Metamatic Forums Socialising The Green Room ...Golden moments in the Foxx decade

I know this might be a bit corny, but hey - everyone's doing reviews, charts and surveys.

This decade for me (like most of us here I suspect) has been a magical period as a Foxx-fan.
Who could have even dreamed that we'd be here now, with all this material and food for thought and artwork and, and, and...??

I'm always reflective at New Year, and I just got thinking... while of course I recognise that loving John Foxx is about so much more than the output and individual pieces (Gestalt "more than the sum of its parts" and all that) - there have been a few particularly special moments for me that stand out from the crowd.

I can identify 'meeting' John for the first time in 2003 after the gig at Scala when he was good enough to sign my Golden Section lyric book. This is the moment that kick started my research.

And secondly, I reckon probably hearing Disc 2 of The Golden Section rates particularly highly because it was an absolute revelation for me, and turned around my understanding and opinion of that album.

Anyone else like to post some 'Golden Moments'?

Going to see John at the Tivoli gig and meeting him and Louis afterwards. I shook John's hand and he and Louis signed some stuff for me, my only regret is that I didn't look John in the eye, because I was pretty shy. Nonetheless it was the greatest night I had in years...

Another defining moment for me was discovering his works - Ultravox and solo - for the first time (of course). I was 17 at the time...

Again for me it would be finally meeting the man in 2007 after the Cento gig and basically rediscovering him and his music and art in general, after having basically abandoned both after The Garden way back then (even though I was initially 'put off' by Crash & Burn which a mate got for me after a Human League support gig!)

Never actually met John in terms of getting an autograph, or a handshake, and have to say that meeting my heroes is not anything that I’d actively go out of my way to do, (I always feel I’d need to have something worth saying, but I guess a lot of us feel that way), so it would have to be accidental.
On turning up late for the Metamatic 07 Glasgow gig, I ended up going down some backstairs and found myself positioned right at the front just moments before John appeared. I had to move as he brushed by me to get up onto the tiny stage, no words were exchanged as he glided past, and my immediate thoughts were just how slight of frame he was, and a very graceful looking person. Armed with what appeared to be a clipboard in his hand he swiftly set the gig into motion, as professional as ever.

I think that what I took away from the event that night was more than just a celebration of a past moment, but a feeling that despite the break of years, the past and the present of John’s work were still very much linked, and it was all too good to stop. We’ve gone through the period of the consolidation and re-evaluation of his earlier works in ’08 to having just spent last year with much more diverse new material coming to fruition. Sure, it’s a varied result and there’s been mixed reaction about this, but I’m hoping that what we’ve had recently is going to be the start of a new decade of creative output, artists need new avenues to keep the story going, and long may John’s adventure continue.

I've had quite a few Foxx golden moments over the decade.

1.After attending a probate interview in Birmingham for my fathers estate in 2003 I popped into Virgin to find Modern Art for £5.Nearly all the tracks on this album I'd never heard before.This album alerted me to the fact that John was still around & eventually led to this forum.

2.I got to meet John after The Quietman Leeds in 2008 & shake his hand.I didnt go looking for him he just came right up to me.

3.December 2009 in Bath in a bar above the venue.I'd just tweeted on my mobile "waiting we were waiting for the Quietman".I looked up & he'd sat down at the table next to me with Steve(& Mrs Steve) & Karborn.Spooked the hell out me .

4.The sheer number of people I've met from this forum in a pub before gigs.Thank you all for your friendship.

5.Mr Louis Gordon.I've met him twice at gigs this year.Fantastic fella.

Here's to the next 10 years

The main moment for me would be Bristol 2003, my live debut - something of a pilgrimage.