What Happened To: Guy Manning

[saucyjackstl]

I have to admit, that my introduction to him is still my favorite: A Matter Of Life & Death (The Journal Of Abel Mann) (2004)

I then got Anser's Tree and Ten as they came out and then it took me a while to catch up and get Charlestown.

I always liked him in The Tangent, in fact his vocals were spot.

Haven't heard anything new from him since The Root, The Leaf and the Bone (which I have heard but never got around to buying, so maybe I answered my own question).

[Kcrimso]

Guy Manning has a new band called Damanek that released quite good album called In Flight last year.

[saucyjackstl]

Guy Manning has a new band called Damanek that released quite good album called In Flight last year.

I actually have that on my Amazon wishlist but didn't know that Manning was involved. Need to check that out.

[ChrisXymphonia]

Guy Manning has released IMHO his two best albums ever under the guise of Damanek for which he writes all music, lyrics and does all the vocals and various instruments. Where as I never really got on well with the music he released as Manning, the two albums now released by Damanek (On Track and In Flight) are superb slices of music wth a sound that straddles the worlds of pop and prog. Imagine Sting around The Dream Of The Blue Turtles but with the music having more prog content instead of jazz.

[LeFrog]

Guy Manning has released IMHO his two best albums ever under the guise of Damanek for which he writes all music, lyrics and does all the vocals and various instruments. Where as I never really got on well with the music he released as Manning, the two albums now released by Damanek (On Track and In Flight) are superb slices of music wth a sound that straddles the worlds of pop and prog. Imagine Sting around The Dream Of The Blue Turtles but with the music having more prog content instead of jazz.

With Damanek, Manning has really taken things up a notch in terms of musicianship and production. Much like his good friend Andy Tillison did with The Tangent 15 years ago, Manning has finally found in Damanek the perfect band to do justice to his songwriting talent. Do check out Damanek if you liked Manning's solo work.

[flatliner]

I agree...the two Damanek releases are fantastic! The second is even better than the first IMO...

[Kcrimso]

With Damanek, Manning has really taken things up a notch in terms of musicianship and production.

I would not go that far. I prefer many Manning albums to poppier Damanek.

[LeFrog]

I would not go that far. I prefer many Manning albums to poppier Damanek.

You are perfectly entitled to prefer his previous albums as far as the music is concerned, however I find it difficult to argue with the fact that the musicians in Damanek are much better technically than most of the musicians Manning had in his previous band, and with the fact that Sean Timms's production skills are a great improvement over previous albums which sounded more home-made due to a lower budget.

[gearHed289]

He's also involved with United Progressive Fraternity - https://www.facebook.com/UPFrat/

UPF and Southern Empire came about when Unitopia split in two.

[LeFrog]

He's also involved with United Progressive Fraternity - https://www.facebook.com/UPFrat/

He was involved on the first UPF album but not on the second one to be released later this month. In fact Damanek came to be when Mark Trueack decided to stop his partnership with Manning and focus on writing with Steve Unruh for the next UPF album. Manning decided to form Damanek to play the material he had originally written for UPF.