Coordinates	28°36′36″N77°13′48″N
name	Lene Lovich
background	solo_singer
birth name	Lili-Marlene Premilovich
born	March 30, 1949Detroit, MichiganUnited States
instrument	Vocals
genre	New Wave
occupation	Musician, Songwriter
years active	1975–present
label	Polydor Records, Stiff Records }}

Lene Lovich (born 30 March 1949) is an American singer based in England, who first gained attention as part of the New Wave music scene of the late 1970s and early 1980s. Her most popular hit single was "Lucky Number", first released in 1979.

Early years

Lovich was born Lili-Marlene Premilovich in Detroit, Michigan, to an English mother and a Serbian father. After her father had health problems, her mother took her and her three siblings to live in Hull, England. Lovich was 13 years old at the time. She met the guitarist/songwriter Les Chappell when they were teenagers, and he became her longtime collaborator and life partner. In autumn 1968, they went to London to attend art school. It was there that Lovich first tied her hair into the plaits that later became a visual trademark, though at first she did it to keep her hair out of the clay when studying sculpture.

Over the following decade, Lovich attended several art schools, busked around the London Underground and appeared in cabaret clubs as an "Oriental" dancer. She also travelled to Spain, where she visited Salvador Dalí in his home. She played acoustic rock music around London, sang in the mass choir of a show called ''Quintessence'' at the Royal Albert Hall, played a soldier in Arthur Brown's show, worked as a go-go dancer with the Radio One Roadshow, toured Italy with a West Indian soul band, and played saxophone for Bob Flag's Balloon and Banana Band and for an all-girl cabaret trio, The Sensations. She recorded screams for horror films, wrote lyrics for French disco star Cerrone (including the sci-fi dance smash "Supernature", later recorded by Lovich herself) and worked with various fringe theatre groups. She was also one of thousands of audience members invited to sing along at the 1972 Lanchester Arts Festival at the Locarno Ballroom in Coventry when Chuck Berry recorded "My Ding-a-Ling" for Chess Records.

1975-1986

In 1975, Lovich joined The Diversions, a funk group that put out five singles and an album on Polydor Records, without success. In 1976 she released a 7" 3-track "maxi-single" in the UK under her own name, aimed at the Christmas market: "I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus/The Christmas Song (Merry Christmas To You)/Happy Christmas" (Polydor 2058 812)

In 1977, Lovich, along with recording engineer Alain Wisniak, provided lyrics for "Supernature", a song featuring music composed by French percussionist and disco music performer Cerrone. The song, with its surreal lyrics describing a world in which nature has risen to fight against desecration and destruction by humanity, is indicative of Lovich's interest in animal rights issues.

In 1978, disc jockey and author Charlie Gillett presented her recording of "I Think We're Alone Now", a cover version of a song originally performed by Tommy James and the Shondells, to Stiff Records boss, Dave Robinson. Robinson immediately proposed to release it as a single on Stiff, for which Lovich and Chappell had to write and record a B-side at short notice. They came up with "Lucky Number", which was then released as an A-side and became a Top 3 hit in the UK.

Invited by Robinson to participate in the forthcoming ''Be Stiff Route 78 Tour'' in 1978, Lovich quickly recorded her first album for Stiff, ''Stateless'', which contained "Lucky Number" and another Top 20 hit, "Say When". Lovich's musical style combined her own quirky inventions with contemporary punk rock and new wave styles. She then recorded the albums ''Flex'' and ''No-Man's-Land'' for Stiff over the next few years, as well as an EP titled ''New Toy'', the title cut penned by touring band member Thomas Dolby, and a cover of the Devo song ''Be Stiff''. She also recorded vocals for "Picnic Boy" by The Residents as "Sandy Sandwich".

Lovich co-wrote with Chappell and Chris Judge Smith and performed ''Mata Hari'', a play/musical at the Lyric Hammersmith, London, October/November 1982. During this time she was having disputes with Stiff. The success of the show and pressure from Epic, her US label, persuaded Stiff to release and promote ''No Man's Land''. Following her departure from Stiff, Lovich released "Don't Kill The Animals," a single with Nina Hagen, with whom she had previously appeared in ''Cha Cha'', a film that also starred Herman Brood; together, the three created the film's soundtrack.

1989 album

In 1989, after an absence of several years due to raising a family, she recorded the album ''March'' on Pathfinder Records. It was only moderately successful and was not released until nearly a year after the album's single "Wonderland" had been issued and had become an American dance hit. She also toured the US three times immediately before, during and shortly after the release of March, giving US fans their only glimpse of her for many years to come. All three tours culminated with benefit concerts for People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals. Her tours supporting March were done with a semi-full band, featuring the electronic duo Tanz Waffen as her backup band in addition to herself and longtime partner Chappell.

Lovich contributed to the opera ''The Fall of the House of Usher'' (1991) by Peter Hammill and Judge Smith, singing the part of Madeline Usher.

Present day

Lovich continues to perform in much the same style she did back in the 1970s and 1980s, with Chappell still at her side. In 2005 she appeared on Hawkwind's ''Take Me to Your Leader'' CD, as well as appearing occasionally on stage with them. Lovich's first album since ''March'', entitled ''Shadows and Dust'' received a limited release on the Stereo Society label on 13 September 2005. She played for the first time in many years with a full band at the Drop Dead Festival in 2006.

In 2007, MVD Visual released ''Lene Lovich: Live from New York'', a DVD featuring a performance Lovich gave at Studio 54 in 1981. In late 2007, both Lovich and Chappell produced a new edge recording of their hit "Lucky Number". The version was performed by rock group Eastroad, and was used by the BBC for its coverage of the 2008 World Snooker Championship.

In 2011, Lovich sang the part of Eurydice in the songstory ''Orfeas'' by Judge Smith.

Discography

Albums

''Stateless'' (1978) #35 UK

''Flex'' (1979) #19 UK, #39 DE

''1980 Global Assault - Recorded Live In London And Boston'' (1980) Promo only

''New Toy'' (1981)

''No-Man's-Land'' (1982)

''March'' (1989)

''Shadows and Dust'' (2005)

Compilations

''The Stiff Years - Volume 1''

''The Stiff Years - Volume 2''

''The Best of Lene Lovich'' (1997)

''The Very Best Of'' (1997)

''Lucky Number - The Best Of'' (2004)

DVDs

''Lene Lovich: Live from New York'' (2007)

Singles

Year	Title	Chart-Position			Album
		UK Singles Chart>UK	Media Control Charts>DE	Austria>AT
1976	"I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus"
1978	"I Think We're Alone Now"
	"Lucky Number"
"Say When"
"Bird Song"
	"Angels"
"What Will I Do Without You"
"The Night"
1981	"New Toy"				''New Toy''
	"It's You, Only You (Mein Schmerz)"
"Blue Hotel"
1986	"Don't Kill The Animals" (feat. Nina Hagen)				-
1989	"Wonderland"				''March''
1999	"Shapeshifter" (feat. Comical Brothers)				''Shadows and Dust''

External links

Lene Lovich at Stereo Society

Innovation in New Wave: Lene Lovich, Perfect Sound Forever

Lene Lovich fan site

References

Category:1949 births Category:American people of English descent Category:Female New Wave singers Category:Living people Category:People from Detroit, Michigan Category:People from London Category:American people of Serbian descent Category:American New Wave musicians

de:Lene Lovich es:Lene Lovich it:Lene Lovich hu:Lene Lovich nl:Lene Lovich ru:Лена Лович

Coordinates	28°36′36″N77°13′48″N
Name	Nina Hagen
Background	solo_singer
Birth name	Catharina Hagen
Birth date	March 11, 1955
Origin	East Berlin, German Democratic Republic
Genre	Punk rockPost-punkNew wave Gothic rockGlam rockNeue Deutsche WelleGospel
Occupation	Singer, Activist
Years active	1971–present
Associated acts	Automobil The Nina Hagen Band Apocalyptica
Label	Columbia Records Mercury Records
Website	nina-hagen.com}}

Nina Hagen (born 11 March 1955) is a German singer and actress.

Early years

Hagen was born as Catharina Hagen in the former East Berlin, East Germany, the daughter of Hans Hagen (also known as Hans Oliva-Hagen), a scriptwriter, and Eva-Maria Hagen, an actress and singer. Her paternal grandfather died in the Sachsenhausen concentration camp (one of her great-grandparents was Jewish). Her parents divorced when she was two years old, and growing up she saw her father infrequently. At age four, she began to study ballet, and was considered an opera prodigy by the time she was nine.

When Hagen was 11, her mother married Wolf Biermann, an anti-establishment singer-songwriter. Biermann's political views later influenced young Hagen.

Hagen left school at age sixteen, and went to Poland, where she began her career. After that, she returned to Germany and joined the cover band Fritzens Dampferband (''Fritzen's Steamboat Band'', together with Achim Mentzel and others). She added songs by Janis Joplin and Tina Turner to the "allowable" set lists during shows.

From 1972–73, Hagen enrolled in the crash-course performance program at The Central Studio for Light Music in East Berlin. Upon graduation, she formed the band Automobil.

Music career

1970s

In East Germany, she performed with the band Automobil, becoming one of the country's best-known young stars. Her most famous song from the early part of her career was "Du hast den Farbfilm vergessen" ("You forgot the colour film") in 1974. However, her musical career in East Germany was cut short when she and her mother left the country in 1976, following the expulsion of her stepfather.

The circumstances surrounding the family's emigration were exceptional: Biermann was granted permission to perform a televised concert in Cologne, but denied permission to re-cross the border to his home country. Hagen submitted an application to leave the country. In it, she claimed to be Biermann's biological daughter, and threatened to become the next Wolf Biermann if not allowed to rejoin her father. Just four days later her request was granted, and she settled in Hamburg, where she was signed to a CBS-affiliated record label. Her label advised her to acclimate herself to Western culture through travel, and she arrived in London during the height of the punk rock movement. Hagen was quickly taken up by a circle that included The Slits and the Sex Pistols; Johnny Rotten was a particular admirer.

Back in Germany by mid-1977, Hagen formed the Nina Hagen Band in West Berlin's Kreuzberg district. In 1978 they released their self-titled debut album, which included the single "TV-Glotzer" (a cover of "White Punks on Dope" by The Tubes, though with entirely different German lyrics), and ''Auf'm Bahnhof Zoo'', about West Berlin's then-notorious Berlin Zoologischer Garten station. The album also included a version of "Rangehn" ("Go For It"), a song she had previously recorded in East Germany, but with different music.

According to reviewer Fritz Rumler:

''… she thrusts herself into the music, aggressively, directly, furiously, roars in the most beautiful opera alto, then, through shrieks and squeals, precipitates into luminous soprano heights, she parodies, satirises, and howls on stage like a dervish''.

The album gained significant attention throughout Germany and abroad, both for its hard rock sound and for Hagen's theatrical vocals, far different from the straightforward singing of her East German recordings. However, relations between Hagen and the other band members deteriorated over the course of the subsequent European tour, and Hagen decided to leave the band in 1979, though she was still under contract to produce a second album. This LP, ''Unbehagen'' (which in German also means ''discomfort'' or ''unease''), was eventually produced with the band recording their tracks in Berlin and Hagen recording the vocals in Los Angeles, California. It included the single "African Reggae" and a cover of Lene Lovich's "Lucky Number". The other band members sans Hagen, soon developed a successful independent musical career as Spliff.

Meanwhile, Hagen's public persona was steadily creating media uproar. She became infamous for an appearance on an Austrian evening talk show called ''Club 2'', on 9 August 1979, on the topic of youth culture, when she demonstrated (while clothed, but explicitly) various female masturbation positions and became embroiled in a heated argument with another panelist. The talk show host had to step down following this controversy.

She also acted with Dutch rocker Herman Brood and singer Lene Lovich in the 1979 film ''Cha Cha''.

1980s

A European tour with a new band in 1980 was cancelled, and Hagen turned to the United States. A limited-edition 10-inch EP was released on vinyl that summer in the U.S. Two songs from her first album ''Nina Hagen Band'' were on the A side, and two songs from her second album ''Unbehagen'' were on the B-side. All four songs were sung in German.

In late 1980, Hagen discovered she was pregnant, broke up with the father-to-be Ferdinand Karmelk, and moved to Los Angeles. Her daughter, Cosma Shiva Hagen, was born in Santa Monica on 17 May 1981. In 1982, Hagen released her first English-language album: ''NunSexMonkRock'', a dissonant mix of punk, funk, reggae, and opera. She then went on a world tour with the No Problem Orchestra.

In 1983, she released the album ''Angstlos'' and a minor European tour. By this time, Hagen's public appearances were becoming stranger and frequently included discussions of God, UFOs, her social and political beliefs, animal rights and vivisection, and claims of alien sightings. The English version of ''Angstlos,'' ''Fearless,'' generated two major club hits in America, "Zarah" (a cover of the Zarah Leander (#45 USA) song "Ich weiss, es wird einmal ein Wunder geschehen") and the disco/punk/opera song, "New York New York" (#9 USA).

Her 1985 album ''Nina Hagen In Ekstasy'' fared less well, but did generate club hits with "Universal Radio" (#39 USA) and a cover of "Spirit In The Sky" and also featured a 1979 recording of her hardcore punk take on Frank Sinatra's ''My Way'', which had been one of her signature live tunes in previous years. She performed songs from this album during the 1985 version of Rock in Rio. Her contract with CBS over, she released the ''Punk Wedding'' EP independently in 1987, a celebration of her marriage to a 17-year-old-punk nicknamed 'Iroquois'. It followed an independent 1986 one-off single with Lene Lovich, the anthemic ''Don't Kill The Animals''. In 1989, Hagen released the album ''Nina Hagen'' which was backed up by another German tour.

In 1989 she had a relationship with Frank Chevallier from France, with whom she has a son, Otis Chevallier-Hagen.

1990s

In the 1990s, Hagen lived in Paris with her daughter Cosma Shiva and son Otis. In 1991 she toured Europe in support of her new album ''Street''. In 1992 Hagen became the host of a TV show on RTLplus. Also in the same year (1992) she collaborated with Adamski on the European smash and minor UK hit single "Get Your Body". The following year, she released ''Revolution Ballroom''. In 1994 Laramy Smith recorded Nina at Ferber Studios in Paris, for the "Somebody Help Me" project, a song to aid the homeless worldwide available at laramysmith.com. In 1994, Nina starred in the acclaimed San Francisco Goethe Institut's "The Seven Addictions and Five Professions of Anita Berber", playing the singer version of "Anita" alongside dancer Jennifer Pieren who portrayed the other "professions" of "Anita". Also, her voice was heard on the Freaky Fukin Weirdoz single "Hit Me With Your Rhythm Stick". 1995 brought the German-language album ''Freud Euch'' appeared, recorded in English as ''BeeHappy'' in 1996. Nina returned to San Francisco to star in another San Francisco Goethe Institut show, "Hannusen, Hitler's Jewish Clarvoyant." Hagen also collaborated with electronic music composer Christopher Franke, along with Rick Palombi (credited as Rick Jude) on "Alchemy of Love", the theme song for the film ''Tenchi Muyo! in Love''. In May 1996, she married David Lynn, who is fifteen years younger, but divorced him in the beginning of 2000. In 1997 she collaborated with German hip hop musician Thomas D.

In 1998, Hagen became the host of a weekly science fiction show on the British Sci-Fi Channel, in addition to embarking on another tour of Germany. In 1999, she released the devotional album ''Om Namah Shivay'', which was distributed exclusively online and included an unadulterated musical version of the Hare Krishna mantra. She also provided vocals to "Witness" and "Bereit" on KMFDM's ''Adios''.

Also in 1998 she recorded the official club anthem (Eisern Union !) for FC Union Berlin and four versions were issued on a CD single by G.I.B Music and Distribution GmbH.

In 1999, she played the role of Celia Peachum in ''The Threepenny Opera'' by Kurt Weill and Berthold Brecht, alongside Max Raabe. She also regularly performs songs by Kurt Weill, Hans Eisler and Paul Dessau set to Brecht's texts.

2000s

In 2000, her song ''Schön ist die Welt'' became the official song of Expo 2000. Another cover of a Zarah Leander song "Der Wind hat mir ein Lied erzählt" was a minor hit the same year. The album ''The Return of the Mother'' was released in February 2001, accompanied by another German tour. In 2001 she collaborated with Rosenstolz and Marc Almond on the single ''Total eclipse/Die schwarze Witwe'' that reached #22 in Germany. On 14 October 2002 Nina hit Moscow by coming there with her concert, while interviews with the eccentric singer were aired on many TV-channels.

Hagen dubbed the voice of Sally in the German release of Tim Burton's ''The Nightmare Before Christmas'', and she has also done voice work on the movie ''Hot Dogs'' by Michael Schoemann. Hagen has been featured on songs by other bands, for instance on Oomph!'s song "Fieber". She did a cover of Rammstein's "Seemann" with Apocalyptica. Later albums include ''Big Band Explosion'', in which she sang numerous swing covers with her then husband, Danish singer and performer, Lucas Alexander. This was followed by ''Heiß'', a greatest hits album. Her most recent album, ''Journey to The Snow Queen'', is more of an audio book—she reads the ''Snow Queen'' fairy tale with Tchaikovsky's ''The Nutcracker'' in the background. In 2005 Nina Hagen headlined the Drop Dead Festival in New York City. Hagen has been an active protester against the war in Iraq. In 2006 she was a part of the Popstars team. She is a vegetarian. In August 2009 she was baptized in the Protestant Reformed church of Schüttorf. On October 21 after seven years passed she visited Moscow again. Her latest album, ''Personal Jesus'' was released July 16, 2010, after a four year lapse.

Discography

''See: Nina Hagen discography''

Acting career

Filmography

+ Actor
! Year	! Film	! Role	Notes
2004		The Queen

Quotations

''Both of my parents were atheists, and I found the way to God all alone on my own. You have to invite him, so that he shows up.'' Asked if she was happy, she replied: ''Of course, I'm a family member of Christ and I have a Lord. He marched ahead of me and showed me the way.''

References

External links

Seltene Live/Video Aufnahmen von Nina Hagen

Nina Hagen discography

Nina Hagen Electronic Shrine

Trouser Press Nina Hagen Discography

Nina Hagen - MySpace page

Nina Hagen on Europopmusic.eu (English)

''Nina Hagen:'' Interview (German)

''Nina Hagen vertreibt Wissenschaftler aus Talkshow Maischberger'' (German)

Drop Dead Magazine with issue 0 with Nina Hagen on the cover as well as a large interview inside

1979 ''Club 2'' talk show with loose translation in ''More info''

Nina Hagen interviewed on Swedish TV during the 80s (English with Swedish subtitles)

Category:1955 births Category:Living people Category:People from East Berlin Category:Converts to Christianity Category:Female punk rock singers Category:Female New Wave singers Category:Female rock singers Category:Gothic rock musicians Category:German-language singers Category:German Calvinists Category:German vegetarians Category:German autobiographers Category:German female singers Category:German punk rock musicians

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Coordinates	28°36′36″N77°13′48″N
name	Bryan Ferry
background	solo_singer
birth name	Bryan Ferry
birth date	September 26, 1945
origin	Washington, County Durham, England
instrument	vocals, keyboards, harmonica, guitar
genre	Pop-rock, Glam rock, Art rock, New Wave, New Romanticism
occupation	Singer-songwriter, musician
years active	1971–present
label	UK: Island, E.G., Polydor,, Virgin, EMI Records, Reprise, Warner Bros. Records, Atco, Atlantic, Astralwerks Records
associated acts	Roxy Music, Chester Kamen, Amanda Lear
website	BryanFerry.com
notable instruments	}}

Bryan Ferry, CBE (born 26 September 1945, Washington, County Durham, UK) is an English singer, musician, and songwriter. Ferry came to public 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

Born into a working class family (his father, Fred Ferry, was a farmer who also looked after pit ponies), 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 significant British pioneering pop artist. His contemporaries included Tim Head and Nick de Ville. Ferry became a pottery teacher at Holland Park school in London. Ferry formed the band The Banshees, and later, together with Graham Simpson, the band The Gas Board.

Career

Roxy Music and solo years (1971–1983)

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 UK radio station Radio 1 feature O'List's playing.)

Roxy Music's first hit, "Virginia Plain", just missed topping the charts, 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. Indeed, one comment by Nicky Haslam about Ferry was that he was more likely to redecorate a hotel room than to trash it.

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 tours in support of ''Siren'', Roxy Music temporarily disbanded in 1976 though band-members Paul Thompson, Phil Manzanera and Eddie Jobson took part in recording Ferry's subsequent solo material. In 1976, Ferry covered a Beatles song, “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), 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. 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 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)

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, again accompanied by David Gilmour. 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. 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 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.

Roxy Music reunion 2001 and after

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, a show with an expected 2 billion viewers worldwide. In 2004, Ferry starred in the short film ''The Porter''. In 2005, it was confirmed 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. Brian Eno confirmed 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, and that "I don't think we'll record as Roxy again."

In October 2006, Ferry modelled clothing range "Autograph" with British retailer Marks and Spencer. In 2007, Ferry 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 October 7, 2008, Ferry was honored 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.

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.

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

Personal life

Several of the women Ferry had been involved with have appeared as cover models on the Roxy Music albums. Ferry dated 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.

Ferry then began a relationship with model Jerry Hall. Hall appeared in several of Ferry's music videos, including "Let's Stick Together" and "The Price of Love." 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'' 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. Her stay at Ferry's Holland Park (London) home, following the album cover photo shoot, marked the start of their affair. Hall and Ferry moved in together, sharing homes in London and in the ritzy Bel Air section of Los Angeles. His relationship with Hall 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 was Ferry's response to Hall's tell-all book about their relationship. Ferry often refuses to discuss his feelings about Hall or talk about their romantic history during interviews. Bryan Ferry's solo album ''The Bride Stripped Bare'' is widely believed 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.

Ferry eventually settled down to married life with Lucy Helmore, and they had four sons, including huntsman and political activist Otis, Isaac, Tara and Merlin. Tara was performing in a rock band called "Rubber Kiss Goodbye" and simultaneously studying at Chelsea College of Art and Design, according to the Sunday Times (28 Sept. 2008). Merlin studied electrical engineering and biochemical engineering at Marlborough College for his "A" Levels, he now plays guitar in his band Voltorb.

Ferry and Helmore split in the early 2000s and were divorced in 2003. After their separation, British newspapers photographed Ferry with Katie Turner, 35 years his junior, naming her as his new 'girlfriend'. 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 Lady Emily Compton, a socialite. In 2006, he resumed his relationship with Katie Turner for some time. Ferry is now in a relationship with Amanda Sheppard, who previously worked in public relations, until she quit her job in 2009 after Ferry offered to financially support her.

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

Political views

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. 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.”

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

In other media

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.

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 john 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.

The song "Which Way to Turn" from the album ''Mamouna'', is the feature song in the 2007 Woody Harrelson movie ''The Walker''. Ferry's song "Slave to Love", from the album ''Boys and Girls'', was featured in ''Bitter Moon'', a 1992 film directed by Roman Polanski; the entire song is also played in a scene in the 1986 movie ''Nine 1/2 Weeks'' by Adrian Lyne.

Discography

Studio albums

''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)

Honours

He was appointed Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) in the 2011 Birthday Honours.

Sources

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

Julian Barratt

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

References

External links

Category:1945 births Category:Living people Category:Alumni of Newcastle University Category:Commanders of the Order of the British Empire Category:English actors Category:Reprise Records artists Category:Warner Bros. Records artists Category:Virgin Records artists Category:Astralwerks artists Category:English-language singers Category:English male singers Category:English rock keyboardists Category:English songwriters Category:Roxy Music members Category:People from Washington, Tyne and Wear Category:Music from Newcastle upon Tyne Category:Protopunk musicians

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