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Interview by Remco
Schoenmakers with Guy Manning
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It is a hard time for talented musicians to draw
the attention of the progressive public. With so many
releases coming out yearly, it is hard to separate the
good from the bad. One of the surprises of the last two
years is Guy Manning. Formerly involved in Parallel or
90 Degrees, Manning decided to go solo. However, he has
not cut the ties with his former band members at all:
Andy Tillison still appears on his first two solo albums
and Guy may soon return the favour. His first solo album
Tall Stories For Small Children was quite a revelation
to me personally. The music has the intensity a lot of
other prog music does not have. It was actually able to
move me. The same holds true for the second album, The
Cure, which is a bit heavier on the keyboard side.
Recently he has released his third album Cascade, a more
moody album with a central theme of spirituality, and
his fourth album is already on its way. It seems like
Guy has reached a creativity peak. Time for DPRP to ask
Guy about his live, loves and struggles.
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THE FIRST TWO ALBUMS
 Remco:
Guy, things are not always equally easy for
musicians nowadays. Can you support yourself and your
family (we know from Tall Stories... that you have at
least two children) with music alone? If not, what is
your profession.
Guy: Much as I
would love to do this full time, I have a day job too. I
work with Computers! I've been in IT since the 80's and
now manage development and support teams I have 3 kids!
(the "Tall Stories.." cover art has the picture of all 3
on it)
Remco: Oops, missed one,
sorry! ;-). It must be quite a job to have a daytime
job, create music, give gigs and have a family.... do
you consider yourself a
work-a-holic?
Guy: No, not really.
But music is me..I have to do it and so for that reason,
I can always find time! To 'run' a band
(..administration) is a nightmare however!! Getting the
right musicians together and dealing with their extra
curriculum activities (other bands, sessions,work shift
patterns etc) is awful. In the 'old' days, we'd just
meet up and play (for fun as much as anything else) but
as you get older, other commitments take priority.
Rehearsal scheduling with a part-time band is not to be
recommended!
Remco: You seem to be
quite a multi-instrumentalist, playing guitar, keyboards
and vocals all very well. What is your favourite
"instrument" of the three and why?
Guy:
I started playing the acoustic guitar first and so
feel very at ease with it now, but have always loved the
power and textures of keyboards. Andy TD (see later)
always said that my keys work was better, but compared
to him I still come "close but no cigar!" Vocals..umm..I
love to sing..always have..and always liked big
vocals/harmonies too. I try (again) to create texture
with the voices and my vocal range has changed over the
years (though I still have a very large range). So the
answer (vague as it is ) is ALL THREE at differing
times/parts of the creation process.
Remco: Your albums are quite
complex on the narrative site, and the lyrics often are
extremely personal. Doesn't it scare you to expose
yourself like that in your tracks?
Guy:
Interesting...The short answer is "No, it doesn't".
I think the hardest thing, for any writer, is finding
something to say (especially in this genre). I don't
write the "..I met you last night and I love you..."
type of lyric..unless it actually happened to me, and
even then I might make it 3rd person or allegorical! I
love story telling..and I perceive/hear music very
visually. The personal songs (Castaways, The Candyman,
Owning Up, Stronger etc.) are equally as important to me
as the dramatic Epics. It is a chance of catharsis and a
chance to express it all in a definitive statement and
hopefully, strike a chord/share something with the
listener. In a way, the narrative pieces are easier to
construct being bound only by language and imagination.
The lyrics are tremendously important to my songs and I
have had quite a few discussions with people who say
that they like the melody but haven't bothered to
read/take in the words at all. "The CURE" was a
different proposition, as I had to create a linear
storyline (Concept) and keep to the narrative.. The
storyline is quite complex and I hate making it too easy
for the listener and so people are still writing to me
asking what it is all about!
Remco:
You have worked more with the guitar/vocal
combination on Tall stories.. and more with keyboard
tapestries on The Cure. This resulted in descriptions in
various reviews for Tall Stories as more
singer/songwriter oriented, whereas The Cure was
considered to be more "progressive rock" (whatever the
definition of that may be)...is this a conscious
evolution you are taking with your music?
Guy: The songs are the songs
really... and some like "The Last Psalm" from 'Tall
Stories..' is not really Singer/Songwriter whereas
"Falling" from 'The Cure' might be..I don't see them as
different. I write music...sometimes from a guitar base
other times from a keyboards base and they take on
whatever flavour they need to be before they are through
evolving, organically.'Cascade' is not a concept album
and is similar to both its predecessors in places and
radically different in others! These pieces of music are
whatever the listener wants them to be (I'm not keen on
labels..)
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THE NEW ALBUM CASCADE
Remco:
On Cascade, you do not use too many (electric)
guitar, and it is much more quiet than the previous two.
Was that a conscience choice?
Guy:
Out of the eleven tracks, five are without electric
guitar. The electric guitar is only featured where I
believe it fitted in (...as a number of the tracks are
more acoustic orientated) I write pieces of music and
create a mood, now either that is where an electric can
work or not (Owning Up, Hushabye Mountain, Time of our
Lives, Tears In The rain etc). The electric would not
fit there at all. I expanded the repertoire of acoustic
instruments (flute, recorders, mandolin, cello) this
time, to express a direct contrast to the darker
previous CD. It somehow better fitted the mood I wanted
to attain and the atmosphere of quiet assurance (and
less sound effects too).
Remco: You
have always worked closely with Andy Tillison of
Parallel Or 90 Degrees fame. However, on Cascade, Andy
is not present. How come?
Guy: This
is tricky to answer. There are absolutely no problems
between Andy and I (and we chat nearly every day)..our
histories (through Gold Frankincense & Disk-Drive,
the "No More Travelling Chess" Project with Hugh Banton
and into Parallel Or 90 Degrees Mark 1 etc.) have always
tied us closely together. Now this can be good (as we
support each others work vigorously and listen and
comment on it during its creation etc.) but it also has
a down side (e.g. I am constantly referred to as
'ex-Po90' or 'Po90 sidekick' etc. and the first CD (TALL
STORIES FOR SMALL CHILDREN) was widely perceived as a
SOLO album by a PO90 member! (...which obviously was not
the case). I changed from Guy Manning to MANNING on the
subsequent CDs, to stop the 'Singer/Songwriter' and Solo
Artist tags. Andy is so good a musician and friend that
working with him is always a pleasure and also very
easy. He helped out a lot with "Tall Stories.." but
contributed less to THE CURE (time factors and PO90
work)and I was playing most of the instruments anyway. I
decided to do CASCADE without him (..as he was busy
anyway) and was very pleased with the end product, plus
I now had a 'working band' of other musicians from the
tour that I'd done, to help me out. As for the
future..well..Andy has heard the demos for "The Ragged
Curtain" (new 2002 CD) and wants in (as he really likes
it)..and I will return the favour on his "Tangents" Solo
CD
Remco: That's good to hear!
Apart from Andy and Angela, are there any other guest musicians on the next
album? And is there anyone in particular you would like
to do some work with (i.e. who is your idol ;-).
Guy: The people I grew up listening
to and admiring were The Beatles, Jethro Tull, Yes,
Genesis, King Crimson, Mahavishnu Orchestra,Roy
Harper,John Martyn,Gentle Giant (..and a cast of
thousands more!!!)..So, of course if Ian Anderson or
Peter Gabriel want to come down and jam anytime..that
would be nice. Later, Andy T. got me into Van Der Graaf
Generator and Peter Hammill and we both got a chance to
work with Hugh Banton and discuss it with Peter H. on
the "No More Travelling Chess" CD and gig. "The Ragged
Curtain" will be based around the core members of the
live band plus Angela..(..and Andy T perhaps) but who
knows..as it grows and is recorded, other people may
join in as required/available.
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Prog Life and Live
Remco: You talked about how
hard promotion is and how difficult it is to reach an
audience. But that, of course, is true for every band.
At DPRP for instance, we review a couple of hundred
albums each year of bands that want to attract
attention. Only a handful actually does catch my
personal attention (you were one of them, hence this
interview ;-), let alone the general (prog-)audience
that doesn't want to spend money on 150 mediocre albums
a year. Does it really surprise you that it is hard to
become "known" ?
Guy: No!
1.
Technology has moved at a pace since the 60's! Anyone
with some money, an idea and ability can produce a great
sounding album at home now and so there are many many
albums out there that unfortunately no-one will ever
hear as a result of the deluge
2. The way people
listen/appreciate music has changed too (I feel). I used
to go out and see bands that had practiced and rehearsed
and played live in order to improve their skill/craft.
The recordings that resulted, were polished and lean.
But many folks today don't really go out to see original
bands anymore, they might prefer Karaoke or Tribute
acts. The attention span has been reduced and there is
little time to actually sit and digest complicated music
(unless one makes an effort to do just that). That is
not to say that brilliant pieces of music can not be
constructed purely in the studio, all I am saying is,
that in earlier times, the limitations e.g. length of
vinyl album side, lack of samplers and multi-timbral
keyboards etc. meant that musical/vocal arrangements had
to be really worked and polished to create a fabulous
end product (..instead of just pressing a button to get
an orchestra patch/drum sample)
3. Music is easily
downloaded from the Net and some might say is therefore
more transitory and less important (..because it is
free??)
There are still people out there who want to
hear new music and want to be engrossed, encapsulated
and bewitched by it..and it is these people that we hope
to reach.
The problem is this..if you have a
reasonable album to promote..how do you do it without
recourse to a lot of big money? You can play live (but
it seems as though this is on the decline in the UK..see
above). You can publish on the Net and hope that people
will be caught up enough to buy the real thing Publish
and be damned! I'm not sure what the answer is,
especially if you have to pay the bills too! I go and
see The Flower Kings and admire them greatly, but even
so, they are still relatively 'small potatoes' and have
to 'knock on doors' to sell (..even though they are
brilliant..) so what hope for the rest of us?
Remco: You are finally able to play
some gigs. How are they coming along? Do you enjoy them?
Guy: I love to play gigs! I just
hate the arrangements, packing up,setting up, packing
down etc. associated with a small band on the road. I
wouldn't mind if I was the harmonica player..but taking
two multi Keyboard setups, Electric and Acoustic Guitars
& Backline plus PA system is tiring! We are in
rehearsal now for the 2002 gigs (feb time) and they are
sounding great. Gareth Harwood (who joined in time to do
CASCADE) has made a huge difference to the sound.
Previously I could only play half the guitar parts (and
mainly the acoustic ones). Gareth (who actually is
ex-Po9o!!!) is a very talented Electric Guitar player
and has brought in more power and solidity to the
overall sound. We are having to work hard this time, as
we need to add CASCADE material into the set list and
also rehearse up "Ragged Curtain " tracks because I want
us to work these pieces and then record them together as
an ensemble in the recording studio (whereas usually I
have written everything and we then overdub the 'real
parts' on and take out my guides)
Remco: We need to see you here in
Holland as well! Any chance?
Guy:
Andy keeps telling me what a great time he has had
in Holland playing the festivals etc. We would dearly
love to come across for a tour and this is being
discussed as we speak. Andy & I are also talking
about the possibility of a joint PO90/Manning set of
dates next year..so who knows!
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The Future
Remco: You are already
working on a fourth album. Are you getting into a kind
of rhythm now of producing an album every year?
Guy: I suppose so. I am grateful
that CYCLOPS feel able to release my CDs, but they do
take a while to be written, arranged, recorded,
produced, artwork created etc. (..which I have done
alone really up to now). To get a release annually, you
have to start early! With "The Ragged Curtain" pieces,
they came together very quickly and I was on a roll (I
think this one will be the best one yet..) The main
centrepiece "Ragged Curtains" is almost 26 minutes long
so far. but the other supporting pieces are equally
complex. I am also limiting myself to writing for a set
'lineup' this time ( as I envisaged the touring band
rehearsing these songs up) plus adding in some more
challenging parts for Angela Goldthorpe from 'Mostly
Autumn'. Angela played Flutes & Recorders on CASCADE
and we had a great time. She has agreed to play on "The
Ragged Curtain" as well and also to do a one-off gig
with us (..hopefully...Mostly Autumn tours etc.
permitting)
Remco: Where do you
want to see yourself in five years time, what do you
hope to have achieved?
Guy: I will
still be writing and recording (and hopefully) still
releasing CDs. I'd like to have some sort of
following/fan base who enjoy my music and will keep me
on my toes. I am proud of all my albums and the work I
have contributed to Po90 etc. and want to continue. The
chances of any of my CDs challenging Michael Jackson for
a No.1 album slot are remote though as this genre has
been somewhat forgotten by the majority and derided in
the Press (..I mean even Spocks Beard and The Flower
Kings..struggle..) I will continue to try and write
honest, engaging music and hope that someone out there
likes it!
Remco: I hope so too!
Thank you for the interview.
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