[Story by Diane Adams]
The cold front last week blew in more than cool air. Johnny Manchild, multi-instrumentalist, composer and my son’s favorite musician tore into town for a KOXE/KBWD radio interview promoting his upcoming show in Brownwood. Manchild pulled up at our house in the Manchild transport van, sporting rolled up jeans, platinum hair, and combat boots. I fed him fruit and we talked philosophy and music.
The six member band of eclectic sounding musical virtuosos, Johnny Manchild and the Poor Bastards, is set to perform at Brownwood’s Lyric Theater on December 17th. It’s a sound Manchild has worked for many years to obtain–a conglomeration of many musical influences that forms its own unique style. From Radiohead to some big band sounds, sporting a saxophone and even the occasional flute, Johnny and his team bring something different to the table.
Johnny is frontman, and plays the keyboard, but he’s comfortable on most any instrument. “I wouldn’t call myself a keyboard player over anything else,” Manchild said. “I was a drummer first, then a guitarist. I hadn’t picked up keys until I was about 13 or 14. I enjoy the medium immensely; especially getting into the realm of synthesizers and vintage keys. I would kill a man for a 200 Wurlitzer or any other instrument, so I do suppose my heart lies with the keys in some regard. That being said, I LOVE playing and writing for bass.”
A music theory geek, Manchild is not your typical guitar chord strumming hero. He’s done the work to thoroughly learn his art, and it shows. “There’s a hundred ‘right’ ways to put a song together in arrangement, and even more when it comes to the mix and production,” Manchild mused, “but I think it’s important to know when to let a song go and just be what it is. Half the fun is letting the song evolve past the recording, and get a second life in the live setting.”
The band has released four albums so far, with a new one in the works set to drop sometime next year. But for a band that makes complex music sound simple, there’s nothing like a live show to really experience the raw talent and emotional connection Manchild forms with his fans. “The band and I can have a great time playing to a chair, but when the room is full, things slow down and speed up at the same time in a way. It’s always amazing to see people who know the words and relate to the music just losing it with you in a room together. It’s my favorite thing I get to do.”
After a day of running around Brownwood, meeting up with Eric Evans at the Lyric to finalize plans, trying some downhome barbeque at Underwoods, and treating my son to something out of Make a Wish Foundation’s playbook reading ‘spend the day with your musical hero’, a tired but happy Johnny set out for his home in Oklahoma City.
Johnny says his ultimate dream is to continue doing what he does now, with an added emphasis on production. “I’d love to be in a position to invest in other people’s projects and produce more someday. Being a recording engineer as well, creating music for others is an important part of my life, so I’d love to continue that on a larger scale.” Manchild loves what he does, and if you love music, you will too.
You can pick up tickets for the event here: Tickets – Brownwood Lyric Theatre