MAGIC, MURDER, MANIA
&
MANTA RAYS

A Manifesto

MIKE1.JPG (7254 bytes)

Why? Why not? I'm obviously a repressed music hack so I've written some of this site all on my ownsome. However even if you're not interested in my senile ramblings, there will be other stuff, links and press mainly, which may be of more interest.

To give an idea to you casual browsers if these pages may be of interest to you, I thought I'd give you a brief history of my musical taste.

I  recently turned 40, but had a disturbed musical youth listening only to what I heard and not hearing anything I particularly liked. Then in 1979 I discovered life beyond the charts, and whilst it's not true to say I've barely returned since, I've probably spent more time at the margins.

My first true loves were probably the class of 1980, meaning Echo & the Bunnymen (Crocodiles), the Comsat Angels (Waiting for a Miracle), the Teardrop Explodes (Kilimanjaro) and U2 (Boy). White boys with guitars, which would now be described as indie (yes even the young U2!), and a formula (boys and girls with (increasingly) loud guitars) I've continued to calculate variations in this formula ever since.

In retrospect, the early to mid-80's saw some good records but to me left a sense of under-achievement. Even the Smiths never turned out to be as special as they seemed they would be at the very beginning. My interests then spread across the Atlantic, to the big 2 college bands of the time, REM and Husker Du, and going further away from the mainstream with Sonic Youth. Things got really interesting in 86/87 with Pixies and Throwing Muses, still two of my all time faves.

By the early 90's, I was beginning to sense that I'd heard it all before and retreated into a far more limited exploration of new bands, falling back on old favourites (a disturbing number of whom had been going since way back when!). But even as the twentieth century faded slowly towards history, I rediscovered a real enthusiasm for finding new music (take a bow Mercury Rev for being largely responsible). I'm still not claiming to be anywhere near the cutting edge anymore (even of non trad-rock guitar music) and finances mean that you won't read the first reviews of an album here, but hell I still like it, even if Yvonne (Mrs M) doesn't!

I've discovered that the opportunities for being dedicated number 1 sites for a band are very slim, particularly since I don't know anyone famous even in obscure rock bands, but I hope that this site will give completely subjective album reviews, enthusiastic signposts for Eighties casualties and links to relevant sites which may be of interest to one or two people out there.

What am I listening to now? Try the playlist.

Oh yeah, the title may be explained throughout the site as time develops.

Disclaimer: Some images are  (at present) unashamedly filched (unless credited), hopefully from unofficial web-sites who won't mind too much about me using them solely to brighten up my pages. If anyone has a problem with this please let me know and I'll stop using your image straight away.

HEALTH WARNING: Yep that really is, or rather was, me at the top of the page, admittedly a few pounds lighter in those days! (and confession time, more than 10 years ago now!)