Q&A Scene: Phil Manning – Chain

How does it feel when CHAIN is called “the originator of Oz-Blues”?

It is extremely warming, although we are not the sole influence that led
to ’Oz- Blues’

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What about when you yourself are called a “legend”?

It’s nice, but a bit like being a dinosaur – haha!

How did you join Bay City Union — and then decide to form Chain?​

I joined the Bay City Union after having seen an ad for a guitarist in
10th Avenue- at club at that time. Chain came from a later band called
Beat’ Tracks. We got Wendy Saddinton as a singer and she came up with the
name.

What was the main difference when you wrote for Chain and then for yourself?

Chain was all to do with electric sounds and tight compositions or just
jamming, whereas my solo stuff has had an emphasis on acoustic
fingerpicking and melody.

I read an interview where you said: “cricket ruined Chain”. Are you able to elaborate on this?

We were working really hard and cricket became a sort of stress release I
think and we stopped developing new material.

Now you have an award-winning solo career, but how difficult was it to
branch out on your own?

It was sheer hard work and lots of travelling, but that’s the nature of it.

How do you feel about touring? Are there any on-the-road anecdotes you can share with us?

I’m not as keen to tour as I used to be, so tend to keep them as short as
feasible. I often laugh at how in the early seventies there were band in
vans with their roadie travelling all over the place and we’d spot another
band in the middle of anywhere, jump out and share a joint, then head off
again – it was a real hoot at the time.

What can we expect from this tour?

Old hits, newest songs, some jamming and a lot of fun, not to forget
Matt’s onstage persona

What is next for you?

I’ll keep on writing as I’m assembling a new album, as well as searching
out prior material for posting online with Laneway Music, the online label
I work with.

Do you still consider your “scene” to be what it was the last time we
interviewed you or has it changed?

“I prefer a quiet home life nowadays, with my wife and I each having our
own small studios – she’s an artist – and apart from when I perform (or
when we go off on some exotic holiday somewhere) we’re pretty happy as home bodies.”
https://whatsmyscene.com/qa-scene-guitarists-special-phil-manning/

Yes, it’s pretty much the same thing – I still love playing though not as
often as I used to and live a pretty quiet life with my wife and partner –
we do lots together!

Catch CHAIN this Saturday www.yarravillelive.com

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