Andy Mackay

Andrew "Andy" Mackay (born 23 July 1946) is an English musician, best known as the saxophonist for the art rock group Roxy Music.

Life and career

Mackay was born in Lostwithiel, Cornwall, England, and grew up in central London. He attended Reading University, where he played with a group called the Nova Express and struck up a friendship with fellow student Brian Eno. He joined Roxy Music in 1971, after answering an advertisement placed by singer Bryan Ferry, and soon brought Eno into the group as well. He also taught full-time as a music teacher at Holland Park School in this period.

Mackay played keyboards, oboe, and saxophone in Roxy Music, and became known for his "duckwalk" during saxophone solos. [http://www.roxyrama.com/biographies/biography_andymackay-frameset.html] With his quiff and sideburns, Mackay's early appearance suggested an ironic throwback to 1950s rock and roll performers. His songwriting credits include "A Song For Europe", "Three and Nine", "Love Is The Drug" and "Tara".

He released two instrumental solo albums in the 1970s: "In Search Of Eddie Riff", an exploration of his musical roots, and "Resolving Contradictions", based on a trip to China. He also composed the music for the album "Rock Follies", which reached number one on the UK Albums Chart in 1976. Mackay also worked with Mott The Hoople, John Cale, Pavlov's Dog, Duran Duran, Godley & Creme, Eddie And The Hot Rods and 801. In 1981, he published "Electronic Music: The Instruments, The Music & The Musicians".

After Roxy Music's dissolution in 1983, Mackay joined with Roxy guitarist Phil Manzanera to form The Explorers, featuring Bryan Ferry soundalike James Wraith on lead vocals. The group released a self-titled album in 1985, and resurfaced in 1988 as "Manzanera and Mackay". Under this name, they released a further two albums which combined new material with reissued tracks from the Explorers album.

From 1988 to 1991, Mackay largely abandoned music to take a three year Bachelor of Divinity program at King's College London. He recorded a Christmas album in 1989 with The Players, a group of English folk musicians.

He took part in the Roxy Music reunion concerts of 2001 and 2003, and has written music for British television.

He is currently working on a new Roxy Music album [http://www.roxyrama.com/classic/cgi-bin/2006/cginews.cgi?record=37] as well as his own solo project, Andy Mackay + The Metaphors.

Discography

olo albums

*"In Search of Eddie Riff" (1974)
*"Resolving Contradictions" (1978)
*"SAMAS Music For The Senses" (2004)
*"London! New York! Paris! Rome!"(Due sometime 2008)

Rock Follies

*"Rock Follies" (1976)
*"Rock Follies of '77" (1977)

Explorers/Manzanera and Mackay

*"The Explorers" (1985)
*"Crack The Whip" (1988)
*"Up In Smoke" (1988)
*"The Explorers Live at the Palace" (1997)
*"The Complete Explorers" (2001)

Players

*"Christmas" (1989)

External links

* [http://www.vivaroxymusic.com :VivaRoxyMusic.com: Comprehensive website on Roxy Music and the solo work including Andy Mackay]
* [http://www.themetaphors.com www.themetaphors.com - The official website of Andy Mackay + The Metaphors]