The Roxy Music Story

When Roxy Music emerged in 1972 their visual and music impact was instant. Dressed in bizarre, stylish costumes, the group played a defiantly experimental variation of art rock with infectious pop hooks. The opening programme will explore the creative tension between Bryan Ferry and Brian Eno, which resulted in the group's first two ground breaking albums. In early 1973 Roxy Music had become a sensation in England and Europe due to their clever amalgamation of pop values and kitsch as typified on their debut LP "Roxy Music" and follow up "For Your Pleasure", which (as we hear) was virtually ignored in the U.S. The programme explores Eno's departure and how impacted on the group. Undaunted the group recruited multi-instrumentalist Eddie Jobson and released their third album "Stranded" in December of 1973. "Stranded" became the band's first UK number one album and was also the first record to feature writing credits for guitarist Phil Manzanera and sax player Andy Mackay. All members explain how they recorded the album and set the stage as we will hear for the breakthrough album "Country Life" in late 1974, which was the first Roxy album to break the U.S. Top 40. Following a world tour with bassist John Wetton, Roxy released their fifth album "Siren", featuring the, the dance flavoured "Love Is the Drug," "Siren" was another British Top Ten hit but following its release and subsequent tour, the band members began working on solo projects - Manzanera formed 801, and Mackay and Ferry both began recording solo albums - and announced in the summer of 1976 that they were temporarily breaking up.