Roger Manning
The first Roger Manning album was released in 1989 by California punk recording label SST (Black Flag, Sonic Youth, Dinosaur Jr.). I toured the U.S ., and occasionally Europe, for over 10 years performing lyrical-solo-rock accompanied by highly amplified bass-heavy guitar playing.
My music developed in the streets, subways, and dance clubs of New York City throughout the 1980s. The result was a style of solo performing that was dynamic enough to allow me to play in places where solo acts were not ordinarily accepted such as rock and dance clubs.
The viewpoint conveyed in the dense lyrics is shaped by a life of hitchhiking, street singing, low-income living, disgust with authority, and pondering the mysteries of love and beauty.
"People work hard and end up with nothing. I ain't got nothing either, but at least I didn't work hard for it" (from the 'Pearly Blues').
The beat for many of the songs was inspired by the music being spun by DJs in New York clubs like Danceteria, The Ritz, and Palladium.
By the end of the 80s, the songs had evolved into a style where Jack Kerouac meets Led Zeppelin meets Joni Mitchell meets Sonic Youth meets Public Enemy meets the Clash meets Woody Guthrie meets Big Audio Dynamite. Various fellow downtown New York performers, including King Missile (John S. Hall) and Billy Syndrome were strong influences as well. These others, and I are associated with the beginnings of New York's "Anti-Folk" scene which came together in the mid 80s. Later influences include My Bloody Valentine, Elysian Fields (NYC) and various forms of electronica.
In 1995, Hamburg recording label Moll released the 3rd Roger Manning album, which featured a full band recorded on a 4-track cassette port-a-studio in a Brooklyn basement. Moll had introduced themselves after my show at the 1994 South by Southwest music conference in Austin, Texas where old friend Beck had joined me on stage. The CD received a 4 star review in German Rolling Stone magazine and was followed by several tours across Germany and nearby countries.
In the fall of 2007 I performed a small number of shows in NYC, Germany and UK. Aside from an occasional benefit concert, I'd been on an indefinite break from public performing since the last tours in 2000 - 2001. For a few years I was very involved with the movement to save the Pacifica radio network and restructure it's governance. (see http://wbai.net). Currently, I build websites, do a lot of in-line skating, practice yoga, glean from the Manhattan's discarded wealth (hello freegans and gleaners everywhere), and skate the NYC Critical Mass.
Work on the next album has been on and off over the past year. I've worked with Craig Flanagin (God is My Co-pilot) on recording of a bunch of unreleased, and a few new songs. I also recorded a full set of basic tracks with one of my favorite drummers, Christy Davis. The next recording will continue to feature plenty of big beats while trading in some of the heavy metal riffage for a less wordy, more melodic approach on various selections.
Meanwhile, I've gone from fan, to roadie, to performing member (rookie clarinetista) of the radical street band, Rude Mechanical Orchestra. It's really great. There's some pictures in the photo gallery
Releases include: "Roger Manning" -Moll (Germany)/Shanachie; "Roger Manning" -Shimmy-disc; "Roger Manning" -SST; "Fuck You Have a Nice Day" (book) - Soft Skull Press; "Chyeah" - Joe Folk and the Soho Valley Boys (noise/spoken word tape) -Roger Records.
Click HERE for more info on these and other releases
In March 2008, German Rolling Stone included "The Pearly Blues (live)" in the free CD included with the magazine (around 60,000 circulation). The CD's title "This is Not a Folk Song" is taken from the song. Other artists on the CD include Michelle Shocked, Billy Bragg, Camper Van Beethoven, Chumbawamba, and the Mekons.
The last release activity before that was several years ago with a song on "Drinking From Puddles" ( Kill Rock Stars ), a compilation of live radio performances. (Tracks by Elliot Smith, Cindy Lee Berryhill, Cat Power, Lydia Lunch and many others) There was also a track on "What's the Word" ( Deezal Records ), a cool CD of rockers doing spoken word.
