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Mainstream (1975)

Diamond Head

Studio Album - April 1975

Diamond Head was released as a deluxe edition in January 2011

Buy the Diamond Head Collector's Edition Here

Over the last decade I have released five studio albums of completely new material: Vozero, 6pm, 50 mins later, Firebird V11 and Corroncho. During this same period I also released a retrospective compilation of two cds and a DVD called ‘ Phil Manzanera,1972-2007, The music’. In the last few years, in between touring and producing, I have enjoyed revisiting my solo albums and re-releasing them as series of Collector’s editions, raiding the archive for lost tracks and memorabilia. The latest Collectors’ editions are my first solo album Diamond Head and Quiet Sun’s Mainstream , albums from 1975. I think of them as fraternal twins, recorded at the same time, gestated in the same studio and over the same time period: 12pm-6pm Diamond Head sessions and Mainstream, the Quiet Sun album from 6pm-12am. Quiet Sun was the band I was in before Roxy Music, with Bill MacCormick , Charles Hayward and Dave Jarrett. Because of Roxy’s success I had the opportunity to record a solo album but unbeknownst to my management company I recorded two albums in the studio time allocated for one album. When they were finished I presented both to a stupefied management and Island Records. These two new Collectors Editions bring together all the recordings from the sessions, with demos and versions as well as new photos and is intended not only for the collector but also as an introduction to the variety of music that has interested me over the last 40 years.

PHIL MANZANERA
Jan 2011

 

In 1975, Manzanera's debut solo album was hailed as a milestone of delightful rock. Rightly so, and this assessment stands today with equal validity.

Gathered on this album are some of the most notable talents from the British eclectic pop scene of the early '70s: Brian Eno, Robert Wyatt, John Wetton, Eddie Jobson, Andy Mackay and more.

Expect a passionate blend of uptempo pop and serious rock, a truly inspired dose of tunes that rank even today as unparalleled sonic achievements. Tasty and thought-provoking, this music alternates from vocals to instrumental pieces, striving toward (and achieving) emotional highs that will leave you breathless no matter how many times you listen to this album. The combination of pop and prog surges like a cheerful volcano.

Vocals alternate between songs. When a fanciful voice is required, there's Wyatt's ethereal tremble-throat; when deep authority is required, there's Wetton's commanding style; when festivities are called for, there's Eno's eerie pop vocals.

Manzanera's guitar soars, twirling in the air with nimble-fingered pyrotechnics. His crisp riffs snare catchy melodies with carefree abandon, mixing them with sly intent with sinuous basslines, intricate percussion, keyboards of energetic nature, and truly innovative electronic effects. And don't forget the swing saxophone or the swirling violin. The mix is well-balanced, structured so that each instruments' melodies are allowed time to shine as the center of attention. Yet these moments all flow together, becoming grander and superb with their interaction.

Car Rhumba was originally used as the B-side to Flight 19 in 1977 and was added to the 2000 CD re-issue. The song Frontera was released as a picture sleeve single in Germany with Same Time Next Week as its b-side.


 The album spent one week in the UK album charts at number 40 on 24th May 1975

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