Roxy Music demos from 1971 to be released in deluxe edition

Roxy Music’s early 1971 demos are set for their first public release as part of a deluxe edition of the band’s 1973 album For Your Pleasure.

Guitarist Phil Manzanera, now 75, explained that the material showcases the band’s blend of pop melodies and experimental “systems‑music” that defined their debut era. The newly unveiled track “Grey Lagoons”, originally titled “The Bogus Man Part 2”, captures the group’s early chemistry with vocal harmonies from Andy Mackay and Brian Eno.

Manzanera recalled that the band’s working method shifted after their first records, with frontman Bryan Ferry bringing simple chord progressions to rehearsals and the group building songs collaboratively. He also noted the influence of producer Chris Thomas, who had previously worked with George Martin and the Beatles.

The deluxe edition will also include other early demos such as “Do the Strand”, “Editions of You” and “In Every Dream Home a Heartache”, which Manzanera described as “absolutely magnificent tunes”. Although a 2011 reunion with Eno and Thomas produced unreleased recordings, only the 1971 demos are slated for this release.

Source: Irish Examiner. Photo: Nikita Korchagin / Pexels.