The Lucky Six – Preview Time!

15 Oct 2015 3 Comments

by Debra Manskey in Biography, Inspiration, Music, Performance, Recording Tags: , , , , , , ,

So, after much ruminating, listening and re-listening, I went back down to The Belfry Studios at Murdunna to remaster some tracks. There was a lot of hanging out in the sunshine with my friend and co-producer Malcolm Battersby too – it was a stunning spring day!

Between Murdunna and Dunalley

The results are pretty fine (if I say so myself) and I think The Woman on the Edge of the World is almost ready to head off for pressing. The Lucky Six is a collection of six songs by other artists that I love and have influenced me in some way. This is about ready for release as a digital download and I’ll be putting it up on SoundCloud in the coming week and putting a link here 😀

So, to celebrate this momentous occasion, I’m putting up a track from The Lucky Six for your listening pleasure. I first heard “Little Fishes” in the early 80’s, on an album called Grubby Stories by an incredible English poet and songwriter, Patrik Fitzgerald. It’s a great song and (like much of Fitzgerald’s work) had a profound effect on me. I hope you enjoy my take on it ❤

The Bittersweet Nature of a Busy Life

10 Mar 2015 Leave a comment

by Debra Manskey in Biography, Business, Festivals, Inspiration, Recording, Touring Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Sometimes, things fall in your lap that are wonderful. And throughout my life, I’ve been lucky enough to have a lot of these treasures come my way.

Meeting Kirsty, then Sara and playing in Straddlepuss with them has certainly been a treasure. Not only are these two great emerging musicians and songwriters but also amazing young women, who I’m really proud to call my friends. Saturday 21st March, we are incredibly pleased to be playing at GRRL Fest 2015 in Melbourne.

So, It’s more than a little bittersweet to announce that I’ve decided to leave Straddlepuss – but other exciting projects are starting to get very pressing!

I’m really pleased to announce that The Woman on the Edge of the World will be going ahead as a CD release later this year. Remastering is scheduled for mid-late April, artwork is in the final stages, and it will be limited to only 100 signed and numbered copies. Also, it will only be available through me. I’m happy to take pre-orders but holding off a little until I find out the retail price. Trying my best to keep this little collectable affordable! Plus, The Lucky Six covers EP which was first mooted as a recording project in 2013, looks like it will happen as (at least) a digital download later this year. At present, we’re considering mastering, release options and licensing, all the important – but often tedious – stuff that makes the music industry go round.

Meanwhile, the All At Sea project with documentary maker, Josh Troy and the inimitable Matt Sertori from Butterscotch Pony is still forging on. Lots of footage for me to look at now apparently! And we still have to look at recording options for this beastie too……. so much work to do!

And amongst all of this, my university studies continue. I’m doing second year Screen Studies units now through Griffith University and it’s really making me work. Nevertheless, I’m really enjoying the challenge. It’s so different to anything else in my life.

Honestly, I’ll really miss playing in Straddlepuss but I look forward to my other projects and new challenges. I’ll still be going to their gigs in the future and cheering on these truly fabulous women ❤

Looking Forward to 2014!

01 Dec 2013 Leave a comment

by Debra Manskey in Biography, Business, Composition, Downloads, Merchandise, Music, Recording, Singing, Teaching, Writing Tags: , , , , , , ,

It’s been an exciting year for me but I’m really looking forward to 2014.

For starters, I’m on track to have The Lucky Six ready for release as a digital download early in the new year. If there’s enough interest, I’ll consider a CD release later in the year 😉

And, my previous digital release,The Woman on the Edge of the World has been so warmly received, that plans are well underway for a limited CD version. Each copy will contain full liner notes, my original artwork and photography and will be numbered and signed by me.

We’re planning this to be 100 copies only available through me. So if you’re interested, get in touch to pre-order!

Also, next year I’ll still be teaching privately in Hobart and taking some distance students via Skype. Plus, I have a wonderful session I run each week, writing and making music with a group of disabled people.

Life is full – and I love it that way 😀

The Lucky Six

16 Nov 2013 1 Comment

by Debra Manskey in Biography, Merchandise, Music, Recording, Singing, Writing Tags: , , , , ,

It’s a beautiful still morning down at Murdunna on the Tasman Peninsula. I haven’t had any phone reception until now to write but I haven’t minded at all. It finally stopped raining yesterday and I feel like I’m living inside a pearl on Mal’s veranda.

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Yesterday, I finished the last track of my latest recording project, The Lucky Six, and did an initial mix of all the songs. It was a long day!
This has been a tremendous learning experience for me, despite my many years as a recording artist, because I’ve reinterpreted six songs by other people that have been part of life. I’ve never done a covers recording – it’s always been original material up till now – and it was surprisingly tricky to find the right arrangements.
The songs I’ve chosen are diverse but meaningful to me and range from well known (Fats Waller’s Ain’t Misbehain’) to the obscure (Patrik Fitzgerald’s Little Fishes).
Depending on how the mixes sit, I hope to have this little EP available as a download on Soundcloud by the new year.
Meanwhile, it’s time for breakfast. Have a beautiful day wherever you are 🙂

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