Roxy Music guitarist Phil Manzanera has led an enchanting life, and he covers all of it in a brand new autobiography, Revolución to Roxy. Born in London, his father’s work took the household to Cuba, Hawaii, and Venezuela. He returned to London for boarding faculty, the place he embraced rock and roll earlier than becoming a member of Roxy Music. The extremely influential band is greatest recognized within the U.S. for the 1975 hit “Love is the Drug.”

Manzanera has launched many solo albums, performed in aspect teams, and labored as a producer and songwriter for numerous artists together with David Gilmour and Pink Floyd. With saxophonist and Roxy bandmate Andy Mackay, Manzanera has a stay AM/PM album within the works.

Your friends didn’t have the affect of Latin music that you simply did in your youth.
When you speak to guitarists from the ’60s and ’70s about how they began, numerous them, particularly the British ones, began listening to skiffle after which rock and roll, then they managed to get some form of acoustic guitar. For me, it was Cuban music – the sort you’d ultimately hear in Buena Vista Social Membership.

These are the primary songs I discovered to play. There’s no rock and roll and stuff till ultimately we left after the Cuban Revolution. We went to Hawaii, then Venezuela, and numerous American faculty children got here, taking part in Buddy Holly and Chuck Berry, and I believed, “Wow, what’s this?” A British boy came visiting and confirmed me what they used to name rhythm and blues. It was the type of stuff that Chuck Berry performed. That modified my complete life. That’s once I began heading towards rock and roll and received completely carried away.

Roxy Music was refined and progressive, musically and image-wise.
Mainly, we had this form of mission assertion that we wished to do totally different, bizarre music, however introduced in a beautiful trend. It wasn’t like being, “We’re all very arty and we’re simply taking a look at one another and simply wanting down.” We wished to entertain, however say, “We’ve received bizarre music, mate.” We’re singing and dancing, however it’s bizarre. Once we got here to tour America, we had water bombs thrown at us. It confused individuals. However it was form of nice. We stood there going, “Yeah, we’re going to do that.” Issues have been whizzing previous our heads and we have been decided that we have been going to place this throughout.

Musically, all the things blended effectively, however you had standout guitar moments, particularly stay, like on Viva! and Coronary heart Nonetheless Beating.
I used to really feel, “Hey, there ought to be extra guitar right here or extra up entrance.” However [in 1976], we have been studying the right way to make data. You’re serving a tune. You’re taking part in your little half. I used to be introduced up listening to George Harrison and people immaculate components that he performed, which have been completely excellent – brief, however fantastically performed and succinct. Our producer, Chris Thomas, used to say, “It’s received to all lock collectively to create an entire. So, we received’t be having an enormous guitar solo everywhere in the vocalist. Nonetheless, you possibly can go away and do a solo album and do no matter you want.” Which I did, ultimately.

I acknowledge my place within the firmament, however sometimes I’d escape. There’s a solo in “In Each Dream Dwelling a Heartache” on the second album (1973’s For Your Pleasure). It was an opportunity for me and (synthesizer participant Brian) Eno to experiment with a for much longer kind of guitar solo, however with handled sounds and making an attempt to do one thing that perhaps individuals hadn’t heard earlier than.

Do you admire how influential Roxy Music was?
I don’t take into consideration that hardly in any respect, however it’s good when individuals point out it. I’m all the time wanting ahead to the subsequent new factor. To let you know the reality, all of the individuals in Roxy are frequently into bringing out new music.

You have been extensively recognized for taking part in a ’64 Firebird VII. What’s your predominant guitar now?
I’ve been utilizing a Les Paul Studio. It’s cherry pink, inventory, about 10 years outdated. It’s a pleasant all-around guitar. It does very effectively. I’ve nonetheless received the Firebird in my studio, however it doesn’t journey that effectively, and the tuning’s not [reliable]. I did apply it to the Roxy farewell tour. The Les Paul is much more dependable if I’m simply going to have one guitar with me. – Bret Adams

This text initially appeared in VG’s August 2025 concern. All copyrights are by the writer and Classic Guitar journal. Unauthorized replication or use is strictly prohibited.