Miss Manuk profile picture

Miss Manuk

"I've got a mind for business and a bod for sin"

About Me

81:Me and my Gaunt Lover China Girl Drunken Monk Mr Big Shot Strain ..
Send me a message with your name and email address and be added to the fan mailing list.
...a voice twinning Siouxsie Siouxs intonation with PJ Harveys holler. Venue magazine
"I cannot believe this girl is not signed this is without a doubt one of the finest pieces of music I have heard on this site for a long time"..."This lady is big!"... She will get signed no doubt"..."definitely holds potential for indie labels looking for a new female starlet". bravenewbands.com
Words that have been used to describe Miss Manuks music: strong, soaring, powerful, glimmering voice, dark, intriguing, drifty, stormy, operatic, original, honest, archaic, intense, seductive, avant- garde, edgy, experimental, bluesy, jazzy, intricate, meandering, mature, diverse, atmospheric, deep, attention- holding, raw, special, unique, voodoo-swamp-rock, enchanting, intelligent, haunting, stylish, quirky, disco-waltz-rock
Miss Manuk's (Abigail McDougall) songs cover various themes, including those of dreams and waking. Dreams of love and secrets, bizarre and mysterious dreams, sometimes nightmares. Waking up to the world we live in and the mess weve made of it. The oddness of reality and trying getting on track. With a unique and surprising voice the songs move from the melancholy and claustraphobic to a soaring and powerful intensity. They are met with sometimes unconventional and meandering compositions that take the listener on an emotional rollercoaster. The singer values honesty above all else and her lyrics have at times an abstract sense of humour. The early music conjures up images of the sea and earth, dense forests, dark caves, rugged cliffs. Having spent time studying in Cornwall, she carries the memories of this creative time, as well as her time growing up in the green hills of Umbria and voyages to other foreign countries. Her experiences feed the imaginary velvety night-times and lonely moorland excursions suggested by the atmospheres the music summons. More recent material draws on the subjects of Greek Mythology (Clytaemnestra), Alcohol (Absinthe), and the afterlife (No More Time) The influences on the music range from the avant-garde and classical, to rock, trip- hop and electronica, to 80s.
"I started my adult life as a painter and graphic artist, before music started taking over my life far more. I have sung throughout my life, sometimes in choirs, and became quite skilled at piano as a child. I played with various groups before deciding to follow my own path and gather my own band of merry men. I started gigging in Cornwall, gigging in pubs before appearing at a couple of large-scale events (Royal Cornwall show, Tremough Campus) and receiving play on BBC radio Cornwall. I recorded with four producers and had record company interest. I am now in Bristol. Since moving I've managed to gain a grant from the Princes Trust and am performing and promoting events, I have also played in London. I am working on new material, building up a fanlist and entering competitions, while preparing a tour and a new solo album. I spent a spell playing in a punk- rock band called the Gift. It was a good experience, the songs were really catchy and fun to play. I returned to Cornwall in 2006 to record the Miss Manuk e.p. and again in 2007 to record a few songs in the new Black and White Studio in Redruth. I have done an interview on BCFM which was featured on BBC Bristol."
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My Interests

Music:

Member Since: 5/21/2005
Band Website: myspace.com/missmanuk
Influences: PJ Harvey, Siouxsie and the Banshees, Grace Jones, Bjork, Jeff Buckley, Portishead, Prince, Bowie, Tina Turner, Michael Jackson, No Doubt, Pretenders, Joy Division, Cocteau Twins, Dresden Dolls, Emily Breeze, White Stripes, Massive Attack, The 5, 6, 7, 8' s, Goldfrapp, Death in Vegas, the Kills, Queens of the Stoneage, Felix da Housecat, Yeah Yeah Yeahs, Radiohead, Sonic Youth, Placebo, Queenadreena, Jefferson Airplane, Doors, Cure, the Glove, Mazzy Star, Patti Smith, Tom Waits, Abba, Adam and the Ants, the Ambassadors of Sorrow, Aretha Franklin, The Barnaby Ray Quartet, Malibu Barny, Billie Holiday, Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds, Blondie, Blur, Gorillaz, Breeders, Pixies, Brian Eno, Cyndi Lauper, Depeche Mode, Dolly Parton, Drugstore, Dustfactory, Dusty Springfield, Echo and the Bunnymen, Electric 6, Faithless, Garbage, Gary Numan, The Gift, Hendrix, Kate Bush, Air, Madonna, Mikko Hassinen, Miss Kittin, Moloko, Nancy Sinatra, Nina Simone, Peaches, Pony Hoax, Ravonettes, Roxy Music, The Slits, Smashing Pumpkins, Soldout, Stevie Wonder, T-Rex, Throwing Muses, Vincent Gallo, Violent Femmes, Lou Reed, Velvet Underground, Tarantula AD, the Knife, Isobel Cambell, Big Joan, Claudia Aurora
Sounds Like: PJ Harvey, Siouxsie and the Banshees, Jeff Buckley, Portishead, No Doubt, Pretenders, Joy Division, Cocteau twins, Dresden Dolls, White Stripes, Massive Attack, The 5, 6, 7, 8's, Goldfrapp, the Kills, Queens of the Stoneage, Felix da Housecat, Yeah Yeah Yeahs, Radiohead, Sonic Youth, Placebo, Queenadreena, David Bowie, Jefferson Airplane, Doors, Bjork, Cure, the Glove, Mazzy Star, Patti Smith, Tom Waits, Abba, the Ambassadors of Sorrow, Billie Holiday, Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds, Blondie, Blur, Gorillaz, Breeders, Pixies, Brian Eno, CocoRosie, Cyndi Lauper, Depeche Mode, Dolly Parton, Drugstore, Dusty Springfield, Echo and the Bunnymen, Electric 6, Garbage, Kate Bush, Madonna, Mikko Hassinen, Moloko, Nancy Sinatra, Nina Simone, Peaches, Pony Hoax, Prince, Ravonettes, Roxy Music, The Slits, Smashing Pumpkins, T-Rex, Throwing Muses, Tina Turner, Vincent Gallo, Violent Femmes, Lou Reed, Velvet Underground, Tarantula AD, The Knife
Type of Label: None

My Blog

Rottenmeats Review

With just an electric guitar and a stick of bells velcroed to her leg, Miss Manuk took the stage, dishing out some exciting guitar work with vague hints of 'PJ Harvey' type phrasing circa 'Dry'. Tasty...
Posted by Miss Manuk on Thu, 17 Apr 2008 04:54:00 PST

FEMMES FATALES (SOLD OUT!) VENUE MAGAZINE REVIEW

Miss Manuk stands tonight as one woman, one (very) short dress, one guitar, and one compelling performance. That guitar is wrought, bent, bruised, bare and occasionally backward. The singing of "I put...
Posted by Miss Manuk on Wed, 23 Jan 2008 09:18:00 PST

CUBE GIG 18 JAN

FEMMES FATALES EMILY BREEZE - BELA EMERSON  MISS MANUK FRI 18TH JANUARY 2008 THE CUBE A trio of diverse sexy musical sirens to titillate your fantasies. Rock goddess Emily Breeze and her storm of ...
Posted by Miss Manuk on Thu, 10 Jan 2008 11:10:00 PST

Miss Manuk interview on radio

Miss Manuk radio interview plus exclusive new tracks on Bristol Community Radio 93.2 Fm, Sunday 19th August 2007
Posted by Miss Manuk on Mon, 17 Sep 2007 04:26:00 PST

Accoustic e.p. preview!

two preview tracks are now uploaded for you to hear from the forthcoming e.p.: Miss Manuk- "Gone Trampy-bo-ho". The tracks are titled "No more time" and "I'm a Sea". I am hoping to release the e.p. on...
Posted by Miss Manuk on Thu, 10 May 2007 12:46:00 PST

Miss Manuk E.P. now available on i Tunes and Napster!

The Miss Manuk E.P. is now available on i Tunes and Napster. Please show your support by downloading and rating the songs. Lots of Love!X
Posted by Miss Manuk on Mon, 12 Feb 2007 04:24:00 PST

Accoustic album preview

I am currently workng on quite an exciting new project: an accoustic album featuring a much more stripped down to basics kinda sound. So far I have been working on songs with spanish guitar and piano ...
Posted by Miss Manuk on Wed, 22 Nov 2006 09:20:00 PST

Incase of confusion: I am not Leslie Ash...

There have recently been a number of unfortunate incidents of mistaken identity: I am not a blonde short haired middle-aged woman with enormous lips: I am not Leslie Ash. You guys need to stop seeing ...
Posted by Miss Manuk on Thu, 12 Oct 2006 03:05:00 PST

Miss Manuk plays London

Sat september 23rd 2006 Miss Manuk were invited to play a gig in London for Wide Open Magazine, a new magazine aimed at progressive open minded women of all sexualities. Miss Manuk was second from las...
Posted by Miss Manuk on Wed, 27 Sep 2006 06:13:00 PST

Bands of the moment, my recommendations

The Dresden Dolls (Spectacular gig at the Astoria)The Knife (amazingly soulfull and humourous electronica)Emily Breeze and the Dobermen (gritty and sublime female fronted rock from Bristol)The Barnaby...
Posted by Miss Manuk on Tue, 13 Jun 2006 10:00:00 PST