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Tom Mansi and the Icebreakers originated from “Fatman Kicks Cat”, a funk band fronted by Tom’s ex-girlfriend. Working with your ex is tricky at the best of times and it was ultimately what drove Tom to become his own frontman. New songs and a desire to get out and play some gigs resulted in the creation of Tom Mansi and the Icebreakers. Just back from a tour in Germany they stumbled into a promoter at a Jon Spencer Blues Explosion show and landed a gig as the house band for a new club night called “The Modern Blues Project”, touting a new wave of roots music from the likes of Little Barrie, The Black Keys and Seasick Steve.
“We were with Son Of Dave in Newcastle on our first UK tour when I met Jenny. Soon after we were eloping, destination Cork, where it transpired I was to gate crash a friend of a friend’s wedding to some big shot Chicago record producer. He and I had a few drinks and he ended up asking me to come out to Chicago to record on a project he was working on with an Americana singer and his son, a genius harmonica player. Three months later I’m state side rehearsing with two cats I’ve never met. The day I arrive the producer gets a call from a friend who’s looking for a double bass player and backing vocalist for Donovan’s 40th anniversary tour. I fit the bill and by mid October I find myself rehearsing in a hotel room next door to the Renaissance theatre in Mansfield, Ohio with Donovan and his road manager. We played all over, ending up in Mobile, Alabama, hanging with all sorts, lawyers with “pick-me-up” pills to tea drinking Woodstock Hippies.
Back in London I’d finally picked up recording with the Icebreakers, the album had been on hold for 4 months, when Don calls again. He asked me back to the states to play another 3 dates with his friend David Lynch on a co-bill where Lynch was lecturing about transcendental meditation and world peace. First stop New York and I remember nursing a flute of champagne feeling jet lagged at the after show for the gig at NYC’s Lincoln centre when a TV producer type from ABC called David Salts, starts schmoozing me and asking all kinds of questions about the tour. “We end up at the Kodak theatre in LA” I said, “Really wow, do you and Don fancy playing Vegas? We’ll make it worth your while, hell you can even have a swimming lesson from a dolphin in the desert” he said. In true rock n’ roll logic, when we got to LA we ditch three days of badly needed rehearsal time for the filming of a live DVD to catch some quality R&R in Las Vegas. Salts reappeared having organised a private jet and penthouse suites at the Mirage Hotel. On the jet we’re joined by Slash and Perry Farrell, this was going to be night out “Vegas style”, one that lasts three days in the twilight bars and maze like gaming floors. We ended up playing the opening of the Revolution lounge, Perry and me on backing vocals as Don strummed out the classics for Hollywood’s nip tuc finest…”
Whilst David Lynch’s lectures didn’t convert Tom to transcendental meditation there is something reminiscent of a Lynch soundtrack on his debut album, Love On The Rails. The twisted hymnlike ‘When Your’re Dead You’re Done’, rolling groove of ‘Holly takes the midnight mountain road’ and haunting ‘Disorientated in the Darkness’ all sound like they’d be at home on a Lynch movie. The record was recorded and self-produced by Tom and the band at “Shock and Awe”, James Johnston’s (drummer) and Paul “the iceman” White’s (guitar) North London studio with the help of fellow Icebreaker Alain Man (keyboards) and their engineer Stevan Krakovic.
Tom describes Love On The Rails as a collection of memories that define moments of his life over the last few years, each song has it’s own high definition story. For example ‘Holly’, the band’s first single and Mark Radcliffe's record of the week, was inspired whilst Tom was playing upright bass in a tiny fringe theatre in Soho. The show was a one woman musical starring a softly spoken, prozac laced, cabaret star. On opening night she cancelled complaining of a 'sore throat' contrary to backstage rumour that her lesbian lover had run off with her husband! The show went from bad to worse and despite an odd collection of fanatical regulars, was cut short.
Live Tom Mansi and the Icebreakers sound like they spent their childhoods playing 7 nights a week in the house bands of the rowdiest, smokiest booze pits in the country. Born on the same day hero, Charles Mingus died, it seems preordained Tom Mansi would go on to make a living with double bass in hand.
The feeling of movement that permeates the album reflects Tom’s lifestyle of being constantly on the move, sofa surfing, gigging and touring. Tom has been making a living as a musician since he was 18 and the accomplished sound of this record bears the fruit of his experiences playing fringe theatre pits, smoky jazz clubs and rock n’ roll joints. These songs are the everyday stories of a talented musician making his way through a landscape of dark rock and roll and blue country music.
Hey everyone Tom Mansi and the Icebreakers debut album Love on the Rails is out on monday! thats right MONDAY 12th MAY. its avaidable from all record shops or on line from the usual sources or direct from Kartel records http://kartel.trinitystreetdirect.com/store/page3.asp?suptype=1&t=6&sub_type=6
Thanks for your support see you at a show real soon. TMandtheIBS
SUBBA CULTURE album review
Alternative country flirts with the dark side of it’s soul embraces rockabilly whilst channelling the spirits of Nick Cave, Tom Waits and Leonard Cohen…
You know those nervous in-between seconds ticking away moments when you get shivers down your spine, when the hairs on the back of your neck stand on end and time seems to stand still, and anything and everything around you seemingly freezes for a moment, creating an illusion of perfection and beauty? Those rare, fragile adrenaline filled picture postcard images that are rarer than decent cup of coffee at a Motorway Service Station? Yeah, you know what I’m talking about. The feeling that most of us would rather overdose on than make love with a supermodel. Well, that feeling can become a permanent part of your life, just like it has now become a constant part of mine. All you need is ‘Love On The Rails’ (imagine Tom Waits playing Alt. Conutry tinged rock-a-billy songs that were written by Nick Cave and you’ll start to understand why this record is so darn good) on infinite repeat in your CD player. I could use a thousand different superlatives, or claim a hundred different things about this record, but at the end of the day, all you need to know is how it makes you feel when you listen to it and it makes you feel alive, like every nerve is tingling and every neuron is firing, and by God, it’s an addictive, need more and more feeling, a constant high that you can never have enough of. Excuse me, I need another fix…
By: Tim Mass Movement.
BLUES IN LONDON REVIEW: by David Atkinson
Next up were Tom Mansi and the Icebreakers. Their EP Holly is definitely worth checking out ahead of their Love On The Rails album release in April. Having finally got round to seeing them live, I am kicking myself that I didn't do so sooner. They are superb. Pretty much all advocates of the bull fiddle are alright with me and Tom certainly inhabits the cool end of the spectrum of singing bassists (You're aware of the scale, I take it? At one end is a shirtless Sting and at the other drug-addled Rick Danko; not cool and cool, respectively - What about that bloke from Level 42? - Ed) In fact, Tom Mansi's bass is so prominent on stage that it is effectively another member of the band, and it highlights his skill as a musician and as a frontman - someone with less presence would be lost behind it, but here it works as a interesting focal point.
Their songs are superbly crafted, catchy and dark. Some of them gallop along so fast - propelled by James Johnston’s fantastic drumming and Paul “the Iceman” White’s sharp, reverb-soaked guitar - that there is barely time to catch a breath. The Small Change-era Waits vocal inflection is less prominent live than on their recorded work and their sound is, to my ears at least, better for it. It was a thrilling set and I'll be seeing them again. I urge you to make their next gigs.
LIVE REVIEW: St. Moritz on 21 March
"I stumbled across Tom Mansi last year when reviewing the wonderful single ‘Can’t Take It When You Go’. Since then things have been fairly quiet from the Kartel-signed quartet, until last week, which produced two items of Mansi-related goodness. Monday the 19th saw the release of the mini-album ‘Holly’, and Wednesday night saw Mansi and his cohorts The Icebreakers playing in the extremely snug confines of the St. Moritz. The first thing to make an impression is Mansi’s low, rumbling growl of a voice. Admittedly, you don’t really need lungs like Shirley Bassey to make yourself heard in the St.Moritz, a venue the size of a hobbit’s downstairs toilet, but Mansi’s has more than enough character, and oomph when needs be, to fill the largest venues around. At its quietest, it conjures up images of whispered confessionals, over tumblers of whisky in smoky jazz clubs. If that’s all too flowery for you, then I’ll just say it’s simply one of the most distinctive voices you’ll hear in a while. What’s more, Mansi had bundles of charisma and charm onstage, coming across like he was born in one of those smoky jazz clubs and has been performing there ever since. The music was a real mix of blues, jazz and country, with some funk and even rock thrown in. It’s a testament to the musicians that this never sounded forced or out of place. They’re all well grounded in each of these musical traditions, so when the music went from the country/skiffle rhythms of ‘Love On The Rails’, to the funky drumming-led ‘Big Bad Wolf’ to the jazzy ‘Heartbreak Hooligan’, it never jolted you out of the set. If it all sounds like it could be too much for you, then nothing could be further from the reality. This was one of the most involving gigs I’ve seen in a while and Mansi, along with his incredibly accomplished band, is a definite talent. Now please, not so long till the next release please fellas."
SINGLE REVIEW 'Can't Take It When You Go'
An interesting blend of blues, jazz and folk, and a remarkably simple melody, the debut from Tom Mansi & The Icebreakers is largely unassuming. The classical guitars are painstakingly delicate, and while Mansi's deep and raspy voice seems quite out of place in a song so straightforward, 'Can't Take It When You Go' puts over a great sense of sincerity and heart-felt emotion. Cat Stevens too was unassuming; it's an underestimated characteristic.
Noting the vocals, "Nothing went wrong - I'm just gone, I'm just gone yeah, I'm just gone", there isn't much going on, but there needn't be.
The flip-side 'Fire in My Eyes' is a complete contrast. If the White Stripes thought they knew the meaning of the word 'stripped down' they may need to think again. The vocal chants of 'ooo's and 'ahh's thump at the primitive rhythm with impulsive power, the unreformed guitars and wooden percussion suggesting this track was not merely written, but just erupted out of a jungle volcano somewhere. The edginess is truly impressive. Someone could be killed to the sound of this. Be wary…
The single is out on 10th July 2006 on limited edition 7" vinyl
8/10
Jamie Curtis
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