Damanek - On Track (2017)

On Track is a genre-defying collection of sophisticated songs that manage to combine impressive technical proficiency with catchy hooks and vast soundscapes. Sean Timms sleek production adds to the overall sense of quality and class on this impressive debut. The recording of On Track is completed by a stellar list of guest musicians including: Brody Thomas Green ('Southern Empire') drums; Tim Irrgang ( UPF ) percussion; Antonio Vittozzi ('Soul Secret') guitars; Luke Machin ('Maschine'/ Kiama / The Tangent ) guitars; Stephen Dundon ('Molly Bloom') flute; Nick Magnus keyboards; Phideaux vocals; Ulf Reinhardt ('Seven Steps to the Green Door') - drums.

After 14 years, Guy Manning disbanded his own MANNING band. He was now on the lookout for other more collaborative projects.

He was contacted in 2013 by Mark (Truey) Trueack (ex Unitopia) to join the debut line up of a Project to be called the “United Progressive Fraternity” (UPF).
Guy also helped to enhance the UPF line up by contacting and recruiting his friends Marek Arnold and Dan Mash.

Guy contributed, keyboards, acoustic instruments and arrangements to the debut album “Fall in Love with the World” alongside Marek (Keys, Saxes) and Dan (Bass).

UPF toured Europe after their debut performance at Summers End X in 2014 and the album was released shortly after.

The plan was to go on to record another UPF album and so Guy settled into a prolific writing period of music/lyrics with UPF in mind. However, this did not in fact happen as the Tour had sadly proven that it was quite difficult to keep this very international and geographically challenged line up together and to write/record/perform as an ensemble.

At this point, Guy decided that he should use some of his accrued material on a Project of his own that but that he would still love to have Partners involved. He contacted Marek and Dan to form a brand new entity to be called DAMANEK (after DAn, MANning and MarEK) and then, subsequently, good friend Sean Timms was also invited in to complete the group.

DAMANEK settled into recording eight of Guys pieces for the debut album to be called “On Track”. Tony Lythgoe, created the artwork for the CD package.

To record the album, the quartet needed additional musicians and so a stellar cast list of people they knew/ had worked with before was assembled to help out and colour/finish the tracks.

The “On Track” selection, dealing with some quite big Socio-Economic issues and employing Guys natural narrative/story telling style of composition has now been assembled.

DAMANEK were invited to perform at Summers End 2016 and the four friends, aided and abetted by guest performers Luke Machin (Maschine, The Tangent) and Henry Rogers (Heather Findlay Band, Touchstone, DeeExpus), made their World debut there playing the majority of the new album to an audience that neither knew what to expect from the ensemble nor knowing any of the material beforehand (a brave move!).

We are very happy to report that the band went down a storm to a very supportive, vocal packed out crowd……

So now, we just need the World to hear the final “ON TRACK” album!