In Profile: Ma9Na

 What’s your name and where are you from?
I was born in New Zealand, moved to Australia when I was 17, and have lived in Hobart, Tasmania, since 1981.

Your musical project is a strange name. A play on words of your real name I take it?
Ma9Na is how my family name, Manaena, is never pronounced. A & E in Māori is pronounced as I

Did you have a musical childhood?
My dad was self-taught and could play any instrument, especially guitar. My fondest memories are of family get-togethers where Dad would play and sing with Uncle Joe, his younger brother. There was always music on the old radiogram in the house.

Was it isolated musically, living in a small area of New Zealand? Did you get to hear the latest music growing up?
Browns had 20 houses, a pub, a post office, a grocery store, and the railway tracks ended there. My music world changed when I heard “Wild Thing” being played by the store owner's teenage son on repeat! I started playing guitar at about eight years of age. We moved several times to more isolated areas as my father worked on hydro schemes. Moving to the city of Invercargill when I was twelve opened my eyes and ears to a very healthy local music scene.

Who were your musical influences?
A great question! Up until recently, I would have said anything coming out of England. I had two paper rounds that allowed me to buy at least one album a week. I would read the New Musical Express and Melody Maker from cover to cover, looking for new rock bands to follow. Deep Purple, Uriah Heep, Led Zepplin, and Jimi Hendrix influenced how I listened and, eventually, how I played. But even after all that, I can say my father was my most significant influence.

You began as a guitarist but you’re also known for your drumming?
By the time I was twelve, I had learned most of Dad's stringed instruments: guitar, mandolin, and ukulele. One Christmas, I got my first electric guitar and a small amp. Sadly, the amp blew up on plugin. I took it back to the shop; it was a known fault, and it would be a few months before the factory would have a replacement. Not having much patience, I asked if I could swap them for something else and went home with a complete set of Tama drums and Paiste cymbals. I left home at 15 and was on the road drumming in New Zealand and Australia for the rest of my career till retirement due to ill health in the late 90’s.

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How about where you live now, what’s the benefits of living away from the musical chaos of the big cities?
Up until the late 90s, Hobart had a robust music scene equal to Melbourne and Sydney. I was lucky enough to play with some very popular bands with full production, including crew. I had a drum roadie for several years. Sadly, if you wanted National success, you needed to be in the big cities, be prepared to start again, and probably starve. Living in Hobart, I played 4 to 5 nights a week and could pay my rent and eat!

Are you self taught as a guitarist?
Yes, I am self-taught and have only taken it back up since 2017, when I started setting up for home recording, which changed to writing my music, playing, and recording most of the instruments in 2020. I don’t have the knowledge that real guitarists have about using pedals and effects, which seem like a black art to me. I utilise technology like digital amps and my now-go-to, a Kemper profiler.

What was your first ever recording?
I wrote and recorded my first song, “Down for the Count,” in June 2020 and released it in January 2021.

Since then you have recorded a lot. What’s been your favourite to date?
I have released another four songs since then and am working on three new old tracks with my singer that he wrote and we played in 1987.
Both versions of “Blue Blue Blue” are my favorites to date. They have been a work in progress since early 2022.

You work well with singer Gerry Murrel to and have released music together. Does it help having a partner musically to shape and produce your music?
Gerry started his journey down the same home studio path at about the same time as me. It wasn’t until we played at a series of reunion gigs that our friendship developed past the bandmates stage. He is a very talented multi-instrumentalist and has a great rock male voice. Our musical relationship has gotten stronger, and we can communicate.

Tell us about your latest music?
Quotes from my website:
Blue Blue Blue
This heartfelt and deeply personal project has been a lifetime in the making.
Within this song, I've poured my emotions, fears, guilt, and profound sadness stemming from the unexpected wave of depression that engulfed me as I witnessed my little sister's courageous battle with cancer coming to an end.
It's not a pop song; instead, it encapsulates the discomfort and monotony that characterized those last 36 hours we spent together. It is my story, outside the rules of songwriting, but it takes you on my journey from sadness to madness to here!
We lost her twin brother 35 years earlier. The song's artwork depicts them as youthful angels alongside an Owl, which holds great spiritual significance to me. This visual symbolizes my sincere desire to protect them, a role I wish I had fulfilled. As a young teenager, I left home and missed out on witnessing their growth and being by their side.
The song's title comes from a conversation with Debbs. She asked, "I suppose you are wondering what my favourite colour is?
It's Blue, Blue, Blue."
Blue Blue Blue – Cinematic Orchestral Arrangement
This version is a stand-alone “Cinematic Orchestrated Arrangement”, a collaboration between Harvey Summers and me. I accidentally fell on the idea when I turned off the rock instruments in the final mix. I then imagined a different orchestrated version that had to be its own story, deserving of its own life in the universe—a fraternal twin and oh-so poetic!
 
I have been working with Harvey Summers from the very beginning. He replaces my one-finger typist keyboards and then fully mastering the tracks for release. The latest tracks have pushed our relationship to the next level, and we are sharing writing credits for the cinematic version of Blue.
I also added Anna Savage from London on flute, Matt Goddard on tympani from the Tasmanian Symphony Orchestra, Paul Kostromin on piano, Nicole Farrow on vocals, and, of course, Gerry Murrell on vocals.
I have used Gerry and Paul's guitar expertise on early releases, but this is the first time that I have carried all the guitar duties, as well as bass guitar, drums, percussion, and some minor piano parts.

And what is in the pipeline for future releases?
I lack a YouTube presence, so music videos are a priority. I have applied for arts funding, which would greatly help, although AI software may be a cheaper alternative.
Gerry has three songs to which I will add my drums and create an arrangement and an alternative mix. I also have several songs in various stages of creation. 

How about live gigs? Any options for you there? I understand you are involved in an INXS tribute?
There are plans for another reunion gig in March next year. I have joined forces with Gerry, another guitarist and bass player, to work on studio projects and possibly do live gigs.
As far as Ma9Na goes, there are no plans for live gigs in the pipeline, but I have plenty of ideas for possibly a one-off performance. My big dilemma is what instrument I play. I do have all the keyboard and string stems that Harvey recorded. Hmmmm? Leave it with me. The cogs are turning!
I wrote the song “SnakeHips’n’LizardLips” as a tribute to INXS. I released it in 2022, and it has nearly 900K streams. I had their Australian management in the loop and received a wonderful message of support from Tim Farris, the guitarist from INXS. The song was submitted for a planned INXS stage show, but COVID and lockdown ended those plans.

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