WM: Why aren’t you world famous yet…
Jack Mantis: I am, you should get out more 
WM: Your songs are deeply passionate. How do you balance love and work?
Jack Mantis: With great difficulty. Most people think we live a very, glamorous life, Which, in part, is true. But truth be told we spend a lot of time away from home. Holding down any kind of relationship is tricky. A career in entertainment isn’t without sacrifice and I’m am currently learning to love the group consciousness. I have pondered penning a book entitled, “How to Date a Rock Star”, or perhaps it should be, “Why You Shouldn’t Date a Rock Star”.
WM: You have a YouTube video of you kissing an incredibly sexy lady for 5 minutes. Who is she and what made you do it?
Jack Mantis: Meghan, a lover of mine from the States. I believe so much can be said with a kiss and had wanted to do a one shot kissing video for a long time. It was the day she left to go back to the U.S. for the modeling season. About an hour before I had to drop her at the airport, we put on headphones pressed play, balanced the camera on the edge of my bed and pressed record. Most people don’t kiss/hold hands enough anymore. My intention was to put the viewer as close to the moment as possible to perhaps invoke a sense of emotional nostalgia…the message is simple, “Kiss more!” We did two takes, so theoretically it was 10 minutes:)
WM: Lyrically, is the topic of love easier for you than, for example, than discussing the politics of South Africa, corruption, death…?
Jack Mantis: Not at all. But I don’t follow politics, read the news paper or watch the news. I have lost more than my share to the violence of this country and have no intention to participate in the fear mongering that the media uses to enslave the public. My passion lies in the live performance and I want to be able to reflect the emotions of our audience. As a nation we need to learn to start loving again and in saying that we wish to be a positive influence to all who encounter us.
WM: You were on a mountain shooting a music video when I called earlier this week. Tell us about it.
Jack Mantis: I was on the set of our latest music video for, ‘Rollercoaster’, the brainchild of director, Warrick Mcleod. Shot on 16mm Bolex Film, the video is a surreal interpretation of my lyrics. I’m not at liberty to reveal too much at this stage but it’s due for release mid December across the nation. Check out www.thejackmantisband.com and you can follow the various links to other videos and plenty more.
WM: You’ve been hanging out with cool rockers like Sannie Fox (Machineri) and Ard Matthews (Just Jinjer) Or is it that they are hanging out with you?
Jack Mantis: We are all good friends outside of the music business and we spend a lot of our holidays/festivals on the road together. I’ve been singing with Sannie since she was in her teens and I am so very proud of her achievements. Ard and I have also walked many many miles together, making it up as we go along. Besides being a great singer/songwriter, he’s a good man…one of the 300. So as far as who’s hanging out with who, as long as there’s hanging out, it’s all good.
WM: There have been a number of collaborations with artist such as these. Be brave and name your favorite one and tell us why.
Jack Mantis: I couldn’t possible whittle it down to one! I love singing with Sannie who is so unaware of her boundless sex appeal, or strumming alongside Dan Patlansky while he shreds yet another mind blowing guitar solo. Perhaps it’s doing a grand finale’ festival performance with Ard, knowing that an imminent after-party awaits. But more than anything, every time I step on stage with my band, Jimi Curve, Domenico Benigno and Jon Case, and realise, yet again, that we are living out our dreams together.
WM: Which was your favorite gig in 2010?
Jack Mantis: Again so hard to say…but one of the greatest moments of the year had to be during the world cup. We were on a stage over Long Street when Bafana Bafana scored their first goal of the tournament and the Mother City exploded. It was an electrifying moment that instantly transformed the crowd into one, BIG unified mass. There was a tangible feeling of love in the air…unforgettable!
WM: When is the album being release and what is it called?
Jack Mantis: In 2 months. We have shot 4 music videos so far, and there’ll be another in February, so as soon as all the products are in a row we will begin touring the new record around the country. I came up with the name, Circumstance of Events, quiet a few years ago, and the record has rung true to the name.
WM: What is your hope for the album and the Jack Mantis Band?
Jack Mantis: I don’t believe in hope or expectation. We are living such rich and full lives already that I couldn’t want for anything more. I am so very blessed to be backed by such outstanding musicians, and we are extremely close. Going through life experiencing all that we do together is all I could ever wish for… The album will take on a life of it’s own.
WM: Leave us for a message for your fans in Knysna who’ll finally be able to catch you live.
Jack Mantis: I just did 
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