ANDY MACKAY

AND THE METAPHORS

- Andy Mackay launches new band with debut album and live dates

London! Paris! New York!  Rome! – a stunning journey through the wonders of musical art brought to you by Roxy Music’s, Andy Mackay and his new eclectic band, The Metaphors.  Set for release in February 2009, this instrumental masterpiece, which is a culmination of Mackay’s lifetime exploration of music, can be sampled at two special prelude live gigs at the Pigalle Club in November this year.

 With an over-riding desire to (in their own words), “create disturbing beauty for your minds and hearts”, The Metaphors are a selective band of genius individuals who fuse together to produce a previously unexplored musical synthesis of sounds and experiences.  Combining influences of rock, classical and soul, entwined with the improvising jazz that Mackay admires from a distance, London! Paris! New York!  Rome!  is an unrivalled musical journey of sheer indulgent class. Consisting of arrangements and variations of pop, film and show classics, the album is a musical venture searching for the dark heart of the contemporary city. 

 The Metaphors are the brainchild of Andy Mackay, globally known as the legendary saxophonist and oboeist and founding member of Roxy Music (alongside Bryan Ferry and Brian Eno). Hand selecting the absolute cream of the industry’s talent, Mackay’s Metaphors are: Roxy’s “The Great” Paul Thompson on drums; harpist and percussionist, the bewitching Julia Thornton; experimental guitarist laptoperist, and synth wizard TJ Allen, and TJ’s enigmatic muse, Hazel Mills on piano/vocals.

 The Metaphors have been a lifetime in the making.  It took Mackay’s decades of experiences to bring him to the point where, in 1999, he was emotionally and technically equipped to commence work on the content for London! Paris! New York!  Rome!  Which paints a vivid picture of worldwide travel – hence the album title.Over the eight years, which followed, Mackay methodically nurtured and developed his sound whilst simultaneously touring and recording with Roxy Music.  In 2007, Andy formed the band that was to realise his lifetime workings.  The Metaphors embarked on workshop sessions and finally recorded the entire album in less than a week at the Real World Studios near Bath.  After remixing in Covent Garden at The Hospital Studios, the album was ready and the band have enjoyed the majority of 2008 playing live gigs and developing as a band.  Mid November officially launches The Metaphors onto the UK music scene as they take to the stage of the Pigalle Club, London on 18 and 25 November.

Of the six carefully chosen album tracks four are covers, or rather ‘inspirations’ upon which a beautifully de-constructed  ‘Metaphor’ takes place.  ‘Waterloo Sunset’ is rediscovered as a folk tune (using only the pentatonic scale) reworked electronically with a nod at Vaughan Williams, ending in the sound of Westminster - melancholy and evocative. In ‘I Love Paris’, Debussy-esque piano gives way to snatches of Cole Porter, underscored by echoes of Stravinsky's, ‘Rite of Spring’, brutal tenor sax and electronic distortion hint at the violence that has often since surfaced in the City of romance.’ ’New York New York’ , the most optimistic and mindlessly hedonistic of songs is here dark and ironic - rock music wasn’t adequate enough to reflect the different crashes in 2001 and 2008, but the sudden major to minor shifts, wailing soprano sax and relentless drums express the band’s unease.  Rome, where Andy spent a youthful year of sun and shadows, is the city of movies leading to the choice of,  ‘Three Coins in the Fountain ’, the classic film tune is preceded by the Metaphors' own stomping introduction.  ‘Elle ’ is an exercise in subtle sounds of delicacy and mystery, whilst the Ferry/Mackay classic, ‘Love is the Drug’ is stripped back to shifting chords and suggestive night-time sax.

 London! Paris! New York! Rome! Is no ordinary album.  This work of genius is a lush indulgent collection of timeless brilliance, which wallows the senses in pure musical magnificence.  If there were ever a classic masterpiece, this is it!

 For further information on The Metaphors visit www.themetaphors.com

Live gigs: 18 & 25 November – Pigalle Club, Picadilly, London. 

Visit www.thepigalleclub.com for more details.

For further details, or to request pictures or an interview, please contact Cat Hockley at Fifth Element on 0207 287 0008 or email cat@fifthelement.biz