Pink Martini’s European Tour Manager Manu Kerinec somehow manages to wrangle our large band and crew through the complicated and often sleepless logistics of a multi-national European concert tour, while still keeping his cool in the most stressful situations, all the while with a big smile on his face. Despite all of that responsibility, he’s the most popular person on the tour bus; it’s kind of a miracle. He’s also a talented production manager, choreographing risers rolling across the stage while making sure our dressings rooms are stocked with our favorite vittles. Basically, he can do everything.
Born at the foot of the Alps in a nice seaside town called Nice, Manu grew up in a musical family and first hit the road on tour tagging along with his older brother’s band at the ripe young age of 14. He has been crashing in tour bus bunks ever since. First joining Pink Martini’s crew a decade ago, he is one of the busiest men in show business, with a calendar littered with worldwide tours with numerous celebrated bands, including Israel Vibration, Souad Massi, and Rhinocerose. On his rare down times, Manu loves to escape to the Alps for some skiing, or spend time with family and friends.
1. If you could have seen any musician in concert, dead or alive, who you never got to see live, who would it be?
Fela Kuti or Bob Marley
2. What is your favorite Pink Martini song to perform?
as my position of Road Manager, I’m on side stage…. 🙂 no favorite one, depend of the mood of the band this day and their complicity on stage. But the best musical moment on stage with the the band is when they jam all together at soundcheck that’s really good time!
3. What Pink Martini song gets stuck in your head?
Zundoko !
4. If you could have a side gig in any current band, which?
The Roots
5. If you had a robot that could do one household chore for you… what would it be?
Housework at 200% i m still a teenager …
6. If you could instantly be fluent in any language, which?
Spanish for traveling in South America
7. Who is your favorite movie director?
Quentin Tarantino
8. What was the first concert you ever saw?
Gilbero Gill at 6 years old in Nice Jazz Festival… I thought this man was singing my father’s song….
9. If you could have one dish from any restaurant appear instantly anytime, which?
Curry Thai
10. What music would you choose as a soundtrack to your most triumphant moment?
I got to groove, from Tower of Power
11. What’s your favorite sweet/dessert?
Lemon pie
12. What illustrated animal or object would star in your children’s book?
mountain wild goat!
13. Who do you wish would play you in Pink Martini: The Movie?
Dan Faehnle …
14. Pride of Lions, Pod of Whales… what would you call a pack of squirrels?
Gang squirrels?
15. Are you on the party bus or sleepy bus?
Party bus oh yeah …. arr I wish to be in now ….!!!!
16. If you could safely tour any ancient civilization, which?
The Native Americans
17. Tell us a good knock knock joke?
Ask Misho he have a lot!
18. What is your favorite non-musical hobby?
hiking the mountains and skiing
19. If you were instantly skilled enough to have any one other occupation in the world besides musician, what would you choose?
Mountains Guide
20. If you had complete creative control, what book would you like to turn into a movie?
In the Siberian Forests from Sylvain Tesson
21. What is your favorite city in the world?
hard question , too hard .. I love so many city for their specificity
22. What’s the most fun thing about being in Pink Martini?
Pink Martini is the perfect band to travel with, it’s a 4X4 band. You can share all the stage in the world, small one, big one, no matter the language, no matter the place, the country. it’s like having a real international passport!
23. How did you choose your musical instrument?
The laptop and the phone choose me!!
24. How are you keeping sane and calm during this crisis and these weeks of quarantine?
Schedule my day and doing sport!