Metamatic Forums John Foxx John Foxx Today in John Foxx history

Introducing a new series in which forum members can post any John Foxx events relative to the current date (give a take a week or two...)

Admittedly we might not have as many 'events' to report as, say, The Beatles, Depeche Mode or A Flock of Seagulls but it could be a fun way to catalogue JF history.

Sept 5-ish, 1983: YOUR DRESS single released:


Music press ad:


Smash Hits review:

Eek! Probably a typical po-faced leftist music jorno of the time who would have been genuflecting at the majesty of Your Dress if only the lyrics had been about things like unemployment and the 'sus' laws. Still, at least it reminds us that in its earlier days Smash Hits cared about music.

Good idea. Let's see what comes through.
And this is the best place for this to happen.

All this is in hand for an overhaul to the ARCHIVE here, and it is the material I use to update my Twitter Feed. I have a 'timeline' that covers every day of every year since the Dawn of Time and there are still gaps to fill...

Regarding the Virgin singles - most of these were slammed in the press most of the time, even to the point of rudeness.
John Foxx had a poor reception from most journos at the time and was frequently panned.

It's interesting how so much of that has changed. I haven't read a negative review of anything for a long time now

I have to admit "Your Dress" is one of my fave JF songs... until the caterwauling starts. Sometimes I can overlook it. Not always.

I always imagined this scenario: Late night in the studio, everyone's joking around. "It's a bit Roxy-esque, isn't it?" someone comments. Whereupon Foxx launches into "Avalon", doing a hilariously spot-on Ferry impression...then attempts the Yannick Etienne birdsong at the end. "Great falsetto, John," they say, "let's keep it!"

Indeed. For a long time I wondered who this mysterious woman was and what she was doing on a John Foxx record. It was only when I heard a live bootleg tape of the Golden Section tour that I realised it was John himself!

Still one of my favourite JF songs though. Possibly the purest pop song he ever released and in a parallel universe it would have been covered by Bryan Ferry and sold millions.

Good to hear your views on Your Dress ...

I was also intrigued by the 12" B side... "The Garden (Full length version)" .. was there ever any other version?

I have always liked 'Your Dress' and still rate it as one of my favourite Foxx singles.
I can remember playing it on endless repeat back in the day.

Eddi Reader (Fairground Attraction etc) provides the wailing. She was a session singer at Virgin.

It's a great concept too, the idea that clothing somehow defines us. Not only physically by creating an opaque, tangible outline (which I think is what Foxx alludes too) but also by presenting to the world some kind of impression about our character and place in the world.

I'm also fascinated that it draws parallels perhaps with the 'expectations' and perceptions we have of one another in those potential awkward physical moments perhaps for the first time in a relationship.
Naked, there is vulnerability, sexuality blah blah - by putting on clothes the couple in the song feel more comfortable and confident with one another.

The 'oldest ocean' that rolls and flows across the room - is that 'attraction' / 'fascination' perhaps? Like 'the old familiar glow'...?

Of course, being Foxx, he cleverly plays with the exact opposite as well. The 'ordinary' ness of the grey suit hides him in crowds and he can effectively disappear.

Beg to differ with you there, old boy. Eddi Reader did the wailing backing vocals on Enter The Angel and some of the other In Mysterious Ways tracks but on Your Dress it's very much John himself.