Andy Mackay
Andy Mackay-saxophonist, oboe player, widely-respected film and television composer, and founder member of Roxy Music-was born in Lostwithiel, Cornwall but grew up in Pimlico in central London. He discovered both classical music (thanks to his father, a talented amateur pianist) and rock 'n' roll (thanks to the BBC Light Programme and Radio
He first played oboe at his grammar school,
Mackay went on to read Music and English Literature at
Mackay was intrigued by Ferry's eclectic record collection, which extended from the Inkspots to King Crimson, and with
Meeting Brian Eno again on a tube train in
Over the ensuing albums, Mackay was to become one of the architects of Roxy's daring sonic and stylistic combination of retro and futurism, but before long was also experimenting outside the group discipline. He worked on Eno's first album 'Here Come The Warm Jets' in 1973 and the following year, recorded his own solo instrumental album 'In Search Of Eddie Riff', a kind of musical autobiography and an exploration of his own roots from Schubert to '50’s rock 'n' roll.
In the spring of 1975, an inspired guest of a mutual friend put Andy in touch with
Roxy's hiatus after the 'Siren' tour enabled Andy to concentrate on 'Follies' and ensuing TV projects such as' Armchair Thriller' and 'Hazell', collaborating on the latter with seasoned blues singer Maggie Bell. He also played sax on the first pop promo made by Godley and Creme, 'Wide Boy'. In 1978, a trip with his wife Jane to
Roxy then reconvened for the 'Manifesto' and 'Flesh and Blood' albums, and the tragic death of John Lennon in 1980 led to perhaps Andy's most recognised saxophone solo on record, on the group's respectful and heartfelt cover of John's 'Jealous Guy', an international No.1.
Amid Roxy's busy tour schedule, Andy found time to research and write a book which had been commissioned by Phaidon Press entitled 'Electronic Music', published in 1981. On the conclusion of Roxy's active service in 1983, Mackay and his family moved to Kenmare in the west of Ireland, where he developed an interest in traditional Irish music, but fresh air, fishing and Kerry polkas were not quite enough to keep Andy off stage and out of the studio for long and he began a new project with Phil Manzanera that became the Explorers. Managed by Pink Floyd guru Steve O'Rourke, the group were signed by Virgin Records and produced a self-titled album released in 1985, with a second set from a projected follow-up released on Phil's Expression label in 1988 as 'Manzanera and Mackay'. Andy, in demand as ever, played on records for the Pet Shop Boys, Japanese musicians Masami Tsuchiya and Yukihiro Takahashi (and later Japanese superstar Hotei), Italian singer Enrico Ruggieri and Duran Duran spin-off Arcadia. But soon, after writing and directing the music for Schuman's 'Video Stars' play for the BBC, Mackay virtually gave up rock 'n' roll to become a full-time theology student at King's College London on the three-year bachelor of divinity course (moonlighting on two London dates of Bryan's 1988-89 tour). Graduating in 1991, he resumed composing full time with an extensive interest in a broad range of spiritual and poetic themes. Early in 1992, following the sudden death of his wife, Andy suspended most musical activity to bring up his children, but resumed composing in a computer / digital suite at home in early 1993 and completing the music for two series of Carlton's 'Class Act'. His major musical preoccupation during this period had been a setting of 'Four Psalms' for a mixture of sampled sounds and electronic, midi and audio instruments. These remain unreleased. In 1998 Andy was involved in a fascinating deja vu re-creating early Roxy tracks with contemporary musicians such as Thom Yorke of Radiohead for the soundtrack to the movie ‘Velvet Goldmine’
2004 saw the release of SAMAS Music for the senses an album of relaxation music comissioned by the Kenmare Hotel in
Andy MacKay Sessionography
Mott - 1973 CBS (with Mott The Hoople)
Here Come The Warm Jets - 1974 Island (with Brian Eno)
Taking Tiger Mountain By Strategy - 1974 Island (with Brian Eno)
Slow Dazzle - 1975 Island (with John Cale)
At The Sound Of The Bell - 1975 CBS (with Pavlov's Dog)
Diamond Head - 1975 Island (with Phil Manzanera)
Ensemble Pieces - 1976 Obscure (with Christopher Hobbs)
Ready Or Not - 1977 DJM (with Ray Russell)
A Biography - 1978 Riva (with John Cougar)
L - 1978 Mercury (with Godley And Creme)
Long Distance Romancer - 1979 Chrysalis (with Mickey Jupp)
Tug Of War - 1982 Parlophone (with Paul McCartney)
Pipes Of Peace - 1983 Parlophone (with Paul McCartney)
So Red The Rose - 1985 Parlophone (with Arcadia)
Please - 1986 EMI (with Pet Shop Boys)
Islands - 1987 Virgin (with Mike Oldfield)
Taxi - 1993 Virgin (with Bryan Ferry)
Mamouna - 1994 Virgin (with Bryan Ferry)
Revolution Ballroom - 1995 Active (with Nina Hagen)
Vozero - 2001 Expression (with Phil Manzanera)
6PM - 2004 Expression (with Phil Manzanera
50 Minutes Later (with Phil Manzanera)
Andy Mackay is credited on the following Roxy Music and Solo Albums
- Roxy Music
- For Your Pleasure
- Stranded
- In Search Of Eddie Riff (1974)
- Country Life
- Diamond Head
- Siren
- Rock Follies
- Viva! Roxy Music
- Rock Follies Of '77
- Roxy Music Greatest Hits
- K-Skope
- Resolving Contradictions
- Manifesto
- Flesh + Blood
- Avalon
- The High Road
- A Song For Europe
- Roxy Music Promo
- Musique
- Roxy Music Japan DJ Promo
- The Atlantic Years
- The Explorers
- Bryan Ferry DJ Promo Japan
- Street Life 20 Great Hits
- Crack the Whip
- Up In Smoke
- The Ultimate Collection
- Heart Still Beating
- Manzanera Mackay
- Taxi
- Mamouna
- The Thrill Of It All
- More Than This
- The Greatest (Roxy Music)
- Psalm
- Live At The Camden Palace
- Live At Manchester University
- Tokyo Joe
- Concert Classics
- Vozero
- More Than This (USA)
- In Search Of Eddie Riff (2000)
- Slave To Love (Ballads)
- The Early Years
- Slave To Love (Ballads) Japan
- Vintage
- Concerto
- The Complete Explorers
- The Best Of Roxy Music
- Valentine
- Reflection
- Ladytron
- Roxy Music Live
- The Platinum Collection
- SAMAS Music For The Senses
- Collection (Roxy Music)
- 50 Minutes Later
- London! Paris! New York! Rome!
- Olympia
- Essential Roxy Music
- Live In Amereica
- The Complete Roxy Music
- Showing Out
- Roxy Music - Non Album Tracks
- Roxy Music - Extended and Edit
- The Sound Of Blue
- Roxy Music - Deluxe
- 3Psalms
- AM.PM