Hello, Lovies, and welcome!

I'm a nutty musician who somehow got herself known in the European metal scene, even though I'm not really a super-mega-metal-diva girl. But that's not a secret. Not one I'm keeping, anyway!

You might know me from the various work I've done with other bands, but you might be surprised at what else I have to offer and I invite you to look around, have a listen and let me know what you think!

OK, now on to the more serious, official stuff. Enjoy!

xx
Amanda

Singer-songwriter with a razorblade edge.

In a business where image often overshadows substance, Amanda Somerville gives the industry CPR with a breath of sincerity through music that is so real, it's goosebump-inducing. The windows to this songwriter's soul are her songs, which are ambient and groovy, yet extremely radio-friendly. Combining heart and soul with hit songwriting, you're bound to be moved.

Since 2000, Amanda has resided and worked mainly in Germany and the Netherlands . In that time, she has independently sold over 7,000 CDs of her solo work and gained thousands of fans all over the world. She is currently engaged in both studio and live work in Europe and is exploring options for her latest solo album, "Windows."

Discography

Solo:
-In the Beginning there was... (Debut Album, 2000)
-Blue Nothing (EP, 2000)
-Never Alone (EP, 2003) sold approx. 5,000 copies in Germany .
-Aina: Days of Rising Doom (2003) - wrote concept and all lyrics, co-wrote music, worked as vocalist, vocal coach. Sold approx. 40,000 copies and garnered many new fans world-wide. Included several famous guest musicians such as Glenn Hughes, Sass Jordan, T.M. Stevens.
-Windows (release date unspecified) new solo album currently being finished

Other bands & projects:
-HDK - System Overload (due in 2008); co-writer, vocalist, co-producer, engineer
-Avantasia - The Scarecrow (due in 2007); vocalist
-Andre Matos - Time To Be Free (due in 2007); worked as vocalist, engineer
-Epica - The Phantom Agony (2003), We Will Take You With Us (2004), Consign To Oblivion (2005), The Road to Paradiso (due in 2007), The Divine Conspiracy (due in 2007); worked as vocal coach, vocalist, co-writer, engineer, producer
-After Forever - Invisible Circles (2004), Remagine (2005); worked as lyric editor, co-writer, vocal coach, vocalist, producer; After Forever (2007); worked as lyric editor and vocalist.
-Asrai - Touch in the Dark (2004): worked as lyrical editor; Pearls In Dirt (due in 2007); worked as songwriter, vocalist
-Ebony Ark - Decoder (2006); worked as vocalist, producer
-Kamelot - Black Halo (2005), Ghost Opera (2007); worked as vocalist, lyrical editor
-Phaeno Science Center (2005); commissioned to write and perform song about and for the grand opening of science center by Zaha Hadid, Frank Oppenheimer and Joe Ansel
-Boehringer Ingelheim (2005); commissioned to write 2 jingles for new swine vaccine:)
-Edguy - Hellfire Club (2003), Rocket Ride (2005); worked as vocalist, lyrical editor
-Shaman - Ritual (2002), Reason (2005); worked as vocalist, lyrical editor
-Mob Rules - Hallowed Be Thy Name (2002), Ethnolution A.D. (2006); worked as vocalist
-Luca Turilli (Rhapsody) - Prophet of the Last Eclipse (2002); worked as vocalist
-Virgo - Virgo (2001); worked as vocalist, lyrical editor
-Various other bands (Felony, Reverend Right Time and the First Cousins of Funk, Lunatica, Brainstorm, etc.)

• great song
•  Amazingly powerful
•  Haunting, yet sincere

THE SHORT
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-the man cable- is the pseudonym that I use in my guise as a music producer and electronic music artist. For my drumming gigs, I usually just go by Robert Cummings.

In recent years, I’ve worked deeply with Steinberg Nuendo, my current favourite audio platform in the digital realm. My expertise includes mixing (digital/analog) and mastering, group and vocal tracking, live and studio drumming, drum programming, arranging and editing. I also have contacts to a wide range of pro musicians around the world. The music projects I’ve worked on or performed with have ranged from electronics to rock to jazz to everything in between ... even childrens’ CDs!

THE LONG
*******
Born and raised in winter-blasted Winnipeg in Manitoba, Canada, I began drumming in 1983. I studied privately there until 1986 when I moved to the mild coastal climes of Vancouver, BC. After studying with jazz drum instructors there (Jim Chivers), I gained initial playing experience with touring/recording acts such as People Playing Music and Juno award-winning Alpha Yaya Diallo from Guinea, Africa. After an intermediate stop in Paris, France, I moved to Berlin, Germany in 1992 where I continued working as a drummer/percussionist in several groups.
In Berlin, I recorded percussion on two CDs by Genetic Drugs (”Karma Club” in 1993 and “Karma Pharma” in 1996) and became interested in the possibilities of electronics in music through work with Janek Siegele (Jayrope, Hardman, Girls United, The Sighs, klikklak records). The two co-founded the half-live, half-electronic avant pop band Rope in 1996 and completed “Rope Hotel” in 1997 for Alec Empire’s Geist imprint. A follow-up CD, “It’s No Fun To Compute”, was released in 2000. In the meantime, he started his solo project as the man cable and released a debut CD entitled “derouting” in 2000. This project continues to this day and a new release is planned for 2005.
From 1999 to 2001, I performed and recorded as drummer/percussionist with the renowned Die Geschwister Pfister, a comedy and music act that played to full houses throughout Germany, Austria and Switzerland. “The Voice of Snow White” was released in 2000 on Traumton records. During this period, I also contributed live electronics to the well-known 17 Hippies on their project The Sexy Ambient Hippies. This culminated in the release “17 Hippies Play Sexy Ambient Hippies” (Hipster Records/ Soul Food) in 2003.
I joined Klaus Janek’s electro-acoustic jazz-dancefloor project DeeQ in 2001 and worked on the CD “Fresher Than Air” in 2002. Also in 2002, I started production on Alpendub—a wild mixture of German alpine sounds with dubbed-out grooves that has aroused interest throughout the world. Alpendub has two releases thus far: “the man cable presents Alpendub” in 2003 and “Jo-Delay” in 2004.
I perform live on a regular basis as a drummer/ percussionist in settings ranging from jazz trio (Matias König Trio) to cajun/zydeco (Colinda) to straight-of-the-saddle country (The Maplewood Boys) to live electronic collaborations (the man cable vs. NBI) to crooner swing jazz (The Swingin Bohemians). As of fall/winter 2006, I will be performing with Denis Fischer in Six Strings That Drew Blood.

The VBA is a grass roots effort to get people back into the rock clubs. Wanna play some bigger gigs?? Then join the Alliance. All styles of rock are welcome... from Death Metal to Pop. BRING YOUR DEMO TO ANY VBA SHOW AND PUT IT IN THE DROP BOX. Here's how the VBA works: * We gig once or twice a month * you must attend the shows whether you play or not * if you support the shows you WILL get to play. We present all the gigs to the media with samples of your music and infomation about the gig. We also highlight the bands on the TV show "A New Rock Reality" as seen on Novus Cable Ch34. GET YOUR BAND MORE EXPOSURE!!! JOIN THE VBA. Now airing on "A New Rock Reality" Episode 16: Sinister Black, The Remedial Report (Gabe and Scott throw down a Remedial Report Retrospect) and The Mercutios! * NOVASTATIK looking for a new drummer! Check em' out at www.myspace.com/novastatik or www.novastatik.com and sign up! *