Man Man

Man Man is an experimental rock band from Philadelphia and now based in Los Angeles. Their multi-instrumental style is centered on the piano playing of lead singer, songwriter, and lyricist Honus Honus (Ryan Kattner). On recordings, Honus usually plays piano but during the live shows he uses a Rhodes Piano or a Nord Electro 3. He is accompanied by an energetic group of multi-instrumentalist musicians and vocalists. Instruments played by the band include clavinet, Moog Little Phatty, sousaphone, saxophone, trumpet, French horn, flute, bass clarinet, drum set, euphonium, Fender Jazz Bass, Danelectro baritone guitar, xylophone, marimba, melodica and various percussive instruments including pots and pans, toy noisemakers, Chinese funeral horns, spoons, smashing plates, and fireworks.

For other uses, see Manman (disambiguation).
Man Man
The Man Man Band
Background information
Also known asMM
OriginPhiladelphia, Pennsylvania, United States
GenresExperimental rock
Years active2003–present
LabelsSub Pop, Ace Fu Records, ANTI-
Associated actsMister Heavenly, Honus Honus, Mega Naturals, Modest Mouse, Icy Demons, Buffalo Stance, Tom Waits, Outkast, Spaceship Aloha
Websitewww.manmanband.com
MembersHonus Honus
Jazz Diesel
Mature Kevin
Thu Butler
Brett Swett
King Cyrus King

History

Man Man released their debut The Man in a Blue Turban with a Face in October 2004 on Ace Fu Records, but did not begin to tour extensively until their follow-up album Six Demon Bag was released in 2006 to positive reviews. During 2007, the band opened for Modest Mouse on several U.S tours, gaining them further public attention. Not long afterward, Nike began airing a series of commercials starring Rainn Wilson with Man Man's "10 lb Mustache" as the background music.[1] "10 lb Mustache", "Feathers", and "Engrish Bwudd" were featured in season 3, episode 8 of the TV show Weeds. The band also recorded a cover of "Little Boxes" for the title sequence of that episode.[2]

Man Man released their third studio album Rabbit Habits on ANTI- in 2008, and embarked on a North American tour in March 2008, with Yeasayer and Tim Fite splitting dates. They performed at numerous festivals including Voodoo Experience, Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival, All Tomorrow's Parties, Primavera Sound, and the Meredith Music Festival that same year.

Man Man released their fourth album Life Fantastic in May 2011 with producer Mike Mogis (of Bright Eyes and Monsters of Folk fame). The album featured a less "wacky" and more somber sound than previous releases. The first song written for the album "Steak Knives" was inspired by a failed relationship and the death of several close friends. It took Kattner (Honus Honus) over a year to write.[3]

In 2011 and 2017, Honus released albums with the indie supergroup Mister Heavenly.

Man Man's fifth studio album, On Oni Pond was released on September 10, 2013. The album was again produced by Mike Mogis. The first single, "Head On", peaked at #32 on the Billboard Alternative Songs chart.

In 2015, Honus completed both a solo album and an album of children's music.[4] On November 4, 2016, Honus released his solo album, Use Your Delusion.

On August 9, 2019, the band released a two-song single for Sub Pop Records Singles Series titled "Beached" / "Witch".[5] Six months later in February, 2020, the band announced the release of their first studio album in seven years, Dream Hunting in the Valley of the In-Between.[6]

Members
  • Honus Honus: vocals, piano, electric piano, organ, guitar, ukulele, percussion
  • Jazz Diesel: trap kit, percussion
  • Mature Kevin: marimba, bass, melodica, trumpet, clarinet, bass clarinet, percussion, backing vocals
  • Thu Butler: saxophone, baritone saxophone, bass
  • Brett Swett: guitar, marimba, percussion, keys, backing vocals
  • King Cyrus King: guitar, bass, keys, synths, saxophone, drum programming, loops, samples, backing vocals

Additional Members
  • Eggs Foster: bass, guitar, keys, organ, percussion, backing vocals, pack master, Torquoise bass
  • Pee Wee Tay Tay: saxophone, EWI, dancing, half-bearded backing vocals
  • Cheesy Ten Sack: guitar, rice cooker, full-bearded vocals, Furred harp

Past members

Previous members have included, but were not limited to, Tiberius Lyn, Pow Pow (Christopher Powell), Sweet Chestnut (Dan Scofield), Brown Sugar (Adam Schatz), Shono (Bryan Murphy), Kritter Krat/Cougar/Alejandro Borg (Russell Higbee), Turkey Moth/Giamebee (Jamey Robinson), Chang Wang (Billy Blaise Dufala), Blanco (Steven Dufala), Les Mizzle (Craig Van Hise), G. Clinton Killingsworth (Sam Henderson), Liz Rywelki, Dicky Betts Jr. (Matt Gibson), Moonbeam (Evander Green), Jefferson, Brown Sugar Jr. (Michael Kammers), Shit Foot (Stephanie Smith), Sara Yurman, and Sergei Sogay (Chris Shar).

Discography
Man Man Halloween Show (2019) at The Hi Hat, Los Angeles

Studio albums

Extended plays

Singles

References
  1. Archived June 8, 2008, at the Wayback Machine
  2. "The Shins, Man Man Do Weeds". Stereogum. 2007-07-09. Retrieved 2014-02-15.
  3. "Interview: Honus Honus of Man Man". Inflatable Ferret. Retrieved 2014-02-15.
  4. "Man Man's Honus Honus Talks Mister Heavenly, Solo Record, and Writing Lyrics on the Walls". TRANSVERSO. Archived from the original on June 11, 2017. Retrieved May 5, 2019.
  5. New Man Man Single Release Available for Streaming & Purchase
  6. https://manmanbandband.bandcamp.com/album/dream-hunting-in-the-valley-of-the-in-between
  7. New Man Man Single Release Available for Streaming & Purchase
This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.