Icons of Rock: Andy Mackay
Andy Mackay is a rock star, plain and simple. In the past, he’s worked with Brian Eno, Thom Yorke, Jarvis Cocker, Bryan Ferry, Duran Duran, Mott the Hoople, Pet Shop Boys, and countless others. No one can really call him just a saxophonist, just as nobody can really call him solely a keyboardist, or a composer or even an author. Some may be okay with calling him a professional musician, and he is, but what an understatement that’d be. His influence runs wild, from England, the U.S. and across the rest of the world. The press might call him critically acclaimed and while true, that doesn’t really say it all, either. It’s unfortunate there’s not a big enough label for the guy, though that might explain why many have no idea who Andy Mackay is, what he really means to music and why he’s such an icon of rock.
Born in Cornwall, England in 1946 and then relocated to London one year later, Andy Mackay lead a seemingly quiet youth until the world of music grabbed him. At the age of just 13, Mackay became the leader of the choir at his music school in Westminster. One year later at 14, Mackay joined the London Symphony Orchestra and began his mastery of the oboe (yes, the oboe). At 19, he trained to become a classical musician at Reading University and picked up the saxophone. Only a couple years later he met Brian Eno at, of course, an experimental music concert at Reading and quickly the two formed a bond. A year later, Mackay started a local R&B combo, taught himself how to expand on the saxophone, studied avant-garde music, and received his degree in music, which he then returned to London. Pretty busy youth, some might say.
“Stay cool is still the main rule.”
In 1971, Mackay met lead singer Bryan Ferry and, when impressed by his music collection, became a member of Roxy Music...
