A Re-make / Re-model biography by Johnny Reece:
Re-Make Re-Model. I never thought I would see you again. Where have you been, until now ?
My mind drifts back to the Summer of 2000, when I attended, with numerous Roxy friends, the Jazz Festival in the Hague, where a solo Bryan Ferry was appearing. At that point, it had been 17 long years since Roxy Music had been around. But the talk that night was not just of the fabulous set which Mr Ferry himself was offering, a Roxy / Ferry mix with a sprinkling of 1930s fairydust, but also of a little gig occurring later that same night in Scheveningen, where, for the first time, I was to witness the worlds first Roxy Music tribute band, the aptly named Re-Make Re-Model. They had been together only a few months at that point, but the excited and enthusiastic chatter and ever smiling faces of my Dutch friends whenever the Band were mentioned, told me in advance that I was about to witness something special. And I did. To have what I'd call 'the spirit of Roxy Music' hit me in a small seaside bar in the Netherlands, took me, and everyone else there, completely by surprise.
The style, grace, reverence and respect which the Band had for Roxy Music, seemed to set them apart from any normal 'tribute' band, as such. Notes could not spell out the score.
Where else would we Roxy fans ever get to hear 2HB, The Bogus Man, All I Want Is You, 'live' again ?
Later, much post-Gig excited chatter, and the plans many of us had for a 'Roxy Music convention' in London in 2001 forged ahead as the idea to bring Re-Make Re-Model over to play, were discussed late into the night. This all came to fruition in February 2001, at the Spot (where the beat's really hot), in Covent Garden, London.
So, so many Roxy fans attended from all over the world, and were stunned by how fabulous Re-Make Re-Model were.
Coincidentally, the very same week as our first convention, Roxy Music announced they were to return, after an 18 year absence, for a World Tour. In a way, the timing could not have been better.
For the following 2 years, so many of us travelled far and wide not only to see Roxy Music, but to also see Remake Re-Model !
So many friendships were formed, not only with the Band themselves, but their followers, from the Netherlands, UK, France, Germany, USA... the list goes on.
In 2003, sadly, it was time for Re-Make Re-Model to say... Tara.
Their last performance was at our second Roxy convention, in Amsterdam, in March 2003.
Now, 7 long years have passed.
The space between ? Many other Roxy Music tribute Bands have appeared, but none with the same feel, the same style, the same spark, the same class, as Re-Make Re-Model.
Others may come and go, but the original's still the greatest.
Now, in 2010, once again, we have the main thing.
This time is the best time...
Johnny Reece
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