Manraze, the London-based rock band formed by iconic Def Leppard lead guitarist Phil Collen, along with punk rock forerunner Paul Cook (Sex Pistols) on drums and Simon Laffy, rockin’ bass player of Collen’s former glam-band, Girl, will release their new EP, I Surrender available on iTunes today (November 12th).
On November 18th Manraze will be the featured guest on the nationally syndicated radio show, “Rockline” with host Bob Coburn. Fans can tune in at 8:30 pm PT/11:30 pm ET. Check rocklineradio.com for more details.
Listen to an exclusive stream of the EP on Rolling Stone.
Watch the lyric video for I Surrender below.
When not rocking together, the Manrze trio continues to keep busy. Collen holds down his “day job” as lead guitarist with Def Leppard, heading with the band into a Dublin studio in February to write and record new music. Collen is also working on his own blues album Delta Deep featuring soulstress Debbi Blackwell-Cook and is currently writing his auto-biography (Simon & Shuster/Atria) due out late 2014. Cook has been working with Edwyn Collins first on his 2013 album release Understated, and then touring with Collins playing live shows. Currently, Cook is also playing in Subway Sect with Vic Goddard, touring and recording a new album. Laffy has taken his talents into another creative lane having authored two novels in his “off time,” Red Sunrise and Seed of Satan. Both are historical fictions set around epic events of the 20th century and are in the process of being published.
It all started in 2004 when Phil Collen, after 20+ years as lead guitarist for Def Leppard, decided to express himself through another creative outlet. After a fateful conversation with Simon Laffy and a next day chance meeting with Paul Cook Manraze was formed and finally released their debut album Surreal through Universal Records in the summer of 2008 to rave reviews. In August 2011 the trio re-enetered the studio and released punkfunkrootsrock which featured the single, Over My Dead Body. In the spring of 2011 the Manraze single I, Superbiker was the theme song for the feature documentary of the same name. Directed by Mark Sloper, and released solely in the UK, the documentary is an in-depth expose’ into the merciless world of competitive speed bike racing and a look at the men who have dedicated their entire existence to this incredibly dangerous, adrenaline-fueled sport. Manraze’s single Take On The World featuring Debbi Blackwell-Cook was subsequently released in 2012 as a part of the soundtrack to Sloper’s sequel film I, Superbiker: The Showdown which chronicled the rise of 2011 British superbike racing champion Tommy Hill.
4 Responses
This sounds pretty decent… but it sounds so close to what Def Leppard would be writing and recording. I am willing to bet that this was a Collen track that might have been rejected by DL…but then again, he should have saved it for DL…because it would fit perfectly.
Shirt?
Hope the new Def leppard sounds this good like it a lot
Has a Simple Minds vibe to it.