Manual Scan

Manual Scan was an American mod and power pop group from San Diego, active between 1981–1991.^[1][2]

Manual Scan released numerous CDs, LPs and 7-inch singles, in England, Spain and the U.S. .^[3] They toured in the USA, England (including a 1986 appearance at the 100 Club in London), and Mexico. The group’s song, “Nothing Can Be Everything” was included in the 1990 Columbia Pictures release, A Girl To Kill For.^[4]

Members

The founding members of Manual Scan were guitarist / singer Bart Mendoza, guitarist Kevin Donaker-Ring, bassist David Fleminger and drummer Paul Kaufman, though within a few months of the bands formation Kaufman was replaced by Paul Brewin and singer Yvonne Simon was added on backing vocals and guitar. All except for Fleminger were former students of La Jolla High School .^[5] The bands lineup changed frequently during its existence, with Mendoza and Donaker-Ring as the core members. Other notable players included drummer David Anderson and Tom Ward, both formerly of Voxx Records group Gravedigger Five.^[6]

Guests of note include Anthony Meynell, frontman for British mod revival trio Squire, who the band backed in 1985 and Jeff Conolly of garage rockers Lyres who sat in with Manual Scan for six shows in 1989.

Post-split activities and reunions

Following the demise of the band Donaker-Ring co-founded power pop group, The Shambles in 1992, with Mendoza joining shortly after. Manual Scan has reunited several times since 2005, recording a live session on 28 January 2010 with producer Alan Sanderson for San Diego based radio station, KBZT (FM94/9).^[7] A best of collection, All Night Scan, was released only on vinyl and as a digital download, in September 2013 by Texas based Cheap Reward Records. Meanwhile, the band reunited in late 2014 for a show in San Diego promoting their appearance on the box set, Millions Like Us - The Story of the Mod Revival, released on December 6 by British label, Cherry Red Records.^[8] During the same time frame Manual Scan entered the studio to record a theme song / jingle for San Diego radio icon Tim Pyles, heard at the beginning of his weekly show, Loudspeaker, on 91X XETRA-FM ^[9]

Plan of Action

The art work for the band’s 1982 E.P., “Plan of Action” was included in the book, The Album Cover Art of Punk Rock, from Gingko Press. The E.P. itself was re-released by Spanish label Munster Records in 2006. In 2000, the song “Plan of Action” was covered by Canadian ska band The Kingpins on their album of the same name.^[10]

Partial discography

Albums

• One (England / Hi-Lo, 1986)
• Down Lights (U.S. / Susstones, 1988)
• Plan of Action (Spain / Snap, 1997)
• All Night Stand (U.S. / Get Hip Records 1043, 1997)^[11]
• All Night Scan (U.S. / Cheap Rewards Records CRR-009, 2013) vinyl and digital only

7-Inch E.P.’s

• Plan of Action (U.S./ Dance & Stance – PS, 1982) reissued in 2006 by Munster Records / Spain
• The Lost Sessions (U, S. / Get Hip 116 – Blue or Black Vinyl, 1989)
• Days & Maybes (U.S. / Susstones IMS 548 -PS second print with over sleeve, 1991)^[12]

Flexi Discs

• "And We Still Feel The Same” and “Plan of Action” were included on a cover mounted flexi disc with British modzine, In The Crowd No. 18, 1986, alongside a track by the Risk.

Compilation appearances

• The Cutting Edge (England / Razor S16, LP 1985) – Jungle Beat (remix)
• American Heart & Soul (England / Hi Lo Records LO-6, LP 1986) – New Song
• The Phase III Mod Bands (England / Unicorn, 7" EP 1987)^[13] 31968
• It’s A Mod, Mod World (England / Antenna Records, CD 1997) – New Song, Confidence and Love
• This Is Mod Volume 6 (England / Cherry Red, CD 1999) – American Way, Nothing You Can Do, Jungle Beat, Anymore, New Difference
• Millions Like Us: The Story of the Mod Revival (England / Cherry Red, CD Box Set 2014) – Nothing You Can Do ^[14]

References

1. ↑ "Manual Scan info page from". San Diego Reader. Retrieved 15 May 2011. 
2. ↑ Manual Scan All Music Guide listing
3. ↑ "Manual Scan Detailed Release Info". Discogs.com. Retrieved 15 May 2011. 
4. ↑ Manual Scan Soundtrack at IMDB
5. ↑ Manual Scan and The Shambles Early Days Interview at The San Diego Troubadour
6. ↑ "Manual Scan Gravedigger Five San Diego Reader Article". Sandiegoreader.com. 15 March 2007. Retrieved 15 May 2011. 
7. ↑ "Manual Scan Index of Live FM94/9 Recordings". Fm949sd.com. Retrieved 15 May 2011. 
8. ↑ http://www.utsandiego.com/news/2014/dec/18/tp-together-again/
9. ↑ http://www.91x.com/uncategorized/manual-scan-tim-pyles-loudspeaker-theme-song/
10. ↑ The Kingpins. "Kingpins Plan of Action Album Info". Thekingpins.com. Retrieved 15 May 2011. 
11. ↑ Manual Scan’s All Night Stand CMJ Review. Google Books. 3 May 1999. Retrieved 15 May 2011. 
12. ↑ "Manual Scan on Susstones Discography". Discogs.com. Retrieved 15 May 2011. 
13. ↑ "Manual Scan in Complete Unicorn Discography". Redstar73.wordpress.com. Retrieved 15 May 2011. 
14. ↑ http://www.cherryred.co.uk/shopexd.asp?id=4908

External links

• San Diego Union Manual Scan at The Casbah’s 20th Anniversary 2009
• Manual Scan World Wide Fanzine Appearance List, 1984 – 2007
• Manual Scan All Music Guide listing
• Manual Scan Post Band Activities Article
• CMJ Review of Manual Scan’s All Night Stand
• Manual Scan, Bart Mendoza Concert Chronology