Talented Musicians Blog: Meet Mike Manuele

An Interview with Mike Manuele

Hi Mike, Where do you currently reside?
When I'm not out traveling with the circus, I live in Hillsdale.

What's it like to have a CD out and in your view the current state of the music industry for independent artists?
These days there are more ways than ever to get your music out there and heard. I think it's good that there are still about 35 people who still buy CD's, but I think only about seven of them listen to one all the way through in order.

How do you promote yourself?
Through social media, that's one of the best things about what's basically a very clever marketing tool and data gathering technology. We get to use it to promote ourselves when it's not sucking our very souls from us.

How many years have you been playing?
I've been playing music for 43 years, not counting the unfortunate year I played accordion at age 10.

What musicians influenced you?
There are famous musicians that left their mark and started me on the path, the most influential of the famous ones would be The Beatles, Frank Zappa, The Grateful Dead, King Crimson, Bob Marley, Parliament. The musician who influenced me the most and had the greatest impact on my playing and the musician I was to become, was the band leader of my first band I played in when I was 18 years old, Michael Prell. No nonsense, hard work, long hours, but lots of joy, lots of gigs and so much fun. Michael taught me creative discipline, and what it takes to run a band, run rehearsals, to be focused, determined and still laugh, get out of hand, sometimes out of control, but always with the love of music carrying us.

I also have to give props to the guys from my original band, Jeff Ferrara and Dave Shuman. We worked tirelessly, played some intricate progressive material and second only to our talent was our inability to book gigs. Hats off to my old friend Steve Summer, a great songwriter and performer who has since begun his travels in another dimension, and finally to my partner in crime from the 2x10, the great guitar player Iain Greenway. I'm able to play things in 2x10 that are not possible in other emsembles thanks to the synergy between us.

Finally, my latest inspiration would be the guys I've had the good fortune to be playing with for the past five years. Working with the very talented guitar player John Rango and amazing drummer Vincent Livolsi keeps me on my toes keeps things weird, and leaves the door open for random encounters with the cosmos. We're working on capturing that in the studio and then getting out and subjecting unsuspecting listeners to the chaos and beauty of it all.

What's it like to gig or tour?
Gigging can be both hard work and pure joy at the same time. Sometimes it's just hard work. There are moments of bliss, train wrecks, humor, weirdness, love, more weirdness, possibly vomit if Jim gets nervous, and if it all works just right you get to touch the divine - sometimes for seconds on end.

Tell us about your gear.
Musicman basses and Mesa Boogie amps.

What advice would you give a newbie musician?
Get an additional skill that can generate income so you can afford to play the kind of music you want to play and still eat. Unless you like peanut butter sandwiches and tuna from a can. In that case, don't listen to me. In the end it's not about better or worse, it's about bringing your own voice and believing in your uniqueness.

What was one of your accomplishments as a musician or what are our goals?
My goal is to continue to learn, become better until I'm physically unable, and share the love, the vibe and whatever it is I've been blessed to have been given with as many people as I can through my electronic music, and various other projects and bands.