I never 'got' Bryan Ferry when I was younger: although it seemed that everyone whose views on pop music I respected worshipped him. To be honest, listening to 'The intimate Colelction' I hear plenty enough of mediocre to reasonably good songs, but the only that lingers in my mind is 'Dance Away'. Which I did not like when it charted; I think I lacked the maturity. Even so, now, I still wouldn't rate it highly.
Next up is Frankie Goes to Hollywood's Welcome to the Pleasure Dome. In some ways a Great album, in other ways fundamentally flawed. The beat that permeates throughout is infectious, addictive. The greatness lies in those songs that became singles - especially, of course the two that dominated the Summer of 84, Relax and Two Tribes, plus The Power of Love. Also a couple of other good songs - a decent if inferior cover of Edwyn Starr's War, Born to Run, and Black Night White Light.
But a double album was too ambitious, and, in consequence, there is just too much filler of inconsequential rubbish which should be confined to the eternal dustbin of history.
Of course, I got this album for Christmas 1984. Didn't everybody? I now have this urge to rush upstairs, take the vinyl out of the cupboard and caress the cover...!
I will never forget FGTH. FOr a while they were a phenomenom of pop culture. A short lived flame of genius (Trevor Horn's genius...) and a rapid decline to has-beens. That's showbiz.
