Book review: DECADES – ROXY MUSIC IN THE 1970’s by Dave Thompson

DECADES – ROXY MUSIC IN THE 1970’s by Dave Thompson

SonicBond Publishing [Publication date 10.06.22]

As the book’s title suggests it covers Roxy Music’s career between 1972 and their first break-up in 1976, along with their 1979 reunion. Unlike other titles in this series the author Dave Thompson focuses more on the band’s history and various solo projects, rather than the author’s opinion on each song and it is all the better for it.

Thompson is an accomplished author with over 150 books to his name and his love and knowledge of the band, along with the solo work of Bryan Ferry, Brian Eno, Phil Manzanera and Andy Mackay shines through clearly in his prose.

The addition of the tour dates from the time shows how Roxy Music grew in fame from 1972, as focussing on my hometown in Stoke thy started off at the George Hotel, then onto the more sizeable Victoria Hall and finally Trentham Gardens (which hosted many a big act in the 1970s), all in the space of a couple of years.

There are a myriad of releases that featured Brian Eno and Phil Manzanera covered in the book, along with Bryan Ferry’s solo albums which were mainly cover versions given the Ferry treatment and often backed by much of Roxy Music.

If, like me, you only really know the Roxy Music for their hits like ‘Virginia Plain’, ‘Love Is The Dru’g et al, this book is a fascinating insight and worthy of a place of on your bookshelf.  ****

Review by Jason Ritchie


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