Jonny Manak and The Depressives

"You Bring Me Down" featured in a Wahoo's Fish Tacos National TV Campaign!

2011-12-10T16:00:00.000-08:00

Our friends at Wahoo's Fish Tacos asked if they could use our song "You Bring Me Down" for a TV commercial campaign that will be running nationally. We love their food, they love our music! It's a match made in heaven! Naturally, we said YES!

Thanks to John Hampton for hooking it up!

Thank you Curtis!

2011-10-05T09:08:00.000-07:00

Jonny Manak and The Depressives have decided to go back to a stripped down, guitar heavy, "power trio" lineup and would like to thank Curtis for his hard work behind the organ. He's a good friend, a great musician and we appreciate the time he spent with us. He'll still be burning down the house with his band MONKEY, so go check them out at a show near you!
Thanks for all your help Curtis!

More MTV placements! Our music is on Episode #4 of RIDICULOUSNESS!

2011-09-23T16:25:00.000-07:00

SWEET! More music placed on MTV shows that we like to watch! Rob is funny as hell and rips on a skateboard, so we're stoked to announce that our song EVERY NIGHT'S A FRIDAY from our first album REBOUND TOWN was in this episode. Fast forward to the 6:33 spot and you'll hear almost the entire song! Wah-BAM! Thanks guys!

Ridiculousness - MTV Shows

New Stickers!

2011-09-02T15:49:00.000-07:00

Our buddy David McHank drew up this neat logo and Jimmy formatted it to be used as this layout. We're lucky to have such talented friends who do nice things like this for us! Thanks guys! You rule! These stickers are available now in red ink and black ink. Send me a self addressed stamped envelope with a few dollars in it to:

Jonny Manak
550 South First St.
San Jose, CA 95113

I'll mail you back an envelope with some stickers!
Wah-BAM!

"Cha Cha Cha Chewy" was used in a Vans Shoes/Spitfire Commercial!

2011-08-31T09:33:00.000-07:00

Stoked! We love Vans Shoes and we love Spitfire Wheels. But what we love more than anything, is people we believe in using our music in their stuff. The gravy train keeps on rollin'!

Peanut Butter Wolf Interview from 1989

2011-08-24T09:02:00.000-07:00

Ever have one of those embarrassing videos from grade school hit youtube? Well, this is one of them, but to add insult to injury, I have makeup on. We were getting ready to head to KSJS for my first radio interview for our band PEANUT BUTTER WOLF. I was in 5th grade...

Awe, memories...

2011-08-16T17:24:00.000-07:00

This photo was taken in 2006? 2007? I don't know. All I do know is that this was on the Sacrifice Skateboards tour when were were filming "Por Vida" the 2nd video the company made. MRZ was there shooting pics and catching a ton of fish! Dave Nelson and I left SJ in the afternoon and had to drive through Yosemite park (falling asleep at the wheel too) to get to this skatepark in Mamoth and rolled into the campsite at like 3am where I obnoxiously woke everyone up with loud music and my car horn (they were pissed, but got over it after a few minutes and all was well). We set up our tents had a few victory drinks after the drive and hit the hay. Boy, that was a fun trip. I almost died trying this so I slapped on a helmet for good measure. You can also see the video of this shot at the very end of this clip.

R.I.P. "Braindead" Dave :(

2011-08-05T10:13:00.000-07:00

I just found out that our friend "Braindead" Dave has passed on. Dave was probably one of the biggest supporters of local punk rock in the area and he would put shows together for us because he really dug our band and wanted to expose us to the scene up there in SF. He owned "Force of Habit Records" and was always stoked to carry our records as well as records of other bands I played in. He never told me he was sick, but his record store was closed for periods of time recently and when I'd ask about it, he'd shrug it off and change the subject. You were a rare breed Dave, you were so kind to all of us musicians and you gave much more than you took, MUCH more. I'll miss our hour long phone conversations about music, local bands, hard to find records, and the bands you'd always turn me onto that I never heard of. I remember the time you got mad at me for putting out our latest album on CD. "Dude, why the fuck would you do that, Jonny?!? CDs are lame! Why didn't you put it out on vinyl?!?" I explained to Dave that we were just waiting on the artwork and saving funds to press it (we still haven't pressed it, ha ha). He wasn't having it and was genuinely upset it wasn't on vinyl. That was rad Dave, you were good about setting me straight on shit. If you liked it, you told me, if you hated it, you told me. Most times though, you would say you liked it :)

I love you Dave and I'm really going to miss you and seeing your name come up on my called ID for an hour long chat that would start out as a show offer for 5 minutes then would turn into a long talk about cool music. I'm going to rock the tee you gave me with your face on it tonight! Long live "Braindead" Dave!!!

Another music placement in the US Open of Surfing program!

2011-07-22T09:15:00.000-07:00

Jonny Manak and The Depressives scored another placement this week! This time, our song You Bring Me Down from our latest album I am not a bum... I'm a JERK! will be featured in the US Open of Surfing program.

Here's a teaser of the video clip which features our music. Go to the 1:25 mark. Stoked!

Our music is featured in a Wahoo's Fish Taco's/Pepsi Commercial!!!

2011-07-18T08:50:00.000-07:00

More placements for the Depressives! This time in a commercial for our good friends at Wahoo's Fish Taco's. They used the song "Zombie Island" off of our latest full length I am not a bum... I'm a JERK! This is a joint commercial for Wahoo's and Pepsi! We're stoked!!!

Click here to see the commercial

Bay Area Garage Rock Showcase August 19th at Johnny V's!

2011-07-05T10:01:00.000-07:00

Friday August 19th 2011! FOUR Bay Area Garage Bands come together to rock San Jose's face off at Johnny V's Bar! A night of Lo-Fi in Hi-Fi Silicon Valley! San Jose rarely sees a cluster of garage bands in one show. IT'S VERY FUCKING RARE! Actually, I can't remember the last time it happened here! So, if you like Lo-Fi garage rock and you have a few bucks to get in, don't miss out on this because it won't happen again for a while, ya' dig?

Now, onto the details: Opening the night will be San Francisco's WEAPONS OF THE FUTURE, then up next, Santa Cruz's very own THE GROGGS, then after that, Oakland will be be in the house via THE STRUTS and finishing you off will be San Jose's JONNY MANAK AND THE DEPRESSIVES

THIS SHOW IS 18+ w/ FULL BAR!

Show starts at 9! Get there early and bring your dancing shoes!

Johnny V's Bar

31 East Santa Clara St.

San Jose, CA 95113

MORE LICENSING!?! Vans' Off The Wall TV - Jesse Jo

2011-06-06T15:02:00.000-07:00

My oh my, here we go again! More Jonny Manak and The Depressives music being licensed for placement! Our friends over at OFF THE WALL TV the official TV station for Vans Shoes hit us up to license the song "Down The Drain" from our debut full length Rebound Town in a segment featuring Jesse Jo! We love Off The Wall Vans shoes and we love them using our music (and sending us shoes)! POW!

Click this link to watch the video!

Holy smokes! We're opening for The Bellrays!!!

2011-06-06T09:17:00.000-07:00

Friday June 17th, The legendary BELLRAYS (http://www.thebellrays.com/) are bringing their "Rock N' Soul" to the Uptown in Oakland. Supporting act is Oakland's Damon and The Heathens (http://www.myspace.com/damonandtheheathen) and opening the night is Jonny Manak & The Depressives (www.facebook.com/Depressives) from San Jose. Bring your dancing shoes!

Doors at 9pm, $10. Advanced tix available here -http://www.ticketweb.com/
Fake ID required.

We've signed with Blue Scout Music for more licensing opportunities!

2011-06-06T09:14:00.000-07:00

The Depressives just locked in another licensing deal with Blue Scout Music! They do ad work for Target, Levi's, Old Spice, Citgo, Macy's, Nintendo, Sony, etc. They also license a good deal of music for one of my favorite shows, Shameless on Showtime. Keep your ears open for us on the boob tube!

More Licensing News! We scored a placement in "Vinyl" the movie

2011-06-06T09:10:00.000-07:00

Here we go again! More placements for the Depressives. This time with UK film makers for the feature film VINYL! They licensed the song "Sacrifice" from our debut full length Rebound Town. The film should be out in a year or so. Click here to see their website and check back for updates. I hear the film made it into the coveted Cannes Film Festival too! Sweet!

More licensing news! We scored a placement in Rob Dyrdek's Fantasy Factory

2011-06-06T08:58:00.000-07:00

We scored a licensing placement in the 4th season of the MTV show Rob Dyrdek's Fantasy Factory! We're super stoked, that show RULES!!!

Click here to see the episode! Fast forward to the 21:50 mark to hear our featured song, "Young Girls" off of our debut full length Rebound Town!

THIS FRIDAY! WE ROCK THE BLANK CLUB FOR DUANE PETERS!

2011-02-21T09:26:00.000-08:00

The Master Of Disaster Duane Peters is in need of some financial help to pay some medical bills so Jason Adams, Bob Schmelzer and Cory O'Brien are putting together this fundraiser event. So far the live music will consist of Jonny Manak and The Depressives, The Flip Offs and Stagger and Fall. There will be some limited edition artwork for sale at the event too. Give back to the guy who gave so much to skateboarding and punk rock!

WE GO ON FIRST, JUST BEFORE 10PM, GET THERE EARLY!!!
Click here to see the event posting on Facebook

More reviews from customers on ITunes!

2011-02-16T09:55:00.000-08:00

Well, people have bought it and those people liked it! Check out these sweet ass reviews from amazing people who supported our cause and picked up a copy of "I am not a bum... I'm a JERK!"

Great Rock and Roll Album!!

by Adretti714

Compared to the first and second albums, it reminds me of a "history of rock" album. All the songs hit every point in the rock and roll time line in under 3 minutes each. You can tell what these guys listen to and it makes me wonder... How old are these guys and where is everyone else. If you're going to take a piece of music from the past and make it your own, take it from a band that was worth a damn... like the Depressives did!

HERE'S ANOTHER ONE!

Well Here You Go!

by ThebiGboss5150
If you need a CD to touch on every aspect that great Rock and Roll has to offer, come and get it! Its like watching your favorite movie in the whole world in half the time, even paying out to one of the greatest comedy movies ever "the Jerk", only this is just for ears. It has everything I wanted in a record and can't wait to here the album before this one.

BE COOL LIKE THESE CATS AND BUY A COPY HERE!

VOTE FOR US IN METRO'S BEST OF SILICON VALLEY READERS POLL FOR BEST LOCAL BAND!

2011-01-27T11:02:00.000-08:00

Vote Jonny Manak and The Depressives for BEST LOCAL BAND in the Silicon Valley Metro Newspaper Readers Choice Issue! You only have to make 20 votes for it to count, you don't have to vote for every category, just 20 of them. Thanks!

CLICK HERE TO VOTE

‎

If you missed the radio interview on FCC FREE RADIO the other night, here it is!

2011-01-21T08:48:00.000-08:00

Kris and I had a blast hanging out with Mr. Phil on the Unbound Sound radio show on FCC FREE RADIO in SF. Another great part about that night was meeting up with an old buddy Will (the singer of The Cliftons). It was like time never passed. We joked about old stories from our childhood and mischief we got into over the years when we were in the Cliftons. We joked about how people keep asking us to do a reunion and we're both not into trying to relive the past and wouldn't want to spoil the trail we blazed in our prime. We decided, if anyone asks, tell them "we'll do it for $10,000" and that should shut them up right away, ha ha.

Anyhow, here's the link to the radio interview podcast. CLICK HERE TO LISTEN TO THE RADIO INTERVIEW PODCAST

In this photo: The Cliftons Live at Molitovs on Haight St in SF early 2000's. From Left to right Me (look at that big ass head of hair!), Big Brian in the far back on bass, Vern in the center on guitar and Will on vocals about to whip out his thangy. That was one of the last times I got to play that 50's Gibson Melody Maker Guitar before the headstock snapped off jumping into the drum kit with it around my neck. I even cried when it happened. That was the best guitar I ever owned and it only lasted a few shows.

We got some great reviews of our new album on itunes!

2011-01-20T09:12:00.000-08:00

We got this great review on itunes! You can buy the album here

Where 2008’s 1.21 Jiggawatts riffed on the Back To The Future trilogy, 2010’s I am Not a Bum…I’m A Jerk finds Jonny Manak musing on Steve Martin’s 1979 opus, The Jerk. After the opening “Tonight” kicks out the jams sounding like motor city punk ‘n’ roll, “Cha Cha Cha Chewey” struts on a groove similar to Don & Dewey’s 1959 frat-rock hit “Farmer John.” Fans of The Sonics are sure to dig “Navin R. Johnson” which plays like mid 1960s garage rock except of course for the lyrics which are cleverly collaged quotes from The Jerk. Similarly, “Special Purpose” throws in a nod to The Nashville Teens’ “Tobacco Road” while Manak's beer-smooth inflections croon more memorable movie quotes brilliantly shuffled around to rhyme in time. “Link” deviates from comedic references to bestow an instrumental homage to Link Way while recalling moments of Manak’s other band, Clay Wheels (an instrumental skate-rock band gussied up in old school Fender surf guitar tones and tightly executed with triumphant party-punk abandon). Closing with a hyper cover of Johnny Thunders’ “You Can’t Put Your Arms Around A Memory,” Manak wears one of his main influences loudly and proudly on his sleeve.

-Itunes

Check out this sick recap video from the 2010 Tim Brauch memorial contest

2011-01-18T23:06:00.000-08:00

Here's a sick ass video from the 2010 Tim Brauch memorial contest at Lake Cunningham Regional skatepark in San Jose. One of the gnarliest contests there to date! Such mind blowing skating! Tim would be proud. Music by Jonny Manak and The Depressives. We were invited to rock the spot.

Jonny Manak blabs on FCC FREE RADIO 1/19/11

2011-01-13T20:39:00.000-08:00

I'll be blabbing my ass off on the UNBOUND SOUND RADIO SHOW on FCC FREE RADIO in SF this Wednesday January 19th from 8pm to 9pm. Listen online here! We'll be talking about the new album "I am not a bum... I'm a JERK!" and upcoming shows! Snarfy!!!

4/30/11 - FCC FREE RADIO PRESENTS: Weapons of the Future, Midievil Knievel and Jonny Manak and The Depressives live and loud at Cafe Du Nord in SF!

2011-01-13T20:26:00.000-08:00

Saturday April 30th - FCC FREE RADIO PRESENTS: Weapons of the Future, Midievil Knievel and Jonny Manak and The Depressives live and loud at Cafe Du Nord in SF! Bring your earplugs and all of your friends who like to have fun! I'm 99% sure we open the show so get there at 9pm and enjoy the entire night!

CLICK HERE FOR MORE INFO

Duane Peters Benefit Feb 25th at The Blank Club in San Jose!

2011-01-11T22:11:00.000-08:00

The Master Of Disaster Duane Peters is in need of some financial help to pay some medical bills so Jason Adams and Cory O'Brien are putting together this fundraiser event Feb 25th at The Blank Club in San Jose. So far the live music will consist of The Forgotten and Jonny Manak and The Depressives, more info to come as it develops. I'm sure there will be some sort of auction/raffle or sale of art to raise additional funds. Give back to the guy who gave so much to skateboarding and punk rock!

More info here

TONIGHT! WE ROCK HOMESTEAD LANES!

2010-12-18T12:05:00.000-08:00

TONIGHT WE ROCK HOMESTEAD LANES IN CUPERTINO WITH STUNT MONKEY, THE HUXTABLES, GNARBOOTS AND TOUCH MY RASH! ALL AGES AND FULL BAR! - Click this link for full details

We now have a blog!

2010-12-06T22:57:00.002-08:00

Well, we now have joined the world of blogging! Woohoo! We have a lot of exciting things going on right now. We've released our third full length titled "I am not a bum... I'm a JERK!" on Reach Around Records and have been playing a lot of shows and hitting a lot of radio stations getting the word out. You can get the album on itunes, rhapsody, napster, emusic, cd baby, interpunk and the list goes on. MTV's THE DUDESONS IN AMERICA has used 9 of our songs in the first season of the show which just finished up. Stay tuned in January as we should have some songs from our new album in MTV's FANTASY FACTORY SEASON 3 and a new show called REDICULOUSNESS. Should be pretty neat! We're working on two music videos to support the new album and have a string of upcoming shows. December 18th at Homestead Lanes in Cupertino with Stunt Money, The Huxtables, Gnarboots and Touch My Rash. December 22nd at Voodoo Lounge in SJ for Ray Stevens' monthly "Art 'n' Soul" party which features live skateboarding on the dance floor, bands, DJ's and multiple artists displaying art. It's a hoot! We'll also be playing The Avalon in Santa Clara January 24th with local legends NO USE FOR A NAME! Am I missing anything? Yeah, but I'm tired. It's time to go to bed.

Check out music from Jonny Manak and The Depressives

2010-12-06T22:29:00.001-08:00