I POP PREVIEW
preview
Bryan Ferry Glasgow: Clyde Auditorium, Fri l7 Dec. Throughout his career, Bryan Ferry has been drawn to the songs of the 305 and 405, and much of his solo output has featured reinterpretations of the classic songs of the period, dating back to 1973’s 'These Foolish Things'. For his latest release, however, Ferry has chosen to hold back new material and concentrate entirely on recording near-live versions of standards, taking afresh look at the lyrically and melodically complex body of work left by the likes of Cole Porter.
'There are so many great songs from that period,’ explains Ferry, ’I consider it to be something of a golden age — there was a real flowering of jazz players and there was a lot of opportunity for songwriters with Broadway shows and Hollywood musicals. It is interesting that these songs have
lasted so long — I don't think there are many songs from the hit parade today that will be listened to in 50 years time, simply because popular music has become so
rhythm-based.’
For the Roxy Music frontman, the release of 'As Time Goes By' is something of a happy accident: 'Ever since the early 705, when I first started to cover songs from the 305, I’ve wanted to do an album of the stuff. Finally it reached the point where I was working, seemingly forever, on new material of my own and I realised that it wouldn’t be released this century. I really wanted to get a record out and, once you’ve selected the material, playing these songs acoustically, and live, means you can get an album recorded quickly.’ In fact, this exposure to more traditional instrumentation may well spill over into Ferry’s next outing, an album of his own material set for release next year. ’There's a lot of stuff that I’ve already done and when I've finished the tour I
Time is on his side: Bryan Ferry
want to go back and reappraise that. ‘Brian Eno has worked on a number of tracks over the last five years and I may get some of the musicians from this tour in to
play and add to those recordings.’
Mention of Eno and Ferry collaborating for the first time since the pair added their peculiar combination high-gloss glamour and wilful experimentation to the pop charts will have fans of Roxy Music on the edge of their seats, and it seems that a reunion might well be on the cards. ’l'd like to get everyone back together one day,’ says Ferry. 'l'm reworking Roxy Music songs on my own tour and that has started me thinking that it would be nice to see the old line-up on stage together.’
Bryan Ferry, then, is closing this century with a look back to some of the songs that have informed his career and seems set to begin the next with a return to his own, no less influential, work. (Jack Mottram)
I As Time Goes By is out now on Virgin.
Ex osure
Every ortnight, new musical talent, brought to you by us. This issue: Yvonne Tipping
Career girl: Yvonne Tipping
48 THE “ST 16 Dec 1999-6 Jan 2000
Is this one of those bands with a lady's name, like Annie Christian or Rachel Stamp? Nope, it's a real lady She's 24 and straight outta Bellshill.
A duffel-coated whispering indie scamp? Wrong again. Tipping has a big, gorgeous, swoopy mice that wooldn’t be out of place down Nashville way,
Ah! So she is a feathery pop moppet. Who writes all her own songs, boasts a degree in Applied MUSIC and has been playing gUitar and drums Since childhood, thank you very much.
How did it all commence? The product of a mu5ical family, Tipping has been 'making songs’ since she was fifteen. At seventeen she discovered Paul Weller. ’l was too young for The Jam and the Style Council, but when I saw the way he Just got his goitar and did it, I knew that was how I wanted to be.’
So she got her guitar . . . and, indeed, went for it, enlisting the help of established musicians she met through her job at Linn Records, including Hue & Cry man Greg Kane. She went on to
support Bryan Adams at the SECC in front of 10,000 people.
Wait! Stop! Yvonne just went into a credibility nosedive! She doesn’t care. ’Scotland's full of fantastic mUSiCians,‘ they're a godsend to me, because I can learn from them,’ she says Slmply, 'And the Bryan Adams gig was Just a fantastic opportunity You can go for a throwaway hit, be the latest thing, but I‘m more interested in artists with a lifespan. I want to make a career Out of thiS.'
But Bryan Adams . . . Don’t worry, she's better than the pockmarked one deserves.
Good enough to escape being sold on her looks? She's not worried. 'Some people Will always think, "oh, she’s Just a wee girl with someone writing songs for her”, espeCially if I wear something nice. That’s good for me in a way; it Just means when they find out I write my own songs, they'll be all the more Surprised' (Hannah McGilI)
. Yvonne Tipping plays Glasgow. King Tut’s, Sun 79 Dec.
Surface noise
Music news, feuds and rumours
EDINBURGH BAND THE Silver Pill are celebrating in earnest after emerging triumphant from the Stepping Stones band competition at Glasgow's Cathouse. Glory awaits, but not before they’ve made the most of their prize trip to Paris.
KENICKIE FANS CAN get ready to welcome back Lauren Laverne. Sadly she has not been taken on as The Big Breakfasts new presentrix, or offered the chance to fill Zoe Ball's Slingbacks; but she does guest on Mint Royale's single ’Don’t Falter', released by Faith & Hope Records on Mon 24 Jan.
THE BETA BAND seem to have triumphed in the latest round of wrangles with their record company, Regal Recordings. Their new double A side single ’To You Alone/Sequensizer’ will be out on Mon 7 Jan.
THE IMMINENT DEMISE of Creation Records should not interfere either with the release of Primal Scream's album Exterminator on Mon 31 Jan, or the Oasis tour that takes in Murrayfield on Sat 29 Jul. Sort the good news from the bad yourself.
AN EXTRA GIG has been added for the Supernaturals at King Tut's, due to overwhelming demand. Having
, sold out Wed 29 Dec, the cheery
idiots'will be raising the roof on Tue 28 Dec as well.
AFTER A CANCELLATION frenzy
earlier in the year, no doubt brought on by a bout of scurvy in the pop music world, both Moby and Bush have rescheduled dates for February. Moby gives us a double dose of his slaphead electronic magic at The Liquid Room on Thu 3 Feb and at the Garage on Fri 4 Feb.
Bush have had their show at the Barrowland rescheduled for Fri 25 Feb.
ON-LINE MUSIC TAKES another step
into the mainstream as Universal Music and Topshop/Topman launch
their ‘Make Your Own Dance CD’ on-line scheme. For E i0, visitors to the web site can select ten tracks
from the Universal back catalogue
from the likes of David Holmes,
Todd Terry and Byron Stingly and have them pressed up and delivered within 48 hours. The site is at www.tops.co.uk
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