San Francisco Chronicle Preview - Sun 5th Aug
San Francisco Chronicle Preview
05 August 2001
San Francisco Chronicle Preview
When Bryan Ferry was asked by the Times of London why Roxy Music chose to launch a 30th anniversary reunion tour, he replied, "Well, the cynics would say it was for the money, of course." He went on to say that it was the first time the band had been “properly approached” -- you know how prickly British pop stars can be when things aren’t proper –- and since 2001 marks 30 years since the band’s birth, it seemed the reasonable demand.
The band first came together in 1971 with the original front men Ferry and Brian Eno sometimes getting more press for their sartorial sense than their music. Still, their combination of upper-class theatrics and art-school rock struck a chord. Their combination of ‘60s R&B and early electronica (with a touch of sophisticated disco) gained a rabid following of glam rockers and soon-to-be punks and made them instant stars in Britain. While they never rose above their large cult following in the US, their ironic stance, personified by Ferry’s pose as a broken-hearted crooner, made them massively influential, one of the few ‘70s bands to maintain credibility in the early days of punk. They were also one of the few rock bands to sing about adult emotional concerns. A few breakups and reunions in the late ‘70s and early ‘80s reduced the band’s original lineup to the trio of Ferry, sax man Andy MacKay and space-guitar ace Phil Manzanera. It is that trio, with a bevy of sure-to-be stellar sidepersons, that will be coming to Concord. Despite the years, Ferry’s voice rich, haunting tenor still tugs the heartstrings and his cohorts are still playing at the top of their game. -- j. poet
--SF Gate