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9½ Weeks is a 1986 erotic drama film directed by Adrian Lyne and starring Mickey Rourke and Kim Basinger. It is based on the memoir of the same name by Elizabeth McNeill. The film was completed in 1984 but not released until February 1986.

The film was not a major success commercially in the United States, grossing only $7 million at the box office from a $17 million budget. In addition, it received mixed reviews. However, despite its only moderate success in North America, the film acquired a large fanbase on video and was a huge success internationally, making $100 million worldwide.^[1] The film is now well known for its erotic sadomasochistic content.

The film spawned two direct-to-video sequels, Another 9½ Weeks (1997) and The First 9½ Weeks (1998).

Plot[link]

The title of the film refers to the duration of a relationship between Wall Street arbitrageur John Gray (Mickey Rourke) and divorced SoHo art gallery employee Elizabeth McGraw (Kim Basinger). The two meet and have a volatile and somewhat kinky sex life.

They try a variety of sexual and erotic acts, such as a scene in which John titillates a blindfolded Elizabeth's body with ice; a scene in which John spoonfeeds Elizabeth various kinds of food while her eyes are closed; a scene in which Elizabeth takes off a tuxedo and fake moustache and has sex with John in a rainy alley; and Basinger's striptease to Randy Newman's "You Can Leave Your Hat On", as performed by Joe Cocker. Most of these erotic scenes were parodied or served as the inspiration for some music videos, like Sheena Easton's 1989 song "Days Like This" and Sarah Connor's 2007 "Sexual Healing".

The film details a sexual downward spiral as John pushes Elizabeth's boundaries toward her eventual emotional breakdown. He often manipulates her into getting what he wants during sex and sometimes abuses her.

Cast[link]

• Mickey Rourke as John Grey
• Kim Basinger as Elizabeth McGraw
• Margaret Whitton as Molly
• David Margulies as Harvey
• Christine Baranski as Thea
• Karen Young as Sue
• William De Acutis as Ted (as William DeAcutis)
• Dwight Weist as Farnsworth
• Roderick Cook as Sinclair, the Critic
• Victor Truro as Gallery Client

Reception[link]

In a preview screening of the film for 1,000 people, all but 40 walked out. Of the 40 who filled out cards, 35 said they hated it.^[2]

9½ Weeks has a mixed 62% rating on Rotten Tomatoes.^[3] Roger Ebert gave the film three and half stars, stating: "A lot of the success of 9½ Weeks is because Rourke and Basinger make the characters and their relationship convincing." He further elaborated by saying that their relationship was believable, and unlike many other characters in other erotic films at that time, the characters in this movie are much more real and human.^[4]

The film was nominated for three categories in the 1986 Golden Raspberry Awards, Worst Actress (Kim Basinger), Worst Original Song (Jonathan Elias, John Taylor, Michael Des Barres), and Worst Screenplay (Patricia Louisianna Knop, Zalman King, Sarah Kernochan).

Soundtrack and score[link]

The main single released from the 9½ Weeks: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack was "I Do What I Do," performed by Duran Duran bassist John Taylor, giving his first solo singing performance during a hiatus in Duran Duran's career. The song reached #23 on the Billboard Hot 100 and #42 on the UK Singles Chart. Music for the score was composed by Taylor and Jonathan Elias. Original music for the movie was also written by Jack Nitzsche, but his compositions are not included on the soundtrack.

The soundtrack also included tracks from Luba, Bryan Ferry, Dalbello, Corey Hart, Joe Cocker, Devo, Eurythmics and Stewart Copeland. Winston Grennan's reggae "Savior" as well as Jean Michel Jarre's "Arpegiator," played during the sex scene on the stairs in the rain, were not included on the record.

Sequel and prequel[link]

In 1997, a sequel appeared direct-to-video called Another 9½ Weeks, starring Mickey Rourke and Angie Everhart and directed by Anne Goursaud. In 1998, a straight-to-video prequel was made called The First 9½ Weeks, but it did not include any of the original actors.

See also[link]

• Wild Orchid (film)
• Sex in film

References[link]

Unfootnoted

• Briggs, Joe Bob (2005). Profoundly Erotic: Sexy Movies that Changed History. New York: Rizzoli. ISBN 0-7893-1314-6. 

External links[link]

• 9½ Weeks at the Internet Movie Database
• 9½ Weeks at AllRovi
• 9½ Weeks at Rotten Tomatoes

Kim Basinger
Basinger in France, September 1989
Born	Kimila Ann Basinger (1953-12-08) December 8, 1953 (age 58) Athens, Georgia, U.S.
Occupation	Actress, producer
Years active	1969–1975 (model) 1976–present (actress)
Height	5 ft 7.5 in (1.71 m)
Spouse	Ron Snyder (m. 1980–1989) «start: (1980)–end+1: (1990)»"Marriage: Ron Snyder to Kim Basinger" Location: (linkback:http://en-wiki.pop.wn.com/index.php/Kim_Basinger) (divorced) Alec Baldwin (m. 1993–2002) «start: (1993)–end+1: (2003)»"Marriage: Alec Baldwin to Kim Basinger" Location: (linkback:http://en-wiki.pop.wn.com/index.php/Kim_Basinger) (divorced)
Children	Ireland Eliesse Baldwin (b. 1995)

Kimila Ann "Kim" Basinger ( /ˈbeɪsɪŋər/ BAY-sing-ər, often mispronounced /ˈbæsɪndʒər/ BASS-in-jər; born December 8, 1953) is an American actress, singer, and former fashion model.

She is known for her portrayals of Domino Petachi, the Bond girl in Never Say Never Again (1983), and Vicki Vale, the female lead in Batman (1989). Basinger received a Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actress – Motion Picture nomination for her work in The Natural (1984). She won an Academy Award, Golden Globe, and Screen Actors Guild Award for Best Supporting Actress for her performance in L.A. Confidential (1997). Basinger also acted in the movies 9½ Weeks (1986) and 8 Mile (2002).

Early life[link]

Basinger was born in Athens, Georgia. Her father, Donald Wade Basinger, was a big band musician and loan manager who as a U.S. Army soldier landed in Normandy on D-Day (June 6, 1944).^[1] Her mother, Ann (née Cordell), was a model, an actress, and a swimmer who appeared in several Esther Williams films.^[2][3] The third of five children, she has two brothers, Mick and Skip, and two sisters, Ashley and Barbara. Basinger's ancestry includes German, Swedish, Irish and Native American,^[4] and she was raised a Methodist.^[5]

She spent most of her childhood studying ballet from about the time she was three to her mid-teens. She was suspended from her elementary school talent show after she stripped down to a bikini and sang "The Game of Love." When Basinger was 16, she started modeling by winning the Athens Junior Miss contest. She then won the title “Junior Miss Georgia”. She competed in the national Junior Miss pageant and was offered a modeling contract with Ford Modeling Agency. She turned it down in favor of singing and acting, but reconsidered and went to New York to become a Ford model.

Career[link]

Not long after the Ford deal, Basinger was on the cover of magazines. She appeared in hundreds of ads throughout the early 1970s, most notably as the Breck Shampoo girl. She alternated between modeling and attending acting classes at the Neighborhood Playhouse as well as performing in Greenwich Village clubs.

In 1976, after five years as a cover girl, Basinger moved to Los Angeles to act. She had guest roles on TV shows such as Charlie's Angels and The Six Million Dollar Man, as well as a starring role on the short-lived series Dog and Cat (1977). In 1978, Basinger played the lead role in the made-for-TV movie Katie: Portrait of a Centerfold, as a smalltown young woman who goes to Hollywood to become an actress and winds up a famous centerfold for a men's magazine. She was cast as Lorene Rogers in the 1979 miniseries remake of From Here to Eternity. Basinger reprised that role in a 13-episode series spinoff in 1980. She made her theatrical feature debut in Hard Country (shot in 1979 and released in 1981), where she starred opposite Jan Michael Vincent. Her next film was the 1982 adventure Mother Lode, featuring Charlton Heston and directed by Fraser Clarke Heston.

Basinger's breakout role was as Bond girl Domino Petachi in Never Say Never Again (1983), opposite Sean Connery. She recevied a Golden Globe nomination for her performance in Barry Levinson's The Natural (1984), opposite Robert Redford. In 1984, Basinger began work on the sexually provocative film 9½ Weeks (released 1986), which co-starred Mickey Rourke. Oscar-winning writer-director Robert Benton cast her in the title role for the film Nadine (1987) with Jeff Bridges. Basinger played Vicki Vale in the 1989 blockbuster Batman, directed by Tim Burton.

Directors repeated her in their films, such as Blake Edwards for The Man Who Loved Women (1983) and Blind Date (1987), as well as Robert Altman for Fool for Love (1985) and Prêt-à-Porter (1994). In 1992, Basinger was guest vocalist on a re-recorded version of Was (Not Was)'s "Shake Your Head", which also featured Ozzy Osbourne on vocals, and reached the UK Top 5.^[6]

Basinger scaled back her acting work for most of the 1990s. She made a comeback in 1997 as the femme fatale in the neo-noir L.A. Confidential. This earned her an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress, as well as the Golden Globe and Screen Actor's Guild Award. The film's director, Curtis Hanson, cast her once more as Eminem's mother in 8 Mile (2002). Basinger appeared in the mainstream thrillers Cellular (2004) and The Sentinel (2006), but for the rest of the decade her appearances were in low-profile projects. She starred in the 2006 Lifetime original movie The Mermaid Chair, as well as independent films such as 2008's The Burning Plain.^[7]

Basinger played Zac Efron's mother in the 2010 film Charlie St. Cloud.

Personal life[link]

Relationships and family[link]

Basinger with Alec Baldwin at the 1994 César Awards ceremony in Paris.

Basinger dated and lived with Dale Robinette in the 1970s.^[8]

On October 12, 1980, Basinger married makeup artist Ron Snyder-Britton (born 1938), who worked on the crew of her film Hard Country. They separated in 1988 and were officially divorced in 1989. He later wrote a memoir in 1998, Longer than Forever, about their time together and her rumored affair with actor Richard Gere, with whom she starred in No Mercy (1986) and Final Analysis (1992).^[9]

After the divorce Basinger dated casting director Jon Peters and singer Prince.^[8]

She met her second husband, Alec Baldwin, in 1990 when they played lovers in The Marrying Man. They married on August 19, 1993, and appeared in the remake of The Getaway (1994). They played themselves in a 1998 episode of The Simpsons (which includes Ron Howard), in which Basinger corrects Homer Simpson on the pronunciation of her last name and polishes her Oscar statuette. Basinger and Baldwin have a daughter, Ireland Eliesse Baldwin (born October 23, 1995). They separated in December 2000 and were officially divorced in February 2002. In the following years, the pair was embroiled in a custody battle over their daughter.

Financial problems[link]

Some family members recommended Basinger buy the small town of Braselton, Georgia in 1989 for US$20 million, to establish as a tourist attraction with movie studios and film festival, but she met financial difficulties and started to sell parts off in 1995.^[10] The town is now owned by developer Wayne Mason. In a 1998 interview with Barbara Walters Basinger admitted that "nothing good came out of it" because a rift resulted within her family. Her financial difficulties were exacerbated when she pulled out of the controversial film Boxing Helena, resulting in the studio's winning an US$8.1 million judgment against her. Basinger filed for bankruptcy ^[11] and appealed the jury's decision to a higher court, which sided with her. She and the studio settled for $3.8 million instead.^[10] The Town, even after such a big feature not happening, is one of the fastest growing cities in America and is mostly residental, warehouses, and a major motorsports community.

Activism[link]

Basinger is a vegan animal rights supporter. She has posed for anti-fur advertisements by PETA.^[12] She has written to fashion designers such as Yohji Yamamoto to ask that they stop using fur.^[13]

Filmography[link]

Discography[link]

References[link]

External links[link]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Kim Basinger

• Kim Basinger at the Internet Movie Database
• Kim Basinger at AllRovi
• Kim Basinger at Rotten Tomatoes

Bryan Ferry
Ferry performing in February 2011
Background information
Birth name	Bryan Ferry
Born	(1945-09-26) 26 September 1945 (age 66)
Origin	Washington, Tyne & Wear, England
Genres	Pop rock, glam rock, art rock, new wave
Occupations	Singer-songwriter, musician
Instruments	Vocals, keyboards, harmonica, guitar
Years active	1971–present
Labels	UK: Island, E.G., Polydor,, Virgin, EMI Records, Reprise, Warner Bros. Records, Atco, Atlantic, Astralwerks Records
Associated acts	Roxy Music
Website	BryanFerry.com

Bryan Ferry CBE (born 26 September 1945) is an English singer, musician, and songwriter. Ferry came to prominence in the early 1970s as lead vocalist and principal songwriter with the band Roxy Music, who enjoyed a highly successful career with three number one albums and ten singles entering the top ten charts in the United Kingdom. Ferry began his solo career in 1973, while still a member of Roxy Music, which continues to the present day.

Early life[link]

Born in Washington, Tyne & Wear, England into a working class family (his father, Fred Ferry, was a farmer who also looked after pit ponies),^[1] Ferry attended Washington Grammar-Technical School (now called Washington School) on Spout Lane from 1957 and achieved nine O levels, then studied fine art at the University of Newcastle upon Tyne under Richard Hamilton.^[2][3] His contemporaries included Tim Head^[4] and Nick de Ville.^[5] Ferry became a pottery teacher at Holland Park School in London.^[6] Ferry formed the band The Banshees, and later, together with Graham Simpson, the band the Gas Board.^[7]

Career[link]

Roxy Music and solo years (1971–1983)[link]

Ferry formed Roxy Music with a group of friends and acquaintances, beginning with Graham Simpson, in November 1970. The line-up expanded to include saxophonist/oboist Andy Mackay and his acquaintance Brian Eno, who owned tape recorders and played Mackay's synthesiser. Other early members included timpanist Dexter Lloyd and ex-Nice guitarist David O'List, who were replaced respectively by Paul Thompson and Phil Manzanera before the band recorded its first album (early Peel Sessions for the UK's BBC Radio 1 feature O'List's playing).^[8]

Roxy Music's first hit, "Virginia Plain", made the UK Top 5 in 1972, and was followed up with several hit singles and albums, with Ferry as vocalist and occasional instrumentalist (he taught himself piano in his mid-twenties) and Eno contributing synthesiser backing.

For many years, Ferry has collaborated with fashion designer Antony Price for clothing and image consultations. Price is famous for his shop on London's Kings Road. He created suits recognised worldwide for their elegance, and gained fame when celebrities and rock stars dressed in his designs.^[9] Indeed, one comment by Nicky Haslam about Ferry was that he was more likely to redecorate a hotel room than to trash it as a typical rock star might.^[10]

After their second album, Brian Eno left Roxy Music, leaving Ferry its undisputed leader. Ferry had already started a parallel solo career in 1973, initially performing cover versions of old standards on albums such as These Foolish Things (1973) and Another Time, Another Place (1974), both of which reached the UK Top 5. After the concert tour in support of their fifth studio album, Siren, Roxy Music temporarily disbanded in 1976 though bandmembers Paul Thompson, Phil Manzanera and Eddie Jobson took part in recording Ferry's subsequent solo material. In 1976 Ferry covered a song by The Beatles, “She's Leaving Home” for the transitory musical documentary All This and World War II. He went on to release three solo albums during this period, Let's Stick Together (1976), In Your Mind (1977) and The Bride Stripped Bare (1978). All three albums reached the UK Top 20, but by this time his career had begun to wane.

Roxy Music reconvened in 1979, with Ferry, Manzanera, Thompson and Mackay (Jobson was no longer a member). The band recorded the albums Manifesto (1979), Flesh + Blood (1980) and Avalon (1982), the latter two reaching number one in the UK album charts.^[11] The band also achieved their first and only UK number one single, "Jealous Guy", released in 1981 as a posthumous tribute to its author John Lennon who had been murdered some months earlier. 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 in 1982, Ferry decided to put Roxy Music on hold and continue as a solo artist.

After Roxy Music (1984–2001)[link]

Ferry continued to record, and released his sixth solo album, Boys and Girls, in 1985. The album reached number one in the UK, his first and only solo recording to do so, and also became his biggest selling album in the US.

In July 1985 Ferry performed at the London Live Aid show, accompanied by David Gilmour of Pink Floyd.^[12] He was hit with technical difficulties on sound, the drummer's drumstick broke at the start of the first song "Sensation" and Gilmour's Fender Stratocaster went dead, so he had to switch to his candy-apple red Stratocaster for the rest of the performance.^[13] The difficulties in sound were overcome for "Slave to Love" (featured on the soundtrack to 9½ Weeks) and "Jealous Guy". As with other successful Live Aid acts, his current album, Boys and Girls, remained in the UK chart for almost a year.

After the Avalon promotional tours, Ferry was rather reluctant to return to life on the road; however, a change of management persuaded him to try touring again in 1988 to promote the previous year's Bête Noire release. Following the tour, Ferry teamed up 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 another covers album, Taxi in 1993, which proved to be a greater commercial and critical success than Mamouna would be when it was finally released in 1994. In 1996 Ferry performed the song "Dance With Life" for the Phenomenon soundtrack, which was written by Bernie Taupin and Martin Page. In 1999 Ferry appeared with Alan Partridge (played by Steve Coogan) on BBC's Comic Relief.

After taking some time off from music, Ferry returned in 1999. He began to perform a mix of 1930s songs and songs of his own, including several from the Roxy collection, and recorded them on the album As Time Goes By, which was nominated for a Grammy award.^[14]

Roxy Music reunion 2001 and after[link]

Ferry on tour in the Netherlands, 2006

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 with the help of Manzanera and Thompson, Ferry returned with his next studio album, Frantic, which featured several tracks written by David A. Stewart as well as a collaboration with Brian Eno. 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 2003 Ferry provided the entertainment for the Miss World election.^[15] In 2004, Ferry starred in the short film The Porter. In 2005 it was confirmed^[16] that Roxy Music (Ferry, Eno, Mackay, Manzanera and Thompson) would be performing further shows at that year's Isle Of Wight festival and that they would also be recording a further album of new and original songs, with no indication of when such a project would reach completion.^[17] Brian Eno confirmed^[18] that he has worked in the studio with Roxy Music once more and has co-written songs for the new album. However, Ferry later debunked the idea of a new Roxy Music album and stated that the material from these sessions will most likely be released as part of his next solo album,^[19] and that "I don't think we'll record as Roxy again."^[20]

In October 2006 Ferry signed a contract with the British retailer Marks and Spencer to model their "Autograph" men's clothing range. In March 2007 he released the album Dylanesque, a tribute album to Bob Dylan. 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. He joined past Icons including Peter Gabriel, Ray Davies, Steve Winwood, and Van Morrison, amongst others.^[21]

In 2009 Ferry provided vocals on DJ Hell's record, U Can Dance. A new version of the track was recorded for Ferry's new studio album, Olympia, released in October 2010. The album contained the material he had been recorded with his former Roxy Music band members, and also featured an impressive cast of other musicians such as Nile Rodgers, David A. Stewart, Scissor Sisters, Groove Armada, Michael "Flea" Balzary, Johnny Greenwood and David Gilmour, and also featured model Kate Moss on the front cover. Despite this, and being released in multiple "deluxe" editions (one including a large format hardback book), the album was not a commercial success in comparison to Ferry's previous studio albums, barely making the UK Top 20 and dropping out of the chart altogether after only three weeks.

Ferry also provided vocals for the song Shameless on Groove Armada's 2010 album Black Light. The album received a nomination for the 53rd Grammy Awards in the category Best Electronic/Dance Album.

Ferry performing onstage at the London O2 Arena during the 2011 Roxy Music "For Your Pleasure" Tour

In June 2011 Ferry was made a CBE in the Queen's Birthday Honours for his contribution to the British music industry.^[22]

Personal life[link]

Several of the women Ferry had been involved with have appeared as cover models on the Roxy Music albums. Ferry dated the French singer and model Amanda Lear, who was photographed with a black jaguar for the cover of the For Your Pleasure album. She later went on to date David Bowie.^[23]

Ferry then began a relationship with model Jerry Hall. Ferry first met Hall when she posed for the Roxy Music album cover for Siren in Wales during the summer 1975. Hall's autobiography Tall Tales (1985) describes the photo session, and she elaborates on how the blue body paint she wore to look like a mythical siren would not wash off; Hall says that Ferry took her back to his house, claiming he would help her to remove the paint.^[24] Her stay at Ferry's Holland Park (London) home, following the album cover photo shoot, marked the start of their affair. Hall and Ferry lived together, sharing homes in London and in the ritzy Bel Air district of Los Angeles, and Hall also appeared in some of Ferry's music videos, including "Let's Stick Together" and "The Price of Love" (both 1976). Their relationship ended when she left him for Mick Jagger in late 1977. To this day, Ferry rarely speaks about Hall, but fans often speculate that his song "Kiss and Tell" from the Bête Noire album (1987) was Ferry's response to Hall's tell-all book about their relationship published a couple of years earlier.^[25] Additionally, Ferry's 1978 solo album The Bride Stripped Bare is widely believed^[26] to contain allusions to his break-up with Hall - particularly the song "When She Walks in the Room". Ferry's original songs on the album were in fact written some time before the relationship ended, although it was recorded afterwards.

On 26 June 1982 Ferry married London socialite and model Lucy Helmore (14 years his junior), who had become pregnant with their child Otis (b. 1 November 1982). Although her face is not seen, Helmore was the model on the front cover of Roxy Music's 1982 album Avalon, released a month before their wedding.^[27] The couple went on to have three more sons, Isaac, Tara and Merlin. After they married, Helmore helped Ferry to kick a prevailing cocaine habit, though herself attended Alcoholics Anonymous and Narcotics Anonymous in the mid-1990s.^[27] In recent years Otis Ferry has become known in the British media for his pro-hunting political activities. He has been arrested and charged several times for activities relating to hunting, one of which led to a conviction.^[28] Ferry's second son, Isaac, was suspended from Eton College for sending abusive e-mails to an anti-hunting campaigner.^[27] By 2008, Tara was performing in a rock band called Rubber Kiss Goodbye and was about to start studying at Chelsea College of Art and Design.^[29] By 2008, Merlin was studying for "A" Levels at Marlborough College,^[29] and now plays guitar in his band Voltorb. Ferry's children have also contributed to his 2010 album Olympia. Tara played drums on several tracks, Merlin played guitar on one track, and Isaac was the producer of the album's artwork.^[30] Tara also toured with Ferry (and Roxy Music) on the band's 2011 For Your Pleasure tour, performing additional drums.^[31]

In 2000 the whole Ferry family were on a British Airways flight to Nairobi when a deranged passenger forced his way into the cockpit, attacked the pilot and caused the plane to lurch downward. Maintaining his composure in a frantic situation, Ferry took the time to berate one of his sons for using bad language during the incident. A crash was prevented when the assailant was eventually overcome.^[27]

Ferry and Helmore split in the early 2000s following an affair she had had, and were divorced in 2003.^[27] After their separation, British newspapers photographed Ferry with Katie Turner, 35 years his junior, naming her as his new 'girlfriend'.^[32] 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 went on to appear with Ferry on several TV shows to promote the Frantic album, and also performed on the Frantic tour in 2002. After their break-up, Ferry had a relationship with British socialite Lady Emily Compton.^[33] In 2006 he resumed his relationship with Katie Turner for some time.

Ferry began a relationship with Amanda Sheppard, one of his son's ex-girlfriends. Sheppard worked in public relations until she quit her job in 2009 after Ferry offered to support her financially.^[34] In early January 2012, Ferry married Sheppard in a private ceremony on the Turks and Caicos Islands.^[35]

Ferry was estimated to have a fortune of £30 million in the Sunday Times Rich List of 2010.^[36]

Nazi controversy[link]

In 2007 a controversy arose after Ferry praised the imagery and iconography of the Nazi régime in an interview with the German newspaper, Welt Am Sonntag. Ferry stated "the way that the Nazis staged themselves and presented themselves, my Lord!...I'm talking about the films of Leni Riefenstahl...And the buildings of Albert Speer and the mass marches and the flags—just fantastic. Really beautiful." In the same interview Ferry was also reported to have referred to his West London recording studio as "The Führerbunker" (Adolf Hitler's bunker during World War II).^[37][38][39]

Ferry's comments caused considerable controversy in the media and, the following month he made a public apology, stating "I apologise unreservedly for any offence caused by my comments on Nazi iconography, which were solely made from an art history perspective. I, like every right-minded individual, find the Nazi régime, and all it stood for, evil and abhorrent."^{[40][41][42][43][44][45]} At the time of the controversy, Ferry was contracted to the British retailer Marks and Spencer to model their "Autograph" menswear line. However, despite Ferry's public apology for his comments, Marks and Spencer opted to sever their ties with him.^[46]

Political views[link]

In 2008 Ferry alluded to support for the Conservative Party, referring to himself as "conservative by nature," but essentially apolitical. Without elaborating, he stated he was "proud" of his son Otis and declared the ban on fox hunting "futile." He also alluded to an opposition to "left-wing bitterness" and the spectre of "political correctness," but the model of free speech he cited was the anarchic 1970s and not the Thatcher era or a more distant past.^[47] 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.”^[48]

Ferry is a supporter of the Countryside Alliance and has played concerts to raise funds for the organisation.^[49]

In other media[link]

In 1985 Ferry contributed the song "Is Your Love Strong Enough" to the Ridley Scott-Tom Cruise film Legend. The song (featuring guitar work by David Gilmour) plays during the end credits of the U.S. 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 the 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.

In 2005 Ferry appeared in Neil Jordan's movie, Breakfast on Pluto, starring Cillian Murphy as a young Irish transvestite who goes to London in the glam 1970s to find his mother. Ferry, appearing in a bit part as Mr. Silky String, played a suave but creepy punter who picks up the sexually ambiguous young man and, after a short conversation, attempts to strangle him in the front seat of his car.

Ferry is referenced in the comedy show The Mighty Boosh in the episode "Hitcher", as Vince Noir's adopted father and King of the Forest. At the end of the episode, it is revealed that 'Brian Ferry' actually resembles Terry Wogan.

Ferry is mentioned in Farkas Berci széjjelfagy, a paraphrase-parody of the Hungarian folk tale A kismalac és a farkasok, the plot of which is very similar to Three Little Pigs. Little pig, the hero of the tale, who is portrayed as a music fan in the parody, claims he wouldn't let the wolf enter his house, even if he were Bryan Ferry himself.

Ferry is mentioned in the musical comedy "Glee." Blaine Anderson is seen dancing to Roxy Music before making a comment about how he'd like to build a time machine, visit the 1970s, and give Ferry a high-five.

Ferry is also in a H&M Holiday 2011 campaign series with his son, Tara. The campaign also features supermodel Karen Elson with her twin sister Kate, bombshell Jerry Hall with her daughter Georgia May Jagger and models Sui He and Ming Xi. Musicians also were included as well. Singer Lykke Li with her sister Zara, and top model Abbey Lee Kershaw with her musician boyfriend Matthew Hutchinson.

Discography[link]

Studio albums[link]

• These Foolish Things (October 1973, UK #5)
• Another Time, Another Place (July 1974, UK #4)
• Let's Stick Together (September 1976, UK #19, US #160)
• In Your Mind (February 1977, UK #5, US #126, Aust.#1)
• The Bride Stripped Bare (April 1978, UK #13, US #159)
• Boys and Girls (May 1985, UK #1, US #63)
• Bête Noire (October 1987, UK #9, US #63)
• Taxi (13 April 1993, UK #2, US #79)
• Mamouna (5 September 1994, UK #11, US #94)
• As Time Goes By (15 October 1999, UK #16, US #199)
• Frantic (18 May 2002, UK #6, US #189)
• Dylanesque (5 March 2007, UK #5, US #117)
• Olympia (26 October 2010, UK #19, US #71)

Sources[link]

• 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

See also[link]

• Julian Barratt
• Rogue's Gallery: Pirate Ballads, Sea Songs, and Chanteys

References[link]

External links[link]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Bryan Ferry

Wikiquote has a collection of quotations related to: Bryan Ferry

• Official website

Joe Cocker
Joe Cocker in 2008
Background information
Birth name	John Robert Cocker
Also known as	Vance Arnold, "The Sheffield Soul Shouter"
Born	(1944-05-20) 20 May 1944 (age 68) Sheffield, West Riding of Yorkshire, England, UK
Genres	Blues, rock, blues-rock, blue-eyed soul
Occupations	Musician, songwriter, actor
Instruments	Vocals, harmonica, guitar, drums
Years active	1960–present
Labels	Regal Zonophone A&M Capitol EMI Decca
Associated acts	The Grease Band
Website	www.cocker.com www.columbia.de/joecocker/

John Robert "Joe" Cocker, OBE (born 20 May 1944) is an English rock and blues singer, who came to popularity in the 1960s, and is most known for his gritty voice, his idiosyncratic arm movements while performing, and his cover versions of popular songs, particularly those of the Beatles.

He is the recipient of several awards, including a 1983 Grammy Award for his #1 hit "Up Where We Belong", a duet he performed with Jennifer Warnes. He was ranked #97 on Rolling Stone's 100 greatest singers list.^[1]

Biography[link]

Early life[link]

Cocker was born on 20 May 1944 at 38 Tasker Road, Crookes, Sheffield, West Riding of Yorkshire. He is the youngest son of a civil servant, Harold Cocker, and Madge Cocker. According to differing family stories, Cocker received his nickname of Joe either from playing a childhood game called "Cowboy Joe" or from a local window cleaner named Joe.

Cocker's main musical influences growing up were Ray Charles and Lonnie Donegan. Cocker's first experience singing in public was at age 12 when his elder brother Victor invited him on stage to sing during a gig of his skiffle group. In 1960, along with three friends, Cocker formed his first group, the Cavaliers. For the group's first performance at a youth club, they were required to pay the price of admission before entering. The Cavaliers eventually broke up after a year and Cocker left school to become an apprentice gasfitter while he pursued a career in music.^[2]

Early career (1961–1966)[link]

In 1961, under the stage name Vance Arnold, Cocker continued his career with a new group, Vance Arnold and the Avengers.^[3] The name was a combination of Vince Everett, Elvis Presley's character in Jailhouse Rock, (which Cocker misheard as Vance) and country singer Eddy Arnold.^[4] The group mostly played in the pubs of Sheffield,^[3] performing covers of Chuck Berry and Ray Charles songs. In 1963, they booked their first significant gig when they supported the Rolling Stones at Sheffield City Hall. In 1964, Cocker signed a recording contract as a solo act with Decca and released his first single, a cover of the Beatles' "I'll Cry Instead" (with Jimmy Page playing backup guitar). Despite extensive promotion from Decca lauding his youth and working class roots, the record was a flop and his recording contract with Decca lapsed at the end of 1964.^[5] After Cocker recorded the single, he dropped his stage name and formed a new group, Joe Cocker's Big Blues. There is only one known recording of Joe Cocker's and Big Blues on an EP given out by Sheffield College during Rag Week and called Rag Goes Mad at the Mojo. It contained a cover of Curtis Mayfield's "I've Been Trying" and a track of "Saved".^{[citation needed]}

The Grease Band (1966–1969)[link]

In 1966, after a year-long hiatus from music, Cocker teamed up with Chris Stainton, whom he had met several years before, to form the Grease Band.^[3] The Grease Band was named after Cocker read an interview with jazz musician Jimmy Smith, where Smith described another musician as "having a lot of grease". Like the Avengers, Cocker's group mostly played in pubs in and around Sheffield. The Grease Band came to the attention of Denny Cordell, the producer of Procol Harum, the Moody Blues and Georgie Fame. Cocker recorded the single "Marjorine" without the Grease Band for Cordell in a London studio. He then moved to London with Chris Stainton, and the Grease Band was dissolved. Cordell set Cocker up with a residency at the Marquee Club in London, and a "new" Grease Band was formed with Stainton and keyboardist Tommy Eyre.^[6]

After minor success in the US with the single "Marjorine", Cocker entered the big time with a groundbreaking rearrangement of "With a Little Help from My Friends", another Beatles cover, which, many years later, was used as the opening theme for The Wonder Years. The recording features lead guitar from Jimmy Page, drumming by BJ Wilson, backing vocals from Sue and Sunny, and Tommy Eyre on organ. The single made the Top Ten on the British charts, remaining there for thirteen weeks and eventually reaching number one, on 9 November 1968.^[7] It also reached number 68 on the US charts.^[8]

The new touring line-up of Cocker's Grease Band featured Henry McCullough on lead guitar, who would go on to briefly play with McCartney's Wings. After touring the UK with the Who in autumn 1968^[9] and Gene Pitney and Marmalade in early winter 1969, the Grease Band embarked on their first tour of the US in spring 1969. Cocker's album With a Little Help from My Friends was released soon after their arrival and made number 35 on the American charts, eventually going gold.^[10]

Joe Cocker at Woodstock (1969)

During his US tour, Cocker played at several large festivals, including the Newport Rock Festival and the Denver Pop Festival. In August, Denny Cordell heard about the planned concert in Woodstock, New York and convinced organiser Artie Kornfeld to book Cocker and the Grease Band for the Woodstock Festival. The group had to be flown into the festival by helicopter due to the large crowds. They performed several songs, including "Delta Lady", "Something's Comin' On", "Let's Go Get Stoned", "I Shall Be Released", and "With a Little Help from My Friends". Cocker would later say that the experience was "like an eclipse... it was a very special day."^[11]

Directly after Woodstock, Cocker released his second album, Joe Cocker!. Impressed by his cover of "With a Little Help from My Friends", Paul McCartney and George Harrison allowed Cocker to use their songs "She Came in Through the Bathroom Window" and "Something" for the album.^[12] Recorded during a break in touring in the spring and summer, the album reached number 11 on the US charts and garnered a second UK hit with the Leon Russell song, "Delta Lady".

Throughout 1969 he was featured on variety TV shows like The Ed Sullivan Show and This Is Tom Jones. Onstage, he exhibited an idiosyncratic physical intensity, flailing his arms and playing air guitar, occasionally giving superfluous cues to his band.^{[citation needed]} At the end of the year Cocker was unwilling to embark on another US tour, so he dissolved the Grease Band.

Mad Dogs and Englishmen (1969–1971)[link]

Cocker in 1970.

Despite Cocker's reluctance to venture out on the road again, an American tour had already been booked so he had to quickly form a new band in order to fulfil his contractual obligations. It proved to be a large group of more than 30 musicians, including pianist and bandleader Leon Russell, three drummers, and backing vocalists Rita Coolidge and Claudia Lennear. The new band was christened "Mad Dogs and Englishmen" by Denny Cordell after the Noël Coward song of the same name. His music at this time evolved into a more bluesy type of rock, often compared to that of the Rolling Stones. During the ensuing Mad Dogs and Englishmen tour (later described by drummer Jim Keltner as "a big, wild party"),^[13] Cocker toured 48 cities, recorded a live album, and received very positive reviews from Time and Life for his performances. However, the pace of the tour was exhausting. Russell and Cocker had personal problems and Cocker became depressed and began drinking excessively as the tour wound down in May 1970. Meanwhile, he enjoyed several chart entries in the US with "Cry Me a River" and "Feelin' Alright" by Dave Mason. His cover of the Box Tops' hit "The Letter", which appeared on the live album and film, Mad Dogs and Englishmen, became his first US Top Ten hit. After spending several months in Los Angeles, Cocker returned home to Sheffield where his family became increasingly concerned with his deteriorating physical and mental health.^[14] In the summer of 1971 the A&M Records single release appeared in the US of "High Time We Went". This became a hit, reaching number 22 on the US Billboard Hot 100 chart, but was not issued on an album until November 1972 on the Joe Cocker album.

On the road (1972–1982)[link]

In early 1972, after nearly two years away from music, Cocker went on tour with a group that Chris Stainton had formed. He opened with a performance in Madison Square Garden which was attended by about 20,000 people. After touring the US, he embarked on a European tour where he played to large audiences in Milan, Italy and Germany. He then returned to the US for another tour in autumn 1972. During these tours the group cut the songs that would be part of his newest album, Joe Cocker. A mixture of live songs and studio recordings, the album peaked at number 30 on the US charts.^[15]

Cocker performing on 16 October 1980 in the National Stadium, Dublin.

In October 1972, when Cocker toured Australia, he and six members of his entourage were arrested in Adelaide by police for possession of marijuana. The next day in Melbourne, assault charges were laid after a brawl at the Commodore Chateau Hotel,^[16] and Cocker was given 48 hours to leave the country by the Australian Federal Police. This caused huge public outcry in Australia, as Cocker was a high-profile overseas artist and had a strong support base, especially amongst the baby boomers who were coming of age and able to vote for the first time. It sparked hefty debate about the use and legalisation of marijuana in Australia and gained Cocker the nickname of "the Mad Dog".^[17] Shortly after the Australian tour, Stainton retired from his music career to establish his own recording studio. After his friend's departure and estrangement from longtime producer Denny Cordell, Cocker sank into depression and began using heroin. In June 1973 he kicked the habit, but continued to drink heavily.^[18]

At the end of 1973, Cocker returned to the studio to record a new album, I Can Stand A Little Rain. The album, released in August 1974, was number 11 on the US charts and one single, a cover of Billy Preston's You Are So Beautiful, reached the number 5 slot.^[19] Despite positive reviews for the album, Cocker struggled with live performances, largely due to his problems with alcohol. One such instance was reported in a 1974 issue of Rolling Stone magazine, saying during two West Coast performances in October of that year he threw up on stage.^[20]

In January 1975, he released a second album that had been recorded at the same time as I Can Stand a Little Rain, Jamaica Say You Will. To promote his new album, Cocker embarked on another tour of Australia, made possible by the country's new Labor government. In late 1975, he contributed vocals on a number of the tracks on Bo Diddley's The 20th Anniversary of Rock 'n' Roll all-star album. He also recorded a new album in a Kingston, Jamaica studio, Stingray. However, record sales were disappointing; the album reached only number 70 on the US charts.^[21]

In 1976, Cocker performed "Feelin' Alright" on Saturday Night Live. John Belushi joined him on stage doing his famous impersonation of Cocker's stage movements. At the time, Cocker was $800,000 in debt to A&M Records and struggling with alcoholism. Several months later, he met producer Michael Lang, who agreed to manage him on the condition that he stay sober. With a new band, Cocker embarked on a tour of New Zealand, Australia and South America. He then recorded a new album with session work by Steve Gadd and Chuck Rainey, and a new, young bassist from Scotland, Rob Hartley. Hartley also toured briefly with Cocker's friends in 1977. In the autumn of 1978, he went on a North American tour promoting his album, Luxury You Can Afford. Despite this effort, it received mixed reviews and only sold around 300,000 copies.^[22]

In 1979, Cocker joined the "Woodstock in Europe" tour, which featured musicians like Arlo Guthrie and Richie Havens who had played at the 1969 Woodstock Festival. He also performed in New York's Central Park to an audience of 20,000 people. The concert was recorded and released as the live album, Live in New York.^[23] He also toured Europe and appeared on the German television recording amphitheatre, Rockpalast, the first of many performances on the show. In 1982, Cocker recorded a song with jazz group the Crusaders on their album Standing Tall. The song was nominated for a Grammy Award and Cocker performed it with the Crusaders at the awards ceremony. Cocker then released a new reggae-influenced album, Sheffield Steel, recorded with the Compass Point All Stars, produced by Chris Blackwell and Alex Sadkin.

Later career (1982–present)[link]

Cocker performing in Hallandale, Florida in 2003

In 1982, at the behest of producer Stewart Levine, Cocker recorded the duet "Up Where We Belong" with Jennifer Warnes for the soundtrack of the 1982 film An Officer and a Gentleman. The song was an international hit, reaching number 1 on the Billboard Hot 100, and winning a Grammy Award for Best Pop Performance by a Duo. The duet also won an Academy Award for Best Original Song, and Cocker and Warnes performed the song at the awards ceremony. Several days later, he was invited to perform "You Are So Beautiful" with Ray Charles in a television tribute to the musician. He then joined singer Ronnie Lane's 1983 tour to raise money for the London-based organisation Action for Research into Multiple Sclerosis, in particular because Lane was beginning to suffer from the degenerative disease. Musicians such as Pete Townshend, Eric Clapton, Jimmy Page, Jeff Beck and Chris Stainton also participated in the tour which included a performance at Madison Square Garden. While on another tour that year, Cocker was arrested by Austrian police after refusing to perform because of inadequate sound equipment. The charges were eventually dropped and Cocker was released.^[24] Shortly after the incident, he released his ninth studio album, Civilized Man. His next album Cocker was dedicated to his mother, Madge, who died when he was recording in the studio. A track from the album, "You Can Leave Your Hat On" was featured in the 1986 film 9½ Weeks. The album eventually went Platinum on the European charts.^[25] His 1987 album Unchain My Heart was nominated for a Grammy Award, although it did not win. One Night of Sin was also a commercial success, surpassing Unchain My Heart in sales.

Throughout the 1980s, Cocker continued to tour around the world, playing to large audiences in Europe, Australia and the United States. In 1988, he performed at London's Royal Albert Hall and appeared on The Tonight Show.^[26] He also performed for President George Bush Snr. at an inauguration concert in February 1989. In 1992, his version of Bryan Adams' "Feels Like Forever" made the UK Top 40.^[27]

Cocker performed the opening set at Woodstock '94 as one of the few alumni who played at the original Woodstock Festival in 1969 and was very well received.

In 2007, Cocker appeared playing minor characters in the film Across the Universe, as the lead singer on another Beatles' hit, "Come Together".^[28] Cocker was awarded an OBE in the Queen's 2007 Birthday Honours list for services to music.^[29] To celebrate receiving his award in mid December 2007, Cocker played two concerts in London and in his home town of Sheffield.

Cocker performing in 2007

In April and May 2009, Cocker conducted a North American tour in support of his album Hymn for My Soul.

He sang the vocals on Little Wing for the Carlos Santana album, Guitar Heaven: The Greatest Guitar Classics of All Time, released on 21 September 2010. In the autumn of 2010, Cocker toured Europe promoting his studio album Hard Knocks.

Cocker returned to Australia in 2008 and again in 2011, the latter of which featured George Thorogood and the Destroyers as an opening act.^[30]

His recent live band consists of Mike Finnigan (Hammond B3), Nick Milo (piano, keyboard), Norbert Fimpel (saxophone, harmonica, accordion, percussion), Gene Black (guitar), Oneida James-Rebeccu (bass) and Jack Bruno (drums).

Personal life[link]

In 1963, Cocker began dating Eileen Webster, also a resident of Sheffield. The couple dated intermittently for the next thirteen years, separating permanently in 1976. In 1978, Cocker moved onto a ranch owned by Jane Fonda in Santa Barbara, California, United States. Pam Baker, a local summer camp director and fan of Cocker's music convinced the actress to rent the house to Cocker. Baker began dating Cocker and they eventually married on 11 October 1987.^[31] The couple reside on the Mad Dog Ranch in Crawford, Colorado, United States.

Cocker is not related to fellow Sheffield-born musician Jarvis Cocker, despite this being a rumour (particularly in Australia, where Jarvis' father Mac Cocker was a radio DJ who allowed listeners to believe he was Joe Cocker's brother).^[32][33]

Discography[link]

For a comprehensive list of recordings see Joe Cocker discography.

Studio albums[link]

• With a Little Help from My Friends (1969)
• Joe Cocker! (1969)
• Mad Dogs and Englishmen (1970)
• Joe Cocker (1972/EU: 1973)
• I Can Stand a Little Rain (1974)
• Jamaica Say You Will (1975)
• Stingray (1976)
• Luxury You Can Afford (1978)
• Sheffield Steel (1982)
• Civilized Man (1984)
• Cocker (1986)
• Unchain My Heart (1987)
• One Night of Sin (1989)
• Night Calls (1991/US: 1992)
• Have a Little Faith (1994)
• Organic (1996)
• Across from Midnight (1997)
• No Ordinary World (1999/US: 2000)
• Respect Yourself (2002)
• Heart & Soul (2004/US: 2005)
• Hymn for My Soul (2007/US: 2008)
• Hard Knocks (2010/US: 2012)

Notes[link]

References[link]

• The New Musical Express Book of Rock, 1975, Star Books, ISBN 0-352-30074-4.
• Bean, Julian P. (2003). Joe Cocker: The Authorised Biography. London: Virgin Books. ISBN 1-85227-043-8. 

Further reading[link]

• Guinness Book of British Hit Singles – 16th Edition – ISBN 0-85112-190-X
• The Guinness Book of 500 Number One Hits – ISBN 0-85112-250-7
• Guinness Book of British Hit Albums – 7th Edition – ISBN 0-85112-619-7
• Guinness Rockopedia – ISBN 0-85112-072-5
• The Great Rock Discography – 5th Edition – ISBN 1-84195-017-3

External links[link]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Joe Cocker

• The Official Website of Joe Cocker
• Photos taken by photographer Linda Wolf, one of the two official photographers of the Joe Cocker, Mad Dogs and Englishmen Tour, 1970