Bryan Ferry and band have completed rehearsals in the lead up to two special nights in Reykjavîk, Iceland. This is the first big show since the Olympia tour wrapped last year. Cherisse Osei, who played with Bryan Ferry in Belfast, will be on percussion and Paul Turner returns on bass, having previously played in Norway and Sweden on the Olympia tour. Roxy Music drummer Paul Thompson returns with Chris Spedding and Oliver Thompson on guitar.
Graham Simpson was one of the co-founders of Roxy Music, and played bass guitar on the seminal first album before leaving in 1972.
For the last years of his life he lived in West London in relative obscurity and recently passed away.
He was born in Manchester 13th October 1943. His father was a Merchant Navy radio operator and his mother was the daughter of a Scottish shepherd.
First musical memories
Aged around six, Simpson encountered the power of music for the first time: “I was exposed to a 12″ acetate recording on HMV of Jascha Heifetz playing Beethoven’s Violin Concerto in D, and the crescendo on that blew me away. I’ve never forgotten the sensation. I was lifted to extraordinary heights at a very early age.”
“I remember sitting in bean bags at primary school in Bristol listening to ‘In the Hall of the Mountain King’ by Edvard Greig.”
Musical influences
Elvis Presley, Big Bill Broonzy and Lonnie Donegan, Ledbelly, Chris Barber’s Jazz Band, The Everly Brothers, Pat Boone, Frank Sinatra, Dave Brubeck.
Learning Bass
Graham used some of his first university grant of £120 to buy a bass guitar plus a Selmer and speaker. He had a room in the same house as Bryan Ferry. He played along with some Beach Boys records teaching himself to play bass guitar. “It was something I felt I had to do and I played bass to occupy myself with.”
First met Bryan Ferry
Graham first met Bryan Ferry in Newcastle 1964 and went on to play together in The Gas Board which also included John Porter, who later played on the Roxy Music album ‘For Your Pleasure’ . They were a Newcastle University band with a horn section, and played Bobby Bland, Chuck Berry, Wilson Picket, Otis Reading in night clubs and hotel dance halls. “I had no idea that I would be playing in a band with an album that sold for 40 years.”
The origins of Roxy Music
Bryan Ferry left the Gas Board, graduated, and moved to London – where he started writing songs. Graham joined him, and became Bryan’s soundboard for these songs at this embryonic stage.
As Ferry at this time was an unknown singer and writer with no musical history, Graham’s role was not just to confirm that his songs were good but to convince Bryan that he could write and to encourage him to pursue this as a career.
Graham Simspon with Bryan Ferry
then auditioned the members of Roxy Music
Andy Mackay November 1970, Brian Eno soon after, Roger Bunn (guitar left September 1971), Dexter Lloyd (Classical Percussionist left November 1971), David O’List (Sep ’71 – Feb ’72) before settling on Paul Thompson (November 1971) and Phil Manzanera (February 1972).
Graham Simpson recordings
Graham played bass on an unreleased demo tape
with Ferry / Mackay / Eno / Bun and Lloyd in June 1971
Graham’s last live performance with Roxy Music was at Bristol University on Friday, March 3rd 1972. This would be the band’s final live performance before they go to the studio to record their first album.
Leaving Roxy Music in April 1972
Graham was suffering from mental problems and depression after his mother died of cancer in April 1972.
“I was not compos mentis. I couldn’t concentrate or appreciate anything they were doing at the time but I now do.”
The last words Bryan said to me where ‘get well and come back’ – but I never did….”
Graham’s summary of Roxy Music
“Roxy Music were not so much a hybrid of musicians with different influences but were independent musicians with their own individual voice that work well together.”
Post Roxy Music
Graham remained in London for 18 months after leaving Roxy Music. His then girlfriend Maggie worked in the music industry and had set up an audition for Graham to play with Steve Hillage but Graham felt “I was just not ready or in the right frame of mind for it”
When Graham got his first royalties cheque for his work on ‘Roxy Music’ he left UK to study various cultures and religions and was involved in Sufisim. The next 10 years would find him in Morocco, Greece, Mexico, India, back to Africa. He even did a six month jail sentence for safe cracking in Marrakech.
Graham came back to London in 1982 and lived a quiet unassuming life since then, living a modest life from the royalties of the Roxy Music album.
He came into the public eye for the first time in 38 years when a short film called ‘Nothing But The Magnificent’ which explored the disappearance, re-emergence and ultimate path to redemption of Graham Simpson. (Link to the Film Production company on Facebook)
Bryan Ferry said of Graham – “He was one of the most interesting people I ever worked with. He was crucial to my development as a musician, and in those early years he was a pillar of strength and inspiration. He was a great character…think Jack Keroack and ‘On The Road’.
I liked Graham, and Roxy Music would never have happened without him”
Bryan Ferry will open the TV broadcast of the Titanic Commemoration BBC2 TV show from Belfast on Saturday 14th April at 8:30 pm. He will perform ‘Song To The Siren’ with his band and the Ulster Orchestra. Song To The Siren appears on Bryan Ferry’s album Olympia (2010). Available on iTunes (UK / US).
John Humphrys marks the centenary of the sinking of RMS Titanic in a live show from Belfast’s Waterfront Hall, in which music and documentary footage are used to tell the story of the ill-fated liner. Imelda Staunton and Simon Callow read material drawn from survivors’ accounts and newspaper reports from 1912, while musician and radio host Jamie Cullum explores the importance of music on board the ship. Also includes performances by Bryan Ferry, Joss Stone, Nicola Benedetti, Alfie Boe, Charlie Siem, Maverick Sabre, the Ulster Orchestra, and the debut of Titanic Drums, an original composition featuring 100 traditional drummers from across Ireland.
Bryan Ferry has been awarded the French national honour of Officier de l’ordre des Arts et des Lettres at the Ministre de la Culture et de la Communication in Paris.
The prestigious French award was presented on behalf of the French Republic by M. Frederic Mitterrand, the Minister of Culture and Communication.
Bryan Ferry will perform in Iceland at Harpa, Reykjavík, on Sunday, May 27th and Monday, May 28th 2012. These are Ferry’s first public concerts this year since he finished his Olympia tour in London in December.
The Bryan Ferry concert in Reykjavik also marks the start of the international Nelson Mandela days in Iceland 2012 which are held in honour of Mandela and his ideals in conjunction with the Nelson Mandela Foundation. The Bryan Ferry concert is held in cooperation with The Reykjavík Arts Festival and are part of the festival programme.
Bryan Ferry and band have completed rehearsals in the lead up to two special nights in Reykjavîk, Iceland. This is the first big show since the Olympia tour wrapped last year. Cherisse Osei, who played with Bryan Ferry in Belfast, will be on percussion and Paul Turner returns on bass, having previously played in Norway and Sweden on the Olympia tour. Roxy Music drummer Paul Thompson returns with Chris Spedding and Oliver Thompson on guitar.
Bryan Ferry will open the TV broadcast of the Titanic Commemoration BBC2 TV show from Belfast on Saturday 14th April at 8:30 pm. He will perform ‘Song To The Siren’ with his band and the Ulster Orchestra. Song To The Siren appears on Bryan Ferry’s album 
