MY LIFE IN MUSIC
Phil Manzanera
For your pleasure, the Roxy Music guitarist reveals his most impactful albums: “It was too exciting for words”
BUENA VISTA SOCIAL CLUB
Buena Vista Social Club
WORLD CIRCUIT, 1997
I started learning guitar in Havana, being taught by my mum. There was no Bert Weedon’s Play In A Day for me, it was bolero and son. I don’t think my parents had heard about babysitters – they’d often take me to the Tropicana Club and the Sans Souci, with people like Rubén González playing piano and Omara Portuondo singing… and the Buena Vista Social Club album has them on it. I was jealous of Ry Cooder in some ways, because I’d gone back to Cuba in 1991-’92 and started playing with Cuban musicians. And then this came out and I said, “Aw, hang on!” But I was delighted that we had them for a brief moment before they all died off.
ELVIS PRESLEY
Elvis’ Golden Records RCA VICTOR, 1958