| Man Raze UK | Man Raze - History |
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A brief history of Man Raze:
Jun-Jul 07 - Album Release/Website Re-Launch
Following more work on their songs the band managed to finish their debut album in early 2007. Man-Raze.com, their official website was relaunched in June. It featured many new sections and a webstore selling their second release, a Digital Bundle, led by the single 'Turn It Up', one of their new recordings. Plus 'Connected To You', both from the album 'Surreal'. The album release date was set for Sep 30th 2007. The band also included a video for the single as part of the download package, the band's first official promo video.
More web releases, live shows and promo activity were planned after Phil was done touring with Lep in early October.
On July 8th 2007 the band's first TV special was broadcast on UK TV and online. Featuring a band interview and three acoustic performances including the debut of new reggae/dub influenced track 'Can't Find My Own Way'.
April/Aug 06 - Re-Recording/Album
In both April and August of 2006 the band recorded tracks and finished off the album at Joe's Garage Studio in Dublin where most of the recent Def Leppard albums have been recorded. The band had reworked most tracks and recorded new songs after playing the debut show last September. Phil mentions in many Lep interviews their hopes to do a tour and release the album before the end of 2006.
Oct 05-Jan 06 - Maxi-Raze/Future Plans
[Jan 2006] - The band have been finishing their debut album as well as writing new songs. An album release and tour dates expected in early 2006.
Band's debut release, the 'Skin Crawl' maxi-single comes out on 31st Oct (delayed from the 24th). UK press reveal the full album is set for a Jan 2006 release with more live shows to come. Band get prominent airplay/features on BBC/Local radio and in UK rock magazines.
September 2005 - Getting Razed: Lesson One
The band make their live radio debut on Radio Caroline. The band's impressive first show at The Spitz in London is a huge success. Full show is captured by the band in audio/video.
August 2005 - Live Shows/Maxi-Single Release
UK press & the band reveal that the debut Maxi-Single with 'Skin Crawl' as the lead track will be out late Oct. The band's live debut in London set for late Sep.
July 2005 - EP Work Continues
Phil may have helped with extra recording during a trip to London. First official band photo taken (see main page).
April-May 2005 - Album/Live Shows/First Interview
Phil returning to London to help finish mixing album ready for release. Title/label to be decided. Live shows possible before Lep's tour in June. Via Simon the band kindly conduct their first full band interview with me: (see main page for link).
Feb-Mar 2005 - Finishing Album
Work continuing on an album of songs. To be finished off in London and possibly released sometime in 2005. Via a label or via the web. No release date set or any gigs as yet.
[13th Mar] - Simon reveals more details. Along with Paul he had started mixing. To be completed with Phil in April.
[23rd Feb] - 3 band pics added to this site: first glimpse of the band at work.
[10th Feb] - The band send in the album tracklisting.
[Feb] - The band's official website is launched. Live shows in 2005 are planned (site now re-launched as Man-Raze.com).
Jan 5th 2005 - Skin Crawls
[Phil] - "I've been. I've got another band as well I've got a band called Man-Raze. Um yeah so we're doing this thing Man-Raze. It's Cookey, Paul Cook on drums and he's great and Simon Laffy he used to play in Girl with me. Back in the 80s, the early 80s."
"So we're doing all this stuff and it's like a lot of it we're doing in Simon's spare bedroom. Like just recording it when we can. And there's a little studio, Westbourne Grove Studios, a little rehearsal room [in West London]. And we actually went down there and recorded the drums live on some of the stuff. And we've just been..they're all different stages all the songs and that. But it's a blast ya know. It's three-piece, classic three-piece and I'm singing. You know (it's like) anything from like The Police to kinda Nirvana, it's different. You know, it's kinda, it's just fun."
[Steve Jones] - "Did you like doing it London?."
[Phil] - "Yeah. Cause I hadn't spent anytime there for like 20 years and I hated it when I left years ago. But I had to go back, me Dad passed away last summer. So I was there for like 3 months and that's when we started all this stuff up. And it was actually kinda fun being back in London. But it's horrible and bleeding cold out there."
[Phil] - (before playing song) "That's called 'Skin Crawl'. And I don't know if we've got time later on to play anything else. But there ya go that's the most finished song out of the lot of 'em."
[Steve] - (after song) "...featuring Paul Cook on drums...it sounds so not like him. So is that not him on that track?"
[Phil] - "Well. We programmed this stuff as well on that track. He's doing stuff and actually we've done a version where he's playing along to that but we haven't, ain't slotted it in yet. We're doing bits and pieces, the next track on there half the chorus is missing but it's got real drums all the way through it. But you know they're all at different stages. This is all unfinished stuff."
[Steve] - "Are you gonna,,what you hopin' to get a deal from it?."
[Phil] - "Yeah we actually, we wanna put it out. Ya know we got like 9 songs together at the moment."
[Steve] - "And are ya gonna go on the road, Maybe?."
[Phil] - "It'd be nice to do some gigs yeah.".
Dec 9th 2004 - Phil Chats to Fans Online
[Question by Me] - "Phil heard about your side band Man-Raze, any plans for a release?"
[Phil] - "and Man-Raze stuff I want to get finished before the Def Leppard tour. I'm gonna do some vocals tonight after this."
[Question by YouGotMeRunning] - "is that true that a former member of the sex pistols is in that band?"
[Phil] - "yes Paul Cook"
Nov 28th 2004 - Man-Raze Unveiled In Interview
Phil - "I've actually been recording with a couple buddies of mine," Collen reveals. "I was over in England this summer and I met up with Simon Laffy, who used to be the bass player in my old band, Girl, and Paul Cook, who was the drummer in The Sex Pistols. We've got this new band called Man-Raze. I'm singing and playing guitar, and it's kind of like The Police, real edgy stuff. When we've been recording it's been one take stuff and I've been having a blast. Obviously if we made a glaring mistake we'd go back and fix it, but otherwise we left things the way they were laid down,".
July/August 2004 - The Band Forms
During a stay in London (as his father sadly passed away) Phil starts playing music with friends Paul Cook & Simon Laffy. They form a band and decide to call it 'Man-Raze'.
On Aug 22nd Ross Halfin mentions that he saw and spoke to Phil in London. First revealing that Phil was over here.