14 June 2010 News and Reviews from the Toon Well, hello there. First up - the nice people at the Dutch progressive rock pages, or as their friends call them - DPRP (possibly because it sounds like a mid-70's Italian prog band), like Reflections. It's here. Ta very much Prog people, it's appreciated. "How did the gigs go?" I hear you ask. Very well, actually. Bit ropey round the edges on gig number 1, and my new VG-99 rig got stagefright on gig number 2, but it was fun, and Mark and Jim are great guys and a privelige to play alongside. There's some Youtube clips of me panicking my way through stuff - I may try and link to them. Jim Faupel is a great songwriter and his acoustic playing makes me a wee bit jealous, in a good way. Go check out his albums, and try and catch a gig this summer. And, for the next few months at the very least, I'm in Geordieland. Home of the Toon, the Broon, the Stottie, and Pease Pudding. It's a nice place and paradoxically a lot more conducive to live gigs than ever-so-slightly-fond-of-its-own-image London Town. So expect to see me out and about, oops, "oot and aboot", in the not too distant future, assuming the removal people havent unintentionally downsized my guitar portfolio... Love Manir x

30 March 2010 Gigs and musings ..Hi folks. 11 April 2010 - note that date! And 9 May. Note that date too. I'm playing a live unplugged set with the fabulous Jim Faupel, and the just as fabulous but wouldn't like to let him know Mark Rae, at The Libertine 125 Great Suffolk Street The Borough London SE1 1PQ 020-7378 7877 We'll be doing some stuff from Reflections, some stuff from Jim's back catalogue, and some Sanctuary Rig. Am nervous but excited. Which is nice 2 in the morning, thus obviously it's blog time. I thought that, as it's that stream-of-consciousness time in the morning, I'd think out loud about album 2, to give some thoughts to go with the small snippets of music that I'll put up with this. Firstly, format. Because I'm an old git , I can't help but think about albums in terms of side one and side two (anyone under about 25, google "LP"). So, side one will be a continuous, interconnected piece of music, which the snippet from "no memorial" comes from. Side two, will be more along the lines of the shorter pieces of Reflections, except, there'll be songs. With vocals and everything. Well, a couple at least. The concept (uh oh. prog alert...) behind side one, which I haven't given a name to yet, is roughly (told you I was thinking aloud) reflecting on loss, and mortality, which hopefully isn't necessarily as bleak as it sounds. Over the last year or so, large bits of my world of musical influence have passed on, and I'm at an age where it starts to hit you that the human journey is very much a finite one. Which is a great incentive to carpe the diem, as it were, and make sure that you get out and do as much as you can. On a personal level, a very dear friend, the incomparable Doug Boucher, passed away far too early late last year, and that's driving me really hard to make this piece not a memorial, but a testament to a good man, and a good father, and hopefully something that's melancholy and uplifting at the same time. Also, the left hand is, alas, getting worse. The Dupuytrens is advancing, and I'm starting to lose some of the feeling in my little finger. So, until radiotherapy or surgery, I'm up against it time wise. On a brighter note, the VG-99 is showing its overall amazingness on a regular basis, and I've got the gigs to look forward to. And the (very) rough first draft of Behemoth was/is a great excuse to make some noise, in a way that wasn't really apparent on Reflections. I've repurchased the same model of Fender 12-string that graced that CD, after stupidly selling it a couple of years ago. And the big leather coat is back! So, that's where my head is at. More later. (or earlier, depending on the sleep patterns). Take care all. Manir x

8 October 2009 Radiation is a good thing Hi. Since last time.....Been to NYC for a well-deserved break. Moved House. Again. Started work on a decent home studio in preparation for lots more recording. Been accepted for radiotherapy for my dodgy left hand (Dupuytren's). All in all, I'm happy enough. Best to all, M

11 August 2009 Review! Hello there. It's been a long long time, hasn't it? As the lyrics of Grendel go, or something.... Been busy with my day job, battling off ailments, and organising for a trip to NYC. The Hobbits of Olaf are in discussions (mainly with themselves about what to get next at the bar, but I sense movement on a musical front soon), and Planet Mellotron have very kindly reviewed Reflections. It's here http://www.planetmellotron.com/revsamd-e.htm#manir and I'm flattered. It's a great site to wander around, and you should. If only for the wit and incision in the reviews. I'm hoping to put some new stuff up soon, but until then..... Manir x

27 April 2009 Just touching base Hi all. Hope you're all well, as I cough and splutter through this update... Well, the move went OK, and barring a few bits and pieces (a Tool boxset and an errant Dalek not the least of these!), I'm in one piece. Having resurrected my music PC, I'm already looking at some ideas that didn't make it onto Reflections, including two pieces that were quite close to making the final cut, and one that missed out because I didn't have the audio files to hand. These will probably be the first tracks on album number two, which I hope to start working on pretty much immediately. Reflections itself is now available on iTunes, which is cool. And now I must crack on! Love to all, M x

12 April 2009 CD Baby - for my friends across the oceans (not necessarily the topographic ones) Hi, Just a short note (a hemidemisemiquaver?) to let you now that the charming folks at CDBaby are now stocking Reflections, at the highly reasonable price of $11.99. Or cheaper if you want an mp3 download, but if you do that you'll miss out on some amazing cover work, honest(!). Also, keep an eye out for Jim Faupel's impending solo album - I had a sneak listen to a couple of unmixed tracks and it's terrific. Yours, not eating any chocolate at all (the joy of diabetes - which isn't a book about insulin illustrated with a bloke with a dodgy 70's beard) Manir xx

9 April 2009 My first blog entry. By Manir Donaghue, age 22 and a very big bit Hi all. First Blog post, so…(deep breath) Thanks to you all for visiting, and for those who have exercised their democratic right to buy the CD, much gratitude. The combination of Mark and Tony’s musical contributions, Tony’s skill behind a desk, and Katy’s stunning images have made the sum of this album something I couldn’t possibly have imagined when I first recorded Yule with an Akai DPS-16 balanced on my bed in my flat in Harrow a million years ago. I’m obviously grateful to the charming and funky folks behind Rig Records for giving me the opportunity to have a proper CD with a bar code and all, and that’s enough being grateful for one day. I’ll post here as often as I can, although I’m moving home over the next two weeks – so whilst I’ll be relatively quiet online, I’ll be getting back all my musical instruments that have effectively been in storage for the last year, so can look forward to getting my callouses back, and maybe even working on new material, both for me, and for the (mighty) Hobbits Of Olaf. Of which more soon. Until then, have a lovely Easter, and enjoy your chocolate. Love, Manir