Bands to look out for #13

The Manic Shine

Currently breaking the mould in London’s indie-rock scene is the electronic-rock based band, The Manic Shine. They are a four-piece who are signed to The Animal Farm Records (who have worked with the likes of like Blink 182, Alkaline Trio, At The Drive-In, The Ataris, Less Than Jake and many more) and they have been grabbing attention with their genre-merging sound. The band's music combines a traditional rock sound with a synthesised, electronic edge, which they achieve by using a lot of new technology such as synthesisers on iPads. A lot of their music starts its life on the Apple music software, Garageband. 

The Manic Shine’s latest release, ‘My Woman (I Love Nothing About You)’, shows this sound off perfectly, and has already reached Number 13 in the Beat 100 charts. The band are now celebrating the success of the video release for the ‘My Woman’ single, after it was released a few weeks ago. With the band's trademark aggressive guitar riffs and harmonies, and a catchy chorus-line, it is a track that grows on you after only a few listens. Their Blindsider album was also released just a few weeks before the single.

The band have been supported by NME and BBC Introducing’s Tim Robinson, and their live performances are filled with energy and intricate sounds that are sometimes left off of their recordings. The band recently finished a leg of their UK tour in March, and they are currently creating their line-up around the UK for summer 2012, which already includes gigs in Southampton, Brighton, Derby, Nottingham, Berwick-upon-Tweed, Doncaster, Leicester, Newport, Ipswich, Bicester, Essex and London. They have also just recently finished shooting an acoustic promo video for the reggae-style version of their classic-rock track, ‘Legs’, at The Animal Farm studios in London.

The band consists of lead singer and guitarist Ozzie Rodgers, bassist James Hutchinson, guitarist and backing singer Orren Karp, and drummer Tamir Karp, who are from a diverse range of backgrounds; Orren and Tamir are from the foot of Golan Heights in Israel, Ozzie (short for Osama Rodgers,) is of Syrian, English, Hungarian and Italian origin, and British-born James has travelled and performed with Romany gypsies. And it is this range of diversity that adds to the band’s raw sound and unique edge. With musical influences including: John Mayer, Counting Crows, Jimi Hendrix, Led Zeppelin, ACDC and Rage Against the Machine.

Each of the band’s members has some kind of music degree or experience; for example the they have been on stage with The Maccabees, Tamir holds a degree in Popular Music Performance, and former LSE student Ozzie has performed with the legendary Megadeth, and ska-punk band Reel Big Fish, and it is these influences and advantages that make The Manic Shine stand out from a lot of new and emerging bands out there.

The band’s next Blindsider Tour gig is at The Empire in Leeds on Thursday 26th April 2012.
You can keep up to date with the band’s tour dates here

Leanne Sherman