A McManus For All Seasons

Pat McManus has shared the stage and worked with Bon Jovi, Sting, Iron Maiden, Deep Purple, Rush and many more. As part of legendary ‘80s outfit Mama’s Boys he helped copper-fasten Ireland’s place on the international hard rock map. Now he is back with his fifth studio album Walking Through Shadows, and 28 years since the Fermanagh brothers ordered us to put the ‘Needle In The Goove’, The Professor shows no signs of slowing down.

As well as putting the finishing touches to his latest opus (a beguiling mix of uptempo blues rock and emotive ballads) the last few months have seen Pat undertake an extensive European and domestic tour, do a stint of guest presenting on Radio Nova and wow the crowds at the 25th Vibe For Philo.
“It was a real buzz to be part of it,” he says of the anniversary concert. “Of course we were the last band to play on Lizzy’s farewell tour so it was extra special for me.”
Mama’s Boys supported Phil et al on their UK and Scandanavian dates in 1983, an experience Pat recalls fondly.
“We were fans of Thin Lizzy, so every date was a free concert for us,” he laughs. “We learned so much. Every night we would go to the side of the stage and watch the band play. It was a lesson in how to communicate with an audience.”
McManus remembers one particular occasion when the presence of certain high profile guests made Lynott up his game.
“The Scorpions were recording one of their albums in Sweden and they actually popped down to the show to see Lizzy,” he says. “We were at the side of the stage and so were they. Lizzy were playing well but then Phil looked over and saw who was there and he gave the band the nod and they took off. It was like a Ferrari! He gave them a lesson in rock ‘n roll let me tell ya! It was brilliant.”
According to Pat, Phil was a very generous artist, always ready to dispense advice.
“We were very shy in front of him,” he notes. “He came into the band room on a few occasions. One night in Scandinavia he was chatting to us before the show and said ‘You know, musically you guys are great but I think you need to do something with your image’. He told us we had to look like stars and have a persona. We took this all on board, we were drinking it all in. He must have spoken to us for about half an hour. Then he said he had to go and get ready. About two minutes later he popped his head in the door to ask us if we had a lend of any legwarmers! After giving us the fashion talk!”
Pat was heavily influenced by Irish guitar players, citing Horslips’ Johnny Fean as his first big influence and is still a favourite.
Another idol Pat had the honour to play with on a few occasions was Rory Gallagher.
“We did three or four German festivals on the same bill as Rory,” states Pat. “He was the most complete guitar player I have ever heard or seen. He could cut across several genres of music from blues to heavy rock to ragtime to jazz. I think he was light years ahead of everyone else.”
A more unlikely tour marriage during his career was with psychedelic-prog luminaries Hawkwind.
“It was a very strange experience,” says Pat. “The first show was the Hexagon Theatre in Reading and we went out and there must have been about 2,000 people in white coats, like doctors. We thought, what is going on? It turns out it was a reference to an album cover! After the first song we waited for the applause and there was nothing, complete silence. John, my brother, leaned over to me and said, ‘Can we go home now?’
“Hawkwind actually presented us with a big bottle of champagne at the end of the tour and told us we were the only band that had ever started and finished a tour with them! It was very funny!”
In terms of contemporary artists Pat singles out Matt Bellamy as the current favourite.
“I love Matt, he has taken the guitar to another level,” he enthuses. “He is one of the finest guitar players in the world at the moment. He’s just awesome.”

See Pat at TLT Concert Hall, Drogheda Friday April 16 as part of Irish Guitar and Blues Festival 2011. Joining him will be special guests Andy Powell (Wishbone Ash), Henry McCullough (formerly of Wings) and Barry Barnes (Sinner Boy)