The Manges - Bad Juju (2010) RESTORED

Bad juju makes punk rock good - The Manges make Italy proud. La Spezia four piece's brand new album was recorded in Atlanta by Joe King, voice and soul of the legendary Queers, and features a couple of songs written by Ben Weasel and Dan Vapid of Screeching Weasel and Riverdales. The result of this punk rock partnership and friendship is a bunch of fast and melodic tunes, in the vein of the mighty Ramones.

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The Manges - Bad Juju (2010) RESTORED

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But first of all, let's say something about the album's title, Bad Juju. "After our drummer Manuel realized what "bad juju" meant, he kept saying that all the time",says MANGES' singer and guitarist Andrea, "so we started thinking about using it as an album title and we liked it more and more".

That's beacause negativity and bad feelings can be fuel for a rock n' roll band. "Our personal lives were going down the tubes and negative vibes were all around so the title really started to fit to our mood. We thought that only the album release could free us from the curse". Actually, Bad Juju is not a curse. It's a blessing.

Born in 1993, THE MANGES met their producer Joe King on the road, sharing with the QUEERS both stage and releases (the Acid Beaters split cd, out in 2003). “"Joe really wanted to work with us as producer", says Andrea. "He said he could make our album really sound better than anything we ever recorded before, but not in terms of super pop overproduced stuff. He told us he wanted the album to have an heart and life in it". And it sure has. "Joe’s a friend. He knows the music we play and toured with us so he was perfect for that. All we had to do was fly to Atlanta, Georgia".

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The Manges - Bad Juju (2010) RESTORED

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In April 2010, Andrea (voice and guitar), Mass (bass), Manuel (drums) and Richie (guitar) flew to America, recorded their third full-length in Atlanta and played a show with the RIVERDALES in Philadelphia.

Just like all Italian punk rockers, young MANGES used to dream about the States, but the teenage dream became reality pretty soon. In the late Nineties, they toured the U.S. and their music started spreading all across the American punk rock scene. It was a blast when in 2000 SCREECHING WEASEL covered MANGES' I Will Always Do for the Teen Punks in Heat album.

Obviously, THE MANGES have always been huge SCREECHING WEASEL fans, but now they are also partners in crime. "We are so glad we got songs written by Ben Weasel and Dan Vapid on the album. And Jughead has a voice cameo too". Ben Weasel penned Back to the Training Camp, which could be a perfect RIVERDALES' stomp, and Vapid co-wrote the straight in your face Sgt. Mouse Band March. "We are big fans of all those musicians", admits Andrea, "and now that we know them since a long time we are still crazy about their records and excited about having them on our new album".

Since day one, MANGES' real force is their own material, three chords furious punk (Bad Juju‘s opening Stalag 17) and catchy poppy songs (the Sixties sounding Motion Picture Rest Home, maybe their best one ever) injected by a strong anti-heroes imaginary. What’s behind Bad Juju‘s sound and lyrics? "James Ellroy, Mickey Spillane, Douglas Adams, Tom Robbins, Stanley Kubrick, Jerry Seinfeld, Ray Bradbury, Bill Murray and Robert De Niro". Take note, MANGES have no doubt about that, "Put them all in the same cell and in a bad mood. That’s the spirit of Bad Juju to us".

Anyway, MANGES' main influence are the RAMONES. Especially, the 80s RAMONES. Listen to Serenity Now or the title-track and you will find out. "In the middle of the 80s, the RAMONES weren't a hot punk band anymore, and not yet a cult name. Their music became darker and more rock-influenced. That's the sound we like the most". Joey, Johnny and Dee Dee would be proud of them because these Italian Ramones fanatics don't deliver no punk rock stereotypes: they got the right songs and they know how to play them. And Bad Juju is a further proof of MANGES' too tough to die attitude.

– Michele Bisceglia, AMP Magazine

Tracklist:

01. Stalag 17 / Good Morning Campers
02. Hit The Punchball
03. Bad Juju
04. M.I.A.
05. Motion Picture Rest Home
06. Back To The Training Camp
07. The Last Of The Savages
08. Good Boy, Bad Time
09. Sgt. Mouse Band March
10. Storming Out
11. Serenity Now!
12. You Don't Wanna Be Like Me

all songs written by The Manges, except
"6" by Ben Weasel and "9" by Dan Schafer & The Manges


Produced by Joe King. Engineered by Nathan Schreier and Dan Dixon
Recorded at The Factory, Atlanta, Georgia, in April '2010. Mixed by Nathan Schreier
Mastered by Johnny Love at Paf! Records, Montreal, Canada.

• Andrea - lead vocals, guitars
• Richie - guitars, backing vocals
• Mass - bass, backing vocals
• Manuel - drums

special guests:
- John Jughead: DJ vocals on "1"
- Joe King: backing vocals on "5, 10, 12"

Release Date: October 9, 2010
Label: Tre Accordi Records, Italy
Catalog No.: TA 018CD