Eddie, R.U. Kidding?

By Axel Wünsch and Aad Hoogesteger
T'Mershi Duween, #28, November 1992

Ed Mann was interviewed post-concert by the intrepid Germano-Belgic axis of Axel Wünsch and Aad Hoogesteger, some time early in 1992 while the Repercussion Unit were on tour in Deutschland. Here's some of what they said:

There's a rumour you have something to do with 'The Yellow Shark' in Frankfurt.
This is the first time I'm hearing it now.

There was a rumour that you'd be involved in the recordings in July.
Gee – as far as I know, in July I'll be here with Rickie Lee Jones.

You told us you'd have a new recording out at the end of the year.
With Repercussion Unit?

No, the Ed Mann Band ... with Tommy Mars?
No, I haven't really talked to anybody yet. I just have ideas about what I think I'd like to do. I would actually like to work with Tommy, so I'm trying to figure it out.

Are you going to record?
Yeah, at the CMP studio.

What about the next Repercussion Unit album? We were expecting it to be on sale now.
Yeah, it was supposed to be. When they went to mix it the tape went bad, then the tape machine went bad and the mixing console went bad. Then the engineer got sick. So it was one thing after another. Now everything is working great but I don't have time to mix it until August. It should be out sometime at the end of this year.

You also told us that you thought the music was getting too full.
Yeah. I'd like to get rid of the electric guitar and get rid of everything that just makes it seem so big and electric because, with all that stuff going on, it becomes a generic rhythm groove. The way a drummer plays, if there's a bass player and electric guitar player there, it automatically starts out loud. And so I would like to bring it down to where it's more percussion oriented, and more acoustic instruments ... not so loud, so it has some room to grow. That would mean first getting rid of the electric guitar, and next getting rid of the synthesizer. We'll have to see ... it's an idea, but I've been doing a lot of recording like that lately with some other people and the stuff just sounds great: when you want it to be soft, it can be soft.

What projects have you been working on recently?
I've been on the road with Rickie Lee Jones since November 1991. I've just recorded a record with another friend of mine – a percussionist. Did a video with Rickie Lee. Right after this I go to Paris with a French artist, Thomas Featson. Then I come back and tour with Rickie here in July ... unless Frank calls and things change. But I haven't heard from him.

Don Preston told us that you worked together last year.
That's right. It was kinda just a be-bop quartet – piano, bass, drums, vibes. We played Don's tunes. It was fun.

Was that a recording?
No, we haven't recorded it. Maybe someday.

(Interview transcribed by the fearless Andy Greenaway, who also supplied the cringeworthy title. Fred edited.)