Australian Rock of Ages: Number 4 – Phil Manning

The Life and Time Stories of Australian Musicians, Performance Artists. Particularly those who commenced their their contributed to the Australian Music industry from the 1950’s through to the 1970’s. 

Australian Rock of Ages is a series of interviews conducted with artists, entrepreneurs, managers. These are people who promoted and contributed to the Australian Music Industry.  All were born in Australia or settled in Australia during the halcyon years of the 1950’s through to the 1970’s. 

There will be a different story presented each month.

In this program we feature the story of Phil Manning.

There are three parts to the program.

Phil Manning was Born in 1948. Phil is another Baby Boomer who has not just grasped the opportunities life threw up at him but reveled in them. In fact, as we learn, he really followed his dream.

He is well educated, well spoken and has strong political beliefs as shown by his concern for the environment, which he discusses in a later program.

Phil is without doubt an all round musician. He is also known as the driving force behind Australia’s most successful and most loved blues-based group, Chain.

Yet during our investigation of his music and his story we will also learn much about Phil Manning, the citizen of Earth.

During part 2 we learn about both the circumstances and the chutzpah that led him to joining Chain.

This resulted in him forming of a life-long friendship with legendary singer, Matt Taylor. Through Phil’s recollections we learn of the various line-ups of Chain.

As we listen we share in some excellent and previously untold history & stories of both Chain and the Australian music industry.

Finally, we learn of the circumstances that finally led to Phil and Chain parting ways and why Phil moved back to relative obscurity to Tasmania, where he was born.

In this final part of his story, Phil continues the stories of his solo career.

However there is more to Phil than his love for music, and his talent for playing guitar. Phil talks about the state of the Australian music scene and the decline of quality venues, particularly in regional areas.

Yet it is in this part of his story that we learn much about Phil Manning, citizen of planet Earth.

Phil is completely comfortable sharing his thoughts and feelings on a range of social issues. By the end of his story, while we are left wanting more.  We also realize that this is a complex man who is quite at ease with his stage of life.

He is a man who is part of a loving family, and who still finds time to play his guitar.

Part 1

Part 2

Part 3

Previous stories in Australian Rock Of Ages can be found via these links:

Program #1 – Bob Bright: Click here

Program #2 – Normie Rowe: Click here

Program #3 – Mike Rudd: Click here