IAWS: First off, the Resolution gig at Ally Pally, how was it and did
you bump into Ian Brown? Mani: Yeah, it was good, great gig. I actually missed Ian’s set, it was pretty short and started quite early. We caught up with each other later on. Partied till the early hours after that… IAWS: Your DJing – what sort of stuff do you
play? Mani: Anything really – punk, funk,
reggae, acid house – anything from me box that grabs me. You can’t break music down into categories
anyway, what’s the point – music is music! IAWS: Do you hope to become a professional DJ? Mani: No, it’s more for a laugh and to get
out and meet the people. And when it’s too cold to go fishing! IAWS: So we’re not going to see
‘Ministry Of Sound LP mixed by Carl Cox and Mani’ anytime soon? Mani: Ha, definitely not, no! IAWS: The Complete Stone Roses – how do they
compare to the real thing live? Mani: Yeah, they’re good, very good
players. I found out about them through a
mutual acquaintance and went along to see them. It
was strange at first but I enjoyed it. They’re
keeping it alive, that’s the main thing. IAWS: Have you heard any other Stone Roses
tribute bands? Mani: No, I’ve heard there are quite a
few, but I’ve not seen any other ones. I’ve
heard of The Stoned Roses. When we [Primal
Scream] were in Ireland a few years back we wanted to see them, but we missed them by a
day. IAWS: How would you rate yourself as a bass
player and are there any other players from the UK that you rate? Mani: Well, I’m getting better all the
time! Whenever I think I’ve mastered it
and become a bit of a big head, I hear something new that I don’t know. I’m just on a continuous quest for rhythm and
groove, long may it continue! As for other
players I rate, er… people like Peter Hook, Andy Rourke, Paul Simonsen – The
Clash were a great band. IAWS: Favourite gig in the Scream Team? Favourite gig in the Roses? Mani: With the Primals, it would probably be
the NK Hall, Tokyo last year [2000] or the Big Day Out in Australia, though it’s hard
to remember all of them. Some gigs you really
enjoy, others you don’t… quite so much. With
the Roses it would have to be Glasgow Green. IAWS: I didn’t go, but I’ve got the
bootleg, and even on that you can sense the atmosphere. Mani: Yeah, top gig. My other favourite Roses gig would have to be
Feile Festival in ’95. It’s the
thing about the Celts you see, they really know how to enjoy themselves. IAWS: The English do tend to be a bit more
passive. Mani: Yeah, they go for the old chin-stroking,
but the Celts are just mad for it and know how to party. IAWS: Favourite song on Xtrmnr and why? Favourite Roses song and why? Mani: Favourite song on Xtrmnr… well, I
find it hard to say really. Pills maybe, just
because I’ve never heard Bobby Gillespie rap before!
And Accelerator, just for the instant blast, it sounds like a Stooges outtake. My favourite Roses song… I’ve got a soft
spot for Mersey Paradise believe it or not, I don’t really know why. IAWS: Some great melodies, especially from Reni. Mani: Yeah, Reni was the unnoticed talent, he
has a fuckin’ great voice, especially on that song. IAWS: Do your kids prefer Primal Scream or S Club
7? Mani: Ha ha!
Definitely Primal Scream – we whoop their asses! My kids got taste. IAWS: ‘The Stone Roses’ LP – it
has been said that none of you were happy with the mix, that John Leckie made it too
fluffy and sweet, not hard enough. So why did
you let it get released in that form? Mani: Well, the thing was, we went in the
studio with the idea that it would sound like we were live, more powerful. But don’t get me wrong, we were happy with
it. John [Leckie] created a beautiful thing, it just wasn’t what we were expecting,
all the reverb and that, we were expecting a more ‘live’ sound. IAWS: Yeah, your live sound really was quite
different to the record. Mani: Yeah, more bass and drums, but
that’s the way John saw it and it turned out well. IAWS: The Remixes album, what do you make of
that? I gather you were meant to be reviewing
it for a radio station, did that happen? Mani: Er… I think it did! I like ‘Elephant Stone’ – for me
that’s the whole point of a remix - to mash it all up and take it in a completely
different direction, so that one was good. IAWS: Are you going to see any of the money from
that? Mani: Well, I certainly haven’t yet! Doubt it, we’ll see… IAWS: Is it true that Alan McGee is now Primal
Scream’s manager? Mani: Alan looked after us for a short while,
but he’s got his hands full at the moment with his Poptones label and all that. We’ve some more guys now, Gerry, who manages
Texas, and Rab. IAWS: I heard a rumour that you formed your own
band in early ’96 but they folded – is this right? Mani: No, I’ve often had the thought, but
nothing’s ever come of it. IAWS: Why is Xtrmnr so ace? Mani: Er… because it is! (Laughs). IAWS: Simple as that? Mani: Simple as that. IAWS: Was any Seahorses material demoed by the
Roses? Mani: Well, that whole album was written during
the Roses. I used to hear the demos coming
out of John’s room. IAWS: … And when you knocked on the door,
the tape went off? Mani: Yeah, the guy had his own agenda, what
can you say? IAWS: Did you watch Big Brother and who did you
want to win? Mani: You what? (Repeats question) Mani: Oh that!
No, I thought that was shockingly bad telly. I’d
like to see 14 lead singers sharing a house though, that would be interesting, ha ha! IAWS: Do you know about Burnweed and One Love
Story? Mani: Yeah, I know about that. Burnweed, One Love Story, that religious nonsense,
Dandelion Fire, Reni is the messiah and all that crap… IAWS: Oh, so you really do know all about it
then? People on the internet weren’t
sure if you guys even knew it existed, or what you thought of it. Mani: Oh yeah, we know about it. Me and another kid were messing about reading it
one day. You don’t want to believe it,
what a load of shite. Ignore all that
religious guff, the guy’s a nutter. Because
let me tell you Will, religion is bullshit, and God is a total wanker! If he came too close he’d have had our
security to deal with. IAWS: So do you remember the Select Magazine
cover which featured a bubble coming out of your mouth saying ‘Shut it Weedbrain! That’s exposed the Stone Roses’ plans
for world domination’? Because some
people were saying you were trying to mess with this guy’s mind… Mani: I vaguely remember the cover, and it
wasn’t about that, I’m not even sure we had anything to do with that. We weren’t in the business of messing with
people’s minds, the brain’s the most important tool you’ve got, we
don’t want to take that away from people… IAWS: Man United this season – better or
worse than last time? Mani: Oh yeah, I’d say they’re 30%
better. Much tighter at the back and better
all round team. IAWS: You rate Barthez then, do you? He can give reason for alarm now and again… Mani: We’ve finally found a replacement
for Schmeichel there. And let’s face it
Will, we’re already going to win it, aren’t we? IAWS: It’s bloody boring, but probably, yes. Mani: Yeah, it is getting a bit boring now
isn’t it, but there you go! IAWS: Squire’s beard – what’s
going on there then? Mani: Oh that!
I had to do a double take when I saw him last year, didn’t recognise the kid! I don’t know, maybe it was cold where he was,
ha ha! Yeah, it’s ok, but it does tickle
the inner thigh, know what I mean? IAWS: What is your poison of choice these days? Mani: Weed.
As always. I’m a proper weedhead! IAWS: Please let me in on what set up you use,
strings, guitar, amp… please! Mani: Right, well I have been using a Mesa
Boogie 400+, though Marshall have recently sent me their Rig and that fuckin’ rocks! As for guitar, I’m still using the trusted
Rickenbacker. [He did mention about strings, but having to write it down while we spoke
and not knowing about basses, I didn’t get this bit down, though I remember him
talking about medium tuning and medium something else]. IAWS: Reni – it seemed a sudden decision to
quit the band? Mani: Not really. Reni is a calculated guy, he
would’ve thought long and hard before deciding to leave. I think he saw the way things were going before
the rest of us. He sussed out moves by
certain other members of the band and realised that people had their own agendas, so he
got out of it. IAWS: Part of the reason it seemed sudden was
because of the radio interviews you’d been doing a few months prior to him quitting,
in which he was the most talkative member of the band, and was talking a lot about his and
the band’s plans for the future. Mani: Yeah, well, people put up smokescreens,
don’t they? That’s all it was man,
a smokescreen. IAWS: So what’s he doing now, and why no
drumming anymore? Mani: He’s got a band going. I think with the drumming he felt like he’d
always be compared to the Roses, so he’s doing something new, singing and playing
guitar. He was an amazing drummer, but
he’s also a great singer and fuckin’ demon guitar player. IAWS: But do you think we the public are going to
see something from him? It’s been a long
time… Mani: He’s trying to get a record deal at
this moment, and as soon as he does I’m sure you’ll hear from him again. He’s tied up with his kids as well, he’s
a great parent, loves his kids. I’ve babysat for him a few times! IAWS: John Squire stated in an interview that
when he returned to the Roses after his bike crash you were “disinterested”. Is that fair? Mani: What, me personally? IAWS: Yes. Mani: Well, to me, he was disinterested, some
of those shows we did… IAWS: I know, I’ve seen the videos. Mani: I don’t know, when other people
aren’t showing much of an interest and you’ve got people with their own agendas
it is pretty hard, so I probably was uninterested at times, yes. IAWS: What happened to the Roses live album that
you mentioned just before Squire left? You
mentioned in one interview that you were mixing the Manchester Apollo gigs… Mani: I don’t know, really. We recorded a lot of shows from that tour. I guess it all fell apart when the band split. IAWS: If Silvertone had that recording, you could
guarantee it would be out by now! Mani: Yeah…[rest of answer deleted to
prevent libel case!] IAWS: Bobby said in an interview with XFM that
there would be new Primal Scream material in Spring 2001.
Have you therefore started work on the new record and does this mean there will be
no more live dates for a while? Mani: No, the Ally Pally gig was our last one
for now. The guys are already in the studio,
I’m off on holiday for a week then I’ll go in and start laying down some tracks
myself. IAWS: I saw you and Bez DJ at Ambitions in
Oldham. I shook your hand while you were
DJing and said ‘Thanks’. You looked
a bit annoyed and looked towards Bez. So
I’d just like to ask if you ever get sick of us lot bothering you for autographs and
the occasional handshake? Mani: (Laughs).
Worst part of the job mate(!) No, I
love it, love meeting people, these are the people that make you, and you can feel the
love they’re giving you. IAWS: Sun Still Shines and Your Time Will Come
are two great Roses songs that never made it on to ‘The Stone Roses’. Why? Mani: No particular reason, I guess we just had
better ones. I’m sure they were intended
to be b-sides at some point, but they never made it onto record. We had quite a few others like Boy On The Pedestal
and [didn’t write title down!] that never got recorded too. IAWS: So you know all the early stuff like Your
Time Will Come, even before you were in the band? Mani: Oh
yeah, I used to follow the band anyway, thought they were great. I reckon it was destiny for me to join that band.
Your Time Will Come, that’s a long time ago, that’s a great song… (sings
the chorus)… Your time will come, your river it will run… summer skies will
light your eyes… yeah. IAWS: How long did Begging You take to record,
and was it a bona fide writing collaboration? Mani: I’m not sure how long it took, it
didn’t take too long. I really liked
that song, it was more danceable than the rest of the album, which was what me, Ian and
Reni were more into at the time. Really good,
original tune. IAWS: And, of course, ripped off by U2 in
‘Discotheque’ Mani: Yeah, definitely, that and Sugar Spun
Sister for Angel Of Harlem. I was speaking to
Bono about that and he said (adopts Irish accent) ‘Well you’ve got to take from
somewhere, haven’t you?’. IAWS: What are your memories of The Mill? What did you sound like and do you want to share
your tapes of The Mill with us? Mani: The Mill was just me, Clint Boon and
Chris from The High. We’d go down to
Clint Boon’s dad’s factory and make a racket with power tools and machinery! No, I’d rather not share the tapes, thanks
very much! (laughs) IAWS: Did Ian have tunes written for Second
Coming and did John request priority for his work, or was Squire simply the only writer
producing new material at that time? Mani: Well, John was being the prolific one, coming out with some great songs, so we let him get on with it. I think that is when it started coming unravelled though, Ian resented it when John cut him out of songwriting and worked on his own, and their relationship deteriorated from there. It’s sad in a way, but you move on, you have to, and everyone’s friends change over time. You just move on and better yourself again! |