Southern Cross
Studio Album - February 1990
In 1989 Phil was ready to start work on another album and realised that he had never explored his Latin heritage. - childhood in Cuba, adolescence in Venezuela and Columbia.
The lyrical and musical content of the songs on the album came from a desire to blend rock, pop and dance with Latin rhythms like Cumbia and Andean folk music.
It started life as an instrumental album but Tim Finn of Split Enz and Crowded House fame turned up from Oz one morning and Southern Cross metamorphosed onto a series of musical collaborations. Tim helped Phil with lyrical thoughts and together, with help from a few friends they came up with what they thought was a new musical genre, Southern Cross.
This was the first album to be released on Phil Manzanera's Expression label. The album consisting of 11 songs and 1 instrumental has its vocals featuring Gary Dyson, Ana Maria Velez and Tim Finn.
A Million Reasons Why was released as a 7" with an extended version released on a 12". A remix of Tambor was released in Spain and Guantanamera was released as a 3" CD in Japan and had 3 mixes of the track released in Germany under the title Phil Manzanera Project.
The UK vinyl version omitted Blood Brother and Venceremos. A USA edition of this album was released in 1991. which omitted Astrud, Guantanamera & Blood Brother and added a new recording of Frontera '91. This is an instrumental version of the song from Phil's Diamond Head album.
The album was re-released by expression as A Million Reasons Why in 1997, which included 4 live tracks from the Guitar Legends concerts in Seville in 1993.
Album Track Listing
- A Million Reasons Why
- Tambor
- The Great Leveller
- Astrud
- Southern Cross
- Blood Brother
- Guantanamera
- The Rich And The Poor
- Dance (Break This Trance)
- Verde
- Dr. Fidel
- Venceremos
Other Tracks of Interest
Album Musicians & Credits
- Phil Manzanera Guitars, Keyboards, Tiple' & Voice on A Million Reasons Why, Electric & Cello Guitar on Tambor, Guitar & Orchestral Guitar On The Great Leveller, Guitar On Astrud, Bass, Sax Guitar, Guitar & Guitar Synthesizer on Southern Cross, Guitar, Guitar Orquesrta, Guitar Bells on Blood Brother, Guitars & Tiple' On Guantanamera, Guitar, Bass, Drum Programming & Effects On Rich And Poor, Guitar, Tiple', Bass Drum Programming On Dance (Break This Trance), Guitar, Tiple' & Effects Guitar On Verde, Guitar, Keyboards, Drum Programming & Tiple' On Dr Fidel. Guitars On Venceremos.
- Chucho Merchan Bass On A Million Reasons Why, Astrud, Bass & Brass Arrangements On Guantanamera, Bass On Dance (Break This Trance) & Verde
- Keith Bessey Programming On A Million Reasons Why, Drum Programming On Tambor, Guantanamera & Dance (Break This Trance), Percussion Programming On Blood Brother. Suzie Webb Backing Vocals On A Million Reasons Why, The Great Leveller, Blood Brother, Rich And Poor, Dr. Fidel & Venceremos.
- Val Mckenna Backing Vocals On A Million Reasons Why, Tambor, Astrud, Blood Brother, Rich And Poor & Dr. Fidel.
- Tim Finn Backing Vocals On A Million Reasons Why, Lead Vocals On Rich And Poor, Dance (Break This Trance), Verde, Dr. Fidel & Piano On Venceremos.
- Bosco de Oliviera Rain Maker & Brazilian Percussion On A Million Reasons Why, Assorted Brazilian Percussion On Southern Cross, Congas & Brazilian Percussion On Rich And Poor.
- Gary Dyson Lead Vocals On A Million Reasons Why, Tambor, The Great Leveller, Blood Brother & Venceremos.
- Livingstone Brown Bass On Tambor, The Great Leveller, Blood Brother & Dr Fidel.
- Phil Todd Alto Sax On Tambor, Sax On The Great Leveller, Tenor Sax On Astrud, Sax On Guantanamera, Alto Sax On Rich And Poor, Sax On Dance (Break This Trance) & Verde.
- Chris Davis Alto Sax On Tambor, Sax On The Great Leveller, Sax On Guantanamera, Alto Sax On Dance (Break This Trance) & Sax On Verde.
- Guy Barker Trumpet Solo On Tambor, Trumpet On The Great Leveller, Rich And Poor & Verde.
- Sally Ann Triplett Backing Vocals On Tambor & Blood Brother.
- Mauricio Abello Congas & Cowbell On Tambor
- Lisandro Zapata Bass On The Great Leveller & Venceremos.
- Sandy Loewenthal Piano On The Great Leveller, Keyboards On Astrud, Piano On Blood Brother, Piano & Organ On Rich And Poor & Piano On Verde
- John Wetton Backing Vocals On The Great Leveller
- Zoe Nicholas Backing Vocals On The Great Leveller, Verde & Venceremos.
- Ana Maria Velez Lead Vocals On Astrud & Guantanamera, SpokenVocal On Dance (Break This Trance)
- Mike Sturges Drums On Blood Brother, Verde & Venceremos.
- Billy Nicholls Backing Vocals On Guantanamera.
- Dave Defreis Trumpet On Guantanamera & Dance (Break This Trance)
- Rebecca De Ruvo Backing Vocals On Dance (Break This Trance).
- Gallery Studios recorded At 1988-89
- Metropolis Studios Mixed At Noveember & December 1989
- Nicholas de Ville Sleeve Design & Photography
- Ashley Howes Additional Engineering.
- Trevor Smith Additional Engineering.
- Stuart Barry Additional Engineering.
- Noel Harris Additional Engineering.
- John 'Trapper' Maile Additional Engineering.
- Sharon Targett-Adams Thanks For Love And Motivation
- Chloe Targett-Adams Thanks For Love And Motivation
- Charlie Targett-Adams Thanks For Love And Motivation
- Sophie Targett-Adams Thanks For Love And Motivation
- Ian MacCormack Thanks For Artistic Support
- Claude Ismael Thanks For Faith In Expression
- Roger Furrer Thanks For Faith In Expression
- Sonia Furrer Thanks For Faith In Expression
- Renate Meir Thanks For Faith In Expression
- Gloria Burgess Cover Photograph.