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Bryan Ferry (born 26 September 1945) is an English singer and musician. He became known as the frontman of the band Roxy Music and also launched a solo career.

Born to a working-class family, Ferry studied fine art and taught at a secondary school before pursuing a career in music. In 1970 he began to assemble Roxy Music with a group of friends and acquaintances in London, and took the role of lead singer and main songwriter. The band achieved immediate international success with the release of their self-titled debut album in 1972, containing a rich multitude of sounds, which reflected Ferry's interest in exploring different genres of music. Their second album, For Your Pleasure (1973), further cultivated the band's unique sound and visual image that would establish Ferry as a leading cultural icon over the next decade.[2]

Ferry began a parallel solo career by releasing These Foolish Things (1973), which popularized the concept of a contemporary musician releasing an album covering standard songs and was a drastic departure from his ongoing work with Roxy Music. This was followed by a second album, Another Time, Another Place (1974). Roxy Music released a trilogy of albums, Stranded (1973), Country Life (1974) and Siren (1975), which broadened the band's appeal internationally and saw Ferry take greater interest in the role of a live performer, reinventing himself in stage costumes ranging from gaucho to military uniforms. In 1983, following the release of their best-selling album Avalon the previous year, Ferry disbanded Roxy Music to concentrate on his solo career, with his next album, 1985's Boys and Girls, reaching No. 1 in the UK and featuring the hit singles "Slave to Love" and "Don't Stop the Dance", while the next two albums Bête Noire (1987) and Taxi (1993) both went Top 10 in the UK.[3]

As well as being a prolific songwriter, Ferry has recorded many cover versions, including standards from the Great American Songbook, and Dylanesque (2007), an album of Bob Dylan covers. Including his work with Roxy Music, Ferry has sold over 30 million albums worldwide.[4] In 2019, he was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as a member of Roxy Music.[5]

Early life

[edit]

Ferry was born in Washington, County Durham, son of Mary Ann and Frederick Charles Ferry.[6][7] His parents were working-class: his father was a farm labourer who also looked after pit ponies.[1][6] He attended Washington Grammar-Technical School[8] (now called Washington Academy) on Spout Lane from 1957.[9][page needed]

As a child he had a job as a paperboy and bought jazz magazines with his earnings.[10][11] He attended Durham University for one year before pursuing fine art at Newcastle University from 1964 to 1968, under Richard Hamilton for one year,[1][12] and some of his paintings were displayed at the Tate Gallery in 1970.[13] His contemporaries included Tim Head[14] and Nick de Ville.[15] During this period, Ferry was a member of the bands the Banshees,[16] City Blues, and the Gas Board, the latter of which featured his university classmates Graham Simpson and John Porter.[17][18][19] He then moved to London in 1968 and taught art and pottery at Holland Park School while pursuing a career in music.[20]

Career

[edit]

Roxy Music (1970–1983)

[edit]
Main article: Roxy Music
Ferry performing with Roxy Music on Dutch television in 1973

Ferry formed Roxy Music with a group of friends and acquaintances, beginning with bassist Graham Simpson, an art school classmate, in November 1970. The line-up was expanded to include saxophonist/oboist Andy Mackay and Brian Eno, an acquaintance who owned tape recorders and played Mackay's synthesiser. Other early members included timpanist Dexter Lloyd and ex-Nice guitarist David O'List, though by the time the band recorded their first album, the line-up had settled as Ferry, Simpson, Mackay, Eno, drummer Paul Thompson and guitarist Phil Manzanera.[21] Around late 1970/early 1971, Ferry auditioned for King Crimson, who were seeking a new singer and bassist to replace Gordon Haskell. Although his voice was deemed not right for Crimson, band members Robert Fripp and Peter Sinfield were still impressed with Ferry and quickly developed a friendship with him that would lead to Roxy Music being signed to Crimson's management company E.G. and Sinfield producing their first album and its subsequent non-album single "Virginia Plain".

Released on 16 June 1972, Roxy Music's self-titled debut album reached no. 10 on the UK album charts and immediately established the band's presence in the British music scene.[22] By the time the album was released Simpson had departed and the band would undergo several changes of bassist for the next few years. Later that summer the band appeared on the television show Top of the Pops for the first time, performing their first hit single, "Virginia Plain", marking one of the first electronic music performances on a mainstream television show.[23] The first two Roxy Music albums were written solely by Ferry; the debut contained a pastiche of musical styles, representing Ferry's wide-ranging interests, while the second album, For Your Pleasure (1973), pursued a darker, more determined mood.

Ferry met women's fashion designer Antony Price at a party in Holland Park in 1972, and later that year enlisted him alongside other friends including Nick de Ville to create the cover for Roxy Music's debut album. Featuring model Kari-Ann Moller splayed on the floor in a dress designed by Price, the cover image captivated the attention of the general public and according to writer Richard Williams was, "nothing less than a challenge, bold and direct, to the prevailing complacency."[24] Ferry would continue art-directing each Roxy Music album cover to follow.

Ferry began a parallel solo career in 1973, performing cover versions of old standards on his debut studio album These Foolish Things (1973) and his second album Another Time, Another Place (1974), both of which reached the UK top 5.[3] The latter featured on its cover an image of Ferry posing by a pool in a white dinner jacket, a persona which Rolling Stone dubbed "dandy of the bizarre".[25] Ferry's interest in the Great American Songbook represented a stark departure from Roxy Music, and the success of these two albums created a template which would be followed later by other artists including Joni Mitchell, Rod Stewart and Bob Dylan.[10] Embarking on his first solo tour in support of these albums, in 1973 Ferry was notably denied his request for a show at the Royal Albert Hall due to a ban on rock concerts before ultimately being granted his first performance a year later, in December 1974.[26] Ferry's debut at the Royal Albert Hall was recorded and later released as Live at the Royal Albert Hall, 1974 in 2020. Contemporary reviews of this period of Ferry's live performances noted his "actor's instinct for understatement" and praised his novelty and command on stage, concluding "to be Bryan Ferry in 1974 was like being Bob Dylan in 1965, Clark Gable in 1939, and Oscar Wilde in 1895."[27]

Roxy Music changed the face and curves, the visage and physique, of rock and pop. From their definitively art-school debut album of 1972, the collision of past and future of which still startles, through the Gatsby sighs of Ferry's gondolas, glam and goddesses period, then the two-year split, then the return with the likes of Manifesto and Avalon (so improbably refined that they shouldn't exist, can't exist, but do), Roxy were the ultimate marriage of style and substance: inspiring, influential, intoxicating.

— Chris Roberts, "Olympian Heights: Bryan Ferry Talks to Chris Roberts", The Quietus (18 November 2010).[28]

Between 1972 and 1974, Ferry's creative output was prolific, as he released a total of six studio albums between his solo career and Roxy Music. The third Roxy Music album, Stranded (1973), saw the departure of Brian Eno and the recruitment by Ferry of violinist and keyboardist Eddie Jobson, a contributor to Ferry's first solo album. Stranded became Roxy Music's first UK no. 1 album, dominating the charts for four months, and its supporting world tour saw Ferry wear a white dinner jacket and move out from behind the keyboard to take centre stage. The Rake notes, "the suit became the lynchpin of his onstage persona, buoyed by iconic, ostentatious tailoring by the likes of Anthony Price."[29] After the concert tour in support of their fifth studio album, Siren (1975), Roxy Music temporarily disbanded in 1976, though some Roxy members - Paul Thompson, Phil Manzanera, Eddie Jobson and bassists John Gustafson, John Wetton and Rick Wills - took part in the recording of Ferry's subsequent solo material. He released three solo albums during this period, Let's Stick Together (1976), In Your Mind (1977) and The Bride Stripped Bare (1978), all of which charted in the UK top 20.[3]

Disappointed by the lukewarm response to The Bride Stripped Bare, Ferry reformed Roxy Music at the end of 1978 to record tracks for what would become their sixth studio album, Manifesto, which was released in early 1979 and reached no. 7 in the UK album charts.[22] By now, Roxy Music was a core quartet of Ferry, Mackay, Thompson and Manzanera, and then a core trio following Thompson's departure at the end of 1979, augmented by a wide array of other musicians in the studio and on stage, some drawn from Ferry's solo output. 1980's Flesh + Blood album reached no. 1 in the UK album charts, two years before the group's final studio release Avalon in 1982, which also reached no. 1 in the UK album charts.[22] In-between these two albums, the band also achieved their first and only UK no. 1 single, "Jealous Guy", released in 1981 as a posthumous tribute to its author, John Lennon, who had been murdered two months earlier.[22] It was the only one of their singles not to be written or co-written by Ferry. After lengthy tours to promote the Avalon album, Ferry disbanded Roxy Music in 1983 and continued as a solo artist.

Solo years (1984–2001)

[edit]

Resuming his solo career, Ferry's sixth solo album, Boys and Girls, reached no. 1 in the UK in June 1985, and was his first and only solo studio album to top the chart.[3] Boys and Girls remained in the UK chart for 44 weeks and its lead single, "Slave to Love", reached the UK top ten.[30] In July 1985, Ferry performed at the London Live Aid show, accompanied by Pink Floyd guitarist David Gilmour.[31] Ferry and Gilmour also worked together on the song "Is Your Love Strong Enough?" for the soundtrack of the 1985 film Legend, while Ferry contributed the song "Help Me" to the film The Fly the following year.

After the Avalon promotional tours, Ferry was reluctant to return to touring; a change of management persuaded him to resume touring in 1988 to promote the previous year's Bête Noire. Following the tour, Ferry teamed again with Brian Eno for Mamouna (collaborating with Robin Trower on guitar and as producer). The album took more than five years to produce, and was created under the working title Horoscope. During production, Ferry simultaneously recorded and released a covers album, Taxi, in 1993, his eighth solo studio album, which peaked at no. 2 on the UK charts.[3] Mamouna (Ferry's ninth solo studio album) was released in 1994, peaking at no. 11 on the UK charts.[3] In 1996, Ferry performed the song "Dance with Life" for the Phenomenon soundtrack, written by Bernie Taupin and Martin Page.

In 1999, Ferry released his tenth solo studio album, As Time Goes By, consisting of cover versions of 1930s songs. The album peaked at no. 16 in the UK charts and was nominated for a Grammy Award.[32][33]

Roxy Music reunion (2001–2011)

[edit]

Ferry, Manzanera, Mackay and Thompson re-reformed Roxy Music in 2001 and toured extensively for a couple of years, though the band did not record any new material. In 2002, Ferry released a new studio album, Frantic, which featured several tracks written with David A. Stewart of Eurythmics as well as collaborations with Eno, Manzanera and Thompson.[34] The album was a mix of new original material and covers – something that Ferry had not attempted on a solo album since The Bride Stripped Bare in 1978.

In 2005, it was confirmed[35] that Roxy Music (Ferry, Mackay, Manzanera and Thompson) would perform shows at that year's Isle of Wight Festival and that they would record an album of new and original songs, with no indication of when such a project would reach completion.[36] Brian Eno confirmed[37] that he had worked in the studio with Roxy Music once more and had co-written songs for the new album. However, Ferry later stated that some of the material from these sessions would most likely be released as part of his next solo album.[38] In October 2006, he signed a contract with the British retailer Marks & Spencer to model its "Autograph" men's clothing range.[39]

In March 2007, Ferry released the album Dylanesque, an album of Bob Dylan songs.[40] The album charted in the UK top 10, and Ferry undertook a UK tour. On 7 October 2008, Ferry was honoured as a BMI Icon at the annual BMI London Awards.[41]

Ferry promoting his album Olympia in 2011

Ferry's next studio album, Olympia, was released in October 2010.[42] The album included some of the material he recorded with his former Roxy Music band members, and featured musicians such as Nile Rodgers, David A. Stewart, Scissor Sisters, Groove Armada, Flea, Jonny Greenwood and David Gilmour. The model Kate Moss was featured on the album cover.

Ferry also co-wrote the song "Shameless" on Groove Armada's 2010 album Black Light.[43] The album received a nomination for the 53rd Annual Grammy Awards in the category Best Dance/Electronic Album.[44]

In 2011, Roxy Music performed together for the last time before going on indefinite hiatus as Ferry, Manzanera, Mackay, and Thompson embarked on a world tour to celebrate the group's 40th anniversary.

Return to solo work (2011–2020)

[edit]

In June 2011, Ferry was made a CBE in the Queen's Birthday Honours for his contribution to the British music industry, and in 2012 he was awarded the French national honour of Ordre des Arts et des Lettres.[45] In 2014, Ferry was made an honorary Doctor of Music by Newcastle University.[46]

On 26 November 2012, Ferry released a new album entitled The Jazz Age with the Bryan Ferry Orchestra. The album features 1920s period jazz renditions of some of Ferry's songs (from both his solo discography and with Roxy Music). Film director Baz Luhrmann asked to use Ferry's song "Love Is the Drug" from The Jazz Age album for the 2013 film The Great Gatsby. This resulted in a collaboration with the Bryan Ferry Orchestra to create several jazz pieces throughout the movie, released as a separate album titled The Great Gatsby – The Jazz Recordings (A Selection of Yellow Cocktail Music). Ferry began touring with the Bryan Ferry Orchestra in 2013, including a performance at the 2013 Cannes Film Festival which was opened by Luhrmann's Great Gatsby film.

In 2014, Ferry toured extensively, with notable performances including Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival, as well as an appearance at the Chicago Theatre, which was preceded by a talk with author Michael Bracewell at the Museum of Contemporary Art on the subjects of fame and his creative inspiration.[47][48][49] Also in 2014, Ferry collaborated with the Norwegian DJ/producer Todd Terje, providing vocals on a cover version of "Johnny and Mary" (originally recorded by Robert Palmer). The track was released as a single and appeared on Terje's album It's Album Time.[50] In June 2014, Ferry appeared at the Glastonbury Festival,[51] and in 2015 he returned to Coachella to perform as a guest artist with Terje.[52]

In November 2014, Ferry released a new album entitled Avonmore, featuring original material and two cover songs (including the aforementioned "Johnny and Mary" with Terje). To support the album, Ferry launched a 20-date tour across the UK and released his first-ever solo live album, Live 2015.[53] Ferry continued to tour Europe and North America in the three years following the album's release, consistently playing no fewer than 30 shows each year. In 2017, Ferry gave his debut performance at the Hollywood Bowl, backed by the venue's full orchestra. Music industry critic Bob Lefsetz reviewed the performance, and noted Ferry's orchestral performance of "The Main Thing" as a highlight.[54][55] In November and December 2018, Ferry made his second appearance with the long-running concert series Night of the Proms in Germany, along with the Pointer Sisters, Milow, and Tim Bendzko.[56][57]

While furthering his solo career in recent years, Ferry has continued to collaborate with previous members of Roxy Music, including backing singer Fonzi Thornton and guitarist Neil Hubbard. Both Thornton and Hubbard toured with Ferry extensively during his promotion of the Avonmore album in 2015 and 2016. In February 2018, a 45th anniversary deluxe edition of Roxy Music's eponymous debut album was released, including numerous demos, outtakes, and unseen photographs curated over the years by Ferry.[58] During his promotional tour to support the deluxe re-issue, Ferry said he was open to collaborating once again with Roxy Music keyboardist Brian Eno.[59]

Ferry and his orchestra announced the new album Bitter-Sweet in November 2018. The Bryan Ferry World Tour 2019 set off across four continents in February, playing one British date at the 5,200-seater Royal Albert Hall in June, also adding 18 dates in North America through August and September. A separate date was slated for the BST Hyde Park festival in July 2019.[60]

In February 2020 Ferry released live album Live At The Royal Albert Hall, 1974, a recording from his first ever solo tour.[61]

Ferry continued touring with a UK run in March 2020, finishing the tour shortly before the COVID-19 pandemic shut down touring in the United Kingdom.[61]

Post-pandemic work and Roxy Music reunion (2021–present)

[edit]
Ferry performing on the 2022 Roxy Music tour in San Francisco

In April 2021, Ferry released Royal Albert Hall 2020, an album recorded live at the Royal Albert Hall in March 2020, prior to the lockdown as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. The proceeds of the album went to support Ferry's touring band and crew members.[62][63] A 2021 tour that had been planned, was ultimately cancelled due to on-going restrictions.[64] In June of the same year, Ferry's first six albums were remastered and re-released on vinyl.[65]

In March 2022, Ferry announced, alongside bandmates Andy Mackay, Phil Manzanera and Paul Thompson, that Roxy Music would be touring for the first time since 2011. The tour was billed as a celebration of Roxy Music's 50th anniversary. The tour took place in September and October 2022, across Canada, United States and United Kingdom.[66] In May 2022, Ferry released a cover EP called Love Letters, and a new book titled Lyrics that looked back on his song writing through the Roxy Music and solo years.[67][68]

Continuing the re-release of his solo vinyl records, in late 2023 Ferry released Mamouna and confirmed an additional unreleased partner album Horoscope, would join the deluxe release.[69] Ahead of Record Store Day 2024, Ferry re-released The Right Stuff as an EP on a limited edition blue vinyl.[70] In March of the same year, Ferry entered a partnership with Irving Azoff's Iconic Artists Group, which involved the sale of 50% of his catalogue to the company.[71][72]

On 31 July 2024, Ferry announced the upcoming release on 25 October 2024, of Retrospective: Selected Recordings, a massive 81-track five-CD career-spanning collection capturing 50 years of his music from 1973 to 2023, his first ever comprehensive career retrospective. The same day, Ferry released through YouTube a reimagined cover of Bob Dylan's "She Belongs to Me". Per a press release, the upcoming project is billed as a "series of cover versions that range from Bob Dylan to Amy Winehouse, Rodgers and Hart to the Velvet Underground via Tim Buckley, Shakespeare, sea shanties and Sam & Dave". The compilation should also pay tribute to Ferry's songwriting legacy and includes his top singles such as his 1985's hit "Slave to Love".[73]

Ferry released a new studio album, Loose Talk, on 31 May 2025.[citation needed]

Musical style and image

[edit]

In 2023, Rolling Stone ranked Ferry at number 150 on its list of the 200 Greatest Singers of All Time.[74] His voice was described by Stephen Thomas Erlewine of AllMusic as an "elegant, seductive croon".[75] When asked for examples of singers she studied, Kate Bush said: "I thought [Ferry] was the most exciting singer that I'd heard ... For me it covered the whole emotional spectrum, and I just couldn't get enough of it."[76] In reviewing a 1975 Roxy Music concert, The Village Voice described Ferry's voice as "a second tenor which lacks vocal antecedent", going further to note, "his voice operates on the same principle as hotel room service. Studied effects appear with hazy origins, use themselves up, and are removed without explanation."[77] Inducting Roxy Music into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2019, Duran Duran lead singer Simon Le Bon described Ferry's lyrics as "open-heart surgery".[78]

Ferry also established a distinctive image and sartorial style: according to The Independent, Ferry and his contemporary David Bowie influenced a generation with both their music and their appearances.[79] Management consultant Peter York described Ferry as "an art object" who "should hang in the Tate."[80] Simon Le Bon described him as a "synonym for cool", likening him to actor Cary Grant.[78] In 2005, GQ presented Ferry with its Lifetime Achievement Award, deeming him "pop's original art-school bobby-dazzler" and noting his solo career spent as the "world's best-dressed and most languidly mannered deluxe chanteur".[81] Esquire has noted Ferry's lifelong obsession with clothing and describing any in-person interaction with him as a "bespoke event, a louche ensemble of elegant affectations".[82] In 2007, Belgian fashion designer Dries van Noten created a Fall 2007 collection inspired by outfits Ferry wore during his solo career and tenure with Roxy Music.[83]

In his 1976 essay "Them", Peter York described Ferry as "the best possible example of the ultimate art-directed existence" and suggested he was the most important pasticheur in Britain at the time.[80] Ferry has credited numerous art and film influences throughout his career, among them Richard Hamilton, Marcel Duchamp, and Humphrey Bogart. Hamilton is credited by Ferry as an inspiration to him both as an artist and as a person, and is also responsible for introducing Ferry as an art student to Duchamp's work. The title of Ferry's 1978 solo album The Bride Stripped Bare is taken from Duchamp's classic work The Bride Stripped Bare by Her Bachelors, Even.[84] For Bogart, Ferry penned the song "2HB" ("2HB" = "To Humphrey Bogart"), leading the band Madness to record "4BF" ("for Bryan Ferry"), on their 1988 album The Madness. Phil Manzanera – who would become Roxy Music's guitarist – recalls, during his audition to join the band, that Ferry and he discussed Humphrey Bogart and classic films from the Golden Age of Hollywood.[85]

Personal life

[edit]

Relationships and family

[edit]

In 1975, Ferry began a relationship with model Jerry Hall. They first met when she appeared on the album cover for Siren (1975), which was photographed in Wales during the summer of 1975. According to Harper's Bazaar, the photo shoot boosted Hall's status as an international celebrity.[86][87] Her stay at Ferry's Holland Park (London) home, following the album photo shoot, marked the start of their relationship. Hall and Ferry lived together, sharing homes in London and in the Bel Air neighbourhood of Los Angeles, and Hall also appeared in some of Ferry's solo music videos, including "Let's Stick Together" and "The Price of Love" (both 1976).[88] Their relationship ended when she left him for Mick Jagger in late 1977.

Ferry rarely talks about Hall, but fans have often speculated his song "Kiss and Tell" from his album Bête Noire (1987) was his response to Hall's 1985 tell-all book in which she discussed their relationship.[89] Additionally, Ferry's 1978 solo album The Bride Stripped Bare is widely believed[90] to contain allusions to his break-up with Hall, particularly the song "When She Walks in the Room".

On 26 June 1982, Ferry married London socialite Lucy Helmore, who became pregnant with their child Otis (b. 1 November 1982). Though her face is not seen, Helmore was the model on the front cover of Roxy Music's album Avalon (1982), released a month before their wedding.[91] The couple had three more sons, Isaac,[92] Tara, and Merlin.[91] After 21 years of marriage the couple divorced in 2003. Helmore died of a self-inflicted gunshot wound in 2018, while on holiday in County Clare, Ireland, after what her brother described as "a long battle with depression".[93] Ferry said he was "saddened and shocked" by her death.[94]

In 2000, the whole Ferry family were on British Airways Flight 2069 to Nairobi when a passenger forced his way into the cockpit, attacked the pilot and caused the plane to lurch downwards. The assailant eventually was overcome, and the pilot recovered from a descent of 12,000 feet in 25 seconds; the fastest rate of descent from which any civil aircraft has ever recovered.[91][95]

By 2008, Ferry's son Tara was performing in a rock band called Rubber Kiss Goodbye.[96] By 2008, Merlin was studying for "A" Levels at Marlborough College,[96] and then played guitar in a band called Voltorb. Ferry's children have also contributed to his albums Olympia and Avonmore. On Olympia, Tara played drums on several tracks, Merlin played guitar on one track, and Isaac was the producer of the album's artwork.[97] Tara also toured with Ferry (and Roxy Music) on the band's 2011 For Your Pleasure tour, performing additional drums.[98]

Ferry's youngest son, Merlin, was seriously injured in a head-on car crash in Shropshire in December 2014.[99]

Ferry and Helmore split in the early 2000s after she had an affair, and they divorced in 2003.[91] After their separation, British newspapers photographed Ferry with Katie Turner, 35 years his junior, naming her as his new girlfriend.[34] Ferry and Turner met while she worked as one of the dancers on Roxy Music's concert tour in 2001 (and is featured on the DVD of the 2001 Hammersmith Odeon show). She appeared with Ferry on several TV shows to promote the Frantic album, and performed on the Frantic tour in 2002. After their break-up, in 2006, he resumed his relationship with Katie Turner for some time.[100]

In 2009, Ferry began a relationship with Amanda Sheppard, and on 4 January 2012, they married in a private ceremony on the Turks and Caicos Islands.[101][102] In August 2013, it was reported that the couple were to separate after 19 months of marriage, and they divorced in 2014.[103][104]

Ferry was estimated to have a fortune of £30 million in the Sunday Times Rich List of 2010.[105]

Political views

[edit]

In 1988, Ferry referred to himself as "sort of conservative" in his beliefs in an interview with the Chicago Tribune. He also expressed support for having a strong work ethic, stating "most of my life is spent working hard. I come from the kind of working-class background where you have to work very hard and if you don't, you feel guilty."[106]

In 2007, Ferry performed at a concert to raise funds for the Countryside Alliance.[107]

In 2008, Ferry indicated that he supported the Conservative Party, referring to himself as apolitical but "conservative by nature", preferring not to mix art with politics. Without elaborating, he stated he was "proud" of his son Otis and described the then Labour Government's ban on fox hunting as "futile". He also expressed an opposition to "left-wing bitterness" and political correctness, saying both were stifling to individual liberty and freedom of expression. The model of free speech he cited was the 1970s.[108] In a 2009 interview, Ferry stated:

I would support a Cameron government. I have met him, and he's a bright guy. I hope they do well. I don't like the way the present Government has done things, most of all putting my son in prison for four and a half months, totally unlawfully ... and that's not just my opinion: judges, all sorts, have said it was a stitch-up. It was politically motivated. The poor lad just wants to live the traditional country life.[38]

In 2012, Ferry was a guest at the Conservative Party's black-and-white ball.[109] In 2020, he described incumbent Prime Minister Boris Johnson as "bright" but expressed a reluctance to further discuss his politics.[110]

In August 2014, Ferry was one of 200 public figures who were signatories to a letter to The Guardian expressing their hope that Scotland would vote to remain part of the United Kingdom in September's referendum on that issue.[111]

Remarks on Nazi Germany iconography

[edit]

In April 2007, controversy arose when Ferry praised the iconography of Nazi Germany in an interview with the German newspaper Welt am Sonntag, citing in particular "Leni Riefenstahl's movies and Albert Speer's buildings".[112] In the same interview he was reported to have referred to his West London recording studio as "The Führerbunker" (Adolf Hitler's bunker during World War II).[113][114] Ferry later issued an apology, stating: "I apologise unreservedly for any offence caused by my comments on Nazi iconography, which were solely made from an art history perspective."[112][115] Jewish Labour peer Greville Janner criticised Ferry for his remarks.[116] British retailer Marks & Spencer later denied that Ferry had been dropped as one of their models for their Autograph menswear line as a result of his remarks and said that he had completed his existing contract.[117]

In other media

[edit]

In 1985, Ferry contributed the song "Is Your Love Strong Enough?" to the Ridley Scott film Legend.[118] The song, featuring guitar work by David Gilmour, plays during the end credits of the US theatrical release, and was released with the Tangerine Dream version of the soundtrack on CD (although this is out of print and rare). A promotional music video was created, integrating Ferry and Gilmour into scenes from the film; this is included as a bonus in Ferry's 2002 "Ultimate Edition" DVD release. The song was later covered by How to Destroy Angels for the soundtrack to the 2011 US version of The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo.[119]

Filmography

[edit]
Year Title Role
1980 Petit déjeuner compris Himself
2004 The Porter Inside Trader / Piano Player
2005 Breakfast on Pluto Mr Silky String
2017 Babylon Berlin Sänger

Acting

[edit]

Ferry had a cameo role in the fourth episode of the French television miniseries Petit déjeuner compris, which first aired in 1980.[120] In 2004, he starred in the short film The Porter,[121] and in 2005 he appeared in Neil Jordan's film Breakfast on Pluto as the character Mr. Silky String.[122]

In 2017 Ferry appeared as a cabaret singer in the television series Babylon Berlin.[123] In addition, he contributed six songs to the series and its soundtrack, including "Dance Away" from the 1979 album Manifesto, and "Bitter-Sweet", with its original German verses, from the 1974 album Country Life.[124]

Discography

[edit]
Main article: Bryan Ferry discography
See also: Roxy Music discography

Studio albums

[edit]

References

[edit]

General sources

[edit]
  • Bracewell, Michael. Roxy Music: Bryan Ferry, Brian Eno, Art, Ideas, and Fashion (Da Capo Press, 2005). ISBN 0-306-81400-5
  • Buckley, David. The Thrill of It All: The Story of Bryan Ferry & Roxy Music (Chicago Review Press, 2005). ISBN 1-55652-574-5
  • Rigby, Jonathan. Roxy Music: Both Ends Burning (Reynolds & Hearn, 2005; revised edition 2008). ISBN 1-903111-80-3
  • Stump, Paul. Unknown Pleasures: A Cultural Biography of Roxy Music (Quartet Books, 1998). ISBN 0-7043-8074-9
[edit]
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Bryan Ferry

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Bryan Ferry CBE (born 26 September 1945) is an English singer, songwriter, and musician renowned as the lead vocalist and principal songwriter of the art rock band Roxy Music.
Formed in 1971, Roxy Music blended glam, avant-garde, and pop influences to produce eight studio albums between 1972 and 1982, including the critically acclaimed debut Roxy Music and the commercial peak Avalon, which established Ferry's distinctive baritone delivery and sartorial sophistication as hallmarks of the band's innovative sound.
Ferry launched a parallel solo career shortly after Roxy Music's formation, releasing covers album These Foolish Things in 1973 and subsequent works like Boys and Girls (1985), which yielded hits such as "Slave to Love" and underscored his ability to reinterpret standards and originals with a lounge-inflected elegance drawing from 1930s jazz and cabaret traditions.
Appointed Commander of the Order of the British Empire in 2012 for services to music, Ferry has continued performing and recording, including Roxy Music reunions and collaborative projects into the 2020s.

Early Life

Childhood and Education

Bryan Ferry was born on 26 September 1945 in Washington, County Durham, England, to working-class parents Frederick Charles Ferry, a farm labourer who tended pit ponies at a local colliery, and Mary Ann Ferry, a housewife. The family resided in a modest semi-detached house in the Biddick area, equipped with an outside toilet, amid the industrial landscape of post-war northeast England, where coal mining dominated the local economy and austerity measures lingered from the wartime rationing era. This environment of economic hardship and community reliance on heavy industry fostered a backdrop of limited opportunities, yet Ferry later reflected on his roots as a source of enduring connection to the region, describing it as his "spiritual home." Ferry's early schooling took place at local institutions in Washington, including Glebe Infants and Primary School, before advancing to Washington Grammar-Technical School (later renamed Washington Academy) after passing the eleven-plus examination around 1957. At the grammar school, he participated in extracurricular activities such as football and worked part-time as a paperboy, experiences that underscored the disciplined, community-oriented life of the area. In pursuit of artistic interests, Ferry enrolled in the Fine Art program at Newcastle University (then King's College, part of the University of Durham) in 1964, graduating with a degree in 1968. There, he studied under the influential pop artist Richard Hamilton during his first year, whose teachings emphasized conceptual approaches, innovative media like assemblage and photography, and a critique of consumer culture over conventional painting techniques. Ferry credited Hamilton's guidance as pivotal, noting the decision to attend Newcastle—rather than London art schools—as a formative choice that aligned with his developing aesthetic sensibilities.

Initial Artistic Pursuits

Ferry's early creative interests centered on , where he studied at under the pop artist Richard Hamilton, earning a BA in 1968. There, he pursued painting and ceramics amid the vibrant late 1960s Newcastle art scene, which emphasized conceptual innovation over traditional craftsmanship. While at university, Ferry formed amateur bands such as The Banshees and The Gas Board, performing covers in local venues, blending his artistic sensibilities with performative energy. These groups represented precursor experiments that prioritized visual presentation—drawing from influences like staging and aesthetics—over purely musical substance, foreshadowing his later approach. Following graduation, Ferry relocated to around 1968–1970, securing employment as an and ceramics at a girls' secondary school in areas like or to sustain himself amid limited market opportunities. This pragmatic shift to music, while maintaining teaching as a financial buffer, reflected self-reliant in an era of for visual artists; Ferry later noted perceiving a "gap in music" during the dull late scene, prompting auditions and band formations as viable alternatives to precarious gallery prospects.

Career

Roxy Music Formation and Breakthrough (1970–1976)

Bryan Ferry formed Roxy Music in late 1970 after losing his art teaching position, initially recruiting bassist Graham Simpson from his University of Newcastle connections and expanding the lineup with experimental musicians including synthesizer player Brian Eno and guitarist Phil Manzanera by early 1972. The band secured a recording contract with Island Records through persistent demos, reflecting Ferry's determination to fuse art-school avant-garde influences with accessible pop structures. The self-titled debut album Roxy Music, released on 16 June 1972, entered the UK Albums Chart and peaked at number 10, propelled by its raw production and Ferry's distinctive baritone vocals over oblique lyrics and tape-loop effects. Their debut single "Virginia Plain," released on 4 August 1972, reached number 4 on the UK Singles Chart by 12 September, establishing the band's glam-infused image and Ferry's role as primary songwriter in capturing public attention through vivid, escapist themes. Roxy Music's follow-up For Your Pleasure, issued in March 1973, continued the experimental edge with extended tracks like the 10-minute title song, but internal frictions emerged. Brian Eno left the band on 2 July 1973, citing difficulties in balancing his innovative treatments against Ferry's vision for streamlined compositions, a departure attributed to growing creative divergences rather than personal animus. Post-Eno, Roxy Music released Stranded in November 1973, featuring violinist Eddie Jobson and achieving number 3 on the UK Albums Chart, followed by Country Life in November 1974 (number 2 UK) and Siren in November 1975 (number 4 UK), each showcasing Ferry's evolving songcraft that tempered eccentricity with melodic hooks to broaden appeal. These efforts, driven by Ferry's leadership in refining glam aesthetics and cover interpretations alongside originals, underpinned the band's trajectory toward global sales surpassing 30 million records.

Roxy Music Developments and Hiatus (1977–1983)

Following the success of their earlier albums, Roxy Music released Manifesto on March 16, 1979, which peaked at number 7 on the UK Albums Chart. The album reflected adaptations to seismic shifts in popular music, including the rise of disco and new wave since their previous release Siren in 1975, resulting in a smoother, more polished sound compared to their initial glam rock phase. The band continued this evolution with Flesh + Blood, released on May 23, 1980, which topped the for four weeks and spent sixty weeks on the chart overall. Achieving immediate commercial success, the album marked Roxy Music's growing emphasis on refined production amid changing market dynamics favoring accessible pop structures over experimental edges. Avalon, issued on May 28, 1982, represented the culmination of this trajectory, reaching number 1 in the UK—Roxy Music's second consecutive chart-topper—and earning platinum certification in the United States for over one million units sold. Recorded at in during 1981–1982, the album incorporated lush synthesizer layers and atmospheric elements, influencing the emerging genre through its sophisticated blend of electronic textures and romantic balladry. Extensive touring accompanied these releases, with the Avalon tour extending into 1983 and capturing live performances on the EP The High Road. This period's synth-heavy production adaptations aligned with technological advancements in keyboards and recording, enabling broader commercial appeal but drawing some contemporary critiques for softening the band's original bite in favor of mainstream polish. In 1983, following the tour's conclusion, entered an indefinite hiatus, primarily driven by Bryan Ferry's shift in focus toward his solo career, which had been intermittently active but gained precedence amid internal band dynamics prioritizing individual pursuits over collective output. This dissolution allowed Ferry to explore personal artistic directions unencumbered by group commitments, reflecting causal tensions between sustained band collaboration and solo commercial imperatives.

Solo Career Establishment (1984–2000)

Boys and Girls, released on 1 June 1985, marked a commercial peak for Ferry's solo endeavors, topping the and achieving platinum certification there for over 300,000 units shipped, while earning gold status in the United States for exceeding 500,000 sales. The album's lead single, "Slave to Love," reached number 10 on the UK Singles Chart, contributing to Ferry's pattern of blending sophisticated pop with romantic themes. Global sales for Boys and Girls surpassed 1 million copies, underscoring its role in establishing Ferry's independent viability post-Roxy Music hiatus. Subsequent releases sustained this momentum, with Bête Noire issued on 2 November 1987, peaking at number 9 on the and reflecting Ferry's collaborative production approach, including work with on tracks like "." The album emphasized Ferry's interpretive style through originals and atmospheric arrangements, achieving moderate entry at number 63 on the 200. In 1993, Taxi climbed to number 2 on the UK Albums Chart, featuring covers of rock standards such as "I Put a Spell on You" (which hit number 18 as a single) alongside originals, demonstrating Ferry's skill in reinterpreting influences from Dylan to Motown. This hybrid approach highlighted experimentation without abandoning melodic accessibility, with the album's production maintaining Ferry's signature lush orchestration. Ferry's turn to pre-war standards culminated in As Time Goes By (1999), which reached number 16 in the UK and earned gold certification for over 100,000 units, showcasing his vocal finesse on tracks like the title song amid orchestral backings. Across this period, Ferry secured five UK top-10 solo albums, affirming sustained chart presence and sales exceeding several million units collectively for key releases like Boys and Girls.

Roxy Music Reunions and Solo Parallel (2001–2011)

Roxy Music reunited in 2001 for an extensive world tour featuring core members Bryan Ferry, Andy Mackay, Phil Manzanera, and Paul Thompson, their first joint performances since 1983. The tour encompassed over 50 dates across North America, Europe, and other regions, drawing on the band's classic repertoire to capitalize on renewed interest in their early work. This activity coincided with reissues of albums like Manifesto, reinforcing the nostalgic draw of their glam and art rock catalog. The 2001 outings were documented on the double live album Live, released in June 2003, which sequenced recordings from various tour stops to evoke a unified concert experience spanning 22 tracks. The album peaked at number 31 on the UK Albums Chart, indicating moderate commercial success amid the band's intermittent revival strategy. Building on this momentum, Roxy Music conducted additional tours in 2005 and 2006, including a pre-tour warm-up at London's KOKO club on June 8, 2005, festival appearances such as the Isle of Wight on June 11, 2005, and arena shows across Europe and North America totaling around 14 concerts in 2005 and similar in 2006. These efforts demonstrated the sustainability of nostalgia-driven performances, with setlists emphasizing hits like "Re-Make/Re-Model" and "Avalon" to engage longstanding fans. Amid these band reunions, Ferry sustained his solo output, releasing Olympia on October 25, 2010, which integrated Roxy Music alumni including guitarists Phil Manzanera and guest Brian Eno alongside oboist Andy Mackay on select tracks. The album's production blended Ferry's signature crooning with electronic and rock elements, peaking at number 15 in Italy and featuring collaborations that blurred lines between solo and band identities without committing to a full Roxy studio project. Following 2010-2011 tours marking the band's 40th anniversary, Roxy Music ceased group activities, attributed to members' divergent personal and professional priorities rather than disputes, allowing Ferry to retain primary control over his creative direction. Such periodic revivals underscored the financial viability of live nostalgia, with tour revenues supporting participants through shared splits, though Ferry's parallel solo pursuits offered uncompromised artistic autonomy.

Later Solo Work and Recent Releases (2012–present)

Ferry released his fifteenth solo studio album, Avonmore, on November 17, 2014, through , featuring collaborations with musicians including , , , and , and blending elements with sophisticated production. The album comprised ten tracks, such as "Loop De Li" and "Midnight Train," lasting approximately 43 minutes, and received acclaim for its atmospheric allure and Ferry's vocal delivery. In 2018, Ferry issued Bitter-Sweet under the billing Bryan Ferry and His Orchestra on November 30, presenting symphonic reinterpretations of earlier and solo compositions, including "Alphaville," "Sign of the Times," and "," across thirteen tracks totaling 42 minutes. This release emphasized orchestral arrangements, diverging from rock-oriented works to explore jazz-inflected vocal styles. A comprehensive career-spanning compilation, Retrospective: Selected Recordings 1973–2023, emerged on October 25, 2024, via BMG, aggregating 81 tracks from Ferry's solo catalog to highlight thematic depth and evolution. Formats included a super deluxe five-CD box set and digital editions, underscoring Ferry's output over five decades without Roxy Music's primary framework. Ferry collaborated with visual artist and writer Amelia Barratt on Loose Talk, released March 28, 2025, via Dene Jesmond Records, where Barratt delivered spoken-word texts over Ferry's instrumental backings across eleven tracks spanning 37 minutes, including "Big Things" and "Stand Near Me." The project originated from a gallery encounter and marked an experimental shift toward narrative soundscapes. In 2025, Ferry oversaw Dolby Atmos remixes for select solo albums, including Boys and Girls (originally 1985), mixed by Bob Clearmountain and approved with producer Rhett Davies, enhancing spatial audio immersion for tracks like "Slave to Love"; similar updates applied to Taxi, Bête Noire, Mamouna, and Dylanesque, available on streaming platforms from July 25. Ferry has sustained touring since 2013 primarily with the Bryan Ferry Orchestra, adapting setlists for live performances amid his age of 80 in 2025, incorporating orchestral elements and solo highlights to maintain vocal precision and stage presence despite pandemic interruptions. These engagements, including North American dates extended into summer, prioritized adaptability in repertoire delivery over high-energy rock formats.

Musical Style and Influences

Vocal Technique and Songwriting Approach

Bryan Ferry possesses a baritone vocal foundation, often extending into falsetto for seamless transitions between chest and head voice, which allows for sustained notes and a broad dynamic range. His phrasing employs short bursts with a rapid vibrato, producing a warbling effect akin to mid-20th-century lounge singers such as Frank Sinatra, though delivered with a stylized detachment that subverts traditional sincerity through glam-era irony. This technique, rooted in darker resonance and controlled oscillation, renders his timbre identifiably androgynous—melding baritonal depth with lighter, ethereal highs—to amplify Roxy Music's visual and sonic glamour, as evidenced by the band's early chart penetrations like "Virginia Plain" reaching number 4 in the UK in August 1972. Ferry's songwriting prioritizes melodic hooks and lyrical phrasing that enhance musical texture over detailed storytelling, viewing melody creation as an intuitive process akin to "luck" rather than analyzable craft. He seeks words that fit the composition indelibly, fostering atmospheric evocation suited to orchestral arrangements, as in his solo output where romantic motifs underpin sophisticated progressions. This method extends to reinterpretations, where originals are reshaped for mood via instrumentation; for instance, Roxy Music's 1980 cover of John Lennon's "Jealous Guy"—featuring Ferry's lead—topped the UK Singles Chart for two weeks in March 1981, outselling the 1971 Beatles-era version through its languid, saxophone-laden haze. Such adaptations underscore Ferry's empirical success in prioritizing sonic ambiance, yielding durable tracks over narrative profundity, with solo albums like These Foolish Things (1973) reworking standards into 11 UK Top 40 entries.

Visual Aesthetic and Fashion Influence


Bryan Ferry's visual aesthetic with Roxy Music emerged as a hallmark of early 1970s glam rock, featuring exaggerated makeup, sharp suits, and theatrical staging that distinguished the band from contemporaries. This style was largely shaped by designer Antony Price, who handled clothes, makeup, and hair for the band's 1972 debut album, transforming Ferry's concepts into a hyper-confident, boundary-pushing look aligned with their avant-garde sound. Price's designs, including shiny matinee-idol suits with military undertones, positioned Ferry as a style icon, emphasizing artifice and glamour as integral to the band's identity. Album covers served as provocative extensions of this branding strategy, prioritizing visual allure to captivate audiences before widespread music video promotion. The 1973 For Your Pleasure sleeve depicted model Amanda Lear in a scantily clad pose astride a rearing white horse, evoking erotic fantasy and contributing to the era's shift toward glam, camp, and "porno chic" in rock packaging. Such imagery, often featuring stylized "Roxy Girls" as unattainable ideals, amplified the band's mystique and market differentiation, with Price styling eight LP covers to reinforce Ferry's curated persona. As Roxy Music evolved and Ferry pursued solo work, his aesthetic refined into tailored elegance, favoring bespoke Savile Row suits over initial flamboyance, reflecting a deliberate pivot to sophisticated masculinity. This maturation, blending Hollywood glamour with British tailoring traditions, influenced menswear trends toward precise, layered formality—evident in double-breasted jackets, silk scarves, and pleated trousers that became synonymous with Ferry's stage presence. The strategic consistency of this visual branding not only sustained commercial appeal but also elevated Ferry's role in bridging rock performance with high fashion, impacting perceptions of male style in popular culture.

Key Musical and Cultural Inspirations

Bryan Ferry's musical inspirations encompassed a blend of experimental rock and soul traditions, which he adapted selectively to craft Roxy Music's distinctive sound. The Velvet Underground's avant-garde approach, particularly its integration of noise and minimalism, profoundly shaped the band's early aesthetic, as Ferry acknowledged in discussions of their debt to underground sources akin to those influencing David Bowie. He also drew from black soul music, citing its emotional delivery and rhythmic drive as foundational elements he introduced to the group, prioritizing versatile phrasing over rigid genre adherence. These borrowings were pragmatic, enabling Ferry to innovate by juxtaposing soul's intensity with synthesizers and oboes, rather than reverential imitation. Culturally, Ferry's output reflected art school roots in post-war British modernism, emphasizing conceptual detachment and ironic glamour over proletarian authenticity. His time under Richard Hamilton at Newcastle University instilled a pop art sensibility focused on collage and mass-media appropriation, which informed Roxy Music's album covers and stage visuals as deliberate constructs. Similarly, Marcel Duchamp's readymades inspired Ferry's view of artifice as a tool for subversion, treating readymade elements like vintage imagery not as nostalgia but as catalysts for fresh assembly. This framework rejected working-class realism in favor of aspirational artifice, positioning Ferry's work as a calculated elevation of pop into intellectual territory.

Personal Life

Family and Relationships

Bryan Ferry married London socialite Helmore on 26 June 1982, shortly after she became pregnant with their first child. The couple had four sons: Otis (born 1 November 1982), , Tara, and . Their lasted 21 years but ended in on 31 March 2003, granted on the grounds of Lucy's adultery. , who later took the surname Birley after remarrying, died in July 2018 at age 58; she bequeathed her £3.65 million estate equally to the four sons. Ferry's sons have pursued varied paths amid public scrutiny, with Otis emerging as a pro-hunting activist facing multiple legal challenges, including a 2008 arrest for alleged robbery and assault during a hunt saboteur confrontation (charges later dropped or resulting in bail release) and a 2012 prison term described by him as "mind-numbingly boring" rather than punitive. Younger son Merlin encountered his own troubles, including a 2013 conviction for possessing a knife and a 2014 car crash causing serious injuries. These incidents highlight familial strains, yet Ferry maintained involvement in his children's lives through such upheavals. In 2009, Ferry began a relationship with Amanda Sheppard, formerly his son Otis's girlfriend, and they married on 4 January 2012 in a private ceremony on the Turks and Caicos Islands. The union dissolved after two years, with a decree nisi granted on 7 March 2014, reportedly due to differing views on having children—Ferry citing his reluctance for another baby at age 69. No children resulted from this marriage. Prior to his first marriage, Ferry's high-profile relationship with model Jerry Hall ended when she left him for Mick Jagger in 1977, after which he began dating Helmore; such romantic associations with models shaped his public image but remained ancillary to his sustained paternal role across decades. Despite the end of both marriages, Ferry's family structure endured, evidenced by ongoing ties with ex-partners and heirs, contrasting the ephemerality often seen in celebrity personal lives.

Health and Lifestyle

Bryan Ferry, born on September 26, 1945, reached the age of 80 in 2025 while continuing to perform and tour, demonstrating sustained physical resilience uncommon among contemporaries in rock music. He attributes his vitality to a regular Pilates regimen, which supports his ability to maintain the demands of live performances into advanced age. Ferry has experienced isolated health challenges, including a 2011 hospitalization for precautionary tests after feeling unwell, from which he recovered without public disclosure of a specific diagnosis. In 2015, he underwent a procedure to insert a stent into his aorta due to impaired blood flow, a life-saving intervention that addressed a critical cardiovascular issue. No major ongoing or recent illnesses have been reported, allowing him to reflect on mortality amid the deaths of numerous musical peers while emphasizing personal discipline over excess. Ferry's lifestyle reflects a deliberate avoidance of the self-destructive patterns prevalent among 1970s rock figures, favoring privacy and moderation. He resides in the rural village of Fittleworth in West Sussex, England, where he has supported local community efforts, such as financially aiding the village's only shop and café to prevent closure in 2021. This countryside setting contrasts with urban excesses, aligning with his expressed preference for a low-key existence that prioritizes creative work over indulgence. His habits underscore prudence, as evidenced by sustained professional output without the substance abuse or erratic behavior that derailed many glam and art rock peers, enabling longevity in a field marked by early attrition.

Political and Social Views

Support for Conservatism

Bryan Ferry has publicly identified as "conservative by nature," emphasizing in a 2008 interview that, given his background in a traditionally Labour area and current residence in a safe Conservative constituency, it would be natural for him to support the Conservative Party, though he prefers to avoid overt political engagement in his artistic work. This stance aligns with his longstanding affiliation with the Countryside Alliance, a group defending rural traditions and opposing policies such as the 2004 Hunting Act, which restricted fox hunting—a measure passed by the Labour government under Tony Blair. Ferry's son, Otis Ferry, has been a prominent figure in the same movement, leading protests against the hunting ban and serving as chairman of the Countryside Alliance from 2014 to 2017, reflecting familial consistency in these positions. Ferry's own rise from a working-class background in County Durham—where he worked in factories and as a paperboy before achieving commercial success through self-directed artistic innovation—exemplifies the individual agency often championed in conservative thought, though he has not explicitly framed his career in such ideological terms in available statements. While some media narratives, influenced by prevailing institutional biases favoring progressive viewpoints, tend to downplay or contextualize celebrity endorsements of conservatism as incidental or apolitical, Ferry's consistent expressions of preference for Tory principles—rooted in personal disposition rather than partisan activism—demonstrate a deliberate alignment with right-leaning values over decades. Bryan Ferry has voiced strong opposition to political correctness, portraying it as a modern constraint that curtails free expression and artistic provocation. In a 2010 interview, he stated, "I hate all that kind of thing, when you’ve got to watch what you say. It’s too Kafka for me. It’s just too annoying, you know? And England has become like that," emphasizing its stifling effect on discourse compared to freer past eras. He has advocated for art's right to provoke, arguing that such impositions undermine creativity by enforcing verbal and thematic caution. Ferry linked this to broader cultural shifts, noting in 2008 that "there is much more political correctness around today" regarding what can be said, informed by his own experiences of backlash. Ferry has similarly critiqued cultural "dumbing down," associating it with political correctness as forces eroding traditional standards. In 2013, he remarked, "I hate dumbing down and I hate political correctness," positioning himself against relativistic trends in favor of established aesthetics like those of the Cavaliers over Roundheads. His preference for "old-fashioned and idiosyncratic things" underscores advocacy for merit-driven elegance over transient, enforced relativism in art and media. In the music industry, Ferry has highlighted commercialization's role in homogenizing output, displacing individual vision with bureaucratic processes. He lamented the loss of characterful DJs like John Peel, replaced by "teams of producers, selection committees, formats," deeming this development "sad, really," alongside the erosion of record shops as "hugely worrying." These observations point to market-driven distortions prioritizing formulaic appeal over substantive merit, with Ferry's five-decade career—sustained by refined, non-conformist style—evidencing the viability of alternatives unbound by such trends.

Controversies

Nazi Iconography Remarks (2007)

In an interview published on 25 March 2007 in the German newspaper Welt am Sonntag, Bryan Ferry discussed his appreciation for certain visual elements associated with Nazi Germany, framing them explicitly in terms of artistic design rather than political ideology. He praised the "iconography" in Leni Riefenstahl's propaganda films Triumph of the Will (1935) and Olympia (1938), describing it as "amazing" and "fantastic," and noted that Roxy Music had drawn inspiration from similar aesthetics for their album covers, such as the use of streamlined, evocative imagery evoking 1930s glamour without endorsing the underlying regime. Ferry emphasized detachment from ideology, stating, "The way that the Nazis staged themselves and presented themselves, my God... [it] has no relationship to the ideology at all. It has a much broader reach," highlighting the formal qualities of presentation like lighting, staging, and symbolism as influences on art and fashion design. The remarks prompted immediate backlash, with the Anti-Defamation League (ADL) condemning them as "deeply offensive" and implying sympathy for Nazi aesthetics in a manner that overlooked the regime's atrocities, while the BBC and other outlets amplified coverage framing the comments as admiration for the Nazis themselves. Jewish advocacy groups and media reports portrayed the statements as insensitive, particularly in Germany, where historical sensitivities to Nazi imagery remain acute, though Ferry's words contained no explicit endorsement of National Socialist policies or atrocities. On 16 April 2007, Ferry issued a public apology through his representatives, expressing regret for any offense caused while reiterating the art-historical context: "I apologise unreservedly for any offence caused by my comments on Nazi iconography, which were solely made from an art history perspective. I in no way sympathise with the inhumanity and evil of the Nazi regime." He maintained that his interest pertained to detached visual craftsmanship—such as Riefenstahl's cinematic techniques, which have been analyzed in film studies for their propagandistic efficacy independent of moral endorsement—rather than political alignment, underscoring a distinction often blurred in public reactions to aesthetic discussions of totalitarian eras. The episode highlighted tensions between objective appraisal of historical design elements and their inescapable association with the atrocities they served, with Ferry's defense aligning with precedents in art criticism where form is separated from content for analytical purposes.

Responses to Media Backlash

Following the publication of Bryan Ferry's comments in Welt am Sonntag in early April 2007, outlets such as The Guardian and Reuters framed the remarks as a scandal, emphasizing condemnation from Jewish groups and portraying them as praise for Nazi aesthetics rather than a detached artistic observation. This coverage, often from institutions with documented left-leaning editorial slants, amplified the incident into a broader narrative of insensitivity, sidelining the contextual discussion of iconography in films like Triumph of the Will. Ferry responded on April 16, 2007, issuing an unreserved apology for any offense caused, while clarifying that his views derived exclusively from an perspective and explicitly denouncing the Nazi regime as "evil and abhorrent." He maintained this distinction in subsequent statements, underscoring that the comments addressed visual and propagandistic elements as historical artifacts, not ideological endorsement—a position echoed in artistic precedents like Andy Warhol's appropriations of fascist imagery in works such as his silk-screen series, which critiqued power through aesthetic detachment without comparable career repercussions. The backlash proved limited in practical terms; Ferry's music sales remained stable, with his covers album Dylanesque released in November 2007 and debuting at number one on the UK Albums Chart. Tours proceeded uninterrupted, including European dates in 2007 and a full Roxy Music reunion tour from 2009 to 2011. One tangible consequence was his dismissal as a model for the German retailer Baur in May 2007, citing the remarks' incompatibility with their brand. Such reactions highlight a pattern where media scrutiny enforces taboos on historical critique, disproportionately targeting figures discussing aesthetics amid politically sensitive symbols, even when precedents in modern art—such as Warhol's or David Bowie's flirtations with similar motifs in the 1970s—faced muted long-term fallout. This selective amplification, often from sources prioritizing moral signaling over nuanced discourse, underscores biases in institutional reporting that undervalue first-principles analysis of artistic influence.

Legacy and Impact

Influence on Glam Rock and Art Rock


Roxy Music, formed by Bryan Ferry in 1971, played a pivotal role in shaping glam rock through their emphasis on theatricality and visual extravagance, which fused rock with high-fashion elements and ironic detachment. The band's debut performances featured members in makeup, feathers, and tailored suits, establishing a template for glam's performative excess that diverged from hard rock's raw aggression. This approach influenced David Bowie's adoption of similar stylized personas, as both artists drew from art school sensibilities to critique and elevate pop culture. Ferry's suave vocal delivery and the group's polished production further distinguished glam as intellectually sophisticated rather than merely sensational. In art rock, Roxy Music advanced genre hybridization by integrating experimentation with accessible pop structures, crediting their origins to Ferry's background and Brian Eno's electronic innovations. Early albums like (1973) employed Eno's tape loops and synthesizers alongside Andy Mackay's and , creating textured soundscapes that expanded rock's sonic palette beyond guitar dominance. Ferry's lyrics, often oblique and referencing or modernist literature, infused songs with enigmatic depth, influencing art rock's elevation of pop to . This fusion prefigured 1980s new wave, with Roxy's sleek sophistication echoed in bands like , who explicitly acknowledged the group's impact on their style and production. While Roxy Music's innovations were groundbreaking, some observers noted echoes of 1960s mod subculture in their sharp tailoring and urban cool, suggesting a continuity rather than pure invention. Nonetheless, the band's causal lineage is evident in their role bridging glam to post-punk and sophisti-pop, as Ferry's vision prioritized aesthetic pose over conventional authenticity, reshaping rock's intellectual ambitions. This influence persisted, with multiple generations citing Roxy's adventurous blend of hooks and experimentation as a benchmark for genre evolution.

Commercial Success and Critical Reception

Bryan Ferry's solo career and tenure as Roxy Music's frontman have yielded over 30 million albums sold worldwide, reflecting broad public appeal for his suave interpretations of pop standards and original compositions. His 1976 covers album Let's Stick Together peaked at number 2 on the UK Albums Chart, driven by the title track's top-10 single success, while Boys and Girls (1985) became his sole solo number-1 album in the UK, bolstered by hits like "Slave to Love." Roxy Music efforts under Ferry's lead, such as Flesh + Blood (1980) and Avalon (1982), each claimed the UK number-1 spot, with the latter's polished production sustaining chart presence amid shifting tastes. These milestones underscore Ferry's commercial acumen in blending accessibility with refinement, amassing sales that outpaced many contemporaries despite evolving musical trends. Critical reception has often diverged from commercial metrics, with punk-era reviewers in the late 1970s decrying Ferry's urbane aesthetic as elitist and detached from punk's visceral authenticity—evident in responses to albums like The Bride Stripped Bare (1978), which Ferry crafted partly to address such dismissals. This elite disdain for his "polished" formula, sometimes labeled overly mannered, appears rooted in subjective preferences for rawness over sophistication, ignoring the causal draw of Ferry's vocal elegance and arrangement precision that fueled public uptake. Subsequent reevaluations, including fan and critic rankings placing albums like and among art-rock pinnacles, have reframed this polish as a deliberate strength, not a flaw. Retrospectives as recent as 2024 affirm this endurance, with the Retrospective: Selected Recordings 1973-2023 box set earning praise for encapsulating Ferry's 50-year trajectory of hits and reinterpretations, highlighting how his work's commercial viability stemmed from unapologetic craft rather than trend-chasing. Such analyses reveal a persistent gap between mass-market validation—evidenced by sustained sales and chart dominance—and periodic critical nitpicks over perceived formula, which overlook the empirical reality of Ferry's influence on listeners valuing melodic poise over ideological grit.

Awards and Honors

Bryan Ferry has been recognized with honors primarily from British and European institutions, emphasizing his enduring influence in those markets over American-dominated awards bodies. He holds no Grammy wins despite multiple nominations, including for As Time Goes By (2001, Best Traditional Pop Vocal Album) and Olympia (2011, Best Electronic/Dance Album), highlighting a career trajectory more aligned with UK sales and cultural resonance than U.S. industry metrics. In 2003, Ferry received the Ivor Novello Award for Outstanding Contribution to British Music from the British Academy of Songwriters, Composers, and Authors, acknowledging four decades of songwriting and performance. The following year, at the 2008 BMI London Awards, he was named a BMI Icon for his catalog's global performance data, with over 100 million airplay impressions tracked by the organization. Ferry was appointed Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) in the 2011 Queen's Birthday Honours for services to music, an honor reflecting sustained commercial output and cultural export from the UK. In 2012, the French government awarded him the Officier de l'Ordre des Arts et des Lettres, recognizing international artistic merit. That same year, Roxy Music, fronted by Ferry, contributed to metrics-based longevity honors through ongoing catalog revenue, though formal band-specific inductions followed later. As lead vocalist of Roxy Music, Ferry shared in the band's 2019 induction into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, based on criteria including recording academy votes and historical impact thresholds met after 25 years of eligibility. In 2014, Newcastle University conferred an honorary Doctor of Music degree on Ferry, citing his fine arts background and career as validation of artistic evolution over commercial hype. These accolades collectively underscore empirical markers of persistence, such as chart endurance and licensing revenue, rather than transient popularity contests.

Other Media Appearances

Film and Television Roles

Bryan Ferry's involvement in film and television has primarily consisted of brief cameo roles and self appearances, often extending his stage persona as a suave, enigmatic performer rather than indicating a pursuit of substantial acting credentials. These engagements underscore his public image cultivated through music, where vocal delivery and visual allure take precedence over narrative depth. In 1980, Ferry made a cameo appearance as himself in the fourth episode of the French television miniseries Petit déjeuner compris, a light comedy-drama about provincial inheritors managing a Paris hotel, where his presence served as a celebrity nod amid the plot's ensemble dynamics. The role, lasting mere minutes, aligned with his contemporaneous European touring schedule and did not demand dramatic range beyond his natural charisma. Ferry's most notable acting credit came in 2005 with the role of Mr. Silky String in Neil Jordan's Breakfast on Pluto, a film depicting the life of an Irish transvestite in 1970s London. Portrayed as a predatory, psychopathic curb-crawler who meets a grim end, the character briefly terrorizes the protagonist in a roadside encounter, leveraging Ferry's signature croon and dapper demeanor for an unsettling effect. Critics noted the casting capitalized on his glam rock associations, evoking the era's seedy undercurrents without requiring extended performance. This one-scene turn marked his feature film debut, released on 16 November 2005 in the UK, and was praised for its eerie fit with his vocal timbre, though it remained peripheral to the ensemble cast led by Cillian Murphy. Beyond scripted roles, Ferry provided vocal contributions to documentaries and series, such as his appearance as a singer in the 2017 German production Babylon Berlin, where his performance integrated into the show's Weimar-era aesthetic. Television spots on programs like Top of the Pops—including renditions of "Slave to Love" on 16 May 1985 and "Don't Stop the Dance" on 5 September 1985—functioned as promotional vehicles for his solo releases, prioritizing musical playback and lip-sync over any acting elements, with Ferry's poised delivery reinforcing his icon status rather than exploring character. These instances collectively reflect opportunistic extensions of his artistic identity, absent the rigorous preparation typical of dedicated thespians.

Collaborations Outside Music

Ferry, who studied fine art and painting at Newcastle University during the 1960s, has pursued visual arts independently of his musical career, creating and exhibiting works such as the acrylic-on-canvas Abstract completed in 1967, which entered a private collection around 1970. In 2011, the Michael Kohn Gallery in Los Angeles hosted a solo exhibition of Ferry's photographic works and paintings, including pieces inspired by Édouard Manet's Olympia, highlighting his engagement with modernist influences from his academic background. Ferry has also curated public displays of his personal art collection, emphasizing early modern British works; in June 2010, he organized Modern British Masters: Pictures from the Bryan Ferry Collection at the London International Fine Art Fair, marking the first public showing of selections from his holdings of artists like Lucian Freud and Francis Bacon. In a 2025 artistic partnership blending spoken word and ambient soundscapes, Ferry collaborated with writer, painter, and performance artist Amelia Barratt—both sharing art school pedigrees, with Barratt trained at Glasgow School of Art and the Slade School—on the project Loose Talk, released March 28, featuring Barratt reciting her original poems over Ferry's instrumental backings derived from prior Roxy Music demos. This endeavor, described by participants as an eerie duet format reworking unused material, underscores Ferry's interdisciplinary ties to literature and visual performance rather than conventional songwriting.

Discography

Solo Studio Albums

Ferry's solo career commenced with albums primarily featuring covers of standards and rock songs, reflecting his affinity for reinterpretation, before shifting toward original material that incorporated sophisticated production and romantic themes akin to his Roxy Music output. Early releases like These Foolish Things (1973) and Another Time, Another Place (1974) emphasized vocal stylings over 1930s-1960s tunes, achieving commercial success in the UK, while later works such as In Your Mind (1977) introduced more originals, culminating in polished pop efforts like Boys and Girls (1985). This progression marked a move from homage to auteur-driven songwriting, with intermittent returns to covers amid Roxy Music commitments.
AlbumRelease DateUK Peak PositionSelect SinglesCertifications/Notes
These Foolish Things5 October 1973#5"" (#10 )Gold (BPI); debut covers album of standards and rock tracks.
Another Time, Another Place19 July 1974#4"" (#43 , #16 )Covers-focused, with and standards.
Let's Stick Together30 September 1976#2"" (#4 ), "The Price of Love" (#24 )Mix of Roxy re-recordings and covers.
In Your Mind21 October 1977#8"Tokyo Joe" (#15 ), "" (#31 )First with majority originals.
The Bride Stripped Bare1 November 1978#17None charting highlyOriginals and covers, influenced by .
Boys and Girls3 June 1985#1"" (#3 ), "" (#29 ) (BPI), (RIAA); first solo #1, sophisticated originals.
Loose Talk (with Amelia Barratt)28 March 2025Not charted (as of October 2025)None releasedInstrumental tracks with spoken-word overlays; first new Ferry material in over a decade.
Subsequent albums like Bête Noire (1987, #3 UK) and Mamouna (1994, #11 UK) continued emphasizing originals with atmospheric production, maintaining chart presence without matching Boys and Girls' commercial peak. Ferry's solo output totaled over a dozen studio albums by 2025, often released amid Roxy Music hiatuses, blending cover reinterpretations with self-penned songs for a total UK sales exceeding millions.

Roxy Music Contributions

Bryan Ferry served as lead vocalist and primary lyricist for Roxy Music's eight studio albums, released from 1972 to 1982, providing lyrics for nearly every track across the band's output. He also contributed piano and occasional Mellotron, shaping the group's sophisticated art rock sound through his romantic, aspirational themes. On the debut album Roxy Music (June 1972), Ferry composed both music and lyrics for all ten tracks, including "Virginia Plain" and "Re-Make/Re-Model," marking his foundational role in the band's early glam-influenced style. By the final studio album Avalon (June 1982), Ferry remained the sole lyricist for its ten songs, such as "More Than This" and "Avalon," amid a polished, atmospheric evolution, with music credits shared among band members like Phil Manzanera and Andy Mackay. These contributions, spanning albums like For Your Pleasure (1973), Stranded (1973), Country Life (1974), Siren (1975), Manifesto (1979), and Flesh + Blood (1980), positioned Ferry as the creative anchor, with later tracks often co-composed musically by the group but lyrically driven by him. Roxy Music's discography, with Ferry at its core, underpinned sales success contributing to his combined solo and band total exceeding 30 million albums worldwide.

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