The British Masters – Roxy Music's Bryan Ferry

First up is Roxy Music frontman, and successful solo artist, Bryan Ferry, who is currently celebrating 4 decades in music by releasing an album of his own songs performed by a swing orchestra. 

 

In John's words “Some of these characters will be more famous than others, some better dressed, some will have better musical chops, some will have a firmer grasp on reality and some will have a better sense of balance but all of them will be masters. And by masters we don’t mean people who keep slaves – although we’ll be speaking to at least three people who like to chain visitors and tradesmen up for recreational purposes. Also we don’t mean the person in charge of a merchant navy vessel – although we can’t rule out the appearance of espadrilles and deck wear. These people are masters in two key senses. Firstly, they have exerted a control over us – even if this was perhaps most keenly felt during our teenage years - the control of our intellect, aesthetic, imagination and even our sexuality. And secondly, they are artists and performers of a rare and unmistakable talent. Bryan Ferry fronted the extremely successful and forward looking art school rock band Roxy Music in the early 1970s before launching a long lasting solo career.”