Cher Oberon,
Worry not. W2 found your comment funny and he too was pleased to see our hero en plein forme.
Paradoxically however he did find himself wondering at the ethics of somebody taking a sly photo of him eating alone. From what little Windswept knows of the man he seriously doubts he would have appreciated it. There is a time and a place for everything but maybe W2 just belongs to a different era.
Salutations,
Windswept

Dear Windswept, dear Oberon,

I know that you both are especially fond of our hero's "Mamouna". Of course I didn't want to spoil your pleasure. I just wanted to add some critical points. The Deluxe edition is a fine piece of work. But I can listen to Mamouna only as a whole (and I do that very often!) - and I have two school-mates and Roxy fans who strengthen my view on this album. And no, Roxy Music's song material can never be noisy or get on my nerves, Oberon. Apart from that I think that Bryan's "Bête noire" is his best album in the era after "The Bride Stripped Bare". Sorry, I forgot "As Time Goes By " ... BTW: During the last ten years of solo concerts, Bryan relied very much on the "noisy" Roxy material - Mamouna was somehow absent ...

Roxology is a broad church - so I hope you don't get me wrong ...

Stay safe and have a good time!

- Peter -

I agree I don’t think anyone should be taking a photo of someone in a restaurant, or anywhere for that matter, without their permission. You wouldn’t do it for a normal person so a famous person should be no exception.
I did think twice about posting it but I know many of us have been curious as to how Bryan is with there being no activity this year. Especially as there hasn’t even been any interviews regarding the new Mamouna reissue. So as the photo had already been posted by somebody online I just put a link up if people wanted to view or not.
Everything seems to be captured on a phone these days that I don’t think people actually stop to enjoy and live in the moment.

I met Neil Tennant from the Pet Shop Boys a few years ago. I knew that he never liked getting a photo taken so said to him that I knew this but would he be okay signing a couple of things for me instead. He duly obliged and we had a brief discussion about music. Really nice guy and yet he gets slated from some fans because he doesn’t like getting a picture taken. I think people forget that a lot of these artists from the 70s/80s lived in a period when there wasn’t a camera being flashed in your face constantly.

Cher Pianoman,
W2 loves your insights. If we all thought the same way life would be very boring. Variety is without doubt the spice of life.
It is interesting that you can only listen to ‘Mamouna’ in its entirety because, although Windswept has a few tracks - particularly’The Only Face’ - on some personal play lists, he too listens to it the same way. This for him illustrates the great strength of the album and confirms its status as a true concept. Something that it shares with ‘Avalon’ and ‘Boys & Girls’.
Conversely W2 doesn’t listen to ‘Bete Noire’ in the same way. He thinks that this is down to Pat Leonard’s production values which have not aged well and make the album sound ‘thin’. Although it has some very creditable chansons. This is why Windswept bangs on sans arret about it being remade. Bringing it up to the standard of ‘Mamouna’ and ‘Boys & Girls’ would be such a milestone in Bryan’s career. The version of ‘New Town’ on ‘Bittersweet’ is a great indication of the direction the album could take if our hero were to Remake/Remodel.
Sans aucun doute le debat continuera!
Salutations,
Windswept.

Cher Scott,
You did the right thing. Like you W2 is just pleased to see the boy out and about looking well.
As you say the silence has been deafening and strangely so - particularly with the ‘Taxi’ reissue and now the ‘Mamouna’ launch.
W2 used to own an apartment around the corner from ‘Studio One’ and could gauge the activity level. Having sold it, that barometer has gone.
As time goes by it seems like fandangos are unlikely as major acts have already declared. This leaves the big hope that he is either working on something in the studio or writing his biography.
The prayers to ‘Penshaw Monument’ continue.
Salutations,
W2

Oooh what a tightrope ride of not having to thread on somebody`s toes. Paparazzi photos are a double edged sword and always have been. -Pleasing for the fans, annoying for the person in question, especially in times of silence, like now.

If Bryan actually rubbed away Phil`s contribution to the lockdown tapes, as Phil said was an option, I really wonder if he`s recording new material at all these times.

Can you both like and not like an album? -Seems difficult to me. I was about to say that I don`t like "Chain Reaction". Then I thought that there are so many other tracks on the album that I dislike, so it takes away some of the critique, but "Chain Reacton" sounds like an easy-to-buy lifeguard.

It`s bizarre, but as mentioned, Roxy`s early stuff seems to fit Bryan`s voice best these days when playing live.

I'm really angry now and I know that many people will shake their heads now... but my wish is that nothing new from Bryan comes onto the market. He has completely lost his voice. That was borderline on the Roxy Tour 2022... Someone who has lost their violin can no longer play in a string quartet.

But that's not bad either. Bryan has achieved outstanding achievements in his musical life and has rightly been honored several times in this regard. I take my hat off to Mr. Ferry, but please don't release any more albums and please don't release any more re-recorded old records.

Thanks.
​

Bonjour!

Cher pionoman, thanks for your kind post. No worries, BF;s fans have a cathedral - big as Frauenkirche - to their disposition.
And I agree with you: Mamouna as a whole is a masterpiece where the songs blend into another. My only face is an all time favourite of mine, though. It´s also something about the soundscape that doesn´t suit live performances so good. The same goes with Avalon.
Some early Roxy material is brilliant. Yes, thinking about it, it´s only Ladytron, Editions of you and Virginia Plain that I hardly can stand to hear anymore.
Kalo mina!

Bryan hasn't lost his voice, it's just very different. That doesn't preclude him from making new music should he still wish to. Indeed his more recent forays into songwriting along with his choices of covers are mature pieces that fit well with his ageing voice. He knows what he's doing and chooses well, rather than trying to recreate the glory days!
As for no 're-recorded old records', I'm not sure what you mean. 'Mother Of Pearl', re-recorded 30 years ago? If it's deluxe editions you don't want, that flies in the face of the record industry's current trend to mine the vaults of major artists - something that most fans seem to welcome but, self-evidently, you can't please everybody!

I ordered and received the deluxe lp and cd from Amazon because the BF store had sold out of the signed prints. When I got an email that more were available I leaped at the chance. Now the problem is there was a delay in getting them out. So apparently it was sent out 2 days ago. Most of these orders from the BF store take 2 or 3 weeks to get to AZ to I thought I'd get a frame ready. I am assuming that it’s 12” x 12” the same size as an album sleeve. Anyone one know for sure. Found no way to contact the store or BF. We already have a spot for it. My wife has always loved the cover and the music we both really really love the Sketches album. We wish for more of these. Especially from Boy’s and Girls and Bete Noire. Happy Holidays to everyone in Viva and Bryan Ferry World.