"Retrospective"

Bryan Ferry: A major retrospective as a lavish box set

Unwaveringly charismatic and musically strong: Bryan Ferry, seen here live in Vienna in 2017.

(Bild: Andreas Graf)

When Bryan Ferry went into the studio to record a solo album in 1973, the singer had only just released two albums with his band Roxy Music. The group from Newcastle, which revolutionized pop music, was still on the verge of a major breakthrough at the time. Little did Ferry know that his LP "These Foolish Things" would lay the foundation for a decades-long solo career that would also influence Roxy Music.

"It was originally supposed to be a one-off," emphasizes the 79-year-old in an interview with Deutsche Presse-Agentur in London. "But it was successful. So I thought: 'Oh, let's do another one, and then another one'. So it became another career for me." Which has now lasted more than 50 years. Although the pop music innovator says he prefers to look forwards rather than backwards, Bryan Ferry is now releasing the box set "Retrospective: Selected Recordings 1973-2023", which covers all facets of his multifaceted work. "It's a cliché by now, of course," he says, "but it's always a good round number when you're celebrating your 50th birthday."

Unbrokenly stylish
The box contains five CDs with 81 songs and a bound book with anecdotes and previously unpublished photos. In his studio in West London, the singer sits on the sofa and holds a copy in his hand. "I was on vacation somewhere," he comments on an old photo as he leafs through the book with satisfaction. "It's really good." At 79, the Brit has lost none of his elegant cool. The former style icon is well dressed. Ferry's still quite full, graying hair is stylishly tousled. Whether this is intentional or due to the London fall weather is his secret.

In contrast to concerts, where he plays the cool, elegant showman, Ferry seems almost shy in direct conversation. "I guess I'm a shy person and always have been," he confirms. "From that point of view, I don't actually have the best job. Having to go on stage was a challenge for me." Today, that doesn't bother him any more. On the contrary, he is completely in his element. He doesn't have to pretend on stage. "I would say that's me. That's my way of communicating with people - through the music," says Ferry. "I'm not a great storyteller, but on stage I do what I do best, just be myself."

Expanding the audience
The bookshelves in the studio rooms are filled with works on music, art and poetry. The Roxy Music logo hangs on one wall as a neon sign. Ferry last toured with his band in 2021. The fact that they became one of the most influential British music groups certainly has something to do with Ferry's solo career. "Maybe I thought I'd reach a wider audience," says the singer about his solo debut. Until then, he had written all his songs for Roxy Music. On "These Foolish Things", he only sang cover versions. "Because Roxy Music had a very specific audience back then. They were art students and stuff. That was great, but I was very ambitious and wanted to expand that a bit." He succeeded.

While the music was still different in the 70s, Roxy Music and Bryan Ferry were stylistically indistinguishable from the 80s at the latest. Ferry's solo LP "Boys And Girls" (1985) sounds like a continuation of the last Roxy Music album "Avalon" (1982) with its atmospheric, sophisticated pop. "It was a continuation of that mood," confirms Ferry. And his greatest success. Hits such as "Slave To Love" and "Don't Stop The Dance" can be found on CD 1 of the box set. This "best-of" is also available separately and also contains cover songs such as "A Hard Rain's-A-Gonna Fall" (Bob Dylan) or "Let's Stick Together" (Wilbert Harrison), which Ferry made so much his own that they became classics in his interpretation.

Bob Dylan again and again
The retrospective also includes many less well-known songs. The second CD contains original compositions by Bryan Ferry, the third exclusively cover versions. CD 4 contains recordings in the jazz style of the 1930s, often without vocals, which the Brit released as The Bryan Ferry Orchestra. Perhaps most exciting is the fifth CD with almost forgotten B-sides, outtakes and all kinds of rarities worth listening to. With three new tracks to boot. "She Belongs To Me" is - once again - a Bob Dylan cover. The melancholy "Oh Lonesome Me" was recorded by Don Gibson in the 1950s.

The retrospective ends with a look to the future. The electronic number "Star" with Scottish artist Amelia Barratt is Ferry's first new song in around ten years. A foretaste of his new album. "To show that I'm still working," says Bryan Ferry and laughs. "It feels like a whole new chapter." Whether Bryan Ferry, who was on an anniversary tour with Roxy Music two years ago, will return to the stage remains to be seen. "Let's see how things develop. Touring is hard work," he says. "But it's nice to see your audience from time to time. They are people who like what I do. That's a wonderful thing."