This is yet another book of ours that I read before I had this blog and so while I was looking for something to read without making another purchase, I pulled this out. While I was always a bit of a fan of RM, we delved more deeply into their discography together and truly dig the early, noisier aspects so we strove to learn more about the band's beginnings.
As the sub-title suggests, this story highlights Ferry and begins with his beginnings, but Buckley brings in the rest of the crew as they join Ferry's loose-knit attempt at a musical project. Since he had no instrumental leanings, he became the singer, but also began writing, although the rest of the gang helped as they joined. Andy Mackay came in first on sax and oboe (!), followed by Brian Eno, an old friend and fellow-avant-garde-ian who was also a non-musician, but was fascinated with sounds and how to create them. From there, it was hit'n'miss with various comings'n'goings until the original lineup solidified. Interestingly, I had forgotten that the original guitarist was Dave O'List who had previously played with the Nice and who claims to have shaped the material of the first album to the extent that he says Phil Manzanara copied all of his parts.
Buckley, being British himself, talks mostly of how RM took over the British scene with radio and television appearances and a Top 40 single in "Virginia Plain" - which, of course, did not even make an appearance in the American charts. There are some good stories regarding the background and inspirations for certain songs, as well as fine descriptions of the sounds'n'concepts explored within.
Obviously, the chronological history of the band is told and while I knew that Eno left the band early on - right after the release of their second album - I had forgotten that Bryan Ferry released his first solo album that early - with the help of the 18 year old professional musician that he had already tapped to replace Eno in Roxy - much to the consternation of the rest of the band. With the decrease in their oddness and an increase in professionalism came an increase of popularity, as well, even (eventually) getting a hit single in the States with "Love Is The Drug".
It is funny that a reoccurring theme is that they were never able to really, truly find mass popularity in America, but I think the bigger surprise is that they were able to hit big in the UK since they were really a bizarre art-rock band and not exactly an average r'n'r band. Ferry unfairly (un-ferry-ly?) blames Manzenara for not being a proper guitar god, although he does some stunning work with the band, when it is Ferry's material that didn't connect with the masses. I think that the early, wacky work is their best, but I would never think that it would be hugely popular and it's wild that they got as popular as they did in England (although, obviously, that's a much, much smaller demographic).
Ironically, they quit while they were ahead but after some disappointing solo records, they reformed for Manifesto and more hit songs and tours. Of course, this music was also much more generic and uninteresting than anything that they had done previously. Things feel apart and came together over the years with varying degrees of original members and Bryan had hits on his own, but nothing of the quality of early RM.
As usual for me, the later years are less interesting than the band's beginnings and Ferry's solo works never truly resonated with me other than peripherally so a good portion of the book does not grab me particularly. But still, it's a good source of info on the group and their works over the years, but really just for true fans.