Brian Eno is MORE DARK THAN SHARK

INTERVIEWS, REVIEWS & RELATED ARTICLES

Mojo JANUARY 2009 - by David Buckley

PHIL MANZANERA: THE MUSIC 1972-2008

Three-disc career overview has a DVD of rare gigs and a new documentary.

Other guitarists might show off more, but admirers of more nuanced playing gravitate towards Phil Manzanera. he's famous, of course, for being in Roxy Music, and the slinky Amazona, the bravura Out Of The Blue, and the classic art rock of Manifesto evoke that glittering Roxy past. But perhaps his most groundbreaking collaboration was with Brian Eno. Needle In The Camel's Eye, recorded in 1973, is a contender for the title of first-ever British punk record. Disc two concentrates on the three recent solo records, which saw Manzanera step up to the plate as the main vocalist. The earthy Green Spikey Cactus, psychedelic Technicolor UFO and the astonishingly outré jazz/art rock fusion of Enotonik Bible Black are minor classics. The only real grumble? The omission of his poppiest moment, 1984's Explorers's single Lorelei, one of the finest non-charting songs ever.