Diamond Head is the first studio album by English rock musician Phil Manzanera, his solo debut after coming to prominence as a member of Roxy Music. It was released in 1975, originally on Island Records in the UK (who was handling all E.G. recordings) and in the US on Atco Records. The sound quality on the US edition of album was often deemed worse than the UK album, so the UK import became a popular seller in specialty record shops.
The album features a mix of instrumentals and songs featuring guest vocalists. All members of Roxy Music from the era perform on the album, except for Bryan Ferry. Members of Manzanera's other group Quiet Sun also make appearances, as their debut album Mainstream was recorded contemporaneously at the same studio as Diamond Head.
The diesel locomotive featured on the cover art is an EMD E9.
The English heavy metal band Diamond Head took their name from the album.
Track listing
Track-by-track personnel "Frontera" Robert Wyatt – lead vocals, timbales, cabasa, backing vocals Brian Eno – backing vocals Phil Manzanera – guitars John Wetton – bass Paul Thompson – drums "Diamond Head" Eddie Jobson – all strings, Fender piano Phil Manzanera – guitars John Wetton – bass Paul Thompson – drums Brian Eno – guitar treatments "Big Day" Brian Eno – vocals Phil Manzanera – guitars, tiplé, fuzz guitar Brian Turrington – bass John Wetton – bass Paul Thompson – drums "The Flex" Andy Mackay – soprano and alto saxophones Phil Manzanera – guitars Eddie Jobson – electric clavinet John Wetton – bass Paul Thompson – drums Sonny Akpan – congas "Same Time Next Week" John Wetton – lead vocals, bass, mellotron Doreen Chanter – lead vocals Andy Mackay – saxophones Phil Manzanera – guitars Paul Thompson – drums Sonny Akpan – congas Charles Hayward – tree bells "Miss Shapiro" Brian Eno – vocals, rhythm guitar, piano, handclaps Phil Manzanera – guitars, organ, piano, bass, handclaps Brian Turrington – bass Paul Thompson – drums Bill MacCormick – handclaps "East of Echo" Quiet Sun: Bill MacCormick – fuzz bass themes Charles Hayward – percussion Dave Jarret – keyboard themes Phil Manzanera – guitars Ian MacDonald – bagpipes John Wetton – bass Paul Thompson – drums, extra drums Brian Eno – guitar treatments "Lagrima" Andy Mackay – oboe Phil Manzanera – guitar "Alma" Bill MacCormick – vocals Phil Manzanera – guitars, organ, tiplé, string synthesizer, vocals, fuzz bass Eddie Jobson – synthesizer John Wetton – bass Paul Thompson – drums
Personnel Phil Manzanera — electric 6 and 12 string guitars, tiple, 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 Ian 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 Technical Rhett Davies — engineer Robert Ash — assistant engineer Jon Prew — photography
References