and another bash at the States
| Chart Positions | NME | Disc | Melody Maker | |
| 24th Nov | Stranded | 26 | ? | ? |
| 1st Dec | Stranded | 11 | ? | ? |
| 8th Dec | Stranded | 3 | ? | ? |
| 15th Dec | Stranded | 3 | ? | ? |
| 22nd Dec | Stranded | 1 | ? | ? |
| 29th Dec | Stranded | ? | ? | ? |
| 5th Jan | Stranded Street Life |
4 |
? ? |
1 9 |
| 12th Jan | Stranded Street Life |
13 |
1 18 |
1 18 |
| 19th Jan | Stranded Street Life |
7 |
2 17 |
2 17 |
| 26th Jan | Stranded Street Life |
9 |
1 18 |
1 18 |
| Feb 2nd | Stranded Street Life |
10 |
1 24 |
1 24 |
| 9th Feb | Stranded | 14 | ||
| 16th Feb | Stranded | 13 | ||
| 23rd Feb | Stranded | 23 | ||
| 2nd Mar | Stranded | 30 | ||
| 9th Mar | Stranded | 29 |
A few weeks later, their exalted position in the music biz was confirmed by an excellent showing in the Disc Music Poll Awards. They were rated 10th Best Group in the World, 3rd Best Group in the UK, 8th Best Live Group and Bryan was voted 10th Top Male Singer (Britain). Meanwhile, Andy had got himself a colour cover photo in Disc although inside, the sub-editor did insist, for some reason, on calling him Dave Mackay. Shurely Shum Mishtake.
In early March, plans were
announced for a late Spring tour of the USA and a big UK tour for the Autumn
which was to include a week's worth of concerts at the Rainbow. Stranded was
still hanging around the nether regions of the Top 30 Album chart (No. 14 on
March 2nd in the Melody Maker and No. 29 in the NME a week later).
Intriguingly, at No. 22 in the Melody Maker chart was Eno's first solo
offering, 'Here Come the Warm Jets'.At the end of March, the NME let slip the news that Roxy were to play two unannounced concerts at Southport's Floral Hall on the 4th and 5th April. These were to be warm-ups for the US tour and were so secret that not even Simon Puxley, PR to the stars, knew anything about them. Or so he said! Somehow, intrepid Nick Kent of the NME managed to wangle a press pass for the second show. A somewhat tired and emotional piece duly saw the light of day on April 20th.
Not long after, Dr Puxley and Biryani Ferret boarded a jet plane and headed off into the sunset. No, not eloping but promoting. This was the concept: warm up the jaded American pallet by tantalising their taste buds with a few choice interviews delivered in the sort of English accents that in 1974 sent the average Yank into paroxysms of anglophilia and inevitably generated the question, "Do you know the Queen?" Of course, it was not enough that the US knew that Roxy were coming, it was equally essential that the Brits were told that the US knew that Roxy were coming. Consequently, the divinely bespectacled Chris Charlesworth of Melody Maker was shipped out to the Big Apple to chat to them over tea and cigarettes.
Whilst Messrs Ferry and Puxley cavorted Stateside, other events
were occurring in the Roxy camp. On Wednesday, Scotland's Daily Record featured
two key stories. Page one covered Henry Kissinger's threat to resign from
Richard Nixon's somewhat dodgy government (Ed. somehwat dodgy!??!?) but the big
news was on the back page. The Great Paul Thompson had gone and got married and
there he was carrying one end of his new wife while Mr Manzanera humped around
the legs (if you see what we mean). The new Mrs Thompson was a sweet 17 year
old Lanarkshire lass - Susan Smith. She'd asked for his autograph one night at
the Speakeasy and got rather more than she'd bargained for. Ah well, that's
rock 'n roll. (Question: how the hell did she get into the Speakeasy in the
first place?).
Remarkably, or so it seems to this writer, three days later, the music press were covering the first results of Roxy's second assault on the American market. It was a quick 'in and out' tour of just seven NE cities tkaing in such places as Detroit (May 25th), Cleveland (May 26th), Philadelphia (May 30th), Baltimore (May 31st) finishing at the New York Academy of Music on Sunday, June 2nd. Their performances were well received by key critics in the Village Voice and The New York Times - good auguries for the more extensive foray planned for 1975.
On their return, Bryan featured in an especially soulful front cover photo on the front page of June 15th's Disc whilst inside this rag and in the Melody Maker journos gave the thumbs up to their foray into New York.
Historical notes:
1. the guitar being clutched by our hero, left, is none other than Mr Manzanera's first electric guitar - a Hofner Galaxie bought circa 1966 whilst still at school.
2. The pic at rear is an epic rendition of The King. Yup, it's Elvis, looking smashed out of his gourd.
3. for artistic reasons the photo was reversed on the cover.
Don't you feel the better for knowing that?
Of course, the other great event of this week was the release of Andy Mackay's first solo album. To celebrate, Island took out full page ads in the Melody Maker and others. Was there no end to these boy's talents?
On Sunday 21st June, Bryan appeared on Radio One's 'My Top Twelve' with Brian Matthew. These were the maestro's current faves:
- River Deep, Mountain high - Ike and Tina Turner
- The Love I saw in you was just a mirage - Smokey Robinson
- We Love You - Rollong Stones
- Like a Rolling Stone - Bob Dylan
- As Times Goes By - Billie Holliday
- A Day in the Life - The Beatles
- Will you still love me tomorrow - The Shirelles ("My all time favourite")
- Embraceable You - Charlie Parker
- Layla (Pt 2) - Derek and the Dominoes
- When a man loves a woman - Percy Sledge
- Respect Yourself - The Staple Singers
- Telstar - The Tornadoes
