Paul Manzi

Paul Manzi (born 6 May 1963)[1] is an English singer, best known as a member of The Sweet, Cats in Space and Arena, and for performing with the likes of Ian Paice, Gordon Giltrap and Oliver Wakeman.[1]

Paul Manzi
Manzi performing with The Sweet in 2023.
Manzi performing with The Sweet in 2023.
Background information
Born (1963-05-06) May 6, 1963
North London, United Kingdom[1]
Genres
Occupation(s)Singer
Instrument(s)
  • Vocals
  • guitar
  • bass
  • keyboards
Member of
Formerly of

Career

Early career

Manzi chose performing arts over his other love, tennis. Manzi got his first guitar at 15 and played guitar in a school band. He originally wanted to be a guitarist like Jimmy Page, but became a singer after his distinctive voice[1] was discovered at age 23.[2] Other early influences include Led Zeppelin, Deep Purple, Rush and Queen.[3] 2 years after he started singing he joined progressive rock band Barchetta[3] and gained valuable recording experience at Abbey Road Studios and live experience at the Marquee Club.[2][3]

He did some vocal session work and also performed with various cover bands as well as with trios/duos and as a solo singer/guitarist.[2] he performed on lead vocals on soundtracks for musicals Phantasmagoria and Space Family Robinson.[2] Manzi joined Oliver Wakeman (son of Rick Wakeman, later of Yes)'s band in 2004, he continues to perform with both the band,[4][5] including guitarist Gordon Giltrap, and with Wakeman as a duo.[2][4][6]

Manzi joined supergroup Raw Glory in 2006 with members of Judas Priest, Gillan and Heavy Metal Kids.[2]

Arena
Manzi performing with Arena in 2019.

He joined Neo-progressive rock band Arena in 2010, replacing Rob Sowden. He wrote and recorded three acclaimed albums with them before his departure in 2020.[1][7] Drummer and band leader Mick Pointer praised Manzi's vocal ability saying "clearly Paul Manzi has a much better voice range than any of the others [previous singers in the band] put together."[8]

The Sweet

He first joined the Sweet temporarily on the 2014 tour in Australia, playing guitar and keyboards, covering for Tony O'Hora, who was absent for personal reasons.[1][9] He next performed with the band in 2019, again on keyboards and guitar with O'Hora taking on vocals/bass duties as he had in previous years.[10][11] He joined the sweet full time as lead singer later that year after O'Hora and Peter Lincoln's departure, he also contributed bass until Lee Small joined.[12]

Cats in Space

Manzi joined newly formed rock band Cats in Space in 2016, he recorded two albums with the group as well as touring with the group which included highlights including British Summertime at Hyde Park with Phil Collins and support tours with Thunder, Deep Purple and Status Quo.[1][13] In 2019 he left Cats in Space to join The Sweet full time.[14]

Discography
Year Artist Title Notes Ref
2008 David Munyon & Mary's Band Some Songs For Mary lead vocals on 1 track, backing on 4 [15]
2011 Arena The Seventh Degree Of Separation first studio album with Arena [16]
2013 Arena Live recorded on 2011/2012 tour [17]
Gordon Giltrap & Oliver Wakeman Ravens & Lullabies lead vocals along side Benoit David. [18]
Clive Nolan Alchemy Live performs vocals of Milosh on DVD [19]
Raw Glory City Life lead vocals [20]
Arena Rapture live DVD recorded in Katowice, Poland on the 10th of November 2011. [21]
2015 Cats In Space Too Many Gods vocals alongside Mick Wilson [22]
Arena XX Recorded on the 9th of April, 2015 in Katowice, Poland [23]
2017 David Palfreyman and Nicholas Pegg Decades backing vocals [24]
Cats In Space Scarecrow lead vocals [25]
2018 Cats Alive! lead and backing vocals, acoustic guitar; recorded live at Cardiff Motorpoint Arena on March 24th 2017. [26]
Arena Double Vision performer [27]
2019 Cats In Space Daytrip To Narnia [28]
2019 Arena Re-Visited : Live! lead vocals; recorded live at the Boerderij, Zoetermeer, Netherlands [29]
2020 Ayreon Transitus vocals for Henry [30]
2021 Sweet Isolation Boulevard lead vocals [31]
Clive Nolan & Oliver Wakeman Tales By Gaslight lead vocals on two bonus tracks [32]
Dark Fables [33]

References
  1. "SWEET Official | New Album". The Sweet. Retrieved 16 June 2023.
  2. "RAW GLORY". rawglory.co.uk. Retrieved 16 June 2023.
  3. "Metalingus, Shepperton, Surrey". Lemonrock Gig Guide. Retrieved 16 June 2023.
  4. "Oliver Live Performance Reviews". Oliver Wakeman Music. Retrieved 16 June 2023.
  5. "News '20, '21 & '22". Oliver Wakeman Music. Retrieved 16 June 2023.
  6. "Oliver Wakeman Music | Recordings". Oliver Wakeman Music. Retrieved 16 June 2023.
  7. Ewingpublished, Jerry (13 July 2020). "Paul Manzi leaves Arena". louder. Retrieved 16 June 2023.
  8. "Arena interview (08/2012)". Metal Storm. Retrieved 16 June 2023.
  9. O'Hora, Tony. "archive". thesweetsite.co.uk. Retrieved 16 June 2023. The great news is that our good friend Paul Manzi will be joining the band for the Australian leg of the tour. Paul is a very talented musician and singer and I would like to personally thank him for stepping in at such short notice. I'm sure that the tour will be a great success as the band are sounding fantastic!
  10. "The Sweet | Sage Gateshead". sagegateshead.com. 12 December 2019. Archived from the original on 11 May 2019. Retrieved 16 June 2023.
  11. Birch, Paul H. (11 May 2019). "Sweet Xmas 2019 Tour". RAMzine. Retrieved 16 June 2023.
  12. "New man onboard - Lee Small". The Ultimate Sweet Fan Site. 3 October 2019. Retrieved 16 June 2023.
  13. Rockpit, The (1 November 2022). "UK Classic Rockers CATS IN SPACE feat Iconic Songwriters & Artists Release New Album 'Kickstart The Sun'". The Rockpit. Retrieved 16 June 2023.
  14. Dome, Malcolm (9 April 2019). "VOCALIST LEAVES CATS IN SPACE • TotalRock". TotalRock. Retrieved 7 September 2023.
  15. Some Songs For Mary (liner notes). Mobile Home Records. 2008. MHR006.
  16. The Seventh Degree Of Separation (liner notes). Verglas Music. 2011. VGCD032.
  17. Live (liner notes). Verglas Music. 2013. VGCD034.
  18. Ravens & Lullabies (liner notes). Esoteric Antenna. 2013. EANTCD 21012.
  19. Alchemy Live (liner notes). Metal Mind Productions. 2013. MMP DVD 0207.
  20. City Life (liner notes). Doogie Dog Records. 2013. Doogie Dog Records.
  21. Rapture (liner notes). Metal Mind Productions. 2013. MMP DVD 0203.
  22. Too Many Gods (liner notes). Harmony Factory. 2015. HF06.
  23. XX (liner notes). Metal Mind Productions. 2016. MASS CD 1529 DGD.
  24. Decades (liner notes). Diteli Records. 2017. DT1701.
  25. Scarecrow (liner notes). Harmony Factory. 2017. HFV07.
  26. Cats Alive! (liner notes). Harmony Factory. 2018. HFV08.
  27. Double Vision (liner notes). Verglas Music. 2018. VGCD042.
  28. Daytrip To Narnia (liner notes). Harmony Factory. 2019. HFV09.
  29. Re-Visited : Live! (liner notes). Verglas Music. 2019. VGCD044.
  30. Transitus (liner notes). Music Theories Recordings. 2020. MTR 7623 5.
  31. Isolation Boulevard (liner notes). Sony Music. 2021. 88875129699.
  32. Tales By Gaslight (liner notes). Elflock Records. 2021. ELR001CD.
  33. Dark Fables (liner notes). Elflock Records. 2021. ELR002CD.
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