The Mighty Manatees
Encyclopedia
The Mighty Manatees is an American
"Dreadneck" band based in Montgomery County, Pennsylvania
. Over its nearly 25 year history the band has been known by many different names, including The Manatees, The Mighty Manatees Medicine Show, and Los Manatees. They have opened for such acts as The Spin Doctors, The Radiators
, David Amram
, America
, Richard Hell
, and Lee Ranaldo
. They once performed at a private party for U2
.
), 1985. At the time, the band was a duo, consisting of Will Hodgson and Ray Adkins, which relied on drum machines and sequencers. During this time, they released two live cassettes and two videos, including the cult classic Manatees In Manhattan.
In 1990, bass player Roy Truax and drummer Myles Rothwell were added to the line-up. The following year, the studio album High Water was released.
In 1992, Truax left the band and was replaced by Rothwell's cousin Randy Wagner.
In 1993, Adkins left the band and Hodgson effectively took over. From then on, the group, renamed The Mighty Manatees, became a de facto musical co-operative which employed a steady stream of various musicians coming and going.
On September 11, 2002, the band played alongside G.L. Brackett, an English professor and musician, in a tribute to those who died in the September 11 attacks.
Since January 2007, Jim Cavanaugh, previously of Wanderlust
, has been the drummer for The Mighty Manatees.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
"Dreadneck" band based in Montgomery County, Pennsylvania
Montgomery County, Pennsylvania
Montgomery County is a county located in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania, in the United States. As of 2010, the population was 799,874, making it the third most populous county in Pennsylvania . The county seat is Norristown.The county was created on September 10, 1784, out of land originally part...
. Over its nearly 25 year history the band has been known by many different names, including The Manatees, The Mighty Manatees Medicine Show, and Los Manatees. They have opened for such acts as The Spin Doctors, The Radiators
The Radiators (US)
The Radiators, also known as The New Orleans Radiators, are a rock band from New Orleans, Louisiana, who have combined the traditional musical styles of their native city with more mainstream rock and R&B influences to form a bouncy, funky variety of swamp-rock they call fish-head music...
, David Amram
David Amram
David Amram is an American composer, musician, conductor, and writer. As a classical composer and performer, his integration of jazz , ethnic and folk music has led him to work with the likes of Charlie Parker, Thelonious Monk, Dizzy Gillespie, Lionel Hampton, Willie Nelson, Langston...
, America
America (band)
America is an English-American folk rock band that originally included members Gerry Beckley, Dewey Bunnell and Dan Peek. The three members were barely out of their teens when they became a musical sensation during 1972, scoring #1 hits and winning a Grammy for best new musical artist...
, Richard Hell
Richard Hell
Richard Hell is a singer, songwriter, bass guitarist, and writer.Richard Hell was an innovator of punk music and fashion. He was one of the first to spike his hair and wear torn, cut and drawn-on shirts, often held together with safety pins...
, and Lee Ranaldo
Lee Ranaldo
Lee M. Ranaldo is an American singer, guitarist, writer, record producer, and visual artist, best known as a co-founder of the alternative rock band Sonic Youth...
. They once performed at a private party for U2
U2
U2 are an Irish rock band from Dublin. Formed in 1976, the group consists of Bono , The Edge , Adam Clayton , and Larry Mullen, Jr. . U2's early sound was rooted in post-punk but eventually grew to incorporate influences from many genres of popular music...
.
History
Between 1985 and 1990, the group was named simply The Manatees, and its first show was on October 31 (HalloweenHalloween
Hallowe'en , also known as Halloween or All Hallows' Eve, is a yearly holiday observed around the world on October 31, the night before All Saints' Day...
), 1985. At the time, the band was a duo, consisting of Will Hodgson and Ray Adkins, which relied on drum machines and sequencers. During this time, they released two live cassettes and two videos, including the cult classic Manatees In Manhattan.
In 1990, bass player Roy Truax and drummer Myles Rothwell were added to the line-up. The following year, the studio album High Water was released.
In 1992, Truax left the band and was replaced by Rothwell's cousin Randy Wagner.
In 1993, Adkins left the band and Hodgson effectively took over. From then on, the group, renamed The Mighty Manatees, became a de facto musical co-operative which employed a steady stream of various musicians coming and going.
On September 11, 2002, the band played alongside G.L. Brackett, an English professor and musician, in a tribute to those who died in the September 11 attacks.
Since January 2007, Jim Cavanaugh, previously of Wanderlust
Wanderlust (band)
Wanderlust was an American power pop band of the mid-1990s based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.-Formation:Scot Sax, a native of Philadelphia, had been playing and writing songs since the age of 13, and had actually performed with fellow Philadelphian Rob Bonfiglio a number of times...
, has been the drummer for The Mighty Manatees.
Discography
- 1988 [Cassette] Manatees - Live
- 1989 [Cassette] History Of The Manatees Vol. One
- 1991 High Water
- 1991 The Shoreline Sampler Vol. One (Compilation)
- 1992 The Mighty Manatees - Whiskey Joe's
- 1996 South Paw
- 1996 Live Medicine
- 1996 Tees In The Keys
- 2002 All Heaven Broke
- 2002 Manatee Masquerade
- 2003 Go Forward (Compilation)
- 2003 Good Friday Tracks - La Banda Grande
- 2004 Tall Pines (acoustic)
- 2006 No "L" (ChristmasChristmasChristmas or Christmas Day is an annual holiday generally celebrated on December 25 by billions of people around the world. It is a Christian feast that commemorates the birth of Jesus Christ, liturgically closing the Advent season and initiating the season of Christmastide, which lasts twelve days...
compilation) - 2008 The Mighty Manatees
- 2009 The Mighty Manatees Live!