Apropos la France: Charles Aznavour ('She') celebrated his 90th birthday (!!) on stage in Berlin this year. I have to live very healthy in the future to be alive and kickin' at Bryan's 90th birthday concerto when - of course - Erland will sing 'Happy Birthday' to him on stage .

PR for the album has dropped off so quickly and was quite muted from the off.

Was Avonmore planned for release early 2014 and ended up being rush released before year end? Touring got in the way of PR?

I love the retro / Dorian Grey cover but what was with the red cover? Added confusion. No video for lead single til a month after 'released'. Free streaming of album which is wrong. Great coverage on BBC radio interviews for a week or two then nothing. Nothing for JO'B to share since Early Nov.

Maybe a deluxe and delightful version for the UK tour next year?

Wrong? Really? I find that very generous. And also realistic. If people don't want to pay for the music, they will always find a source on the internet to download it.

I also find it very generous to offer the remixes for free download at soundcloud. I love these remixes and I'd love to purchase them, but apparently Mr. Ferry doesn't want my money.... Maybe he's made so much money in his over 40 year career that he doesn't really care anymore.

Anyway, I don't think we need to worry about our hero's finances. If he'd really care about illegal downloads it might be a first step to have all those zillions of illegal youtube uploads of his music deleted. But apparently he doesn't really seem to care. I like that.

Number 16 in Norway:

http://lista.vg.no/liste/topp-40-album/2

J.O'B.

Hmm, interesting. Maybe it`s a sign that his touring in Norway pays off. Bryan Ferry in the midst of the buzz of the day, I`d say. People must be aware of him. He ain`t got much covering in the press, that`s for sure. The critics in my local newspaper have neither written `bout The Endless River nor Avonmore. Besides, it`s at number 7 in Norway`s biggest music store, with departements in many towns:

http://www.platekompaniet.no/musikk.aspx/TOPP_10?87

Frantic finally reached number 4, though.

I like your viewpoint Lonely Dreamer, there is truth in it.

In the brave new world of free music, Sales Charts are irrelevant.

Indeed, the lower the Sales Chart position the smarter the artists fans are as they know how to seek out the music for free. We are all feeling good!

Agreed Topiary and Lonely Dreamer. If BF was that bothered about chart position he could very likely have reached the top 10 by sitting on the album till the new year (as well as not offering free streaming), instead of rushing it out so we'd have in time for Christmas. Like you say, generous!

Look now, -dropped to number 30. -Not good.

So I now see after a three week run 'Avonmore' has dropped out of the top 100. I remember when 'Mamouna' reached 11 and thinking that was bad back then but not so! I see Best Of's by Kate Bush and Fleetwood Mac are still in the top 100, and why? because the Supermarkets are stocking them, all of them. This is why places like Woolworths were good for new albums because the casual music lover would stumble on albums they might not normally buy. 'Dylaneque' in 2007, stocked in Woolies, 100,000 copies sold in three weeks and reaching a high of number 5.
How marketing has changed in a little over seven years!