17 Nov 2015
by Debra Manskey
in Biography, Music, Performance, Singing
Tags: Australian original music, Australian Songwriters Association, Cassie O'Keefe, George Begbie, NaBloPoMo 2015, Seagull guitars, Tasmanian original music, The Homestead Tasmania
Hey everyone
A quick reminder for southern Tasmanian folks that tonight the monthly ASA show is on at The Homestead in Elizabeth Street, starting with the wonderful Cassie O’Keefe at 6:30 pm. I’ll be coming along to have dinner, catch up with friends and cheer everyone on, in particular the feature act, George Begbie.
And Thursday night, (19th November) I’m playing a show with Cassie, again at The Homestead from 7-9 pm. This should be a fabulous night with one of the best young up and coming talents around town đ
Hopefully, I’ll get time to do a longer post later, but we’ll see – it’s going to be a busy day I think!
15 Nov 2015
by Debra Manskey
in Biography, Music, Performance, Produce, Urban Farming, Vegetable Gardening
Tags: growing basil, growing garlic, Kunyani, Mt Wellington, NaBloPoMo 2015, planting corn, sciatica, scoliosis, Tasmania, Tasmanian original music
So, where did the weekend go? I’m really tired tonight but I did get a lot done the last couple of days – I’ve finally planted the corn, zucchini and squash and about two thirds of the garlic crop is in after laying outside most of the day. Currently, it’s sitting on top of the washing machine, waiting to get plaited up for hanging, so I won’t be able to wash any clothes until it’s done – fabulous incentive to finish the job!
There’s still a lot of vegetables to plant out for summer and more basil to put in pots in the greenhouse but I’ll get there – slowly. My back is better, no sciatica now, but it’s always tricky. While it’s tremendously important to rest and allow the inflammation to reduce, exercise is essential to maintain core strength, so it’s a constant balancing act.
I also played a quick 20 minute set late this afternoon down at UNLOCKED at the Brunswick Hotel, which was fun. And, because it’s work and teaching tomorrow, a rough list of what songs I’ll play at Oak is sorted, and individual lesson plans are done for private students.
And I found time to do some much needed university reading for this week’s online lecture, and tomorrow I’ll answer the tutorial questions. Then it’ll be full steam ahead with the final assignment!
But now, it’s time to put work, gardening and uni out of my mind and relax. There’s a scoop of homemade Boysenberry ice cream with my name on it in the freezer.
I hope you all had a good weekend, wherever you are on this beautiful planet. I’ll leave you with tonight’s sunset view from my backdoor.
Stay safe friends â¤
Kunyani/Mt Wellington saying hello to the moon
10 Nov 2015
by Debra Manskey
in Biography, Inspiration, Music, Performance, Rabbits, Urban Farming, Writing
Tags: Australian music, baby rabbits, Cassie O'Keefe, Griffith University, NaBloPoMo 2015, online learning, original music, professional musician, Tasmania, Tasmanian original music, The Homestead Tasmania
Wow, it’s Day 10 already – one third of the way through the month of blogging! It’s a little scary how fast the time has flown but I still haven’t run out of things to write about đ
As many of you will be aware, there was much excitement on the weekend when the beautiful Boudica Bunny gave birth on Saturday morning.
I’m very pleased to say that all seven of them are very healthy, plump little bunnies, obviously being fed and already showing a light sheen of (mostly) white fur. There’s a couple with speckles of black skin like their mother but I think most of them are going to be like their father Beelzebun, who’s a crossbred Californian/New Zealand White. Newborns are more or less hairless and look like little pink peanuts but within the first week they grow an awful lot of fur! By this time next week they’ll be starting to open their eyes and get curious about the world.
For the next fortnight or more I’ve got loads of work coming my way, mostly with regard to my final assignment for my current online unit at Griffith University. I have to complete a creative piece (short story, short screenplay or three poems) and a 500 word exegesis about my process. I’ve decided to go with the poems as it’s closer to lyric writing which I feel comfortable with but different enough to be of value to my learning. Interestingly, I’ve been reading far more prose lately but it’s flavouring my work in an interesting way. I hope my tutor agrees!
And next Thursday I’m playing a gig at The Homestead in Hobart, supporting my good friend, Cassie O’Keefe. I’m really looking forward to it and hoping we can find the time to rehearse some material together between now and then. If you’re in southern Tasmania, Cassie’s playing a set this Friday the 13th at the Worlds End in Sandy Bay, which I’m hoping to get to.
So, posts will still be daily – I don’t want to stop now I’m a third of the way through – they’ll still contain bunny and gardening updates but they might be a little shorter…….
To finish, here’s a photo of Boudica and my other doe Bella, when they were little girls – about four or five months old. Note the overturned bowl, something Boudica still does when she’s finished her daily kibble ration â¤
Bella & Boudica
01 Nov 2015
by Debra Manskey
in Biography, Music, Performance, Singing
Tags: Cassie O'Keefe, live music, Meraki Management, NaBloPoMo 2015, Tasmanian music, Tasmanian original music, The Homestead Tasmania, UNLOCKED
So, here in the southern hemisphere it’s the evening of November 1st. Welcome to NaBloPoMo where the challenge is to write a blog post every day of this month.
I’ve just got home from an afternoon gig at The Yard at The Brunswick Hotel in central Hobart and it was really great fun. I caught up with old friends and met some new ones – and the music was great! UNLOCKED is run by Meraki Management and the brain-child of Amy Fogarty, who is something of a force of nature.
My friend and former student, Cassie O’Keefe (above) was also on the bill and really nailed it with her set! We had dinner after (the food is really good, by the way) and Cassie and I are looking forward to our next gig at The Homestead, Thursday 19th November.
From my point of view, it was really heartening to see so many young musicians at today’s gig who are just starting out. It invigorates those of us who’ve been around the traps for a while and enables musicians embarking on their careers to rub shoulders with folks who’ve got some experience. There’s always something new to learn – no matter how long you’ve been doing this!
See you all tomorrow, where I’ll probably talk about some gardening things – my other great passion đ
Now it’s your turn…. What are your great moments as a mentor or mentoree? Leave your stories in the comments!Â
28 Oct 2015
by Debra Manskey
in Baking, Biography, Brewing, Business, Chickens, Composition, Inspiration, Inspiration, Inspiration, Lyrics, Music, Performance, Produce, Singing, Urban Farming, Vegetable Gardening, Writing
Tags: Australian music, Australian original music, baking, brewing, Cassie O'Keefe, creative writing, Debra Manskey, egg glut, Griffith University, Inspiration, Kevin Gleeson, live music, Matt Dean, mentoring, performance, professional musician, singer/songwriter, spring, Tasmania, Tasmanian music, Tasmanian original music, Tasmanian songwriters, The Brunswick Hotel, The Globe Hotel, The Homestead Tasmania, The Yard, urban farming, Writing
Hello friends,
I love spring. The cycle of the seasons visibly turns and every day brings new things in the garden, the chickens are laying more eggs than we can keep up with, and here in Hobart we’re coming out of the hibernation of winter and starting to go out again.
Rhubarb Fool
Vanilla Ice Cream
Wee Beastie Sourdough
And I’ve been busy! In the kitchen I’ve been making Vanilla Ice Cream and Baked Coffee Cheesecake with the excess eggs, brewing and bottling cider, making Rhubarb Fool from the mass of spring rhubarb and my weekly “Wee Beastie” Sourdough. It’s been absolutely wonderful to eat so well, with so much produce coming directly out of the garden.
The garden is always a work in progress but I’ve started planting out climbing beans this week, there’s basil in the 
greenhouse and too many vegetable seedlings coming on to mention.
And there’s music happening too! I’m in the middle of a unit in Creative Writing for my second major through Griffith University. For my final assessment I’m planning to write a portfolio of new pieces that will become new songs. Depending how it goes, perhaps the core of another album.
Meanwhile, there’s gigs coming up too.
This Sunday at The Brunswick Hotel in Hobart, I’m playing a short set out in The Yard (the beer garden) with a bunch of other local musicians, including the incredibly talented Cassie O’Keefe and my friend Matt Dean. Very pleased also that this is a family friendly show, so feel free to bring your young music-lovers đ
Thursday 19th November, I’m sharing a night with Cassie at The Homestead in Elizabeth Street, one of my favourite places to go and hang out with friends. No idea what’s going to happen that one – we might even work out some songs to play together!
Friday 20th November, I’ll be doing the early spot at The Globe Hotel in Davey Street. If you haven’t caught this weekly event yet, I really recommend it. It’s organised by Kevin Gleeson who basically loves all kinds of music and is good friends with so many of us. It’s a great excuse to hang out and have a good time with mates.
And there’s more on the horizon! If you want to keep up to date with my shenanigans, hook up with me on Facebook here.
Yep, it’s spring and it’s busy – just how I like it.
Wherever you are, be well friends â¤
05 Aug 2015
by Debra Manskey
in Biography, Business, Music, Performance, Singing, Touring, Writing
Tags: Australian music, Australian original music, Burnie, Butterscotch Pony, Cafe Jucobi, Debra Manskey, Launceston, live music, professional musician, Seagull guitars, Shots on Wax, singer/songwriter, Tasmanian original music, Tasmanian songwriters, The Northern Club, Writing
Hey everyone,
So, last week before the snow hit Hobart, I went on a jaunt up to Burnie and Launceston. I haven’t played in Northern Tasmania for a few years. Too long some friends up there told me – and I have to agree!
Although it was primarily to support Butterscotch Pony launch their single, I found an excellent venue in Cafe Jucobi in Upper Burnie, where the welcome is warm and the food is excellent. There was a very small audience but it made for an intimate gig and we all had fun, despite some pretty awful weather. My heartfelt thanks to Stacey Wing, who not only organised the gig but also gave us somewhere to stay, fed us and is generally something of a superstar in my book â¤
Launceston was great fun! We arrived early at Shots on Wax in St John St, which meant brunch before a lunchtime gig. The coffee was perfect and I can highly recommend the pastrami melts! This was to promote the Butterscotch Pony single launch later that night and the idea was we’d do a teaser of the evening show, each doing two songs from our sets. Also, I had the opportunity to catch up with a friend I haven’t seen for four years. Seeing Phil was worth the whole trip đ I had such a great time and it must have been okay, as Andy wants me back to do a Launceston launch of my solo CD later in the year đ
Then off to the Northern Club, a beautiful old building in Cameron Street. After dealing with all the usual issues of discovering there wasn’t the right sound gear there for the gig and managing to source that gear, we all managed to get a sound check and had time for a sumptuous feast before the silliness started.
Me being a loudmouth – image courtesy of Josh Troy
It was a great crowd and I caught up with another dear friend I literally hadn’t seen for years – absolute bonus that Mareka had her now adult son and his partner with her. All the acts were great but headliners Butterscotch Pony were their usual brilliant and unique selves. If you haven’t had the BP experience, I highly recommend it!
While I really enjoyed playing, I did get accosted by a drunk towards the end of the night who was happy to tell me what I “have to do”. It was quite hilarious and a little sad when she put her hand up and said “I know what you’re thinking”. I somehow doubt she did…….
After a long few days, we discovered a stuff up in accommodation arrangements, we wouldn’t be able to get to our room until after 3am. *Sigh*
So, I found the all night petrol stop in the middle of Launceston (who make excellent coffee, by the way) I hit the highway with my trusty wing man, and under the light of the blue moon, made it safely into my own bed at 3:30am. Worth the drive â¤
What are your best/worst road trip experiences? Leave your thoughts in the comments – I want to hear your stories!
10 Jul 2015
by Debra Manskey
in Biography, Composition, Lyrics, Merchandise, Music, Recording, Singing, Writing
Tags: Australian music, Australian original music, Debra Manskey, professional musician, recording, singer/songwriter, Tasmanian original music, The Woman on the Edge of the World, Writing
And because it’s Friday – the best reason for everything – I’ve updated the playlist in the sidebar.
For your listening pleasure, I’ve uploaded three tracks from the digital download version of my solo album, “The Woman on The Edge of The World”.
TWOTEOTW Front Cover
It’s recently been remastered for a limited, numbered and signed CD release. More news on that soon – including ordering directly from here.
Meanwhile, have a listen and let me know what you think. I always value your comments.
Debra â¤
10 Jul 2015
by Debra Manskey
in Biography, Business, Inspiration, Inspiration, Lyrics, Merchandise, Music, Performance, Recording, Singing, Teaching, Writing
Tags: Australian music, Australian Songwriters Association, Debra Manskey, live music, original music, professional musician, singer/songwriter, songwriting, Tasmanian muscians, Tasmanian original music, Tasmanian songwriters, Writing
ASA July 2015 Poster
Hello friends,
I’m incredibly honored to be the feature artist that night – which also means I’ll be under examination by MC Matt Dean prior to my set. If you want to hear me rabbit on about my craft, performing and mentoring please come along. As with all ASA Wax Lyrical nights, this is a free show.
At the moment, I’m trying to find out if we can film the interview so those of you who are interested but don’t live here can get an opportunity to see and hear what I’m about.
Meanwhile, there’s more gigs to talk about soon!
Take care,
Debra â¤
03 Jul 2015
by Debra Manskey
in Business, Merchandise, Music
Tags: Butterscotch Pony, Launceston, live music, Northern Club, Red Parka Design, Tasmanian original music
Hey everyone,
Further to my previous post about my upcoming gigs in northern Tasmania, here’s a little sneak peek at fabulous artwork Butterscotch Pony are using for their latest release, “Bicycle/Planned Accidents Never Happen”. The cover was created by the incredibly talented Jen from Red Parka Designs.
I think it’s gorgeous – but everyone knows I’m a sucker for white rabbits â¤
Love to you all
Debra â¤
02 Jul 2015
by Debra Manskey
in Biography, Music, Performance, Singing, Touring
Tags: Australian music, Burnie, Butterscotch Pony, Cafe Jucobi, Debra Manskey, Launceston, live music, Northern Club, performance, Tasmania, Tasmanian original music
Hi everyone,
Just a quick update, aimed especially at friends in northern Tasmania.
I’ll be playing at Cafe Jucobi, Mount St, Upper Burnie on Friday 31st July. I understand this is a newish venue and becoming pretty popular for good food and live music. Really looking forward to this, as I’ll get to hang out with local music lover and fellow gardener, Stacey Wing.
Stacey is a fantastic supporter and organiser of local live music and the following night is presenting her regular B.L.I.N.G Bash #8. One of these days I hope to get up and play one of these shows, they sound amazing fun!
Saturday 1st August, I’ll be at the Northern Club, 61 Cameron Street, Launceston. Here, I’ll be supporting my dear friends Matt and Michaela (aka as Butterscotch Pony) who are releasing a new double a-side single Bicycle/Planned Accidents Never Happen. I’ll be taking my trusty camera (Wayne) with me, so there’ll also be a photographic record of the ensuing mayhem!
So, if you live in or near Burnie or Launceston, I hope I’ll see you at one of these shows.
Meanwhile, I have to start packing for a happy/sad trip to say goodbye to a terminally ill friend this weekend. I know it’s going to be hard but I wouldn’t miss it for anything.
Take care of yourselves â¤
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Debra Manskey 