Paul Rodriguez
Photo: Unknown photographer / Wikimedia Commons / Unknown — Unknown Wikimedia file page
Paul Rodriguez was a saxophonist and trumpet player best known for his role in The Manish Boys, one of David Bowie’s key mid-1960s bands.
As part of Bowie’s transition from beat music toward rhythm and blues–based experimentation, Rodriguez contributed a strong brass presence that helped define the band’s aggressive, mod-influenced sound.
- Role: Tenor saxophone, trumpet
- Band: The Manish Boys
- Active with Bowie: 1965–1966
- Bowie connection: Mid-1960s R&B band member
The Manish Boys
The Manish Boys marked a crucial phase in David Bowie’s early development, shifting away from beat pop toward a harder-edged rhythm and blues sound.
Paul Rodriguez joined the band as part of its brass section, bringing tenor saxophone and trumpet into the group’s sonic identity.
Brass-driven sound
The Manish Boys relied heavily on saxophone to generate power and urgency, drawing inspiration from American R&B and British mod culture.
Rodriguez’s playing contributed to the band’s confrontational energy, reinforcing Bowie’s increasingly assertive stage presence.
Live performances
The band performed extensively on the London club circuit, where volume, attitude and visual impact were essential.
Brass instruments played a central role in cutting through loud club environments, making Rodriguez’s contribution particularly effective in live settings.
Recording period
The Manish Boys recorded the single I Pity the Fool in 1965, a cover that showcased the group’s raw R&B orientation.
Although Bowie soon outgrew the band, the experience proved formative, teaching him how instrumentation could shape identity and intensity.
End of the collaboration
Bowie left The Manish Boys in early 1966, seeking greater artistic control and broader stylistic freedom.
With that departure, his collaboration with Paul Rodriguez came to an end, closing an important chapter in Bowie’s early career.