Man Man - AbsoluteAstronomy.com

Man Man is an experimental

Experimental music

Experimental music refers, in the English-language literature, to a compositional tradition which arose in the mid-20th century, applied particularly in North America to music composed in such a way that its outcome is unforeseeable. Its most famous and influential exponent was John Cage...

band from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Pennsylvania

The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is a U.S. state that is located in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The state borders Delaware and Maryland to the south, West Virginia to the southwest, Ohio to the west, New York and Ontario, Canada, to the north, and New Jersey to...

. Man Man is known for their exuberant live performances. When performing, the members of the band sometimes coordinate their outfits, often seen in white outfits and, more commonly, war paint.

The band uses pseudonyms—the frontman is Honus Honus, and its other members are Pow Pow, Chang Wang, Turkey Moth, and Jefferson.

They're known for their multi instrumental style that centers on the piano playing of lead singer/lyricist Honus Honus accompanied by a wide variety of other instruments played by the rest of the band. On recordings, Honus usually plays piano but during the live shows he uses a Rhodes Piano

Rhodes piano

The Rhodes piano is an electro-mechanical piano, invented by Harold Rhodes during the fifties and later manufactured in a number of models, first in collaboration with Fender and after 1965 by CBS....

or a Nord Electro 3. Other instruments played by the rest of the band include a clavinet

Clavinet

A Clavinet is an electrically amplified keyboard instrument manufactured by the Hohner company. It is essentially an electronically amplified clavichord, analogous to an electric guitar. Its distinctive bright staccato sound has appeared particularly in funk, disco, rock, and reggae songs.Various...

, Moog Little Phatty, sousaphone

Sousaphone

The sousaphone is a type of tuba that is widely employed in marching bands. Designed so that it fits around the body of the musician and is supported by the left shoulder, the sousaphone may be readily played while being carried...

, saxophone

Saxophone

The saxophone is a conical-bore transposing musical instrument that is a member of the woodwind family. Saxophones are usually made of brass and played with a single-reed mouthpiece similar to that of the clarinet. The saxophone was invented by the Belgian instrument maker Adolphe Sax in 1846...

, trumpet

Trumpet

The trumpet is the musical instrument with the highest register in the brass family. Trumpets are among the oldest musical instruments, dating back to at least 1500 BCE. They are played by blowing air through closed lips, producing a "buzzing" sound which starts a standing wave vibration in the air...

, French horn, flute

Flute

The flute is a musical instrument of the woodwind family. Unlike woodwind instruments with reeds, a flute is an aerophone or reedless wind instrument that produces its sound from the flow of air across an opening...

, bass clarinet

Bass clarinet

The bass clarinet is a musical instrument of the clarinet family. Like the more common soprano B clarinet, it is usually pitched in B , but it plays notes an octave below the soprano B clarinet...

, drum set, euphonium

Euphonium

The euphonium is a conical-bore, tenor-voiced brass instrument. It derives its name from the Greek word euphonos, meaning "well-sounding" or "sweet-voiced"...

, Fender Jazz Bass

Fender Jazz Bass

The Jazz Bass was the second model of electric bass created by Leo Fender. The bass is distinct from the Precision Bass in that its tone is brighter and richer in the midrange and treble with less emphasis on the fundamental harmonic...

, Danelectro baritone guitar

Danelectro

Danelectro is an American manufacturer of musical instruments and accessories, specializing in rock instruments such as guitars, bass guitars, amplifiers and effects units.-History:...

, xylophone

Xylophone

The xylophone is a musical instrument in the percussion family that consists of wooden bars struck by mallets...

, marimba

Marimba

The marimba is a musical instrument in the percussion family. It consists of a set of wooden keys or bars with resonators. The bars are struck with mallets to produce musical tones. The keys are arranged as those of a piano, with the accidentals raised vertically and overlapping the natural keys ...

, melodica

Melodica

The melodica, also known as the "blow-organ" or "key-flute", is a free-reed instrument similar to the melodeon and harmonica. It has a musical keyboard on top, and is played by blowing air through a mouthpiece that fits into a hole in the side of the instrument. Pressing a key opens a hole,...

and various percussive instruments including pots and pans, toy noise makers, chinese funeral horns, spoons, smashing plates, and fireworks.

History

Man Man released their debut The Man in a Blue Turban with a Face
The Man In a Blue Turban With a Face
The Man in a Blue Turban with a Face is the debut album by experimental rock group Man Man.-Track listing:#"Against the Peruvian Monster"#"10lb Moustache"#"Zebra"#"Sarsparillsa"#"White Rice, Brown Heart"#"Gold Teeth"#"Magic Blood"...

in October 2004 on Ace Fu Records

Ace Fu Records

Ace Fu Records is an independent record label founded in 1998 by Eric Speck and is currently located in Williamsburg, Brooklyn.-Roster:*Acid Mothers Temple*Annuals*An Albatross*Aqui*The Dears*Devotchka*Ex Models*Illinois*Kaiser Chiefs*Man Man...

, but they did not begin to tour extensively until their follow-up album Six Demon Bag
Six Demon Bag
Six Demon Bag is the second album by experimental rock group Man Man, known mainly for their carnivalesque sound and well-received live shows...

was released in 2006 to positive reviews. During 2007, the band opened for Modest Mouse

Modest Mouse

Modest Mouse is an American indie rock band formed in 1993 in Issaquah, Washington, by singer/lyricist/guitarist Isaac Brock, drummer Jeremiah Green, and bassist Eric Judy. They are based in Portland, Oregon. Since their 1996 debut album, This Is a Long Drive for Someone with Nothing to Think...

on several U.S tours, gaining them further public attention. Not long afterward, Nike

Nike, Inc.

Nike, Inc. is a major publicly traded sportswear and equipment supplier based in the United States. The company is headquartered near Beaverton, Oregon, which is part of the Portland metropolitan area...

began airing a series of commercials starring Rainn Wilson

Rainn Wilson

Rainn Dietrich Wilson is an American actor and comedian. He is primarily known for his role as the egomaniacal Dwight Schrute on the American version of the television comedy The Office...

with Man Man's "10 lb Mustache" as the background music. "10 lb Mustache", "Feathers", and "Engwish Bwudd" were featured in season 3, episode 8 of the TV show Weeds
Weeds (TV series)
Weeds is an American television comedy created by Jenji Kohan and produced by Tilted Productions in association with Lionsgate Television. The central character is Nancy Botwin , a widowed mother of two boys who begins selling marijuana to support her family after her husband dies suddenly of a...

. The band also recorded a cover of "Little Boxes" for the title sequence of that episode.

Man Man released their third studio album Rabbit Habits
Rabbit Habits
Rabbit Habits is an album by experimental Rock group Man Man. The album incorporates raspy vocals, jangly guitars, synths, bells, acoustic guitar, and, as heard on "Mysteries of the Universe Unraveled" and "Doo Right", fireworks.-Track listing:...

on ANTI-

ANTI-

ANTI- is an American record label founded in 1999 as a sister label of Epitaph Records.While Epitaph's focus has shifted over the last decade from mostly punk rock, nowadays ANTI- has a more diverse roster, ranging from country , hip hop , reggae , Soul , folk , rap-rock , indie rock...

in 2008, and embarked on a North American tour in March 2008, with Yeasayer

Yeasayer

-History:The band's three core members, Chris Keating, Ira Wolf Tuton, and Anand Wilder, first came to attention after appearing at the SXSW festival in early 2007. Their first single consisted of a double A-side of the tracks "Sunrise" and "2080"...

and Tim Fite

Tim Fite

Tim Fite is an American musician, singer-songwriter, and multi-instrumentalist, living and working in Brooklyn. His past releases have run the gamut from indie to alternative to country to hip hop.-History:...

splitting dates. They performed at numerous festivals including Voodoo Experience

Voodoo Experience

Voodoo Experience, also commonly referred to as Voodoo or Voodoo Fest, is a multi-day music and arts festival held in City Park, New Orleans, Louisiana. It was first held on Halloween weekend in 1999. It has since moved between the weekend before Halloween and Halloween weekend throughout the years...

, Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival

Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival

The Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival is a three-day annual music and arts festival, organized by Goldenvoice and held at the Empire Polo Club in Indio, California, in the Inland Empire's Coachella Valley...

, All Tomorrow's Parties

All Tomorrow's Parties (music festival)

All Tomorrow's Parties is a music festival which takes place at Camber Sands holiday camp in East Sussex and Butlin's holiday camp in Minehead, Somerset, England....

, Primavera Sound, and the Meredith Music Festival

Meredith Music Festival

The Meredith Music Festival is a three-day outdoor music festival held every December at the Supernatural Amphitheatre, a natural amphitheatre located on private farmland near the town of Meredith in Victoria, Australia...

that same year.

Man Man released their fourth album Life Fantastic
Life Fantastic
Life Fantastic is the fourth album by the experimental indie rock band Man Man. The album was produced by Mike Mogis, marking the first time the band has worked with an outside producer...

in May 2011 with producer Mike Mogis (of Bright Eyes and Monsters of Folk

Monsters of Folk

Monsters of Folk is an American supergroup, consisting of Jim James from My Morning Jacket, Conor Oberst and Mike Mogis from Bright Eyes, and M. Ward, renowned solo artist. The band was formed in 2004 when the members were on tour with their respective bands and solo projects. After playing...

fame). The first song on the album was "Steak Knives," which was inspired by a failed relationship and the death of a close friend. It took Kattner over a year to write.

Prior to settling on Man Man, the band was named Gamelon and briefly Magic Blood.

Honus Honus has made an album with Nicholas Thorburn

Nicholas Thorburn

Nicholas Thorburn is a Canadian musician who has fronted The Unicorns, Th' Corn Gangg, Islands, Reefer, and Human Highway. He has gone by the stage name "Nick Diamonds."...

of Islands

Islands (band)

Islands is a Canadian indie rock band formed in 2005 in Montreal, Quebec, Canada, and currently based in Brooklyn, New York.-Return to the Sea:In mid-2005 Islands recorded a debut album titled Return to the Sea, which was released in April 2006...

and The Unicorns

The Unicorns

The Unicorns were a Lo-Fi/Indie Pop band from Montreal, Canada formed in December 2000 by Nicholas Thorburn and Alden Penner , who were later joined by Jamie Thompson in December 2003.-History:...

, and Joe Plummer

Joe Plummer

Joe Plummer is an American drummer from Portland, Oregon. Since 2004, Plummer has been a member of the indie rock band Modest Mouse and performed on their album, We Were Dead Before the Ship Even Sank...

of Modest Mouse and The Shins

The Shins

The Shins are an American indie rock band comprising singer, songwriter, and guitarist James Mercer, guitarist/bassist Dave Hernandez, Eric Johnson of Fruit Bats, drummer Joe Plummer and bassist Ron Lewis. Their sound draws on several musical genres, including pop, alternative rock, indie rock,...

under the name, Mister Heavenly

Mister Heavenly

Mister Heavenly is an indie rock supergroup consisting of Honus Honus of Man Man, Nicholas Thorburn of Islands and The Unicorns, and Joe Plummer of Modest Mouse and The Shins. They recorded their first album in late 2010, finishing the year with a string of tour dates supporting Passion Pit, joined...

Discography

Studio albums

The Man in a Blue Turban with a Face
The Man In a Blue Turban With a Face
The Man in a Blue Turban with a Face is the debut album by experimental rock group Man Man.-Track listing:#"Against the Peruvian Monster"#"10lb Moustache"#"Zebra"#"Sarsparillsa"#"White Rice, Brown Heart"#"Gold Teeth"#"Magic Blood"...

(2004)
Six Demon Bag
Six Demon Bag
Six Demon Bag is the second album by experimental rock group Man Man, known mainly for their carnivalesque sound and well-received live shows...

(2006)
Rabbit Habits
Rabbit Habits
Rabbit Habits is an album by experimental Rock group Man Man. The album incorporates raspy vocals, jangly guitars, synths, bells, acoustic guitar, and, as heard on "Mysteries of the Universe Unraveled" and "Doo Right", fireworks.-Track listing:...

#186 U.S. (2008)
Life Fantastic
Life Fantastic
Life Fantastic is the fourth album by the experimental indie rock band Man Man. The album was produced by Mike Mogis, marking the first time the band has worked with an outside producer...

#157 U.S. (2011)

EPs

Man Man EP
Man Man EP
Man Man is a self titled EP by the experimental rock group of the same name....

(2004)
Little Torments
Little Torments
Little Torments is an 7" EP by the experimental rock group Man Man.The two tracks were taken from sessions that comprised the material for the albums Six Demon Bag and Rabbit Habits. The song "Little Torments" was recorded originally as a proposed theme for a cartoon....

7" (2008)

External links

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