(03) Roxy Music - Viva, Roxy Music (1976)

"Viva! Roxy Music" was the first live Roxy Music album. It was released in August 1976.

Assembled from three live shows three years apart, "Viva, Roxy Music" suffers a little from murky sound, but features uniformly inspired performances. Violinist Edwin Jobson gets his first real chances to shine on "Out of the Blue" (originally appearing on "Country Life") and a ten and a half minute version of "If There is Something" (from Roxy Music"). "Pyjamarama," the band's second single, ups the funk groove of the original considerably, and to good effect. "Both Ends Burning" comes very close to outstripping the studio version, remaking the song in a faster and more furious mold.

The last two tracks, however, are simply stunning. For the first, a version of "In Every Dream Home a Heartache" that doubles the length of the original, the live production is perfect for the song's sparse desolation. Interestingly, Bryan Ferry's creepy, highly mannered vocal in this song was copied almost exactly a few years later by the vocalists of the Gothic rock movement. The last track, "Do the Strand," comes across as a frenzied locomotive accentuated by Andrew Mackay's saxophone. It also features the band performing brief excerpts of tango and waltz. Not many live albums are as essential as this.

Track listing

01.  Out of the Blue  (Ferry, Phil Manzanera)  - 4:44

02.  Pyjamarama  (Bryan Ferry)  - 3:36

03.  The Bogus Man  (Bryan Ferry)  - 7:05

04.  Chance Meeting  (Bryan Ferry)  - 2:58

05.  Both Ends Burning  (Bryan Ferry)  - 4:46

06.  If There Is Something  (Bryan Ferry)  - 10:37

07.  In Every Dream Home a Heartache  (Bryan Ferry)  - 8:23

08.  Do the Strand  (Bryan Ferry)  - 4:00

Released:  August 1976

Recorded at:  The Apollo, Glasgow, Scotland in November 1973; The City Hall, Newcastle, England in November 1974; The Empire Pool, Wembley, England in October 1975.

Genre:  Art Rock

Length:  46:15

Label:  Island

Producer:  Chris Thomas

Personnel

Bryan Ferry - vocals, keyboards

Eddie Jobson - strings, synthesizer, keyboards

Andy Mackay - oboe, saxophone

Phil Manzanera - electric guitar

Paul Thompson - drums

John Gustafson - bass on

John Wetton - bass

Sal Maida - bass

The Sirens - background vocals