Bryan Ferry's Subconscious by Tosh Berman

 

Bryan Ferry's Subconscious by Tosh Berman

Tosh's Inspiration

 

Tosh's Inspiration

Tosh Berman on Bryan Ferry's "Lyrics"

 

Tosh Berman on Bryan Ferry's "Lyrics"

Tosh Berman on Peter Stanfield's "pin-ups 1972

 

Tosh Berman on Peter Stanfield's "pin-ups 1972

Naked City by Tosh Berman

 

Naked City by Tosh Berman

The Albums That Were Important To Me in 2002

 

2002 was when America opened up the Pandora Box concerning Iraq and other faraway places. We are, to this day, can't bring the evil spirits back into that box. Nevertheless, the world's anxiety brought three magnificent albums, and those three were made by veterans of the pop music world. At this point, I remember feeling a sense of shame that I loved these albums over Wilco's release of that year, for instance.  I pretty much ignored the newer artists for these old guys, yet, the music they were making was way more ahead of their time. 

Bryan Ferry's "Frantic" is one of his more astonishing recordings. Unexpectedly I didn't think this would be even an impressive Ferry album. I was wrong. It's a superb album with Ferry in all his strengths. Also, I presume that the album was recorded over a time or even years. Still, the recordings and songs were as fresh as my memory of hearing the first Roxy Music album. It sounded like 'now,' and for whatever reason, "Frantic" sounded contemporary in the right way. The Ferry originals are up there with his classic songs from the past. His two Dylan covers on the album, I think, are magnificent. The classic here is an Eno/Ferry tune, "I Thought." It captures the early Roxy, but also the haunting lyrics with even the sad music is something of great beauty. 

Looking at the present and forward at the same time is David Bowie's "Heathen." The album does have the post 9/11 mood, which I believing he was recording this album on that date. "Sunday," "A Better Future," and "Heathen (The Rays) are first-class Bowie tunes, and having Tony Visconti back in the production seat is also a plus for this late Bowie masterpiece. His cover of The Pixies "Cactus" is respectful to the original. And his beloved early idol, Legendary Stardust Cowboy's "I Took A Trip On A Gemini Spaceship, is a goofy but incredibly romantic song. 

Most hardcore Sparks' fans feel that the Island Records era of Sparks is the masterpiece era, as well as "No. One Song in Heaven." "Lil Beethoven" is a masterpiece as well. Like Bowie, very much in the present, and their eyes on to the future.  In places, it reminds me of Steve Reich's music, but with a strong hip-hop overture and melodic tunes. Chamber pop but done in the 21st century. A masterpiece. Everything else released in 2002 was neither here nor there. Still, these three albums are influential works by artists with a beautiful history. 

Ladytron 10" Vinyl - Roxy Music - Steven Wilson Re-mix - Record Store Da...

A superb mix of Roxy Music's "Ladytron."  A 10"" vinyl release on Record Store Day 2015.

The Numberer - B Side - 10" Vinyl - Roxy Music - Steven Wilson Re-mix - ...

On Record Store Day 2015, this was released as a 10" vinyl. Re-mixed and superb.

Bryan Ferry & Michael Bracewell - Museum Of Contemporary Art, Chicago

A recent discussion between Michael Bracewell, a writer I greatly admire, and Bryan Ferry.  A person of great interest!

Tosh Talks -Joe Meek part3 "Telestar by The Tornados"

January 31, 2014

January 31, 2014

Today is January 31, and the way I see this date, it’s 31 days of failure. Since January 1, I have worked on a novel that is based on the life of actor James Franciscus who starred in the 1950’s TV show “Naked City.” I know nothing of his private life, but his face over the years stayed with me, as if it was glued into by brain. It is his face that I first think of when awake in the mornings. Mind you it is no longer a nightmare, but something about his features gives me comfort.

I’ve been formatting the narrative every day since the first. At first, I based a narration from one of the many “Naked City” episodes. Which by the way is a fantastic show. Mostly filmed on location, one sees New York City as if it was shot by Weegee. There is one episode where he shoots a criminal, but feels really bad about it. It was the first time that in his career as a cop, where he had to shoot someone. Even though it was a life and death situation, if he didn’t shoot the guy, he would have got shot. But still, he couldn’t erase the feeling of dread due to the actions of the thug as well as his response to the creep. I thought of this narrative on a regular basis and I was trying to write my own version of the story, but it always came out bland and pointless. It was at this time I wondered if I had the talents to become a writer, and actually if I had the talent to write a novel. 

The insecurity that swelled up inside me was almost too much. Once I get that nagging feeling I immediately try to make of something else. Usually I put on the vinyl copy of “Diamond Head” by Phil Manzanera who is also the guitarist for Roxy Music. From 1972 to maybe 1976, this was a band that couldn’t do wrong -either as a group or as solo artists. I always looked up to Bryan Ferry and company as a platform of excellence. But for my taste, Manzanera never let me down. He and Johnny Rotten are probably the two music figures that I admire the most. When I tried to be a visual artist, I did an oil portrait of Manzanera and Rotten sitting on a park bench in Echo Park by the man-made lake. The painting struck me as pretentious so I never finished it, which of course caused anxiety and depression. I then thought of making a statue, in sort of Robert Graham style, of both of them, standing tall and shaking hands. It would have become a commentary on the nature or relationship between prog/glam and punk rock. But this as well, failed, due that I don’t have any talent in making sculptures.

My novel I’m writing is slowly killing me. It looks as though I am so focused on Franciscus for no real reason. Now I have the fear that readers will think i 'm putting this character in for no reason, and perhaps they’re right. Writers make terrible decisions, and readers are always right. They can smell a phony writer or artist a mile away.

What makes this current ‘failure’ the worst, is that I left my job of 25 years to write this novel. I reckoned that if I did something so drastic as to cut my line to economic security, it will somehow make me a better writer, or in a sense to put out or shut up. Now I feel that the public will expect me to shut up.

I pretty much stay in the house, just to focus on the writing, but at times I feel I need to go out and sort of see the world in a fresh light. I took the 92 bus to Spring Street, and hung out at The Last Bookstore. I wanted to buy some records there, but regardless of the fact that the prices were inexpensive, I felt I shouldn’t spend any money right now. I left the store and headed towards Broadway, where I come upon a bar/restaurant called Les Noces du Figaro. It was happy hour, and I thought. Wow I need a glass of wine. I went in, and there were not that many people there, which is the way I like a bar. I ordered a glass of wine, which came to $4. For whatever reason, I thought that this was the best $4 investment I made since the first of this month.

The Bryan Ferry Orchestra

"The Jazz Age" suggests happy times, but the truth it's misery as a fine art. The Bryan Ferry Orchestra goes forward by going backwards to an era of the Twenties. Before the big depression, and this has always been Bryan Ferry's playground.

I suspect that this album is Ferry's most personal work because its in a dream state of mind. The sound is total retro of a 78rpm recording, one can wonder why he didn't upgrade the sound of hot jazz? I think because his world is one of illusion and he doesn't want to break that spell. Remember even when Roxy Music were futuristic it was going to the past of Joe Meek recordings.

Oh, and I think this is Ferry's masterpiece. Laugh at me now, but the future will tell.

"The Man Who Fell To Earth" Documentary on Brian Eno

Thanks to Greg Yermakov and Gregg Mann for noticing this documentary.

"The Roxy Music Story" Documentary

A great documentary with fantastic interviews with Bryan, Eno, Andy, Phil, and Michael Bracewell, etc.

Roxy Music Live in 1972

Recorded for the BBC, this 35 minute set shows the aural power of Roxy Music. Noisy, brilliant, borderline prog, and just plain great.

The Incredible B-Side of Roxy Music Singles

Roxy Music's "The Pride and the Pain"


Roxy Music's "The Numberer"


Andy MacKay's "Ride of the Valkyries"