Customer Reviews

The Thrill of It All: The Story of Bryan Ferry & Roxy Music

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This in-depth, enjoyable book took me back to the college days when my roommate converted me to being a life-long Roxy Music fan.

No mere recorder of events, author Buckley is a man with attitudes, and his views give this fun narrative its spark. He offers a coherent thesis of Roxy front man Bryan Ferry as a talented and innovative artist who remains dissatisfied and melancholy despite his talent and success. Buckley offers other controversial views: that none of Ferry's solo work matches his work with Roxy, that Roxy inaugurated "the true beginning of rock-as-art," that Ferry's cover improves on Dylan's song "A Hard Rain's A Gonna Fall" (I disagree, but the debate is fun).

Buckley is also a master researcher. He appends an 11-page bibliography, which seems to include every press mention of Roxy and Ferry. Thus Buckley can reference in detail critical responses to the albums and tours. And Buckley willingly hands over big block quotations to some key figures, such as early Roxy guitarist David O'List and post-Eno keyboard man Eddie Jobson, who offer multiple and contrary versions of the carreer.

However, except for a 1999 interview (when Buckley was researching David Bowie), Buckley could not speak with Ferry. So he has to rely on Ferry's published interviews. And Buckley was unable to get many insights from Roxy mainstays Phil Manzanera and Andy MacKay. So while Buckley does a good job on the Eno-Roxy break-up, he cannot offer much insight on relationships among the bandsmen. What accounts for the striking long-term loyalty among Ferry, Mackay, and Manzanera, loyalty which survived the Eno crisis (Mackay had brought in Eno)? What accounts for drummer Paul Thompson's changing status with the band? Because these musicians are so reticent with writers, Buckley has to remain on the outside.

Someday, perhaps Ferry and Mackay and Manzanera will open up with a writer and allow an in-depth biography of the band. But even if they do, Buckley's book should remain a valuable resource in the history of rock.

I am not through with the book yet (I am up to THE BRIDE STRIPPED BARE): this is very thorough and SLANTED - but that's okay. I purchased the entire Roxy/Bryan remasters and Buckley's harsh assessment of some of Ferry's solo work has made me play his solo recordings OVER and OVER and they only get better and better. He is a CRITIC so he is CRITICIZING - and a gushing book over the brilliance of Bryan would probably not work; I believe this author - being of course, very British, had his view which is what makes the reading so enjoyable. However as he states over and over - that Roxy/Bryan were too smart for the U.S, audience is so apparent I can almost shed Bryan's tears. If you have had the luck to see them live (especially their recent "reunion" tour of @ 3 years ago that was so amazing I can still lose my voice just thinking of the screaming) - you know the genius of these men (and their darling Roxy Tottsies).
A treasure.

I first learned of the existence of this book from a passing reference in a Sunday New York Times Book Review magazine; it was given a left-handed compliment (something to the effect that should you want to know all the minute details of the band's history, it could be found in this book). That's pretty much the sum of it - this is a great book about one of the greatest (and most under-rated) bands in music history. However, the author does not ignore the members' flaws and shortcomings; this is a very objective look at a band who was responsible for its limited commercial success. However, Roxy's influence on contemporary music can not be denied, far ahead of its time.

I just finished reading this and was very impressed. The author gives the British perspective on the band. While the focus is on Ferry, the rest of the band is adequately covered. You can tell that he did a lot of research. I agree with much (but not all) of his musical critique. There is gossip and Bryan is disected a bit but you will still like him at the end. I am a fan of music books and a big fan of Roxy Music and this book is more than very adequate.

You know the story. Anyone who has even the vaguest notion of modern rock & roll music knows that Bryan Ferry & his band Roxy Music helped bring in the revolution. They've carved out a place for themselves in history right up there with Elvis Presley, The Beatles & Bob Dylan. I've never written a book review on Amazon, but here I am at 2 in the morning, doing this for the first time after finishing the book tonight. I write for one of the world's popular music magazines and host shows on FM radio as well, and it always fascinates me that when i'm interviewing some new big pop star or rock act of the moment - that most of them don't seem to have a clue as to who Roxy Music is...which is a shame. I always wished i had a book handy to give them along with a copy of my 'Street Life'(the greatest hits) cd that would educate them hopefully to make stronger and relevant music. And this book now fills that void.

The need to apotheosize good writing is hardly new - but Buckley calls for it once again with this new book. He talks to people far & wide inside this one - from fans to the session musicians to Bryan Ferry & the band members themselves; hanging on to every sound, word & thought that came out of the recording sessions. Surprisingly, we get a indepth and very fair look at Brian Eno's contribution to Roxy Music as well, something that till date was largely ignored by any other Roxy Music book out there. We learn that one of the many reasons their music was unique for it's time is that Ferry explored topics in his songs that were universal to the human experience. He had a unique, charming talent of being able to make anybody listen. The band in it's heyday- were constantly able to work and improve their craft, so they now have more classic songs than any active and relevant band that came out of that period. Perhaps even more interesting as Buckley's makes note of, is that very few rock bands have gone through as many successful changes as this band has image-wise and musically, only the Beatles come to mind, and this book charts all of those changes. From the heavy guitar and the odd electric tweaks(courtesy Brian Eno) on thier first album in 1972, to the blues tinged feel of 1979's Manifesto, to the dark haunting landscapes of their final album Avalon, - the band defines the word reinvention. There is no law ordering you to enjoy the music of Bryan Ferry & Roxy Music- but it's fiendishly difficult not to, and this book tries to explain why. The band actually turned 35 this year: that's over a quarter of a century of their rock n roll. A band, lest we forget, whose career has now exceeded that of even The Beatles.

During a decade in which disco, heavy-metal and bubble gum pop provided different forms of escape into fantasy, this band soared high, catapulting themselves to fame on the unrestrained energy of thier live shows, the evocative power of Ferry's songwriting, and the direct connection he forged with his listeners. After reading the book you come away with the understanding that this band is far far more than a passing phase or a part of 70's culture, it's a religion within itself. Without bands like them, it's likely that most of today's Top 40 sound would not exist. This book may not change music history, only time will tell us that, but it's good to know that Roxy Music is alive and well. I am a long time Roxy Music fan and have been since I was 7 years old.(I'm 25 now)From the very beginning, Roxy Music were an elitist band, and we learn from this book, quite proud of the fact. You had to be clever enough to get their references: if you weren't, tough luck. It'll be too bad if I'm the only one who reads this book, though. Too bad for you, I mean.