John Foxx hasn't gotten his due. Sure, he's well respected and people know who he is and stuff but I never hear people freak out about how great he is. He was so underapreciated as a solo artist that he even abandoned music (the equivalent of Aristotle giving up philosophy or something) for ten years before resurfacing in 1997. So right now I'm gonna freak out about how great he is.
I mean, if we were talking "Twins" the movie, Ultravox! with John Foxx is Arnold Schwartzeneger and Ultravox with Midge Ure is Danny Devito. "Ultravox!," the debut album is the kind of fantastic that can only be the result of two geniuses, John Foxx + Briann Eno, and I can't wait for it, along with the subsequent two Foxx-led Ultravox albums, to be remastered and reissued all deluxe styles next month (pre-order here).
After a few great albums, Foxx went solo and released a few more great albums that were relatively unsuccesfull. Which is not to say that they weren't amazing. The first, Metal Beat, is classic Foxx -- the baroque funk of the title track and plenty of synth heavy noire-electro about cement and cars and other futurist-fetishized objects.
John Foxx - Plaza
John Foxx - Metal Beat
His second solo album, Garden, is a bit more organic. "Europe after the Rain" is THE POOP, and Pope John Paul II named Foxx's rendition of "The Lord's Prayer (Pater Noster)" his favorite jam of 1981. I'm serious.
John Foxx - Europe After the Rain
John Foxx - Pater Noster
Tuesday, June 13, 2006
John Foxx
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
4 comments:
Foxx era Ultravox > Ure era Ultravox. Amen to that! Read somewhere that Mark E. Smith namechecked John Foxx in "Lie Dream of a Casino Soul": "I saw John the ex-Foxx sleeping in some outside bog."
I am SO EXCITED to hear about those Ultravox! reissues. Best news I've heard all day...
The first three Ultravox! albums are indeed fabulous on the re-issue CDs. And the John Foxx solo material has many vital moments, even some after the first two albums. Good on you for spreading the word!
Agreed, John Foxx was very under rated, and Ultravox! (as opposed to plain Ultravox) before Midge Urine the bandwagon jumper showed up were vastly superior and more inventive, yet sadly unknown by most. I had a copy of The Garden but gave it to a friend who was a big JF fan. Still got the free picture book that came with it somewhere, though.
Post a Comment