The man behind the music
Josiah J Manning
Speak to almost any musician in Plymouth, about the local music scene, and it won't be long before this name crops up.
Josiah J Manning has been quietly helping to shape it for almost two decades.
Positive Plymouth paid a visit to his studios in Plympton to find out more about the man behind the music.
You’re acutely aware before you arrive that you're about to chat to a man who plays piano, guitar, drums and bass, who’s worked as a producer and an engineer, who owns his own recording studio and has worked with local and international touring musicians, and with major and independent labels.
You also know he's worked on three Top 40 albums. I mean just how many strings does one man need for his bow?
You’d be forgiven for expecting to meet someone rather fond of telling you about all those achievements.
He’s not! In fact Josiah’s quite the opposite.
In order to showcase some of his many talents, I asked if I could film him playing piano, guitar and drums for the camera.
He was happy to oblige - although, when I suggested all three, he wondered if I minded if he just did two.
“I don’t want to come across as if I’m saying hey look at me,” he says, modestly.
A tiny exchange, but it says a lot more about Josiah than three demonstrations of his musical abilities ever could.
And while other musicians talk about him with considerable respect and admiration, he's much more comfortable talking about the music than himself.
Born into music
Sitting in the studio he built with his grandfather 18 years ago, Josiah explains how his musical journey started at a very early age.
“I started playing piano when I was two, I believe. I used to sit on mum's lap and pick out melodies on the piano.”
His dad was a musician too, and Josiah’s mum would often take him along to his dad’s gigs when he was very young.
“One of my first ever rock concerts I went to was Status Quo in Plymouth Pavilions. And I think that just shaped my musical journey really.”
From black and white keys to sticks and strings, his musical skills soon progressed from piano to drums, and then guitar. And growing up around different kinds of music meant he never became tied to one particular genre.
“I've always been a massive fan of different genres and crossover of genres as well. That's actually something I'm quite passionate about.” he tells me.
It's a characteristic that’s stayed with him throughout his career.
Although his main job is now as a record producer, Josiah is very much a multi-instrumentalist, and he’s recently found himself working on something completely outside his usual territory: a musical theatre project.
Starting with a blank canvas - just some very basic demos - and building everything from scratch, he describes this as a bit of a welcome challenge: “I've been able to really go to town on creating something from the ground up in a genre I'm not massively au fait with,” he explains.
“I’ve been around musical theatre, it’s something my wife’s very much in to - and she does play it around the house a bit - but it’s not something I’ve ever really been involved with.” Until now.
Josiah has never found himself pigeon-holed into one specific genre. And perhaps that's one of the reasons Plymouth suits him so well.
London calling?
There was a time when aspiring musicians were told that London was the only place to be if they wanted to be successful.
Josiah briefly toyed with the idea of moving there when he was in his teens, but decided against it.
“There's always been that thing of you have to be in London to make it in music.
“But it's not the case anymore because social media has transformed the industry.”
Today, a producer sitting in a studio in Plympton can work with an artist on the other side of the world.
“You can be a producer in Plymouth working with an artist in California thanks to the internet.”
But technology isn't the only reason he stayed local.
“I'd never really want to move away from here. I mean, it's beautiful,” he says.
“I love the sea. I love the fact we've got the moors right next to us. I think Plymouth’s just quite an inspiring city, inspiring scenery.”
He also sees Plymouth as somewhere musicians can come to get away from the hustle and bustle and be inspired.
“It's a great place to make music. It's a great place for people around the country - or whoever I'm working with - to sort of retreat to and just get creative,” he muses.
And he clearly thinks Plymouth's musical talent deserves more recognition.
“The Plymouth music scene’s an interesting one because there’s a weird amount of amazing artists, players…. there’s just an amazing amount of people in the arts.”
When clients travel to Plymouth from elsewhere in the country, Josiah will occasionally take them along to local jam nights.
“They always say, 'Oh, it's a right little hotbed here in Plymouth’.”
Something those of us who live here often take for granted.
Strings to his bow
For someone who’s accumulated so many different musical skills, there's an obvious question.
Would Josiah have been better off choosing just one path and devoting all his time to it?
“Hmm, that’s a really good question because I battle with this all the time,” he says.
“I sometimes wonder if I'd put all my time, say, into music production, or all my time into playing piano, would I have ended up a better pianist, or a better music producer?”
It's a genuine consideration rather than a carefully prepared answer. But then he considers the benefits that having all those different musical skills brings him as a producer.
“I think actually being able to be a record producer and an instrumentalist means I’m able to talk that language with other players that come in... I think that can be a very valuable asset to have as a record producer.”
So actually his multi-skilled approach has become part of his strength.
He can relate to a pianist as a fellow pianist. A guitarist as a guitarist. A bass player as a bass player. And a drummer as… well, you get the picture!
By having that level of understanding he can easily empathise with what they're trying to achieve.
Small cog, big machine
On a windowsill at Momentum sit awards from some of the projects Josiah’s worked on, including recognition for three Top 40 albums.
“I'm incredibly proud of that achievement. And I'm incredibly proud of the band that I've done that with.”
But the awards don't seem to have changed his attitude towards his role.
“I love playing on stage and I love that sort of connection with an audience,” he says.
“But I’m very, very happy just kind of being a cog in the machine. I've never been one for being like, 'Oh, look at me.'”
Which brings us neatly back to the start of this feature, and his modesty about ‘showing off’ his skills.
Another little project
Josiah’s a busy man. But there's still one other little project we haven’t mentioned. One that is soon to take shape in his life.
When we met up, he and his wife were expecting their first child; a little girl, due in a couple of weeks.
And apparently their daughter’s already been spending time in Momentum Studios with them, albeit from probably the most comfortable listening room imaginable.
“She’s spent a lot of time here already, listening to various mixes and stuff, and we plan to carry that on,” he smiles. “Technically, she’s also been to several gigs!”
And mum and dad have already bought a sling so that, once she arrives, Josiah can carry her around while he's editing and mixing. “Quietly, of course,” he assures me.
It’s a little glimpse of what life might look like when music and parenthood start occupying the same space.
And I reckon there's something rather fitting about the fact that a child who’s already being introduced to music in the studio will have a father whose own musical education began sitting on his mum's lap at the piano all those years ago.
Be yourself, be different
For all the amazing variety of things Josiah does, what he wants to do next is very clear.
He wants to help musicians make music that sounds like them.
And he thinks that's becoming increasingly important.
With artificial intelligence beginning to make its mark on music production, Josiah believes creativity, individuality and the human element really need protecting.
“I think it's more important than ever to instigate and cultivate art, and songwriting and just have people push the boundaries and not be stuck in a sort of formulaic songwriting structure,” he says.
“My job is to help people say what they want to say. That might be through lyrics, arrangements or sounds. Just to kind of breathe life into the song, and I think that’s so important.”
He worries that something of that individuality risks being lost. And that, ultimately, is where his own collection of musical skills comes together.
Producer, musician, engineer, studio owner. Each of them a smaller part of a much bigger story.
“Plymouth’s got so much talent, so many great songwriters, so many great musicians,” he says.
“I just want to be part of the process of bringing these artists to the world and hopefully kind of breathing more life into their own visions for their songs.”
Which may just explain why such a talented man, who could quite reasonably stand up and demonstrate a whole host of skills, would simply rather just quietly get on with doing what he loves best - making music.
And maybe a few sleepless nights ahead too - but for all the best reasons!
Josiah was chatting to John Govier. You can find out more about him, his studios, and his work by visiting his website: Momentum Studios
Watch the video below to hear his story in his own words.
More Plymouth Sounds
Throwing the spotlight on some of the city’s music makers
NB: Positive Plymouth is not responsible for the content of external websites