 1970
|
| c1970 |
Ferry loses his job teaching ceramics at
a girl's school, for staging impromptu record-listening sessions |
| c1970 |
Ferry auditions as Greg Lake's replacement
in King Crimson but his inability to play bass means he is rejected, but
he impresses Fripp enough that he recommends Ferry to Crimson's management
team. |
| Nov 1970 |
Roxy (soon to be called Roxy Music due
to a clash of names with a US band) are conceived and formed, with an initial line
up of Bryan Ferry, Graham Simpson, Andy Mackay, Roger Bunn, Dexter Lloyd
and Brian Eno See Band Chronology |
1971
|
| Jul 1971 |
Bunn and Lloyd Leave. Davy O'List (formerly
in The Nice with Keith Emerson) is recruited on guitar, and Paul Thompson
on drums. |
| Dec 1971 |
Richard Williams of Melody Maker offers
supportive press coverage |
| Dec 1971 |
Roxy Music play two try-out gigs, at the
Friends of the Tate Gallery Xmas show in London, and the Union Ball at
Reading University, Reading, Berkshire, England |
1972
|
| 21 Jan 1972 |
The band record a session for BBC Radio
1's "Sounds of the Seventies" having impressed another early
Roxy acolyte, DJ John Peel |
| Feb 1972 |
Davy O'List leaves as his guitar sound
is not considered right for the band. He will later feature in Ferry's
solo work. A Melody Maker advertisement is placed for a 'Tricky Dick lead
guitarist.' Phil Manzanera is auditioned and joins Roxy Music. |
| Feb 1972 |
E.G. Management signs the group to a contract
which includes recording and leasing product to a record company |
| Mar 1972 |
The band record their debut album for £5,000
at Command Studios, London. Pete Sinfield is in the producer's chair |
| May 1972 |
The increasingly erratic Graham Simpson
is sacked from Roxy and begins the band's 'rotating bassist' policy when
replaced by Rik Kenton, friend of Sinfield. |
| 23 May 1972 |
First public live appearance at The Great
Western Pop Festival, Bardney, Lincolnshire, England. See
Gig Chronology |
| 20 Jun 1972 |
Roxy Music appear on BBC's 'Old Grey Whistle
Test,' their first TV Appearance |
| 23 Jun 1972 |
Following a release deal signed by E.G.
with island Records, the album 'Roxy Music' is released. Debut Album reaches
Number 6 in UK Charts |
| 04 Aug 1972 |
With typical Roxy perversity, debut single
'Virginia Plain' is released after the album, and does not appear on it.
Roxy's debut single reaches number 4 in the UK charts. |
| Oct 1972 |
During Roxy Music's first headlining British
tour, Ferry's voice begins to suffer (he has a history of tonsillitis)
and a break in the tour ensues, whilst he is in hospital having his tonsils
removed. |
| Dec 1972 |
The band embarks on its first US tour,
opening for Jo Jo Gunne, Edgar Winter and others. America is unimpressed. |
1973
|
| Jan 1973 |
Kenton is fired and not replaced, so session
player John Porter fills the bass position during the recording of the
second album. |
| 01 Mar 1973 |
'Pyjamarama' released. This non-album second
single reaches Number 10 in the UK charts |
| Mar 1973 |
Second Album 'For Your Pleasure' is released
and reaches Number 10 in UK charts |
| Mar 1973 |
British tour begins |
| Jun 1973 |
Roxy win Grand Prix du Disque for best
album at the Golden Rose Festival in Montreux, Switzerland |
| Jul 1973 |
Brian Eno leaves Roxy Music in the time-honoured
tradition of 'musical differences' Multi-instrumentalist and former Curved
Air member Eddie Jobson joins almost immediately as his replacement. Apparently
Ferry does not consult his fellow members. |
| Aug 1973 |
"For Your Pleasure" is released
in the United States on Warner Brothers, charting at Number 193. |
| Oct 1973 |
Ferry diversifies by releasing a solo album,
'These Foolish Things' made up of interpretations of other artist's material.
It reaches No.5 in the UK. An extracted single, Dylan's "A Hard Rain's
A-Gonna Fall" reaches UK number 10 |
| Oct 1973 |
Roxy Music embark on their third UK tour,
with Eddie Jobson handling all keyboard duties whilst Ferry moves to centre
stage to handle vocals exclusively. |
| Nov 1973 |
Roxy's third Album 'Stranded' is released,
and becomes Roxy Music's first UK No.1 album, dominating the charts for
two months. Ferry co-writes for the first time, sharing credits with Manzanera
and Mackay on two tracks. John Gustafson handles bass duties. The cover
features Playboy's Playmate of the Year Marilyn Cole "in a state
of pleasure" on the cover. |
| Dec 1973 |
A single 'Street Life' taken from 'Stranded'
reaches No.9 in the UK charts |
1974
|
| Jan 1974 |
A highly successful European tour begins |
| May 1974 |
A second US Roxy Music tour begins, but
their appeal remains a cult rather than a mainstream one. |
| May 1974 |
Mackay releases a largely instrumental
solo album "In Search of Eddie Riff" featuring Roxy, without
Ferry, in support. |
| 8 Jun 1974 |
Ferry's version of Dobie Gray's "The
In Crowd" reaches UK number 13 |
| Jun 1974 |
Stranded, under a new deal with Atco Records
in the US peaks at number 186. |
| July 1974 |
Bryan Ferry's second solo album, "Another
Time, Another Place" is released, and reaches number 4 in the UK.
It is again composed of pop and R&B covers, apart from the self-penned
title track. |
| 28 Sep 1974 |
Ferry's solo version of the Platter's "Smoke
Gets In Your Eyes" reaches number 17 in the UK. |
| Oct 1974 |
Fourth Single "All I Want Is You"
is released, and reaches Number 12 in the UK |
| Nov 1974 |
Fourth Album 'Country Life' released, and
reaches Number 3 in the UK. Its sleeve, which shows two scantily clad
models, causes controversy, notably in the US and Germany where bowdlerised
versions are released. This notoriety helps the album to number 37 in
the US, Roxy's highest chart position so far. |
| Dec 1974 |
Ferry plays three solo dates, including
one at London's Royal Albert Hall, backed by an orchestra. The dinner-jacket
look has become Ferry's trademark. |
1975
|
| Jan 1975 |
The third US Tour commences. Ferry unveils
new stage attire including the infamous gaucho outfit and US military-style
uniforms designed by long-term collaborator Antony Price. |
| Apr 1975 |
The World tour continues in Australia and
New Zealand |
| May 1975 |
Manzanera's solo debut album, "Diamond
Head" is released on Island in the UK and Atco in the US reaching
Number 40 in the UK. |
| 12 Jul 1975 |
Solo Ferry single "You Go To My Head"
reaches UK number 33 |
| Aug 1975 |
Another Manzanera project, the album "Mainstream",
this time recorded with his former band Quiet Sun, is released in the
UK |
| Oct 1975 |
Roxy Music embark on another UK tour, this
time to promote the forthcoming album "Siren." Wetton has now
left to join Uriah Heep and Gustafson returned to the bass position. |
| Nov 1975 |
Siren, Roxy Music's fifth album is released
in the UK, reaching number 6. The album, produced by Chris Thomas, and
including writing co-credits for Manzanera, Mackay and Jobson features
Texan model Jerry Hall with whom Ferry becomes romantically involved,
on the cover. |
| 08 Nov 1975 |
The current Roxy Music single, "Love
Is The Drug" reaches number 2 in the UK, making it their biggest
hit to date, kept from the top spot by David Bowie's "Space Oddity" |
| Dec 1975 |
Roxy Music tour North America again, as
Siren climbs to US number 50. |
1976
|
| 24 Jan 1976 |
"Both Ends Burning" the second
single from Siren reaches number 25 in the UK. |
| Mar 1976 |
"Love Is The Drug", the band's
first US hit single reaches number 30 in the US charts, as Roxy return
for more US dates. |
April / May
1976 |
Chris Spedding joins Ferry for the recording
sessions of "Lets Stick Together" |
| May 1976 |
Mackay, on his return to the UK completes
a commission he has received to write music for the ITV UK television series
"Rock Follies" The soundtrack album reaches number 1 in the
UK charts. |
| 26 Jun 1976 |
After persistent press rumours, the band
finally announce: "We have all decided to go our separate ways, for
the rest of the year at least, to have a rest from Roxy Music for a while"
On the same day Ferry's reworking of Wilbert Harrison's "Let's Work
Together" re-titled "Let's Stick Together" reaches number
4 in the UK. |
| Aug 1976 |
A live album "Viva! Roxy Music"
is released, assembled from recordings made between 1973 and 1975. It
reached Number 6 in the UK and Number 81 in the US. |
| Aug 1976 |
Ferry revives an old format, the EP with
his four track offering "Extended Play which reaches number 7 in
the UK. Main airplay is for a cover of the Everly Brothers' "The
Price of Love". Other tracks are Jimmy Reed's "Shame Shame Shame,"
The Beatles "It's Only Love," and a song written by Gallaher
and Lyle, "Heart On My Sleeve" |
| Aug 1976 |
Ferry begins the 'In Your Mind' Solo UK
tour with Chris Spedding, Phil Manzanera, Paul Thompson, John Wetton,
Ann Odell, Chris Mercer, Mel Collins and Martin Drover |
| 9 Oct 1976 |
The album "Let's Stick Together,"
more a compilation of recent Ferry solo material than a true release reaches
number 19 in the UK. |
| 6 Nov 1976 |
"Let's Stick Together" becomes
Ferry's first solo US chart entry at number 160. |
| Dec 1976 |
The recording sessions for "In Your
Mind" including Chris Spedding take place. |
| Dec 1976 |
"Heart on my Sleeve," issued
in the US as a single on the Atlantic label reaches number 86 |
1977
|
| 01 Feb 1977 |
Ferry begins the UK leg of his "In
Your Mind" tour as his single "This Is Tomorrow" reaches
Uk number 9 |
| Mar 1977 |
Ferry begins a European Solo Tour |
| 12 Mar 1977 |
"In Your Mind," Ferry's first
solo album to comprise solely his own compositions reaches UK number 5. |
| April 1977 |
Ferry contributes a cover version of The
Beatle's "She's Leaving Home" to the soundtrack of Lou Reitzner's
Lennon and McCartney tribute movie "All This and World War II" |
| May 1977 |
After a short break, Ferry begins the Australian
leg of his Solo Tour |
| May 1977 |
"In Your Mind" reaches number
126 in the US. |
| 02 Jun 1977 |
Ferry lands in Japan for Solo dates |
| 09 Jun 1977 |
Ferry appears on 'Young Music Show' on
Japanese TV |
| 10 Jun 1977 |
Ferry leaves Japan to begin US and Canada
leg of World Tour |
| 23? Jun 1977 |
Concert at Bottom Line New York is taped
and aired on FM Radio. Later appears as bootleg 'All Night Operator' |
| July 1977 |
Following the end of his tour Ferry sets
himself up in Los Angeles and begins to write material for a new album. |
| Autumn 1977 |
Ferry's relationship with Jerry Hall comes
to an end, as she leaves him for Rolling Stone Mick Jagger. |
| Nov 1977 |
The entire Roxy Music back catalogue is
transferred from Island to Polydor Records in the UK. Earlier material
is re-promoted, and "Virginia Plain, coupled with "Pyjamarama
reaches number 11 in the UK charts. |
| Dec 1977 |
Ferry leaves LA for Montreux in Switzerland
where he takes over an entire floor of a hotel. Over the next three months
he records a new album with a group of session players including Waddy
Wachtel, Rick Marotta, Neil Hubbard and Alan Spenner. |
| Dec 1977 |
A compilation album "Greatest Hits"
is released, and reaches number 20 in the UK. |
1978
|
| May 1978 |
Ferry releases a cover version of Lou Reed's
"What Goes On" to a muted reaction. It reaches number 67 in
the UK |
| Aug 1978 |
Ferry's new single "Sign Of The Times"
is released and reaches number 37 in the UK. Ferry's appeal has suffered
as a reaction to his "country gent" image and the reactionary
emergence of Punk. His projected summer tour is cancelled due to poor
performance at the box offices. |
| Oct 1978 |
October sees the release of Ferry's Montreux
album, entitled "The Bride Stripped Bare," its name a reference
to the work of one of Ferry's art influences Marcel Duchamp and perhaps
an ironic aside at his lost fiancee Hall. Reaching only number 13 in the
UK charts it is his first commercial failure, although lauded by many
as a critical success. |
| Oct 1978 |
Mackay releases his second solo album,
the oriental influenced "Resolving Contradictions" on Island
Records. |
| Oct 1978 |
Manzanera releases a further solo album
"K-Scope", on EG REcords. |
| Oct 1978 |
As "The Bride Stripped Bare"
reaches only number 159 in the US, Ferry resolves to reform Roxy Music.
Believing his solo image has become stigmatic, he seeks solace in his
trusted former colleagues. |
| Nov 1978 |
Following an 18 month hiatus, and with
Ferry's solo fortunes waning,Roxy Music reform, without Jobson and Wetton,
who have left to form UK, and with Gary Tibbs and Alan Spenner sharing
bass duties and both Paul Carrack and David Skinner on keyboards |
1979
|
| Mar 1979 |
A single "Trash" is released
and fails badly, reaching only UK number 40. Is the Roxy revival dead
in the water? |
| Apr 1979 |
The band release sixth album "Manifesto"
which reaches UK number 7 and they embark on a world tour in support of
it. |
| May 1979 |
Manifesto reaches number 23 in the US chart. |
| 07 Jun 1979 |
Roxy Music appear on UK TV show "Top
Of The Pops" in support of new single "Dance Away" This
appearance helps elevate the single to number 2 in the UK chart and number
44 in the US. |
| Sept 1979 |
"Angel Eyes" a disco tinted excerpt
from Manifesto, and available in both single and extended 12" versions,
reaches number 4 in the UK. |
