The Phil Manzanera Thread

801 Live, Diamond Head, and the live album with Wyatt and Eno whose date I forget at the moment all classic. Haven't picked up the next two Manzanera albums yet, but I fully intend to, and have heard some great stuff from them, mostly through Lovefingers and Bumrocks.

And now I find the album I was thinking of, June 1 1974, does not have Manzanera on it. I think that's a good indicator I haven't listened to it recently enough...still great though. Must've been thinking of John Cale's Fear.

been listening to Taking Tiger Mountain (by Strategy)...

Manzanera plays on "The True Wheel." Work of utter genius.

Listening now to...Listen Now -- reputedly the poppiest of the records of that era, me thinks, but deeply claustrophobic and full of quirky MOR, stuffed with odd-sounding little guitar parts and Eno treatments. "Flight 19" is Godley and Creme shot through the Phil Man aesthetic, which fits in quite nicely. "City of Light" sounds like early Roxy but fronted by CSN. Elsewhere are moments that sound like Quiet Sun.

These records almost present this bizarro pop world that might have been had Manzanera kept at it (and been more influential): they're chock full of craftsmanship but also wit and inspiration, I assume in large part because of the large rotating cast he had. Yet unlike, say, Carlos Santana, Manzanera was clearly a born bandleader -- and unlike just about every guitarist-as-bandleader, keenly aware that, great playing or not, the quality of material and songwriting remained paramount.

That Wetton collab in the eighties sounds dire, but I need to hear it.

The man was an amazing guitarist, and I can never decide between him and Robert Fripp on who contributed the best guitar work on Eno's pop albums. Also, if I enjoyed "Diamond Head" from the 801 live album, would I like the self-titled album it came from?

I recall being disappointed in "Diamond Head" the LP after loving 801 Live, but it's been years since I've heard it.

I really dig "Diamond Head," even though (or maybe because?) I can never decide if it's awesome melodicism or smooth jazz... Amoeba never has 801 live when I go in... maybe that version will help me decide?

Also, best glasses EVAR.

http://img179.imageshack.us/img179/9127/manzoflytp0.jpg

Haven't heard the 801 Live CD with the bonus tracks, though I'd very much like to--those that have it: how are they?

he plays most of the guitars on "taking tiger mountain" and so contributed heavily to the whole sound. whenever they got together in those times the results were always fantastic - the solo on john cale's "fear" is still thrilling. and, yes, "listen now" is well worth getting. the bonus tracks on the 1st re-issue of 801 are slightly less polished sounding than the original tracks and, due to the vaguaries of the mastering engineer, the ending to "third uncle" fades out insted of coming to a complete stop! apparently a 2cd re-issue is in the pipeline whichrestores this ending and also has a 2nd cd of their last rehearsal.

Interesting side-note: Ian MacCormick who writes some of the lyrics on Listen Now was none other than writer Ian MacDonald.

No PM posts in 4 yrs...
How does that happen?

Really is something else, this guy. Able to adapt to the RM identity changing completely, while being just as (even more?) inventive. Endless dude.

Not a reunion tour guy, but their first one back (2002?) was as perfect a night of music as I'd ever seen.

the Quiet Sun album is amazing

Looking forward to the Nico The End remaster reissue in October which has him , Eno and Cale as the instrumentalists outside of Nico's Harmonium.

Listening now to...Listen Now -- reputedly the poppiest of the records of that era, me thinks, but deeply claustrophobic and full of quirky MOR, stuffed with odd-sounding little guitar parts and Eno treatments. "Flight 19" is Godley and Creme shot through the Phil Man aesthetic, which fits in quite nicely. "City of Light" sounds like early Roxy but fronted by CSN. Elsewhere are moments that sound like Quiet Sun.

this. been playing lately for the first time since the 70s, A++. starting to think Listen Now is a lost classic, not as Eno-heavy as 801 Live or spacey as Quiet Sun. The follow-up to LN, K-Scope is more fusion-y, also worthwhile but could use a few more good songs

well maybe not a 'lost classic' but definitely overlooked

"lost"

Started digging into the Quiet Sun record on the drive home tonight. I love the sound of those records he did in the mid- to late-70s. The guitars are so fuzzy and warm, the drums are always so crisp. And the pieces on Mainstream are really the nicest kind of prog. Still trying to figure out what Eno's role on it was tho...

Oh my god, the Eno-sung "Big Day" and "Miss Shapiro" are crazy good! I only learned of this stuff last year, it was like discovering lost treasure...

yeahhh, "Big Day" is one of my favorite eno vocal numbers

Discovered Big Day via:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kPyZBOEeVms

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kPyZBOEeVms

me too!

Some knock, this dude just fucking strolls right on through: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=voRq_QbtPLg

I just noticed that the bit near the end of the studio cut of Rongwrong on the Quiet Sun album sounds *exactly* like Syd Barrett ca. 1967.

Not sure if it’s down to Hayward (who wrote and sang the song) or Manzanera but it’s amazing and can be heard at 7’12”:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8sJFSNOgtZE

I hear Syd, too, and elsewhere in this song he sounds more like Robert Wyatt. When Quiet Sun were young, they were definitely modelling themselves on Pink Floyd and Soft Machine, and they kept some of that in this debut-cum-reunion.

Missed his talk in NYC but luckily he gave one at the Vienna Humanities Festival that was recorded and uploaded by the festival:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3KQaqgJcVTU

He has one more stop in Washington DC on the 25th.