# Roger Joseph Manning Jr. > Mediated Wiki article. Canonical URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Roger_Joseph_Manning_Jr. > Markdown URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Roger_Joseph_Manning_Jr..md > Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roger_Joseph_Manning_Jr. > Source revision: 1315290586 > License: Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/) American musician (born 1966) Roger Joseph Manning Jr. Manning playing keyboards at Beck's semi-acoustic show at Irving Plaza in New York City on November 9, 2021. Background information Also known as Meco Eno Malibu Born (1966-05-27) May 27, 1966 (age 60) Origin Los Angeles, California, U.S. Genres Pop rock electronic Occupations Musician singer songwriter arranger Instruments Keyboards piano vocals guitar bass percussion Years active 1988–present Website rogerjosephmanningjr.com Musical artist **Roger Joseph Manning Jr.** (born May 27, 1966) is an American keyboardist, singer, and songwriter who co-founded the bands [Jellyfish](/source/Jellyfish_(band)), [the Moog Cookbook](/source/The_Moog_Cookbook), [Imperial Drag](/source/Imperial_Drag), and The Lickerish Quartet. He has also spent several years as a member of [Beck](/source/Beck)'s backing band, contributed to several recordings by the band [Air](/source/Air_(French_band)), and toured or recorded with acts such as [Jay-Z](/source/Jay-Z), [Blink 182](/source/Blink_182), and [Johnny Cash](/source/Johnny_Cash).[1] In 2005, he released his first solo record, *[Solid State Warrior](/source/Solid_State_Warrior)*, followed with *[Robo-Sapiens](/source/Robo-Sapiens)* (as "Mailibu", 2007), *[Catnip Dynamite](/source/Catnip_Dynamite)* (2008), and *Glamping* (2018). He is usually credited by his full name to avoid confusion with the folk musician [Roger Manning](/source/Roger_Manning). ## Early life Roger Joseph Manning Jr. was born May 27, 1966, the first child of Roger Manning, a businessman for [Monroe Calculators](/source/Monroe_Calculators), and Jane DeLara, a schoolteacher.[2] He has two brothers: Chris (born October 6, 1968) and Tim (born September 10, 1970).[3] The family later moved from [Valencia, California](/source/Valencia%2C_California) to [Pleasanton](/source/Pleasanton%2C_California).[4] As a child, Roger was enamored with [ragtime](/source/Ragtime) music and took piano lessons; later he taught himself to play the drums.[5] The first records he bought with his own money were [Kiss](/source/Kiss_(band))' *[Alive!](/source/Alive!_(Kiss_album))* (1975) and [the Beach Boys](/source/The_Beach_Boys)' *[Endless Summer](/source/Endless_Summer_(Beach_Boys_album))* (1974).[6] ## Career ### Jellyfish Main article: [Jellyfish (band)](/source/Jellyfish_(band)) Manning attended [Amador Valley High School](/source/Amador_Valley_High_School) in Pleasanton in the 1980s.[7][8] There, he met drummer [Andy Sturmer](/source/Andy_Sturmer).[9] After graduating, Manning moved to Los Angeles and enrolled at [USC](/source/University_of_Southern_California) to study musical composition. He involved himself with the local scene and began auditioning for various bands.[10] He later joined Sturmer in the San Francisco band [Beatnik Beatch](/source/Beatnik_Beatch).[10] Sturmer was the group's drummer, singer, and songwriter, while Manning was keyboardist. The duo soon began collaborating with one another, writing compositions that were stylistically different from the songs the band was producing at the time.[11] In August 1989, a year after [Atlantic Records](/source/Atlantic_Records) released Beatnik Beatch's eponymous debut album,[11] Manning and Sturmer left the group to continue songwriting with one another and formed the band [Jellyfish](/source/Jellyfish_(band)).[10] Jellyfish released two albums: *[Bellybutton](/source/Bellybutton_(album))* (1990) and *[Spilt Milk](/source/Spilt_Milk_(Jellyfish_album))* (1993), whose combined sales totaled over 269,000 copies.[12] During this era, Sturmer and Manning worked with [Ringo Starr](/source/Ringo_Starr), for his 1992 solo album *[Time Takes Time](/source/Time_Takes_Time)*, and [Brian Wilson](/source/Brian_Wilson) of [the Beach Boys](/source/The_Beach_Boys). Wilson and Jellyfish had one songwriting session and it was unproductive; Manning described the experience as "utterly surreal".[10] By 1994, Manning and Sturmer were drifting apart musically,[13] and in May, the *[San Francisco Chronicle](/source/San_Francisco_Chronicle)* reported that Jellyfish had disintegrated due to "creative differences".[14] Afterward, Manning formed the short-lived [glam](/source/Glam_rock) outfit [Imperial Drag](/source/Imperial_Drag) with ex-Jellyfish guitarist [Eric Dover](/source/Eric_Dover).[10] ### The Moog Cookbook Main article: [The Moog Cookbook](/source/The_Moog_Cookbook) Manning formed [the Moog Cookbook](/source/The_Moog_Cookbook) with sound engineer [Brian Kehew](/source/Brian_Kehew) shortly after the demise of Jellyfish.[15][16] It was conceived as both a [parody](/source/Parody) of and [tribute](/source/Tribute) to the novelty Moog records of the late 1960s and early 1970s, which featured [cover versions](/source/Cover_versions) of popular songs using the then-new [Moog synthesizer](/source/Moog_synthesizer). Manning recalled that "When Brian and I finally met, we *knew* we had to do this, because we knew we could do it right, and we knew we had the resources — before someone else did it, and did it *wrong*."[17] On stage and in their promotional materials, the band donned space-suit disguises that were similar to outfits worn by another emerging electronic duo, [Daft Punk](/source/Daft_Punk). This was reportedly only a coincidence.[16] Moog Cookbook released two records, *[The Moog Cookbook](/source/The_Moog_Cookbook_(album))* (1996) and *[Ye Olde Space Bande](/source/Ye_Olde_Space_Bande)* (1997), before disbanding in 1998. According to Manning: "As creatively fulfilling as it was, Moog Cookbook was not financially viable. We weren't coming out of [rave culture](/source/Rave_culture) and [house music](/source/House_music) like Daft Punk."[16] Music journalist Brian Chidester commented that the band "yielded solid overseas sales amidst the retro-obsessed landscape of *[Pulp Fiction](/source/Pulp_Fiction)*, the Swing revival and thrift shop mania. The duo even ... found a small domestic audience attuned to similar electronic psych-pop coming out of Europe by bands like [Stereolab](/source/Stereolab), [Mouse on Mars](/source/Mouse_on_Mars) and [the High Llamas](/source/The_High_Llamas)."[16] ### The Lickerish Quartet Main article: [The Lickerish Quartet (band)](/source/The_Lickerish_Quartet_(band)) In 2017, Manning reached out to his former Jellyfish bandmates Tim Smith and Eric Dover to form another group, [The Lickerish Quartet](/source/The_Lickerish_Quartet_(band)). Manning's goal was "to continue with the tradition of a lot of the pop/rock stylings" as well as to get to know the two better as songwriters. Manning considers The Lickerish Quartet's activities to be "like picking up where we left off in many ways".[18] Initially, the trio did not intend to record; rather, they wanted to have small writing sessions. Eventually, though, they wrote and recorded twelve songs, which are being spread across 3 EPs (titled *Vol. 1*, *Vol. 2*, and *Vol. 3*) through 2020 and 2021, with the releases being joined by singles from the EPs.[19] Session drummer [Jeremy Stacey](/source/Jeremy_Stacey) joined to augment the trio on the recordings. [Andy Sturmer](/source/Andy_Sturmer), however, wasn't invited to work with them due to his reluctance to work within the music industry. ### Solo In early 2006, Manning released his first solo album in Japan only: *[Solid State Warrior](/source/Solid_State_Warrior)*. He credited it under his full name to avoid confusion with the folk musician [Roger Manning](/source/Roger_Manning).[20] It was subsequently issued in the U.S. under a different title, *The Land of Pure Imagination*, along with an altered song content.[21][22] The album included one of the songs Manning wrote with Brian Wilson, "Wish it Would Rain",[23] albeit with Wilson's contributions omitted.[24] In March 2008, Manning released his second solo album, *[Catnip Dynamite](/source/Catnip_Dynamite)*, in Japan only. It was released in the U.S. on February 3, 2009 with the addition of three bonus tracks that were recorded during a live performance at Fujifest in Japan.[25] In 2019 Manning co-wrote and performed background vocals on the song "You'll Never Guess What Happened Today" with internet pioneer [Jaye Muller](/source/Jaye_Muller), aka "Count Jaye" for his 2019 album release.[26] ## Discography ### Solo and collaborative - *[Logan's Sanctuary](/source/Logan's_Sanctuary)* (2000) (Roger Manning & [Brian Reitzell](/source/Brian_Reitzell)) - *[Solid State Warrior](/source/Solid_State_Warrior)* (2005) (also released as *The Land of Pure Imagination*) - *[Robo-Sapiens](/source/Robo-Sapiens)* (2007) (Malibu) - *[Catnip Dynamite](/source/Catnip_Dynamite)* (2008) - *Glamping* (2018) - *Radio Daze & Glamping* (2023) ### With bands **[Beatnik Beatch](/source/Beatnik_Beatch)** - *Beatnik Beatch* (1988) **[Jellyfish](/source/Jellyfish_(band))** - *[Bellybutton](/source/Bellybutton_(album))* (1990) - *[Spilt Milk](/source/Spilt_Milk_(Jellyfish_album))* (1993) **[Imperial Drag](/source/Imperial_Drag)** - *[Imperial Drag](/source/Imperial_Drag_(album))* (1996) **[The Moog Cookbook](/source/The_Moog_Cookbook)** - *[The Moog Cookbook](/source/The_Moog_Cookbook_(album))* (1996) - *[Ye Olde Space Bande](/source/Ye_Olde_Space_Bande)* (1997) - *[Bartell](/source/Bartell_(album))* (2005) **[Oxbow](/source/Oxbow_(band))** - *Love's Holiday* (2023) **[TV Eyes](/source/TV_Eyes)** - *[TV Eyes](/source/TV_Eyes_(album))* (2006) **[The Lickerish Quartet](/source/The_Lickerish_Quartet_(band))** - *Threesome Vol. 1* (2020) - *Threesome Vol. 2* (2021) - *Threesome Vol. 3* (2022) - *Fables From Fearless Heights* (2022) (collects all three EP's plus two bonus cover songs: "So Like Candy" and "Sugar Me") **Appearances** - Esa Linna – *This Is Who I Am* (2013) - Esa Linna – *She's Not a Human Being* (2012) - [Marianas Trench](/source/Marianas_Trench_(band)) – "Echoes of You" (on the album *[Phantoms](/source/Phantoms_(Marianas_Trench_album))*, 2019) - [Justice](/source/Justice_(band)) – "Incognito" (on the album *[Hyperdrama](/source/Hyperdrama_(Justice_album))*, 2024) ## References 1. **[^](#cite_ref-1)** Whitmire, Margot (October 30, 2004). ["Expansion Team"](https://books.google.com/books?id=khMEAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA44). *Billboard*. Nielsen Business Media, Inc. p. 44. [ISSN](/source/ISSN_(identifier)) [0006-2510](https://search.worldcat.org/issn/0006-2510). 1. **[^](#cite_ref-FOOTNOTEDorfman201616–17_2-0)** [Dorfman 2016](#CITEREFDorfman2016), pp. 16–17. 1. **[^](#cite_ref-FOOTNOTEDorfman201617_3-0)** [Dorfman 2016](#CITEREFDorfman2016), p. 17. 1. **[^](#cite_ref-FOOTNOTEDorfman201616–18_4-0)** [Dorfman 2016](#CITEREFDorfman2016), pp. 16–18. 1. **[^](#cite_ref-FOOTNOTEDorfman201614–15_5-0)** [Dorfman 2016](#CITEREFDorfman2016), pp. 14–15. 1. **[^](#cite_ref-6)** Catlin, Roger (April 20, 2020). ["Roger Joseph Manning Jr., The TVD Interview"](http://www.thevinyldistrict.com/the-tvd-interview/2020/04/roger-joseph-manning-jr-the-tvd-interview/). *The Vinyl District*. 1. **[^](#cite_ref-FOOTNOTEDorfman201618_7-0)** [Dorfman 2016](#CITEREFDorfman2016), p. 18. 1. **[^](#cite_ref-8)** ["First annual piano competition winners"](https://www.hacienda.org/assets/uploads/files/files/Pathways/Pathways_041684.pdf) (PDF). No. VII. Pleasanton Pathways. April 16, 1984. Retrieved June 27, 2022. 1. **[^](#cite_ref-jell_9-0)** [Mendelssohn, John](/source/John_Mendelsohn_(musician)) (June 1993). ["Just for the Jell of It"](http://zenandjuice.com/music/jellyfish/text/creem.txt). *[Creem](/source/Creem_(magazine))*. 1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-Rees_10-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-Rees_10-1) [***c***](#cite_ref-Rees_10-2) [***d***](#cite_ref-Rees_10-3) [***e***](#cite_ref-Rees_10-4) Rees, Paul (October 8, 2014). ["Squids in: are Jellyfish the great lost band of the 90s?"](https://www.loudersound.com/features/are-jellyfish-the-great-lost-band-of-the-90s). *[Louder Sound](/source/Louder_Sound)*. Retrieved August 2, 2017. 1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-lanham_11-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-lanham_11-1) Lanham, Tom (October 20, 1998). ["Jellyfish Jams to a '70s Beat - Bay Area Bell-Bottomed Rockers"](http://zenandjuice.com/music/jellyfish/text/sfchron-102890.txt). *[San Francisco Chronicle](/source/San_Francisco_Chronicle)*. 1. **[^](#cite_ref-12)** Orshoshki, Wes (December 29, 2002). ["Music, Myths of Cult Faves Jellyfish Feted By 4-CD Boxed Set On Not Lame/EMI"](https://books.google.com/books?id=RA0EAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA22). *Billboard*. 1. **[^](#cite_ref-everley15_13-0)** Everley, Dave (May 22, 2015). ["The Outer Limits: Jellyfish"](https://www.loudersound.com/features/the-outer-limits-jellyfish). *[Louder Sound](/source/Louder_Sound)*. 1. **[^](#cite_ref-breakup94_14-0)** Snyder, Michael (May 15, 1994). ["Jellyfish All Washed Up"](http://zenandjuice.com/music/jellyfish/text/sfchron-061594.txt). *[San Francisco Chronicle](/source/San_Francisco_Chronicle)*. 1. **[^](#cite_ref-AllMusicMCB_15-0)** Prato, Greg (n.d.). ["The Moog Cookbook"](https://www.allmusic.com/artist/the-moog-cookbook-mn0000891403/biography). *[AllMusic](/source/AllMusic)*. 1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-Chidester13_16-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-Chidester13_16-1) [***c***](#cite_ref-Chidester13_16-2) [***d***](#cite_ref-Chidester13_16-3) Chidester, Brian (October 15, 2013). ["Moog Cookbook Were Daft Punk Before Daft Punk"](https://www.laweekly.com/moog-cookbook-were-daft-punk-before-daft-punk/). *[LA Weekly](/source/LA_Weekly)*. 1. **[^](#cite_ref-Yahoo18_17-0)** Parker, Lyndsey (May 17, 2018). ["The Moog Cookbook talk '90s synth spoofs: 'We sank our teeth into songs we wanted to destroy and make gross'"](https://www.yahoo.com/entertainment/moog-cookbook-talk-tbt-synth-spoofs-sank-teeth-songs-wanted-destroy-make-gross-161053236.html). *Yahoo*. 1. **[^](#cite_ref-18)** Ewing, Jerry (March 12, 2020). ["Three ex-Jellyfish members unite as The Lickerish Quartet"](https://www.loudersound.com/news/three-ex-jellyfish-members-unite-as-the-lickerish-quartet). *[Louder Sound](/source/Louder_Sound)*. Retrieved May 9, 2021. 1. **[^](#cite_ref-pms_19-0)** Beaudoin, Jedd (March 12, 2020). ["The Lickerish Quartet Take Us on Classic Pop Journey with "Lighthouse Spaceship" (premiere + interview)"](https://www.popmatters.com/lickerish-quartet-lighthouse-spaceship-2645468362.html?rebelltitem=1#rebelltitem1). *PopMatters*. 1. **[^](#cite_ref-20)** McCombs, Joseph. ["Roger Manning, Solid State Warrior"](http://www.allmusic.com/album/solid-state-warrior-mw0001036777). *AllMusic*. Retrieved February 25, 2016. 1. **[^](#cite_ref-21)** Carpenter, Troy (September 25, 2006). ["ROGER JOSEPH MANNING JR., "The Land of Pure Imagination""](http://www.billboard.com/articles/news/57129/roger-joseph-manning-jr-the-land-of-pure-imagination). *Billboard*. Retrieved February 13, 2016. 1. **[^](#cite_ref-22)** [Prefix Mag.](http://www.prefixmag.com/reviews/roger-joseph-manning-jr/the-land-of-pure-imagination/15478/) Review of The Land of Pure Imagination. Retrieved on February 13, 2016. 1. **[^](#cite_ref-23)** Mitchell, Justin (July 9, 1993). ["Rocky Mountain News"](http://zenandjuice.com/music/jellyfish/text/rocky-070993.txt). *Rocky Mountain News*. Retrieved June 30, 2013. 1. **[^](#cite_ref-jambands_24-0)** Gatta, John Patrick (February 28, 2016). ["Jellyfish Revisited with Roger Joseph Manning Jr"](https://jambands.com/features/2016/02/28/jellyfish-revisited-with-roger-joseph-manning-jr/). *Jam Bands*. 1. **[^](#cite_ref-25)** Raggett, Ned. ["Roger Manning, Catnip Dynamite"](http://www.allmusic.com/album/catnip-dynamite-mw0000808317). *AllMusic*. Retrieved February 25, 2016. 1. **[^](#cite_ref-26)** Count Jaye, and the Hard Beats. ["You'll Never Guess What Happened Today"](https://open.spotify.com/track/1LCraeVRHBQVU4ebn7NxIV?si=HNJxBn8eSX-gsy9OkO5DOQ). *Spotify*. Retrieved April 16, 2020. **Bibliography** - Dorfman, Craig (2016). *Brighter Day: A Jellyfish Story*. Not Lame. [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [978-0979771460](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/978-0979771460). ## External links - [Official website](http://rogerjosephmanningjr.com) - [Roger Joseph Manning Jr. Arranging Services](http://rogerarranging.com) - [Roger Joseph Manning Jr.](https://www.allmusic.com/artist/p288782) at [AllMusic](/source/AllMusic_(identifier)) v t e Roger Joseph Manning Jr. Studio albums Solid State Warrior Robo-Sapiens (as Malibu) Catnip Dynamite Related bands Beatnik Beatch Jellyfish Imperial Drag The Moog Cookbook The Moog Cookbook Ye Olde Space Bande Bartell TV Eyes The Lickerish Quartet v t e Jellyfish Andy Sturmer Roger Manning Eric Dover Jason Falkner Studio albums Bellybutton Spilt Milk EPs Jellyfish Comes Alive Singles "The King Is Half-Undressed" "That Is Why" "Baby's Coming Back" "Now She Knows She's Wrong" "I Wanna Stay Home" "The Ghost at Number One" "New Mistake" Compilations Fan Club Best! Related Nintendo: White Knuckle Scorin' Beatnik Beatch Imperial Drag The Lickerish Quartet TV Eyes TV Eyes v t e Morrissey Jesse Tobias Matt Walker Juan Galeano Camila Grey Carmen Vandenberg Stephen Street Andrew Paresi Vini Reilly Andy Rourke Mike Joyce Craig Gannon Neil Taylor Matthew Seligman Kevin Armstrong Mark E. Nevin Mark Bedford Boz Boorer Alain Whyte Gary Day Roger Manning Michael Farrell Barrie Cadogan Matt Chamberlain Solomon Walker Studio albums Viva Hate Kill Uncle Your Arsenal Vauxhall and I Southpaw Grammar Maladjusted You Are the Quarry Ringleader of the Tormentors Years of Refusal World Peace Is None of Your Business Low in High School California Son I Am Not a Dog on a Chain Make-Up Is a Lie Live albums Beethoven Was Deaf Live at Earls Court Compilation albums Bona Drag World of Morrissey Suedehead: The Best of Morrissey My Early Burglary Years The CD Singles '88–91' The Best of Morrissey Greatest Hits Swords Very Best of Morrissey Unreleased albums Bonfire of Teenagers Extended plays At KROQ Singles "Suedehead" / "Hairdresser on Fire" "Everyday Is Like Sunday" / "Sister I'm a Poet" "The Last of the Famous International Playboys" "Interesting Drug" "Ouija Board, Ouija Board" "November Spawned a Monster" "Piccadilly Palare" "Our Frank" "Sing Your Life" "Pregnant for the Last Time" "My Love Life" "We Hate It When Our Friends Become Successful" "You're the One for Me, Fatty" "Tomorrow" "Certain People I Know" "The More You Ignore Me, the Closer I Get" "Hold On to Your Friends" "Interlude" "Now My Heart Is Full" "Boxers" "Dagenham Dave" "The Boy Racer" "Sunny" "Alma Matters" "Roy's Keen" "Satan Rejected My Soul" "Irish Blood, English Heart" "First of the Gang to Die" "Let Me Kiss You" "I Have Forgiven Jesus" "Redondo Beach" / "There Is a Light That Never Goes Out" "You Have Killed Me" "The Youngest Was the Most Loved" "In the Future When All's Well" "I Just Want to See the Boy Happy" "That's How People Grow Up" "All You Need Is Me" "I'm Throwing My Arms Around Paris" "Something Is Squeezing My Skull" "Glamorous Glue" "Satellite of Love" "World Peace Is None of Your Business" "Istanbul" "Earth Is the Loneliest Planet" "The Bullfighter Dies" "Kiss Me a Lot" "Spent the Day in Bed" "Jacky's Only Happy When She's Up on the Stage" Video albums Hulmerist The Malady Lingers On Introducing Morrissey ¡Oye Esteban! Who Put the M in Manchester? Live at the Hollywood Bowl Morrissey: 25 Live Books Autobiography List of the Lost Related articles Discography Songs Personnel The Nosebleeds The Smiths England Is Mine "Panic on the Streets of Springfield" Mexrrissey Category Authority control databases International VIAF National Czech Republic Artists MusicBrainz --- Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Roger Joseph Manning Jr.](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roger_Joseph_Manning_Jr.) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roger_Joseph_Manning_Jr.?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.