A collaboration between old friends and a way to kill time between projects, 801 was a project set into motion by guitarist PHIL MANZANERA during ROXY MUSIC‘s mid-70s hiatus. Manzanera reunited with bassist BILL MACCORMICK (his ex-bandmate from the then-little known QUIET SUN) and former Roxy gadfly/musical iconoclast BRIAN ENO, gathering likeminded musicians (including drum star SIMON PHILLIPS) for what was essentially a jam band, a way for the players to relax, have fun and make some music for their own pleasure.
The original lineup performed just a couple of gigs, one of which was recorded for the seminal album 801 Live, remastered and reissued in a new two-disk edition. Performed at Queen Elizabeth Hall in September 1976, the setlist includes songs from Eno’s solo records, Manzanera’s then-recent solo record Diamond Head, a couple of old Quiet Sun songs and, most notoriously, tunes from the BEATLES and KINKS catalogs. Though the players’ technical skills are never in doubt (particularly in the case of Manzanera and MacCormick), the point here is communicate melodic ideas, not to show off technical prowess. The combination of Manzanera’s sensual guitar tones, MacCormick’s aggressive basslines and Eno’s cosmic atmospherics liken “Diamond Head,” “Miss Shapiro” and “East of Asteroid” to psychedelia more than the progressive rock with which the band is usually identified, though prog fans will find much to enjoy in these rich textures. Eno tunes like “Third Uncle,” “The Fat Lady of Limbourg” and “Baby’s On Fire” are as fully realized on stage as they were on his studio albums; the musicians sound like they love bringing Eno’s quirky visions to life. Finally, a startling, spacey attack on the Kinks’ “You Really Got Me” and a spectacular reinvention of the Beatles’ “Tomorrow Never Knows” show off how inventive this group really was. Beautifully recorded (you’d hardly know it was a concert record at all), 801 Live is a brilliant document.
The second disk contains a rehearsal at the Hall from a week or so before. It’s more relaxed than the show itself, as the group runs through the arrangements (some without vocals and often heavier) and works out the kinks. The live energy would tweak the songs to their peaks, of course, but the disk is a fascinating look at great musicians at work and for diehards will be more than just a curio. The disk ends with an especially powerful reprise of set opener “Lagrima.”
Released for the first time, 801 Live @ Hull and 801 Manchester present shows from the group’s 1977 tour, following the Listen Now studio album. Eno had dropped out by this time (to go work with DAVID BOWIE in Berlin), with new second guitarist SIMON AINLEY (who would later form RANDOM HOLD with MacCormick) taking charge of the vocals; Roxy drummer PAUL THOMPSON replaced Phillips. As with the original record, both of these disks open with the heavy atmosphere of “Lagrima” and bleed into “Tomorrow Never Knows.” “Diamond Head,” “Miss Shapiro” and “You Really Got Me” also make return appearances; otherwise the material is drawn from Listen Now, with a couple of new songs thrown in for good measure. This version of 801 was both jazzier and poppier, with a lighter, sometimes funkier touch to the rhythm section. Minus a charismatic presence of Eno’s caliber, Manzanera’s six-string work takes center stage, with only MacCormick serving as his best foil. There were complaints that the studio record was too staid and airy, but the stage energy gives tunes like “Flight 19,” “City of Light” and “Law and Order” more of a charge. Ainley’s voice hasn’t the character of Eno’s, but it’s solid and suits the material.
Both records have essentially the same setlist, minus one song swap apiece (“Without Love” on Hull and “Que” on Manchester, which also drops “Lagrima”). Hull has a guest turn by Roxy Music violinist EDDIE JOBSON, while Manchester features Roxy woodwinds master ANDY MACKAY and GODLEY & CRÈME, who sang on Listen Now. The Manchester show is lighter on its feet, with funkier rhythms, more prominent vocals and a mix with more open space – “City of Light” is particularly stark and cosmic. The Hull performance pushes the guitars forward, almost to the point of mud – “Remote Control” is hell-bent for leather as the six-strings rage. Which disk is your poison depends on what qualities in 801 you prize most – the ensemble work or Manzanera’s sterling picking. Completists will want both, of course.
Recorded in 1999, 801 Latino is an entirely different proposition. Indeed, the only thing this show has in common with the 70s 801 concerts is Manzanera. This is straightforward Cuban music, with barely any prog/psych influence at all. Though the instigator, Manzanera is simply another member of the band, his trademark guitar stylings mostly subsumed to the needs of the traditional melodies and rhythms of the genre. Piano, percussion and the harmonized vocals of AUGUSTO ENRIQUEZ and YAMILE are the dominant sonic elements here. Manzanera was raised in South America and has incorporated influences from that part of the world into his music for decades, but this is not the hybrid of his later solo albums – this is closer to tradition, just happening to feature a celebrity guitarist. Very nice, but devotees of Manzanera’s musicianship should approach with extreme caution – Cuban music fans who don’t care who’s playing the guitar will likely enjoy it more.
Manzanera released all these records on his own label. Kudos to him for rescuing an important part of his past and a landmark of 70s progressive music.
