Monday, July 10, 2017

Defunct Local Band Profile Series: T-Rex Manning

It's the 10th once again, so here's this month's Defunct Local Band Profile! This recurring feature series spotlights one or two randomly selected local metal, hard rock, or punk bands that are no longer a functionally active group, but deserve a modern spotlight for current readers to look back on their run and current whereabouts with! This month's choice features a number of performers still seen frequently on the local stage in related bands, so let's have one more Rex Manning Day with this month's profile!
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T-Rex Manning

Genre: Punk/Metal

Hometown: Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario

Members: (Members not in their last full lineup in italics. Note that then-Jack Spades drummer Johnny Belanger was often seen as a fill-in drummer for T-Rex Manning in their final months, but he was never publically advertised as a full band member. As well, the band's original lineup sans J.D. performed as Pools of Booze infrequently in 2012, but they're not considered to be the same band.)

J.D. "Johnny Pints" Pearce (Jack Spades, Fitswitch, Frightlight), vocals
Tiffany Stocco (Stegadeth, Jack Spades, Pools of Booze), guitar
Bill "Orthae" Bennett (Stegadeth, Stereo North, Pools of Booze), bass
Rick White (Redundant, Fitswitch, Frightlight), drums
Daniel MacDonald (Stegadeth, Pools of Booze), drums

Audio/Video: Primarily a band to play covers-only sets (with one exception), T-Rex Manning weren't known for studio work, but they have a fair amount of live videos online, with our YouTube channel being a great source for videos from the peak of their local run, though footage is minimal on other public sources. Here's their sole original song, "She Banged The Mayor", as played during their original lineup's final concert together in November 2012!



Info/Analysis: A side project from frontman J.D. Pearce's then-active band Frightlight, and partially named after a character from the movie Empire Records, T-Rex Manning debuted in November 2011 when they opened for The Unbelievers at The Roosevelt Hotel, and soon became a fan favourite sight at local concerts with a wide ranging set of punk & metal covers. Fans may recognize them for winning "Best Sound" at 2012's Humane Society Battle of the Bands, opening for acts like The Ripcordz, The Saigon Hookers, and Skull Fist, and their one-off turn as "The Fiend Brigade"at March 2013's Apocalypse: The Musical tribute show event, among others. J.D. & Tiffany's 2013-launched punk/metal band Jack Spades co-existed with T-Rex Manning until that band quietly dissolved following their February 2014 appearance at The Rosie's final Heavy Thursday concert, with a planned one-off reunion at J.D.'s annual Halloween party the next year not taking place.

T-Rex Manning were a fun attraction during their 2½ year run of shows, and with a set featuring everyone from The Ramones & The Misfits to Judas Priest & The Bloodhound Gang, how could you go too wrong? Also, T-Rex Manning was notable as J.D. & Rick's final full band collaboration to date after he replaced Daniel on drums. Though not as polished & original-focused as J.D. & Tiffany's prior and later bands, you could always count for a good time on Rex Manning Day, but don't miss the instrumentalists from their first lineup with their current band Stegadeth (who still play "She Banged The Mayor"), or J.D. with Jack Spades!
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I hope you guys liked this month's Defunct Local Band Profile! Next month in this series, we'll stay in Sault Ontario for another band featuring Fitswitch alumni, as our next randomly selected band is The Scary Uncles, the late 2000s punk band that begat Redundant! Look for that profile on or around August 10th, and stay tuned for more news this week! Thanks everyone!

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