact that a (crap) radio station presented it and gave ATGB quite some airplay. it seems austria is a good place for ferry, as i had no problems buying the album. and all the RM and BF reissues are also easily avaible. he had good reviews in the press, too. due to the airplay there, of course, were many people who did not seem to know too much about our man's story. it was a bit problematic during the first part of the show (during the instrumentals some of them screamed: 'where is he? is he late?') and when there were quite a lot of quiet numbers at the start of the second half. but there were also a lot of people who screamed when they heard the first chords of the old songs. BF was in great form, i have to say and also his band. i found it lovely how they managed to make not only the ATGB songs but also the rock songs as 'do the strand' sound so great. BF really seems to enjoy the thought of having his own little 'orchestra'. i would not bother too much about the industry, it's a waste of time. but i'm sure that compilations don't really help (you know how many compilations come out every week!) to get BF back into the minds of many people. but i think that ATGB and the tour really did this already! and, yes, i do think that it is the perfect moment to release new material in autumn (also concerning that our man is celebrating his 55th in september!!!). hey kiki, what about me being nr. 70 on your nice site? what do i have to do? best sebastian (who is, due to his weak processor, unable to really watch the milan concert and added the word 'buffering' to his list of 'hate words') - -------------------- To unsub, mail majordomo@smoe.org with: unsubscribe avalon ------------------------------ Date: Sun, 19 Mar 2000 07:33:02 EST From: ASchulberg@aol.com Subject: Re: [AVALON] More Goth talk In a message dated 03/16/2000 1:39:33 AM Eastern Standard Time, jas2347@xsite.net writes: << You don't really think they were going to give you the real story do you. Bryan, Jeri nor the "snake" were never interviewed for the story. Now that would have been a program. >> Get them on Jerry Springer. Topic: "Rock Stars Who Run Off With Other Rock Stars' Fiancees". Arnie - -------------------- To unsub, mail majordomo@smoe.org with: unsubscribe avalon ------------------------------ Date: Sun, 19 Mar 2000 10:58:40 -0500 (EST) From: Colleen Matan Subject: Re: [AVALON] Re: Brand names etc. On Sun, 19 Mar 2000, Richard Swift wrote: > As stated earlier, Bryan is contracturally obligated to produce a > compilation album later this year. Although ATGB was released on Virgin > Germany, the fact he still has to release this album suggests his contract > with Virgin is still alive and well. Nothing I have heard from, for example > Jim Lawn, suggests otherwise. Actually, if this is the last record for this contract, and if the contract stipulates that the last release has to be a compilation (or if Virgin has amended it along those lines in order to make some money), then that does not necessarily mean that his contract with Virgin is "alive and well." It could just mean he has not finished fulfilling his present contract (but will with the compilation). > From what Jim says, the record company are delighted with the success of As > Time Goes By. It's Bryan's biggest selling album of 'new' material since > Boys and Girls and has sold very well in a number of territories, not just > the UK. Earlier this year at least, Virgin were keen to promote the album Well, I would say the "success," relatively speaking, of ATGB has more to do with the fact is a collection of famous songs from the 1930s than with the fact it is an album by Bryan Ferry. It's, as I said before I heard it, background music for yuppie dinner parties. It's "I never heard of this guy but I have heard of almost all of theses songs." Oh sure, a few people who have never heard of him and bought ATGB might buy the new original album (should it ever exist), but I would wager this number would be small (cf., "I never heard of this guy and I never heard of any of these songs.") In addition, let me ask y'all this: biggest selling solo release since _Boys and Girls_ perhaps, but how many of you think of ATGB as The Ultimate Statement Of Who Bryan Ferry Is? A show of hands please. (Also, if there is anyone here who actually discovered Mr. Ferry via ATGB, I'd love to hear if you've explored his back catalog and your thoughts.) > with a new round of TV advertising to co-incide with the second leg of the > UK tour around Easter. This isn't financed by Bryan - the success of the > album apparently justifies an investment on the part of the record company > to advertise the album again and garner new sales. Well, how much of an investment? Probably not all that much in the scheme of things--a few TV commercials, right? > dominated by youth (as it always has been). But who would have forecast a > few years ago that Tom Jones would have a number one album, a string of top > 20 singles and be voted Brit Awards' Best British Male Artist or that Andy > Williams would have a top ten hit or Dean Martin a top ten album? How they Well, I would say that all three of them were much better known and better selling artists than Mr. Ferry--as in everbody knows who they are (and nobody knows who he is). And a lot of that success is the mining of nostalgia at best (and kitsch, at worst), and a nostalgia/kitsch which is shared world-wide. It's an entirely different scale of stardom than what Mr. Ferry has. (Please, don't start with how he's known world-wide. Yes, he is. But it's not the same.) > got there (collaborations with 'current' artists or re-released material) is > irrelevant - the fact is that they did and they did so by appealing to a > whole new audience, and a much younger one at that. It might seem sad or Actually, I think how they got there is VERY relevant, butI won't repeat what I wrote the other day on this subject. Colleen - -------------------- To unsub, mail majordomo@smoe.org with: unsubscribe avalon ------------------------------ Date: Sun, 19 Mar 2000 12:10:41 -0500 From: KB Porter Subject: Re: [AVALON] ferry, stardom and his concert in linz Dear Sebastian: I am very interested in your observations and opinions regarding Bryan Ferry/ Roxy Music. Your patience and cooperation would be deeply appreciated, if you will suffer the task of answering a few questions. My probe is essentially generated in the hopes of better understanding BF/RM's attractiveness to younger persons. In this context, a younger person is defined as one who was too young, say under ten years of age, to be considered part of the record buying public at the time of Roxy Music's zenith, let's say 1974-1979. (This is not scientific, so please don't get hung-up on pin-pointing details of ages and dates as selected above.) This said, I would also be interested in hearing from other list members who fit the definition of younger person as specified, please give current age and country of residence should you reply. First, Sebastian, I need some clarification. Your post seemed to state, the concert in Linz was a sell-out possibly because the local station was presenting the gig, but that the promotional air-play seemed to create confusion for many concert attendees. Please tell me, did the radio station give away a large portion of tickets to the general public? You stated the radio station aired ATGB quite a bit. What sort of BF/RM music mix was aired, if any, prior to the concert? What do you feel the expectations were of concert attendees - what contributed to their confusion? Based upon local airplay, was the concert material what you expected to hear? Second, more basic and general, please tell me: 1) At what age did you first become aware of Roxy Music. 2) At what age did you become aware of Bryan Ferry as a solo artist. 3) How did you first become aware: via electronic broadcast programing or advertising, via print media stories or advertising, via word of mouth recommendation from piers or family, via the internet? In short, please recall and specify how in particular your knowledge and exposure to Bryan Ferry developed? 4) What do you like about Bryan Ferry? His lyrics, his compositions, his voice, his persona, his music in general, Roxy Music, solo music, original and/or covers, his live performances, albums? Why? 5) What do you find detracts from the things you do like about Bryan Ferry? If you could reform Bryan Ferry today, what would you change in order to create what you believe would be a more attractive musician? 6) How do you sustain yourself while satiating your need for Bryan Ferry's work? Do you crave a Roxy reunion? If so, would you prefer New Roxy recordings with new or old material? A concert tour of existing Roxy material? Do you crave new Bryan Ferry material? Do you crave Bryan Ferry compilation of already released material? I realize the above questions will take considerable time to thoroughly answer. In doing your best to explain your answers, you will greatly aide my understanding of this younger market to which you belong. Please indulge my curiosity. Please. Thank you, and best wishes, KBP - -------------------- To unsub, mail majordomo@smoe.org with: unsubscribe avalon ------------------------------ Date: Sun, 19 Mar 2000 18:46:43 +0800 From: Kicki Gustafsson Subject: Re: [AVALON] ferry, stardom and his concert in linz Sebastian asked: > >hey kiki, what about me being nr. 70 on your >nice site? >what do i have to do? Well, you just mail me what you want to put up there. If you look a the other profiles you can see what kind of info I'm looking for. And please, write in the same manner, i e: Lives: Somewhere Into Roxy: sometime Best album: Something I handle the HTML-side of the matter. If you want to include a picture you can mail that also, as an attatched jpeg-file. If you have problems with scanning a picture, you can send me the picture in a regular, papermade envelope and I'll scan it for you! :-) But you don't have to have a picure, I'll put up your profile anyway. Kicki G - --------------------------- Kicki Gustafsson http://www.torget.se/users/k/KickiG (personal homepage) http://www.avalon.pp.se (my Roxy Music/Bryan Ferry-site) - -------------------- To unsub, mail majordomo@smoe.org with: unsubscribe avalon ------------------------------ Date: Sun, 19 Mar 2000 18:52:55 +0800 From: Kicki Gustafsson Subject: [AVALON] Slave to love Slave to love is available at http://www.amazonco.uk : http://www.amazon.co.uk/exec/obidos/ASIN/B00004SBGE/qid=953488278/sr=1-22/026-31 59063-2639854 It's rather sweet that the call it Slave to Love - Sweden! /Kicki G - 37 today (ugh!) - --------------------------- Kicki Gustafsson http://www.torget.se/users/k/KickiG (personal homepage) http://www.avalon.pp.se (my Roxy Music/Bryan Ferry-site) - -------------------- To unsub, mail majordomo@smoe.org with: unsubscribe avalon ------------------------------ Date: Sun, 19 Mar 2000 18:16:38 +0100 From: "Martin Stockman" Subject: Re: [AVALON] 28 years and counting - ---------- >From: Colleen Matan > In addition, let me ask y'all this: biggest selling solo release since > _Boys and Girls_ perhaps, but how many of you think of ATGB as The > Ultimate Statement Of Who Bryan Ferry Is? A show of hands please. Come on Colleen, you're too bright to stage this tabloid phone-in stuff. From the earliest days he demonstrated his affection for pre-war love songs and had the confidence to record them alongside his more avante-garde offerings. Bryan, like all of us, has evolved and is the sum of his ongoing experiences. For me the darkness of Mamouna/Horoscope harks back to the first Roxy album whilst the elan of ATGB echoes These Foolish Things. Its a broad church. The love of the words and the arrangements, not forgetting the glamour, in the 30s album is part of his story; he himself would be hard pushed to consider the "ultimate statement of who Bryan Ferry is. - -------------------- To unsub, mail majordomo@smoe.org with: unsubscribe avalon ------------------------------ Date: Sun, 19 Mar 2000 18:20:57 +0100 From: "Martin Stockman" Subject: Re: [AVALON] Slave to love - ---------- >From: Kicki Gustafsson > It's rather sweet that the call it Slave to Love - Sweden! It's a remarkable coincidence but that's how I mark you in my address book. - -------------------- To unsub, mail majordomo@smoe.org with: unsubscribe avalon ------------------------------ Date: Sun, 19 Mar 2000 13:26:46 -0800 From: "Jeffrey F. Jones" Subject: Re: [AVALON] Slave to love What is the track listing for this CD..is it a compilation?? At 06:52 PM 3/19/00 +0800, you wrote: >Slave to love is available at http://www.amazonco.uk : >http://www.amazon.co.uk/exec/obidos/ASIN/B00004SBGE/qid=953488278/sr=1-22/02 >6-31 >59063-2639854 > >It's rather sweet that the call it Slave to Love - Sweden! > >/Kicki G - 37 today (ugh!) > >--------------------------- >Kicki Gustafsson >http://www.torget.se/users/k/KickiG (personal homepage) >http://www.avalon.pp.se (my Roxy Music/Bryan Ferry-site) > > > > >-------------------- >To unsub, mail majordomo@smoe.org with: >unsubscribe avalon > - -------------------- To unsub, mail majordomo@smoe.org with: unsubscribe avalon ------------------------------ Date: Sun, 19 Mar 2000 18:36:44 +0000 From: Peter Dewey Subject: [AVALON] Stuff Hello again Avalonians Whilst unpacking after my recent move, I came across my old tour programmes, a Roxy Music songbook (I'm no musician but a single line of music means for guitar, doesn't it?) which covers the first 2 albums and somthing called the Bryan Ferry magazine. Does anyone know what this was all about? Regards - -- Peter Dewey - -------------------- To unsub, mail majordomo@smoe.org with: unsubscribe avalon ------------------------------ Date: Sun, 19 Mar 2000 19:42:17 +0800 From: Kicki Gustafsson Subject: [AVALON] Avalon update http://www.avalon.pp.se is updated with five new reviews from Düsselforf, Antwerp and Paris. Enjoy! /Kicki G - --------------------------- Kicki Gustafsson http://www.torget.se/users/k/KickiG (personal homepage) http://www.avalon.pp.se (my Roxy Music/Bryan Ferry-site) - -------------------- To unsub, mail majordomo@smoe.org with: unsubscribe avalon ------------------------------ Date: Sun, 19 Mar 2000 19:43:43 +0800 From: Kicki Gustafsson Subject: Re: [AVALON] Slave to love >---------- >>From: Kicki Gustafsson >> It's rather sweet that the call it Slave to Love - Sweden! > >It's a remarkable coincidence but that's how I mark you in my address book. Martini. Have I ever told you that I love you? /Sweden - --------------------------- Kicki Gustafsson http://www.torget.se/users/k/KickiG (personal homepage) http://www.avalon.pp.se (my Roxy Music/Bryan Ferry-site) - -------------------- To unsub, mail majordomo@smoe.org with: unsubscribe avalon ------------------------------ Date: Sun, 19 Mar 2000 19:44:35 +0800 From: Kicki Gustafsson Subject: Re: [AVALON] Slave to love >What is the track listing for this CD..is it a compilation?? If you go to my site at http://www.avalon.pp.se you'll find a whole page about Slave to love. /Kicki - --------------------------- Kicki Gustafsson http://www.torget.se/users/k/KickiG (personal homepage) http://www.avalon.pp.se (my Roxy Music/Bryan Ferry-site) - -------------------- To unsub, mail majordomo@smoe.org with: unsubscribe avalon ------------------------------ Date: Sun, 19 Mar 2000 19:46:10 GMT From: "the siren" Subject: Re: [AVALON] Re: La Perla Brilliant? yes, better? No, No no, noooooooooh Robert >Can I be the first to suggest that the new "Pearl" is an improvement on the >classic. From the the sublime to the even more sublime. > >Mmmmmmartino > > >-------------------- >To unsub, mail majordomo@smoe.org with: >unsubscribe avalon > ______________________________________________________ Get Your Private, Free Email at http://www.hotmail.com - -------------------- To unsub, mail majordomo@smoe.org with: unsubscribe avalon ------------------------------ Date: Sun, 19 Mar 2000 20:22:16 -0000 From: "David Squires" Subject: [AVALON] Re: Brand Name [avalon-digest V5 #114} On 19 Mar 2000, at 4:05, mark wrote: > right. well, what's just really funny, then, is how david sylvian > (who's on virgin) can take ELEVEN YEARS to put out another solo > album and yet he's still got *his* niche within the big 'V' (and > has NOT been let go)! Not forgetting Scritti Politti. Who? :-) David - -- David Squires Wimbotsham Norfolk UK - -------------------- To unsub, mail majordomo@smoe.org with: unsubscribe avalon ------------------------------ Date: Sun, 19 Mar 2000 20:22:17 -0000 From: "David Squires" Subject: [AVALON] Sultanesque I think Sultanesque is wonderful, more than worth its place in that part of the body of work that comprises the early B sides. ISTR that it originated as a piece that Bryan had recorded on a Revox at home, played on a Farfisa organ. He then transferred it to 16 track, Thompson put the lovely backwards gong on it and the others also contributed. I love Gustaffson's bass part, really simple when put against the slightly wayward melody. An essential part of the Ferry instrumental canon IMO. And much more interesting than India... David - -- David Squires Wimbotsham Norfolk UK - -------------------- To unsub, mail majordomo@smoe.org with: unsubscribe avalon ------------------------------ Date: Sun, 19 Mar 2000 20:22:16 -0000 From: "David Squires" Subject: Re: [AVALON] Support bands [avalon-digest V5 #114] On 19 Mar 2000, at 4:05, Grant wrote: > ...New Order, who took the stage for the worst concert I've ever > seen. Peter Hook kept his back to the audience the whole set, > Gillian was constantly yawning as she fiddled with her tapes, and > Bernard kept forgetting the lyrics and mumbling the choruses. I remember seeing them in Nottingham on their first tour, c. 1981. Similar memories, with them turning their backs on the audience the whole time. I remember being pretty disappointed, as I had recorded their debut session from John Peel's show and really enjoyed it. (I still have it somewhere.) Their first single, Ceremony, in its original Martin Hannett production, is one of my all time favourites - they didn't play it, though. That may have been because it was originally intended to be a Joy Division release. Whatever. I remember with more fondness other concerts from that time, such as Squeeze, The Undertones, The (English) Beat and, best of all, XTC. I saw them twice around the time of Black Sea and they were terrific. Nice to read here about them blowing The Police offstage in a bar - no contest! David (three glasses of Columbard and I'm off down memory lane...) - -- David Squires Wimbotsham Norfolk UK - -------------------- To unsub, mail majordomo@smoe.org with: unsubscribe avalon ------------------------------ Date: Sun, 19 Mar 2000 16:37:52 -0500 (EST) From: Colleen Matan Subject: Re: [AVALON] ferry, stardom and his concert in linz Or Sebastian you could forego the interrogation and pseudo-marketing talk and just tell us in your own way what you like about Roxy, Ferry, et. al. Colleen - -------------------- To unsub, mail majordomo@smoe.org with: unsubscribe avalon ------------------------------ Date: Sun, 19 Mar 2000 16:41:28 -0500 (EST) From: Colleen Matan Subject: Re: [AVALON] 28 years and counting On Sun, 19 Mar 2000, Martin Stockman wrote: > >From: Colleen Matan > > > In addition, let me ask y'all this: biggest selling solo release since > > _Boys and Girls_ perhaps, but how many of you think of ATGB as The > > Ultimate Statement Of Who Bryan Ferry Is? A show of hands please. > > Come on Colleen, you're too bright to stage this tabloid phone-in stuff. > From the earliest days he demonstrated his affection for pre-war love songs > and had the confidence to record them alongside his more avante-garde > offerings. Bryan, like all of us, has evolved and is the sum of his ongoing > experiences. For me the darkness of Mamouna/Horoscope harks back to the > first Roxy album whilst the elan of ATGB echoes These Foolish Things. Its a > broad church. The love of the words and the arrangements, not forgetting the > glamour, in the 30s album is part of his story; he himself would be hard > pushed to consider the "ultimate statement of who Bryan Ferry is. It's not "tabloid phone-in stuff." Perhaps my point was too subtle. I was responding to Richard's statement that ATGB is Ferry's biggest selling solo album (not including compilations or reissues) since _Boys and Girls_. My point, which was tied to the paragraph which preceded it, was that in my opinion the high sales for ATGB had less to do with Ferry as singer than with the selection of songs. I never discounted his love of old songs or his ability to do great covers. However, I think it is telling that most of the arrangements on ATGB are almost directly lifted and/or copied from other performers. In fact, I would say that ATGB is his least representative album. Think about it this way: if someone wanted to listen to one album which you think sums him up--and you didn't have to worry about whether they would "like" it--what would you suggest? _As Time Goes By_? That's my point. Colleen - -------------------- To unsub, mail majordomo@smoe.org with: unsubscribe avalon ------------------------------ Date: Sun, 19 Mar 2000 22:10:06 -0500 From: Noam Bronstein Subject: Re: [AVALON] 28 years and counting Colleen Matan wrote: > In fact, I would say that ATGB is his least representative album. Think > about it this way: if someone wanted to listen to one album which you > think sums him up--and you didn't have to worry about whether they would > "like" it--what would you suggest? _As Time Goes By_? > That's my point. > Colleen Hmmm. I don't think Ferry is that kind of artist. Everything he's done is likely to turn *someone* off. I think he took a fairly big risk with ATGB actually, as far as hoping his audience were ready to evolve in this way with him, and not cry outrage that he's become a 'lounge act' or whatever. He did something that he wanted to do, maybe not quite what we all hoped for but I think still representative, to borrow your phrase. I don't know that any single record is really representative, you have to look at his entire body of work. There are some records that are similar (to each other), and ATGB is not really out of character either, as Martin pointed out. Endless questions and second guessing... Noam p.s. I have a big book on classical music at home from the library - it outlines each era and gives a couple of pages each to 150 or so composers, and lists a 'recommended work' and several 'representative works' for each. When you get to a genius like Beethoven or Mozart, the choices make you chuckle, for obvious reasons... would anyone care to crystallize Beethoven down to four representative pieces? - -------------------- To unsub, mail majordomo@smoe.org with: unsubscribe avalon ------------------------------ Date: Sun, 19 Mar 2000 21:36:35 -0800 From: "eman96" Subject: [AVALON] Greatest Rock Band Ever Ida: It would have to be one of the first two Roxy LP's. Hopefully, I'll never have to decide which! e - -------------------- To unsub, mail majordomo@smoe.org with: unsubscribe avalon ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 20 Mar 2000 09:20:55 +0100 From: "Frank Herrebout" Subject: Re: [AVALON] Stuff If you are referring to the same magazine that I have it is a follow up of The Roxy Music Magazine (volume 1 - 1981, volume 2 - 1982). It was managed by a guy named Ton Hendriks. Volume 1 states that it "hopes to meet the demand for more background information and pictures of Roxy. In volume one there a list of instruments played by Manzanera and Mackay during the Flesh+Blood tour. And also the keyboard of Paul Carrack, the bass of Gary Tibbs, etc. I also have a Bryan Ferry Magazine you mentioned (volume 1 -summer 1985). So, there also a volume 2 of this magazine... Frank. >somthing called the Bryan Ferry magazine. Does anyone know what this was >all about? > >Regards > >-- >Peter Dewey > > >-------------------- >To unsub, mail majordomo@smoe.org with: >unsubscribe avalon > - -------------------- To unsub, mail majordomo@smoe.org with: unsubscribe avalon ------------------------------ End of avalon-digest V5 #115 **************************** ======================================================================== For further info, mail majordomo@smoe.org with: info avalon-digest