I am delighted to be able to announce that my debut solo album, Bones From My Back, will be released on 8th December – and available to stream here at www.manek.org.uk from a week before (1st December).
Making this record has been quite a journey for me, and I can’t wait for people to hear the music I’ve been working on for the past year; I hope you’re all as excited about it as I am!
I am very proud to announce that my first ever solo album is soon to be released. Although I write soundtracks and other music to commission, and do a lot of songwriting with various bands and other projects with which I am involved, I have never put myself out there as a solo artist, and hadn’t ever expected to be releasing a record under my own name – however, over the past year, the album has unexpectedly come together in a way I never could have imagined, and I can’t wait for people to hear it.
The title of the album is Bones From My Back, and it will feature sixteen original songs, with contributions from a few of the fantastic musicians I have been lucky enough to work with in the past. All the tracks have been recorded and produced in my studio. The wonderful artwork is by Luke Fairhead, from one of my own photographs.
I shall keep you up-to-date with more details of the release in the coming weeks.
I am proud to have been asked to compose and produce part of the soundtrack to a new original play at this year’s Edinburgh Fringe Festival. A FullFuse Theatre production, Sochi 2014 deals with Russian cultural and political attitudes towards gay rights through the prism of the recent Winter Olympics in Russia, and will feature clips of my music during several scenes.
The play runs from 1st – 10th August and from 12 – 21st August at 12:50pm each day at Bunker One of the Pleasance Courtyard in the centre of Edinburgh. Tickets can be purchased from the official Edinburgh Fringe Festival Box Office website.
On a whim, I wrote a World Cup single to complain about Norwich City goalkeeper John Ruddy being left out of the England squad, called John Ruddy Would’ve Saved That. My friend Tyler convinced me to make a very silly music video, dancing on the dunes at Great Yarmouth beach, so here it is!
John Ruddy Would’ve Saved That is available on iTunes, or on YouTube.
Taking advantage of this gorgeous weather to do some al fresco songwriting with Jimmy Roe…
I am delighted to have been invited back to Pellafort Press this coming Wednesday (20th November) to play the piano at the opening night of a brand new exhibition – ‘Explosive‘ – by London-based Russian painter Natalia Avdeeva.
The exhibition itself will run for two weeks (20th November – 5th December). As well as being a showcase for Natalia’s wonderful paintings, the display will feature a short video about Natalia and her personal approach to creating her artwork. In collaboration with Natalia and videographer Sophie Shaw, I have contributed an all-original soundtrack for this video, written to capture the energy and vitality of Natalia’s way of working, and her passion and vibrance as an artist.
For access to the opening evening of the exhibition on 20th November, please see details here.
