Diamond Head (album)

Diamond Head is the first solo album by Phil Manzanera, issued in 1975. It was originally issued in the UK on Island (who was handling all E.G. recordings) and in US on Atco. The sound quality on the US album left a lot to be desired, so the UK import was a popular seller in the speciality record shops who sold Roxy Music and other UK bands.

As a side note, the album's title inspired the band Diamond Head's name.

Unlike other solo albums issued by an instrumental member of an existing band (Manzanera was Roxy Music's lead guitarist), Diamond Head featured a number of vocal songs performed by guest musicians:

Track listing

All songs by Phil Manzanera, except where noted.

1. "Frontera" sung in Spanish by Robert Wyatt (Manzanera/MacCormick/Wyatt)
2. "Diamond Head" (instrumental)
3. "Big Day" sung by Brian Eno (Manzanera/Eno)
4. "The Flex" (instrumental)
5. "Same Time Next Week" sung by John Wetton and Doreen Chanter (Manzanera/Wetton)
6. "Miss Shapiro" sung by Brian Eno (Manzanera/Eno)
7. "East of Echo" (instrumental, performed by Manzanera's earlier group Quiet Sun)
8. "Lagrima" (instrumental)
9. "Alma" sung by Bill MacCormick (Manzanera/MacCormick)

bonus track on remastered CD and deluxe edition CD: 10 "Carhumba" (instrumental - originally issued as the b-side to "Flight 19")

bonus track on deluxe edition CD: 11 "Corazon Y Alma" (originally issued on the "Rare One" CD)

Personnel

• Phil Manzanera — electric 6 and 12 string guitars, tiplé, acoustic guitar, synthesized guitar, bass, string synthesizer, organ, piano, vocals
• Robert Wyatt — vocals, timbales, cabasa, background vocals
• Brian Eno — vocals, treatments, rhythm guitar, piano, percussion
• Eddie Jobson — strings, fender piano, electric clavinet, synthesizer
• Dave Jarrett - keyboards
• Andy Mackay — soprano and alto saxophone, oboe
• Iain MacDonald — bagpipes
• John Wetton — bass, vocals, mellotron
• Bill MacCormick — bass, vocals
• Brian Turrington — bass
• Paul Thompson — drums
• Danny Heibs - percussion
• Chyke Madu - percussion
• Sonny Akpan - congas, percussion, bongos, big gong, maracas
• Charles Hayward - percussion
• Doreen Chanter - vocals