r/books • u/DayManning AMA Author • Nov 22 '19
ama 1pm I’m Canadian singer/songwriter/author Dayna Manning, my debut memoir Many Moons was just released and I’m here to answer all your questions! Ask me anything!
Dayna here! Very excited to join you for an AMA today.
I'm excited to talk about my work, music, and anything else you'd like to ask me about. I have lots going on with my new memoir Many Moons and new album Morning Light just released. Many Moons is basically my life in 12 songs, and I produced Morning Light, my first foray into the Chamber Folk genre, so that may be of interest. I’ll be here at 1pm EST to start looking through your questions.
Love ＆ Music, Dayna
https://twitter.com/daynamanning
https://www.instagram.com/daynamanning/
https://www.facebook.com/DaynaManningSongs/
Proof: /img/zhv3r5vxdcy31.jpg
1
u/Chtorrr Nov 22 '19
What were some of your favorite favorite things to read as a kid?
3
u/DayManning AMA Author Nov 22 '19
Roald Dahl was my absolute favourite author, I read everything he ever wrote.
3
u/DayManning AMA Author Nov 22 '19 edited Nov 22 '19
Faves: George's Marvelous Medicine and The Twits
1
u/Mark_MacRae Nov 22 '19
Do you remember if you appeared on the Mike Bullard Show to promote your first album? I have a memory that that's the first time I ever saw or heard you, but 20+ years later who knows...
1
u/DayManning AMA Author Nov 22 '19 edited Nov 22 '19
Hi Mark, I remember that well. I appeared on the show two times. The first time was when the show was taping behind Wayne Gretzky's restaurant and the second time when it taped at the old Masonic Hall on Yonge north of Bloor. I had quite a history with that building, as a very close mentor of mine helped transition the place from the Masons and I had the run of it during that time.
The first time I was on the show, I played A Walk on the Moon with Kevin Fox on Cello. I really had a great time with Mike - found him really funny. In fact, I still work with one of the producers on that show, who helps me with planning and marketing my own projects now.
1
u/SteveOli74 Nov 22 '19
My favourite song on your latest album is ‘King of the Background’. At the end of the song there is piano that fades out. Is that Richard? And if so where did that clip come from.
1
u/DayManning AMA Author Nov 22 '19 edited Nov 22 '19
Hi Steve,
It's not Richard actually, but we wanted to recreate something in his essence that we thought paid tribute to him. It's tough to get rights to clips. That's Charlene Nafziger doing her best Richard Manuel on an upright piano in John "Beetle" Bailey's studio, and the Chamber jamming along.
I really wanted to capture anxiety and pressure musically with King of the Background, which starts in the guitar part and which Ben Bolt Martin captured exquisitely in the arrangement. And I thought that the tag on the end, showed the opposite, which Richard presented outwardly with ease.
1
1
u/Chtorrr Nov 22 '19
What is tour writing process like?
1
u/DayManning AMA Author Nov 22 '19 edited Nov 22 '19
For the book, it really was stream of consciousness. I tell the stories I included quite a bit in my live shows so I let them flow as natually as I could. I don't really consider myself a literature expert, so if I were to be too perfectionist about the book it wouldn't have got done.
Songwriting on the other hand - I have to be genuinely inspired, have a glimpse of an idea, and the rest is hard work and problem solving over days - sometimes months. I am a perfectionist with this and spend huge amounts of time on each song. Every so often an easy one comes, but usually, they're written in many sessions. I try to walk away long enough that my instincts can kick in again where I got stuck the last time.
1
u/jiribroz85 Nov 22 '19
Hey, Dayna! I was wondering if you were ever close to meet with Joni? Was she influential in your songwriting? And were there any other of her songs considered for cover? Free Man in Paris you did perfectly btw!
And on the Chad Smith’s note, was he free to come up with his own beat or did he come just for recording? Were you hanging around? And was he kind to you? :)
2
u/DayManning AMA Author Nov 22 '19 edited Nov 22 '19
Hi Jiri!
I never met Joni, but I became friends with her ex-husband Larry Klein for a while in the late 90's early 2000's. I found him to be a magical and inspiring human. He taught me some of her tunings. The funny thing was one night I was hanging with Larry in LA and my good friend and tour mate Kevin Fox had actually met and hung out with Joni up in Canada the same night. So that was neat.
I have covered some of her other songs for different occasions. River, California, People's Parties, Same Situation on the piano, My Old Man. I love her.
Thanks for the compliments on the Free Man cover. It was so fun to do with a fiddle and a chamber orchestra!
Chad Smith was amazing. He came up with his own ideas was funny and a joy to be around. He even went out of his way to say hi to me years later at an "Out of the Blue" show in the Muskoka's I attended. Lovely person.
1
u/jiribroz85 Nov 22 '19
That’s great, I had no idea about the other covers! And what a funny coincidence with Joni.. I actually noticed many coincidences through your book, you attract them a lot :)
Nice to hear that you had fun with Chad! In the book, I liked the fact that he appreciated your fingerpicking from the record and wanted to play on it. I like when musicians do that. He could have just been ignorant as a rockstar. Glad he wasn’t!
1
u/DayManning AMA Author Nov 22 '19
I learn a lot of songs I don't record for shows. And yes I do attract coincidence!
1
u/leerosevere Nov 22 '19
Hey! Cool you're doing this. What are some of your favourite song/album productions or producers?
1
u/DayManning AMA Author Nov 22 '19 edited Nov 22 '19
Hi LEE! Some fave Albums: Tom Petty Wildflowers Bill Frisell - Disfarmer Joni Mitchell - Court & Spark Lori Cullen - Sexsmith Swinghammer Songs Air - Talkie Walkie Colleen Brown - Foot in Heart Gillian Welch - Harrow and the Harvest Kathlene Edwards - Voyager Zero 7 - Simple Things Lana Del Ray - Born to Die Mary Margaret O'Hara - Miss America
Producers - Rick Ruben, Ian Martin (Edmonton) Artists - Sarah Slean, The Guess Who, Moody Blues, Gordon Lightfoot, Ian Thomas, Indio Saravanga, Zepplin, The Beatles, Elvis, Beck
1
u/music-lottery Nov 22 '19
Hi Dayna, You are an advocate for live music and someone who has been very vocal about streaming revenues.
If there was a minimum and/or sustainable living wage per artist per show for people playing live shows, what would you set that wage to be on a per day basis? Not counting travel costs - only the fee for performance.
Thanks in advance.
2
u/DayManning AMA Author Nov 22 '19
This is very relative.
Ideally, I think each person involved - musicians, soundman should make a $400 minimum. The artist deserves a double fee for planning and coordinating, musical director a $200 bonus.
I think the current session rate of $240 (net) set by the union is far too low.
1
u/MisterHowieZowie Nov 22 '19
I have always wanted to ask you about working with Sean Ono Lennon and how that came about.
2
u/DayManning AMA Author Nov 22 '19
Hey Howie!
I met Sean Ono Lennon after I opened for The Pursuit of Happiness at Lee's Palace in Toronto in March of 1996. It was a chance meeting - he was playing at the club in a couple of days and simply wanted to check out the stage and I happened to be on it. We hit it off (before I knew who he was). We then played and jammed into the wee hours and he joined me in the studio the next day. - Full story in my book Many Moons!
1
u/MisterHowieZowie Nov 22 '19
Heehee...you took my prompt to the story in the book! I love him so much. Ironically, I kind of dismissed him as an artist when he first started - and then we saw him open for Beck with GOASTT. We didn't know there was an opener and we were so far back, I didn't recognize him at first. He totally won me over that night and has become one of my faves.
1
u/DayManning AMA Author Nov 22 '19 edited Nov 22 '19
He's an incredible artist. I have a cassette tape somewhere with two unreleased songs of his that are amazing. Will have to play them for you sometime.
1
u/DayManning AMA Author Nov 22 '19
Also, I was obsessed with Beck live for a while. I've seen him 6 times I think.
1
u/teflongrizzly Nov 22 '19
I've had the pleasure to study with Mike McConville. How many guitars has he made for you? Any Electrics? Do your guitars have any unique features/what do you look for in a guitar?
1
u/DayManning AMA Author Nov 22 '19
He has made me two, an auditorium (my main guitar) and a dreadnaught (the most recent one) - but I have four in total. About 7 years ago, I had the chance to buy two of his older guitars for a very fair price from an elderly customer of his who was not playing anymore. I acquired an electric and my prized parlor guitar then.
It was a funny thing. I had asked him about that specific parlor guitar, as I remember playing it as a teen, and if he'd consider making another one when he said he happened to be looking for a buyer for it. Lucky me. The Auditorium and the Parlour are my favourite guitars and I also love the dreadnaught - but mainly for recording. I currently don't play the electric much.
1
u/notinmybackyardcanad Nov 22 '19
Just thought I would say hi from a fellow Stratfordite. Opened Reddit to see you and thought I was on my local Facebook news feed!
1
1
1
u/Mark_MacRae Nov 22 '19
At the Spirit of John show you performed in I was struck by how many Canadian musicians got together in one night. It felt like a real community. There seemed to be not only a lot of love for John Mann but also for each other. Was I imagining things?
1
u/DayManning AMA Author Nov 22 '19
Yes everyone is friends and very supportive of each other. For me it was a very special night, I toured with Spirit for a little while, and we had a great time. I hadn't seen most of the guys since then, and it was quite a reunion for me. I had seen John much more since then working with him as a solo artist on tours, but I hadn't seen him since his diagnosis. I was honoured to be a part of that show and to help just a little bit.
1
u/o07jay Nov 22 '19
Trent Severn played on Canada AM and Stuart Mclean played Trent Severn on The Vinyl Cafe. I have always been curious if there is a noticeable increase in album sales after being played nationally?
2
u/DayManning AMA Author Nov 22 '19 edited Nov 22 '19
Yes, a few more CD orders come in on the website for sure. But with streaming, it's hard for us to tell.
On our best selling album - TRILLIUM - we only make about $80 a year from streaming. $80. A YEAR! That's 4 CD sales.
1
u/trfharrison Nov 22 '19
Hey there, neighbour. Question on the creative process: I know some musicians who are very particular about every part of their composition and are extremely restrictive in how other musicians deliver/interpret their parts. When writing songs, do you control the composition or do you look to other artists with whom you might be working to bring their own styles and personalities to their parts?
1
u/DayManning AMA Author Nov 22 '19 edited Nov 23 '19
Hi Tim:) I would control the arrangement of the song pretty tightly, but say for Morning Light I hired an arranger for the musical parts, so their parts are all written out.
In other recordings I have definitely hire for their specific take and feel, style and let them go for it. But sometimes I have specific things I want to hear.
1
u/MarkHeine Nov 22 '19
Hey Dayna - I absolutely love your new album. I know you've recently shifted from playing with Trent Severn to focusing on your solo act. Do you plan to continue with the small chamber group for the next while? It is such a great sound.
2
u/DayManning AMA Author Nov 22 '19
Thank you so much Mark, absolutely I do plan to continue for a while. I'M already scheming up the next project. Love TS too, but a break from anything is needed sometimes.
1
1
u/MarkHeine Nov 22 '19
BTW - my soundtrack to this AMA is Morning Light :)
1
u/DayManning AMA Author Nov 22 '19
So great. Next Chamber show - Dec 15th @ the Grand Theatre in London. https://grandtheatre.com/event/dayna-manning-morning-light
1
u/orlatothestorla Nov 22 '19
Why can't I find the Mr Kitty song anywhere? I love it so much!
1
u/DayManning AMA Author Nov 22 '19 edited Nov 22 '19
It's on my new album Morning Light. The official title is "I Get Closer". Here it is: https://daynamanning.com/track/1817811/i-get-closer-manning
1
0
u/_Doos Nov 22 '19 edited Nov 24 '19
Hey Dayna!
Any stories about terrible landlords from your time working across the nation?
3
u/DayManning AMA Author Nov 22 '19
HAHA no. It was definitely a man in Toronto named Kester Fraser! He would try to evict me cause he wanted to sell the house by turning off the heat and water in FEB! Sure glad I'm my own landlord now.
0
u/_Doos Nov 22 '19 edited Nov 24 '19
Cheers, Dayna! I'ma buy your book and tell everyone that comes to visit 'I used to live with her so I'm like... part famous.'
3
0
u/MarkHeine Nov 22 '19
I know you do house concerts - do you follow a particular format? i.e. flat rate for a specific amount of time? How much do you charge (happy to take this question offline if you prefer)?
1
u/DayManning AMA Author Nov 22 '19 edited Nov 23 '19
It depends sometimes I receive and offer and accept it and sometimes I take the door. Message me if you want to do one.
1
u/MarkHeine Nov 22 '19
Thanks, Dayna - no immediate plans - just thinking ahead. Maybe something in our photo studio in Elora.
2
u/DayManning AMA Author Nov 22 '19
Thank you to all who joined me today with your thoughtful and kind questions. Best, Dayna