Roxy Music’s Phil Manzanera and Duran Duran’s Simon Le Bon among King’s Birthday Honours list

Roxy Music’s Phil Manzanera and Duran Duran’s Simon Le Bon are among the entertainment figures included in this year’s King’s Birthday Honours list.

Manzanera was the lead guitarist and producer for the legendary art rock group, playing on all eight of their studio albums, released between 1972 and 1982. He has been awarded an OBE for Services to Music.

In response to the honour, Manzanera has said: “I’m surprised and honoured to receive this Award.  This has a poignancy for me and my family because in 1966 my dad, Duncan Targett-Adams was also awarded the OBE but sadly he died before his investiture.”

In addition to his work with Roxy Music, Manzanera also played with the groups 801 and Quiet Sun, and has played for many years with David Gilmour. He has also released a number of solo records over the years, and last year he published his memoir, Revolución To Roxy.

Manzanera commented on the likelihood of Roxy Music ever making new music in an interview with NME in 2022.

“Oh, recording is a totally different ballgame. People always ask: ‘What about new stuff?’ You think: ‘Yeah, let’s do it!’” he said. “But once you’ve done it, you listen and go: ‘Oh, but that’s awful. Why did we do that?’ Fans can be unforgiving, and if they heard something sub-par, we’d know about it. If we came up with something brilliant, I’m sure we’d release it. But the standards of Roxy Music’s recorded music is quite high, and there’s no immediate rush to do any new music.”

Duran Duran frontman Le Bon has been awarded an MBE for Services to Music and Charity. It comes just days after the model from the group’s ‘Rio’ album cover was finally identified as Marcia Hunt (now known as Marcie Dinkel).

Also receiving gongs are Armando Iannucci, the writer and creator of satirical comedies The Thick Of It, Veep and The Death Of Stalin. He picks up a CBE for Services to Film and Television.

The artist Tracey Emin and the star of The Crown and Vera Drake, Imelda Staunton, have both been given damehoods, while M People singer Heather Small has gained an MBE for voluntary and charitable services.