Andy Mackay

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Andy Mackay
Massey Hall, Toronto, 1974 Photo: Jean-Luc Ourlin
Background information
Birth name	Andrew Mackay
Born	23 July 1946 (1946-07-23) (age 63)
Genres	Glam rock, Rock, Art rock, Classical music, R&B
Occupations	Musician, Songwriter, producer, Educator, Author, Film scorer
Years active	1971-present
Labels	Island Polydor Virgin Reprise Warners Bros. EG ATCO
Associated acts	Roxy Music
Website	VivaRoxyMusic.com

Andrew 'Andy' Mackay (born 23 July 1946) is an English multi-instrumentalist, best known as a founder member (playing oboe and saxophone) of the art-rock group Roxy Music.

In addition, he has taught music and provided scores for television, while his CV as a session musician encompasses some of the most noteworthy and recognisable names in the music business.

Life and career

Mackay was born in Lostwithiel, Cornwall, England, and grew up in central London. He studied music and English literature at Reading University, where he played with a band called The Nova Express, formed part of a performance art group called Sunshine with future Roxy PR guru Simon Puxley, and struck up a friendship with Winchester art student Brian Eno.

At the beginning of 1971, Mackay became a founder member of the art-rock band Roxy Music after answering a Melody Maker advertisement placed by singer Bryan Ferry; he soon brought Eno into the group to handle 'Synthesiser and Tapes'. Prior to signing with EG Management, Mackay taught music full-time at Holland Park Comprehensive School to support himself. Initially, guitarist David O'List (from The Nice) was part of the group, but he was replaced by Phil Manzanera in February 1972, just as the band's first album was about to be recorded. Percussionist Paul Thompson completed the band.

Mackay played oboe and saxophone in Roxy Music, becoming known for his Chuck Berry-inspired duckwalk during saxophone solos, notably on the raucous track "Editions of You". With his pronounced quiff, Star Trek sideburns and outlandish Pamla Motown-designed stage costumes, Mackay made a vital contribution to the unique Roxy Music 'look' -- much of which functioned as a retro-futurist throwback to 1950s rock and roll performers.^[1]

His songwriting credits for Roxy Music include the Top Five hits "Love is the Drug" (1975) and "Angel Eyes" (1979), plus "A Song for Europe", "Three and Nine", "Bitter-Sweet", "Sentimental Fool", "While My Heart is Still Beating" and "Tara", together with the early experimental B-sides "The Numberer" and "The Pride and the Pain". He also learned to play the violin while a member of Roxy Music.

He released two instrumental solo albums in the 1970s: In Search Of Eddie Riff (1974), an exploration of his musical roots, and Resolving Contradictions (1978), based on his impressions of a trip to China. He also composed and produced the music for the hit television series Rock Follies and Rock Follies of '77, with lyrics by playwright and screenwriter Howard Schuman. Both series sired specially recorded soundtrack albums, the first of which reached Number One in the UK Album Chart in March/April 1976. The second contained a hit single in the form of "OK?", which reached Number Ten in the UK Singles Chart in May/June 1977.

Mackay has also worked with Mott the Hoople, John Cale, Pavlov's Dog, Johnny Cougar, Mickey Jupp, Yukihiro Takahashi, Paul McCartney, Godley & Creme, Eddie and the Hot Rods, Arcadia and 801. In 1981, his book Electronic Music: The Instruments, The Music & The Musicians was published by Phaidon.

After Roxy Music's dissolution in 1983, Mackay joined with Roxy guitarist Phil Manzanera to form The Explorers, featuring Bryan Ferry soundalike James Wraith on lead vocals. The group released a self-titled album in 1985, and three years later resurfaced as Manzanera and Mackay. Under this name, they released a further two albums which combined new material with reissued tracks from the Explorers album.

From 1988 to 1991, Mackay largely abandoned music to take a three-year Bachelor of Divinity course at King's College London. During this time, he played on and produced a Christmas album with The Players, a group of English folk musicians.

He has written several themes for British television and radio, such as the memorable theme music for the late 1970s series Armchair Thriller and Hazell.

With Ferry, Manzanera and Thompson, he took part in the Roxy Music reunion concerts of 2001, with further scattered live dates in 2003 and 2005/6. He is currently working on a new Roxy Music album[1] as well as his own solo project, Andy Mackay & The Metaphors. In 2009, the latter group released an album entitled London! Paris! New York! Rome!.

Discography

Solo albums

• In Search of Eddie Riff (1974)
• Resolving Contradictions (1978)
• SAMAS Music For The Senses (2004)
• London! New York! Paris! Rome! (2009)

Rock Follies

• Rock Follies (1976)
• Rock Follies of '77 (1977)

Explorers/Manzanera and Mackay

• The Explorers (1985)
• Crack The Whip (1988)
• Up In Smoke (1988)
• The Explorers Live at the Palace (1997)
• The Complete Explorers (2001)

Players

• Christmas (1989)

Andy Mackay + The Metaphors

• London! Paris! New York! Rome! (2009)

References

• Rigby, Jonathan Roxy Music: Both Ends Burning (Reynolds & Hearn, 2005; revised edition 2008) ISBN 1-903111-80-3

External links

• :VivaRoxyMusic.com: Comprehensive website on Roxy Music and the solo work including Andy Mackay
• www.themetaphors.com - The official website of Andy Mackay + The Metaphors
• Review of Andy Mackay and The Metaphors, Pigalle Club, London (18/11/08)