Mannyacs

Back-up Vocal~ Thus, we reach the true crux of the Bo Truwavus solo album tale…Manny’s reaction to it. In developing the other side of this adventure, our hero’s LIVID response is in perfect keeping with his legendary ego problems. Yet, from time to time, even I’m surprised by the laid back approach of our friend, Soxx. He keeps proving to be the most…zen of my tribe, in ways I don’t always expect. Soxx even brings gravity to the proceedings with his observation about the trappings of print media. For at least the last 20 years, I have heard people say “print is dying”. I won’t chime in with my thoughts on that particular matter. I will only offer that as a staunch supporter of music magazines from England, I do see the disparities from the perspective of time itself. In some cases, the news and albums they promote are ahead of official release dates, while other times it’s already old news when I buy an issue. In a few cases, I already own a new album by the time they report on it in their pages. Still, on other occasions, an article will sing the praises of a project or release that has yet to reach our side of the pond for a handful of months. This goes just as much for Music Chart coverage, as we’ve demonstrated here. It’s the nature of print, I suppose. The internet world is infinitely faster than paper news. Or, now and then…..not. 

One of the legion of elements that I always find so rewarding in writing Mannyacs, is discovering that a joke from my past works proves useful again. I didn’t really have a plan for deploying the “Backing Tracks” story in further Comics, but it presented itself as great little thread waiting to be woven into another square of the tapestry. I’m compeltionist and a great fan of sonic nuance. So, when I find that a favorite musician has released alternate versions of a past album I love, I want to hear it and find what additional ingredients where brought to the table. Especially if it offers the chance to hear music I know, with more attention given to what the other band members contributed, but was perhaps kept subdued in the original mixed and mastered product.  As a case in point, 2017 saw Marillion unveil a digitally remastered version of their classic “Misplaced Childhood” album, which included a Blu-Ray with a “round table” discussion between the band and Producer, Chris Kimsey. They all sat at the soundboard, moving the faders to reveal hidden gems in the music that were always there, but perhaps weren’t previously apparent. I got to hear that masterpiece with fresh ears. All of the intricate and layered atmosphere the band created in 1985 was finally on display via technology that could present it in the fashion it always deserved. The sound is absolutely stunning and I was floored by its brilliance all over again. Such is often also the case with “Backing Tracks” projects. It was fitting that the album dropped by Bo and Soxx would find a renaissance in popularity, given the success of our favorite kimono clad canine Bass player and his invasion on the Moldova charts. 

Where is Seychelles, you may ask? Well, don’t feel badly if you haven’t heard of the place. I hadn’t either, until I got a few readers there. So, as an offering of thanks for their visit, I gave them a wink and a nod in this here Comic. Menudo and The Osmonds have both found more than a passing presence in Manny’s world. Thanks to Yoga Boy’s seemingly endless intrusions on their serenity, it’s only fair that that they inform him of their stance regarding his attempts to blaze new trails in genre cross-pollination and bridge gaps in the audible landscape. Based on all of my past research through available channels, it strikes me that The Osmonds don’t have a single drop of vengeful blood in their DNA. However, Tully has no concept of acceptable boundaries in the arenas of hero worship. It seems that the family reached their personal saturation point and threw down with a live Bootleg tape that defined their limits of tolerance for any project bearing the Tully T. Tully name on the roster of creative staff. “That’s ALLS they can stands, THEY CAN’T STANDS NO MORE!” Can’t say I blame them.