Manual on Manuel …………………

“………..As a child, I dreamed of becoming a fighter pilot, soaring into the skies in a Panavia Tornado…………”(cut frame,2nd shot moves to the narrator dressed like Alfred Hitchcock who begins explaining the plot…)
Off course, this was all a childhood fantasy thanks to the tons of observer books and encyclopedias I had on aircrafts and numerous Matchbox airplanes……the only competition this had was my ability to play “air guitar” at a very early age.

Let me give you and idea as to how early ….while my elder cousins were into Wham! and other early 80’s pop icons I was completely into Judas Priest, Pink Floyd,Roger Chapman, Dire Straits,The Doors and all other rock icons from the 70’s and 80’s thanks to a very freaky elder cousin(he must have been in the 9th or 10th grade)….. I must have been 4 or 5 years old perhaps. There was always some nice record playing at home and I was particularly fond of Peter Frampton and Frank Zappa,infact I even named my dog”Zappa”and called him a “Zound”.This early exposure to music grew deeper and I soon became very attached and passionate about it.

We now jump a couple of years or so ahead ……

I had not only become a better”Air Guitarist” but also a “Tin Can Banger” Drummer ….
I was drawn more and more into the sounds of music, all I could think off was playing music and bands, so eventually on a holiday to Goa I was given my first”Givson”acoustic and there on the journey began………………….

……………………..I really don’t want to bore you all by telling the usual struggle story. What I can say though is that I’m completely self-taught and in my years of playing (15 years I guess by now) have developed an individual style which I can call my own and am still adding to its library and learning everyday.

Along my journey, I have been blessed to be around exceptionally good and kind musicians, friends and family members and they have always encouraged me. I have always been open-minded about my approach to musical thinking and expression. To me good music is good music; I’m not fond of one particular genre.

Speaking of inspirations and influences now, I ,in all honesty have been most inspired by people whom I’ve played and in turn,learnt from.Some started out as unknowns to me or vice versa and later into good friends and fellow musicians. And like others I too have my guitar heroes from my early ones - Peter Frampton & Mark Knofler to the twin guitar assault of K.K Downing and Glen Tipton from Judas Priest….midway - …Phil Collin, Steve Vai, Alex Lifeson, SRV amongst others to the later ones - …. Scott Henderson, Allan Holdsworth, John McLaughlin, Pat Martino, Pat Metheny, John Scofield
…Holdsworth being the most inspirational as my way of thinking (musically) and approach to the guitar changed overnight after listening to him. Besides the”stringed”people, I’m influenced by both western and Indian classical music, almost all music from the 70s and 80s, Filmscores and blah blah blah n blah blah blah ……

At a personnel level, I’m not turned on by”cover-tune”players but am really impressed by musicians who have there own style and way of expressing and have originality.

I’d love to blabber more but the webmaster won’t let me …..so, till the next update and posting keep reading this short essay which could be edited anytime I feel I said too much, too little or something stupid!!!!

ADIL MANUEL - Electric & Acoustic Guitars/ Guitar Synth/Backing Vocals

An active musician in the Delhi circuit. He has paid his dues earlier on by playing/working on with bands like Asphyxia, Hundred Octane, MRP, Olio and the Rock Opera and various others. He later on branched into freelancing and sessions work, working with people like Shubha Mudgal, Edwin Fernandes Shibani Kashyap,Indian Ocean, Silk Route and a lot more. He also plays with Whimsy Logic, a Jazz /Funk Setup.

Email me at:
adil@mybandish.com