It has taken this long. This. Long. But it’s here.
The ‘secret weapon’ singer of one of pronto punk’s earliest primal beasts has unleashed his debut solo album. Some forty-four years after his first appearance on record on The Dictators Go Girl Crazy.
Dick was initially the roadie for the Dictators. He was there, on the scene, as it grew out of The Bowery in the early 1970s. By the time the band’s second album, Manifest Destiny came out in 1977, Dick was undeniably the band’s frontman. The rest, as they say, is history.
Bruce Springsteen is a fan. He even appeared on the The Dictator’s Bloodbrothers album in 1978. As well as fronting The Dictators, opened his own bar (Manitoba’s) in the East Village and hosted a show on Little Steven’s Underground Garage (Sirius Radio) for fourteen years. He was even awarded and ‘Best Satellite Radio DJ’ in 2005 from New York City’s The Village Voice.
Furthermore, he sang with MC5 when singer Rob Tyner sadly passed away in 2012 and helped keep the band’s flag flying until they eventually disbanded in 2012, upon the death of bass player Michael Davis.
The Dictators, in various guises, have roamed and rocked raw during most of this period. They headlined CBGBs penultimate show in 2006, prior to its closure. Some accolade.
Dick Manitoba was born in the Bronx. He breathes, bleeds, speaks, sings, shouts and screams NYC -
‘Handsome Dick is the quintessential voice of New York, its beating heart, brash sense of humour, with the ability to be heard over the roar of a great metropolis.’ – Lenny Kaye.
So, it is with some anticipation his debut solo record is being launched onto the world. It was released in November 2019 on Liberation Hall Records.
Born in the Bronx is a collaboration with Jon Tiven, who also produced the album. It was recorded in Jon’s home studio in Nashville. Jon is a composer, musician, producer and collaborator who has worked with The Rolling Stones and Wilson Pickett amongst many others. He often writes with his wife Sally - check out She’s Older Now on the recent Roger C. Reale and Rue Morgue release, The Collection. Jon also plays guitar throughout Born in the Bronx. Sally plays bass, having previously held down the bottom end for BB King and Wilson Pickett, no less.
There is a stellar cast of musicians on Born in the Bronx. Drummers include Simon Kirke (Free, Bad Company), Mickey Curry (Elvis Costello, Bryan Adams, Tina Turner, Hall and Oates) and Michael Shrieve of Santana. Strong tub-thumpers, all. Buddy Miller from the Emmylou Harris Band, whose guitar playing spectacularly graced Robert Plant’s Band of Joy, is also present. The legendary songwriter PF Sloan also appears.
Not a bad supporting cast for a kid from the Bronx, eh?
Born in the Bronx is not as tough sounding as The Dictators. There are primal moments for sure, and Dick’s vocals retain a delicious rawness. But the hard-hitting, ‘don’t mess with us’ swagger that laced the band’s material is not so prominent.
However, this allows Dick to make an album that is free of limitation. There is an exciting variety to the styles on offer, and the lyrics are full of Big Apple references, humour, storytelling and observation. All songs bar two are written by Dick and Jon Tiven.
Shelley kicks things off and is a perfect case in point. Driven on by a hot-rod snare, it has a heart-warming lyric and a loose, yet lively rhythm coloured by a tastefully driven distorted guitar, jangly piano riffs and later, a saxophone. The chorus is strong, and the tune gets straight to its point. A real treat, to be honest, and one of the best openers I’ve heard for some time.
Back to my TV is no-nonsense rock number and is brimming with humour in its lyrics. It has classic Manitoba observations, containing lines acknowledging the ‘safety’ in staying home and watching television. It never lets you down, see.
‘Screw reality, my best friend’s waiting for me.’
Seventies TV classics such as Kojak and Charlie’s Angels are referenced.
Eve of Destruction is a different matter altogether. A hit in the sixties for Barry Maguire, it is written by PF Sloan, who sings and plays guitar on HDM’s version. A notorious song-writing figure, incidentally, and a coup for Dick to have him working on Born in the Bronx. It is an immense song. Powerful and thought provoking when it was released back in 1965 and it is a huge compliment to HDM to say that his version stands up superbly well. An echo-chamber floating guitar riff throughout sets an emotion and tone over which HDM sings with a vulnerability, and with emotion. The world is such that it allows kids with guns to fight on the streets and in token wars whilst they are just sixteen years old; too young even to vote. It paints a depressing and realistic picture; but it has a positive lift in the chorus. A heavy subject matter, but a song well-suited to this album.
Eve of Destruction is sandwiched between two straight rockers, the second of which is Surfside. Nice and high tempo, with a full sax backing. Kind of like a warped Beach Boys classic, it is possibly the most Dictators-ish track on the album. They did a fine line in warped Beach Boys-style numbers (Cars and Girls anyone?). It’s co-written by Stephen J. Kalinich, a transcendental poet from the sixties who did indeed write words for the Beach Boys (Little Bird, Be Still). Another coup for Dick to have him work on this album, giving it even more kudos.
The early tracks on the album benefit from alternating between heavy and light-hearted subject matter. This continues with The Cooker and the Hit. A broody, dark number with a strutting iron funk vibe, which moves the listeners feet, whilst telling a tale of drug tragedy. Again, HDM’s lyrics are full of observation and on this occasion, dark humour. The tough side of NYC.
Again, this more serious number is followed by something less demanding. The high tempo goofball rock n roll of Big Army Brass flies by full of pulsating piano keys and Manitoba couplets -
‘They cut my wings right down to the bone,
So damn short I couldn’t fly home.’
You get the picture.
It is worth pointing out that this sequencing policy works well. In no way does it effect the flow of the album. It is an album varied in terms of both subject matter and style. It does not profess to be an album so serious it is conceptual, nor it is a throwaway rock n roll record full of instantly forgettable rock workouts. It mixes things up.
The words of Layers Down tell another tale, ending with loss, but unlike The Cooker and the Hit it is delivered in an up-tempo, rock n roll package. Again, driving piano, and more tastefully distorted guitar abound. And a killer sax solo.
Callie May would be a standout track on any album. A real pounding, rocking tour-de-force. There is a Celtic punk hint in its high-speed rockabilly rhythm, with Dick’s lyrics containing yet more humour –
‘I was mesmerised by her vivid green eyes and dark brown hair,
And a smile that could tame a grizzly bear.’
It is followed up by another album highlight. Thicker than Blood has a nice, light, summery bounce reminiscent of Springsteen’s Hungry Heart. And it is soulful. Another welcome switch in style. Magenta Street has a nice line in guitar phrasing. Its arrangements are strong too, which is another feature of the album. And to be honest, it is a feature of Jon Tiven’s work generally. Well-constructed, crafted songs.
On an album full of good tunes, there are four real standouts. And one of these is 8th Avenue Serenade. A big, booming, almost marching band style guitar riff bursts out of the speakers and sets proceedings off without any ambiguity. This is a big, celebratory anthem. The joy of music, even when restricted to the ears of an individual journeying around Manhattan.
With a song called Soul Punk King of NYC, it is inevitable there will be plenty more Big Apple plugs and allusions in its lyrics. The Soul Punk Kings were Dick’s backing band at one point, of course. The tune date-checks 1975 and moves on from there. Dick Manitoba seems to be revelling in the role of the song’s title character. A brooding, streetwise groove underpins the track.
Born in the Bronx closes with its title track. Born in the Bronx, the song, again has a celebratory feel, and draws on the joys of starting out and growing up in the borough. Yankee Stadium, Bronx Zoo, the great Bronx-born writer Richard Price. And of course, footwear -
‘We wore sneakers, eight bucks a pair, hi-tops of white,
Chuck Taylor’s, and Skips were nowhere in sight.’
It is beautifully melodic, led by a simple keyboard line high up in the mix. It is always satisfying to see an album book-ended by two winning tracks.
Dick Manitoba and Jon Tiven have come up with an album that both keeps the listener invigorated and wanting more. The musicianship is, as you’d expect from such a stellar cast, is top drawer and Dick’s voice, lyrics and personality are totally comfortable in such company.
In the words of Tom Morello –
‘Handsome Dick Manitoba is a legend and a stand-up guy and it’s about time he made a solo record! Crank it!’
