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Lock-Down Favourite
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Author:  Windswept2 [ Fri Nov 13, 2020 9:37 pm ]
Post subject:  Lock-Down Favourite

Hipsters,

As we are hunkered down in the bunker, W2 thought it might be fun to discuss our ‘Lock-Down Favourite Ferry’.

Although Windswept has been, broadly speaking, obeying the rules, he has found time to listen to his share of Ferry and by virtue of technology, he has been able to identify the Roxy/Ferry album he has listened to most and quel surprise, it is guess what ? Olympia !

‘Mon Dieu’ he hears renowned Roxologists cry - Pourquoi ca?

Well, 10 years after (Alvin Lee pun unintended) it remains a great album and something of a diamond in the rough.

If you ignore a couple of missteps - ‘You Can Dance’ and the overblown ‘Song To A Siren’ - it is the best vocal album since ATGB.

Including fabulous original gems such as ‘Me Oh My’, ‘Alphaville’, ‘Tender Is The Night’ and the incredibly beautiful ‘Reason Or Rhyme’.
Not to mention a peerless interpretation of ‘No Face, No Name, No Number’ - it is an album that lures W2 back time and a time again.

He is like a moth to a flame when it comes to these chansons and furthermore, W2 has the happiest of memories of seeing the ‘Olympia’ show at Vienna’s State Opera House. What a great gig that was.

The band was fabulous and following her intro as second sax on the FYP tour, the delectable Jorja Chalmers took centre stage for the first time. Another Ferry milestone.

Anyway, ‘Olympia’ has been W2’s choice pendant the incarceration.

What about yours ?

Salutations,

W2

Author:  DCJ [ Fri Nov 13, 2020 10:35 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Lock-Down Favourite

Hmmm... I'll go with RAH '74.

It's a great concert album with nary a glitch (however, I do much regret that he changed the original lyrics of Don't Worry Baby - dropping the car race references - while he kept the original lyrics to It's My Party and didn't change any of gender references offered in the Lesley G original; but I digress...)

I especially enjoy the live take on ATAP and ARGT. And can anyone dispute that TGPT/Wetton drum/bass combo was the greatest in the history of Roxy/BF?

RAH '74 has my vote!

Author:  pianoman [ Sat Nov 14, 2020 3:25 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Lock-Down Favourite

In my car: Avalon (not only during the lock-down)
At home: Stranded, Siren and Avonmore (the latter is very underrated IMHO)

@Windswept: Olympia is a good choice - my favourites are Song To The Siren + No Face, No Name, No Number

Stay safe during the lock-down and enjoy the Roxy/Ferry oeuvre 8-) !

- Peter -

Author:  Oberon [ Sat Nov 14, 2020 3:46 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Lock-Down Favourite

Chers amis!

Bien sur, Bitter Sweet. But then, to my own surprise, Avonmore. I side with the great pianoman that the album might be underated (at least by me, there are such nice melodies!). Avonmore, the cd that came along with the vinyl, is in my car. That said, I love Olympia. Even though I see le grand W2's point, I also like "You can dance" a lot. That song, especially the live version, makes me somehow feel younger!

I guess it happens to us all sometimes. The other week I listened to Flesh + Blood. I like the album as a whole a lot and it brings back nice memories. Anyway, this time I somehow appreciated "Rain Rain Rain" much more than usual, it was almost as I heard it with new ears - a great experience!
Bonne soirée à tous!

Author:  Windswept2 [ Sat Nov 14, 2020 4:35 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Lock-Down Favourite

DCJ wrote:
Hmmm... I'll go with RAH '74.

It's a great concert album with nary a glitch (however, I do much regret that he changed the original lyrics of Don't Worry Baby - dropping the car race references - while he kept the original lyrics to It's My Party and didn't change any of gender references offered in the Lesley G original; but I digress...)

I especially enjoy the live take on ATAP and ARGT. And can anyone dispute that TGPT/Wetton drum/bass combo was the greatest in the history of Roxy/BF?

RAH '74 has my vote!


Hipsters,
A peerless choice from ‘DCJ’.
W2 has been listening to this a lot whilst exercising.
It surely must rank as one of the great live albums.
The big surprise for Windswept lui-meme remains SFTD.
He always thought it a weak spot on his first solo album and although he enjoyed the live performance on the night - mainly because of the way our hero animated it - it didn’t particularly sit in his memory.
Listening to RAH ‘74 however he really likes it. John Porter’s guitar work brings a new dimension to it.
Other W2 favourites on this include ATAP, SGIYE and the amazing TTOMT.
It’s a shame ‘Loving You Is Sweeter Than Ever’ didn’t make the cut but you can’t have everything.
Fabulous stuff - stay safe behind those bespoke masks !
Salutations,
Windswept.

Author:  Windswept2 [ Sat Nov 14, 2020 5:22 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Lock-Down Favourite

[quote="Oberon"]Chers amis!

“Bien sur, Bitter Sweet. But then, to my own surprise, Avonmore. I side with the great pianoman that the album might be underated (at least by me, there are such nice melodies!).......... That said, I love Olympia. Even though I see le grand W2's point, I also like "You can dance" a lot. That song, especially the live version, makes me somehow feel younger!”
[quote]

Mes Amis,
It’s interesting that those taste meisters, Oberon & Pianoman, single out ‘Avonmore’.
Although W2 listened to it a lot initially - the only tracks that shiver his timbers these days are SITC and J&M.
With regard to ‘Bitter Sweet’, Windswept can only violently agree and although he is please that YCD is providing Oberon with the elixir of youth, he can’t share his enthusiasm. Probably because he knows how bad that nightclub (Newcastle’s La Dolce Vita) actually was.
Albeit he does salute that famous NE ‘Beauty Queen’ in the chanson. Although she is better celebrated in an earlier song !
Salutations,
Windswept.

Author:  avalon_eyes [ Sat Nov 14, 2020 9:55 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Lock-Down Favourite

Bitter-Sweet for me. It still surprises me with its creativity and scope. The arrangements and musicianship stand up so well , the album is both of its time and of the past, and its context is a reminder that the world needs artists to get us through dark times.

Author:  True2Life [ Sun Nov 15, 2020 7:49 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Lock-Down Favourite

A vote here for In Your Mind, the perennial bridesmaid of the Ferry solo work, rarely represented in recent live setlists. Why? Perhaps it represents an unhappy personal time for Bryan, plus if I recall correctly it was supposed to break him in the US as a solo artist but the US record company didn't think there was a single on the album and he lost a fortune on the US tour.

Love Me Madly Again - how delighted was I when it returned to the ranks on the Dylanesque tour? And the title track could well enjoy the treatment given to Boys and Girls on Bitter Sweet.

Unlike you WS2 Olympia has never connected with me, it struck me as being Ferry bringing in young and hip collaborators to remain "contemporary" but coming across as too much grandad at the disco. Avonmore was far more to my liking. Although of course the 9 credited guitarists on One Night Stand may be 6 or 7
more than are strictly necessary.

And Bitter Sweet. An unexpected jewel of an album and one that, while maybe not reaching his largest audience, deserves live performance when these dark times end.

Author:  UKRichard [ Sun Nov 15, 2020 12:49 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Lock-Down Favourite

I've been delving into the back catalogue during lockdown 2 as well. Most recently, I flirted with the notion of dusting off Olympia, confident it would be like meeting a long lost friend, but in the end reached for Boys and Girls instead, which has enjoyed a good airing. Side 1 is so strong, like a mini greatest hits in itself and it was wonderful to reacquaint myself with The Chosen One - such a powerful opener for side two and a brilliant groove. The dizzying days of our hero at number one. Where did the intervening 35 years go?

Author:  Tryptich [ Sun Nov 15, 2020 1:01 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Lock-Down Favourite

Richard.
Funny you should mention The Chosen One.
I've been returning to the live version of this track from the Live In Europe DVD.
Absolutely amazing.

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