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Bryan Ferry has apologized for calling the aesthetic achievements of Nazi Germany “amazing” and “beautiful”. In a statement - presumably dictated from deep within his “Fuhrerbunker” - the singer said: "I, like every right-minded individual, find the Nazi regime, and all it stood for, evil and abhorrent."

That’s cleared that up then. But Ferry is not the first rock star to find himself the object of scorn and outrage after making ill-advised comments. Here are some more notable instances of musicians risking career suicide by engaging their mouths before their brains…

David Bowie praises Hitler

In 1976 David Bowie was in the grip of a crippling drug addiction, surviving on a diet of “peppers, cocaine and milk” (watch the Cracked Actor documentary on Youtube for an insight into his fragile state around this time). Perhaps that’s why he thought it would be a good idea to tell Playboy magazine that Hitler was “one of the first rock stars”, and that Britain was “ready for a fascist leader.” Bowie was later photographed making what looked like a Nazi salute outside London’s Victoria station.

The ensuing outcry led, indirectly, to the formation of the Rock Against Racism movement, involving bands such as The Clash and The Buzzcocks. Bowie later retracted his pro-fascist comments, blaming it all on the drugs.

Noel Gallagher wishes AIDS on Damon Albarn

The rivalry between Oasis and Blur has resulted in some hilarious moments over the years (Noel Gallagher once joked that Damon Albarn “went bald trying to be me” – a fabulously catty put-down). But in 1996 the war of words turned distinctly ugly when Noel gave an interview with The Observer in which he hoped that Damon (as well as bassist Alex James) would “catch AIDS and die.”

Ouch. Predictably, Noel was crucified in the music press, leading him to write a formal letter of apology to Melody Maker magazine. These days he leaves the more contentious comments to brother Liam, who last year called Scissor Sisters “fucking weirdoes on stilts”, dismissed Kaiser Chiefs as “a bad Blur”, and said of Franz Ferdinand frontman Alex Kapranos, “He reminds me of fucking Right Said Fred! It’s the same fucking person!”

Nicky Wire wishes death on Michael Stipe

In December 1992 rumours abounded that REM frontman Michael Stipe had contracted AIDS. Manic Street Preachers bassist Nicky Wire responded to these rumours onstage during a gig at the Kilburn National, with the quite startlingly offensive statement: "In this season of goodwill, let's pray that Michael Stipe goes the same way as Freddie Mercury pretty soon."

Wire has always had a knack for shocking soundbites. Memorably, onstage at Glastonbury 1994, he strode up to the microphone and bellowed, "I say build some more fucking bypasses over this shithole!”, a sentiment so wildly out of kilter with the festival’s communal vibe that it’s weirdly admirable. These days Wire is a much more placid soul, preferring to blather on about cricket and hovering rather than stir up controversy. Probably just as well.

Lee Ryan makes light of 9/11

Boy band Blue were in New York filming a video when the Twin Towers fell, so it was only natural that The Sun would want to interview them about the terrorist atrocity they had witnessed first hand. Sadly, lead warbler Lee Ryan – the dimmest member of a band not exactly known for their rapier intelligence – had more important things on his mind.

“What about whales?” he trilled, somewhat missing the geopolitical ramifications of 9/11. “Animals need saving. This New York thing is being blown out of proportion.” When his bandmates tried to silence him, Ryan refused to be censored, instead uttering the immortal line, “Who gives a fuck about New York when elephants are being killed?”

There’s no answer to that, really.

11:36 AM | 17/04/2007