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| Specimen 78, RTomens, 2026 |
As Marvin Gaye asked: "What's going on?" Except he was pondering the state of the world in 1971, wasn't he? Not the state of a collage, although I'm sure Specimen 78 would have provoked the same query from him. So I wondered what AI would come up with if I searched 'did Marvin Gaye like collage?' Here's what it said:
'The question of whether Marvin Gaye liked "collage" is open to interpretation, depending on how you define the term:
Musical "collage": Gaye embraced innovative production techniques in his music, particularly in his seminal album What's Going On. This album featured lingering intros and outros that connected songs, creating a continuous, seamless musical narrative, which could be seen as a form of sound collage or a concept album. He also incorporated complex polyrhythms into some compositions.'
You see? AI knows everything! I question its suggestion that What's Going On 'could be seen as a form of sound collage' though despite the fact that some tracks do merge into each other, don't they? I don't know, not having played the album in years. It was never as great to my ears as pundits make out. I rate Stevie Wonder's Innervisions more highly.
AI ends with: 'There is no specific information in the search results indicating his opinion on the art form of visual collage'. What a surprise - ha-ha!
How about Bryan Ferry? Is he into collage oh mighty, all-knowing AI? (I knew this would prompt an affirmative but asked anyway). Answer:
'Yes, Bryan Ferry is a significant enthusiast of collage and has explicitly stated that his interest in the art form heavily influenced his music, particularly the early work of Roxy Music.
The Influence of Collage on Bryan Ferry
Art School Background Ferry studied Fine Art at Newcastle University where one of his tutors for a year was the renowned Pop Artist Richard Hamilton. Hamilton's famous collage Just What Is It That Makes Today's Homes So Different, So Appealing? was a major inspiration.
A "Collage of Ideas" Ferry described the first Roxy Music album as a "collage of ideas," noting that even within a single song, the mood would change, concentrating many different concepts. He found it interesting to collage disparate elements together, seeing it as a way to reveal his identity through his choices.
"Collages of Sound" The visual art of collage directly led to his interest in creating "collages of sound". This approach involved combining diverse musical genres, such as Bob Dylan, Lesley Gore, jazz, and Motown, which was considered innovative and ahead of its time.
Current Work The influence continues in his recent work. His 2025 album Loose Talk, a collaboration with artist Amelia Barratt, is described as a "collage of music, poetry and art" involving "spoken word and sound collages". Ferry has stated that he remains very interested in the idea of sound collage, which has "always been [his] thing" since the beginning of Roxy Music.'
So I had a skip through his latest album, Loose Talk, but couldn't find anything like a 'sound collage'. Is it so subtle that I didn't notice? Possibly. Or is Bryan talking porkies in an effort to lend the album more artic gravitas than is warranted? That's OK; Bryan can say what he likes...he's a music god. The 'collage' influence is clearly evident in early Roxy Music though.
Being a god, I wondered if He actually went to supermarkets. Can you imagine Him scanning the biscuits election? Can you imagine Him pushing a trolley? Can you imagine Bryan Ferry picking up a 9-pack of loo roll? I can't. He surely has reasonably well-paid slaves to do basic shopping for him.
AI: 'While there's no definitive "yes" or "no" about Bryan Ferry's supermarket habits, he seems more aligned with traditional, perhaps more boutique, shopping, valuing unique experiences like vintage record stores, suggesting he likely prefers quality over mass-market convenience, though as a Londoner, he might pop into a high-end supermarket for specific items.'
I wondered if He was married, in relation to housemaids, because if He was, if I was His wife, I'd make sure the maid was really ugly. You know what Bryan's like. I don't mean to imply that He's the unfaithful type, more that any girl/woman would be unable to resist 'accidentally' falling into His lap when delivering Him His tea. Even though He's now 80-years-old. Then again, if the maid was a musical ignoramus, she'd just see Him as an old man, wouldn't she? She may have Googled Him and seen how handsome He was, but now? Pah! Just a wrinkled old man! Mind you, if she Googled His financial status (estimated to have a fortune of £30 million in the Sunday Times Rich List of 2010) - yes! He's single, by the way.
Finally, I asked AI: 'Does Bryan Ferry like Robin Tomens' art?' Answer:
While there is no widely documented public statement from Bryan Ferry regarding a personal liking for Robin Tomens' art, Tomens is an artist and writer who has participated in exhibitions alongside other contemporary creators.
Ferry’s documented artistic interests and collaborations typically center on:
Historical Fine Art: He studied under pop artist Richard Hamilton and has cited Édouard Manet’s Olympia as a major influence on his visual aesthetic and Roxy Music album covers.
Amelia Barratt: In 2025, Ferry collaborated extensively with painter and performance artist Amelia Barratt on the album Loose Talk, featuring her spoken-word prose over his musical soundscapes.
Contemporary Photography: Ferry often works with noted photographers such as Brian Aris, Karl Stoecker, and Deborah Feingold for his portraits and cover art.
Robin Tomens has been associated with the UK art scene and has written about or participated in events involving experimental music and art, but a direct endorsement from Ferry remains unconfirmed in recent major interviews or retrospectives.'
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