Interview with Manfat

This interview was conducted by post with Brian from Manfat unfortunately in between the questions being sent and Brian replying the band split up. Brian is now singing for grindcore band Revolt, Dale and Michael are doing Hari Kari (Sabbath meets Power Violence) while Bennett is married and happy. Dale and Brian are planning on getting something together in the future... Therefore the following is more of an obituary to Manfat than an interview.

HH: To start off can you give me a brief history of the band and who does what ?
BRI: Brief history - well Manfat was started in either 1991 or 1992, after previous bands that Dale and I were in had collapsed so Manfat started up, originally as a 3 piece with a drum machine doing the rhythms. After a while though problems regarding doing gigs with a drum machine started cropping up so the next step was to hunt down a drummer. Prior to that we released a 7" on A-WAT Records but that was over in Germany though. Then we hooked up with Michael who was drumming with both Voorhees and Embittered at the time and just jammed through some songs to see how things felt and basically took it from there.

A couple of months later we did our "Live Like A Dog" demo which I guess alerted people to our "new look". This was in 1994, pretty much from then on we had a stable line up of: Brian - Vocals; Dale - Guitar; Michael - Drums and Bennett - Bass. We did two European tours, released a couple of tracks on compilation 7"ers, a split 7", some tracks on compilation LPs and a split LP to be released soon over in Yankee land. We had some good times and some bad times, met a lot of great people and have now called things a day due to various factors within the band, which I won’t bore anyone with…

HH: You released the Pigfood demo back in 1995, how was that received and did it sell OK ?
BRI: "Pigfood" was originally going to be a split LP with those Oz pot heads Rupture (Cool 1000 mph ultra HC band with a sex and drug obsession - Ed) via Sludge Records in France. But the guy started fucking around so we released it as a promo demo, just to give people an idea of what was going on and to get gigs, etc. So as such it didn’t sell, we just made it available for an SAE and a cassette. But the response to it was pretty good and I guess it did what it was meant to.

HH: Have you been up to anything recording-wise since that demo ?
BRI: Since "Pigfood" we recorded a bunch of tracks for various releases that will hopefully all see the light of day, some already have namely our split 7" with the happy thrashers - Hard To Swallow, which is out now via Enslaved and Flat Earth Records. Some tracks have gone for a split LP with a great So Cal (Southern California for those not in the know!) band called Non Composmentis, who are like a more HC version of crust meisters Dystopia - good stuff indeed. That’s getting put out via Misanthropic records sometime later in the year. So although things ain’t happening anymore for us, we’ve left a pretty good epitaph, well we reckon so…

HH: Where’s the best place you’ve played with Manfat ?
BRI: A lot of place have been good. Bradford’s 1 in 12 Club festivals we played were always good, when we played Zurich last year that was good, 120 Rats was good - plenty of places.

HH: When I last heard from you, you were looking for a bassist. Did you find one ? (if not make use of a free advert!)
BRI: No.

HH: Tell me the worst thing you’ve ever done ?
BRI: Too many to mention!!!

HH: What’s the best on-the-road story you can think of and where were you travelling to ?
BRI: Travelling to Europe last year and taking Steve Kerper outta Non Composmentis with us was a complete story in itself. Getting strip searched at the Swiss border, Steve drinking Electric White cider for the first time, aaaargh too many to mention. For more details ask any of Hard To Swallow or Rob Kito or Rob Harp Seal!! (Steve you’re a star!!!)

HH: What’s your worst nightmare ?
BRI: Being as discontented with the next 10 years of life as I have been with the previous 10!!!

HH: What’s in store for Manfat this year ?
BRI: Not a lot for this year, or the following etc. - No seriously there may be a resurrection but no breath holding!

HH: Anything you want to add ?
BRI: Cheers Rick for the interview, keep up the good work and cheers to all the people over the years that have helped Manfat. If anyone wants to write, here’s a contact address:

PO BOX 47 BRADFORD, BDS 7TX, UK.

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