Written by Russ Benning
MUSIC!
This is one of those fun topics that everyone can agree on.
I have yet to come across someone who’s position on music is, definitively, against. It’s in us and it’s a part of us.
The degree in which music is a part of our lives of course, is variable.
I’d definitely say I’m a fan of music and I know what I like. I have a very diverse taste and I feel different music suits different moods and locations. I’m not sure I’d say music is my life however.
For others, music is so much more.
This month I find myself sat next to one such man. As we gaze off into the infinite horizon we tell tales and learn of each others story.
Although similar in age, I quickly learn that our lives thus far, have been extremely different. We stumble upon a few threads, though, that bind us in understanding.
The man I am referring to is local Wide Bay resident Rick Manych, a local recording artist who falls into the ‘so much more’ category for music importance.
A part of his life for as long as he can remember, he shares stories of music being a big part of his childhood.
“We didn’t have much so we would all sit around and listen to Dad sing.”
He explained that they didn’t have a lot of money when he was a kid and he would do odd jobs and find produce to sell to the neighbours.
It all changed when he realised that money could also be made from music.
“I started busking at the markets when I was ten and it hasn’t stopped since then.”
He found a sense of pride for being able to contribute financially to the family especially his Mother.
He quickly realised that music was his calling and was starting to get the feedback to support it. He shared the way he felt when people would cheer him on and give him praise.
He began to write his own material, the first song he remembers writing at the age of just eleven. Unfortunately most of this work ended up in a shoebox as he had to play covers to pay the bills.
We continue going through his story and I’m trying to keep up. Let’s just say this man has lived a life.
A couple times I’d stop him to make sure I heard the right thing, only to hear the clarification being more unbelievable than the base story!
For example when I interjected to understand a note in his schooling, he casually replied, “Oh yeah, I had to repeat grade three because I was hit by a bus.”
Again I needed a touch more clarity and found out that he’s also been run over by a car ‘a few’ times.
Not the answer I was expecting I start to gather that, although we all face challenges, Rick has his life-difficulty setting dialed up.
I was honoured that he felt comfortable enough to share some of the darker parts. We both laughed after the interview because it felt like fifteen minutes had passed but actually it had been over an hour and so much was covered.
After school, Rick was a jack of all trades and would do odd jobs, but it was music that was his main income stream. It was also music that allowed him to explore parts of Queensland and meet interesting people as he was creating and performing.
Unsurprisingly to me, our man was into extreme sports and chasing adrenaline. He’s always had two standout passions—music and motorcycles.
With pride he shares a story about buying his first motorbike with busking money which he was forced to rebuild on his own. He worked it out and fell in love with dirt bikes to begin with, maturing later into a love of Harley Davidsons.
Once he’d saved some money he and a few friends made a move down to the Gold Coast to pursue music more seriously.
Putting himself out to more people worked as he gained momentum.
A taste of fame came when he got scouted by Troy Dann (if you don’t remember the adventure man it’s worth a google) and was given the spotlight on his tours and was working with him on industry projects.
Casually adding that he would often play alongside Phil Emanuel (the Emanuel brothers were exceptional Australian guitar players in the 90’s) and not feel like he was out of his depth.
After several attempts to get some traction forming a band with the guys, unfortunately, due to a combination of lifestyle mismatches, timing and the beginning of some health issues for Rick, it was not to be.
Roughly ten years ago he returned to the bay and he was thrown a whole new set of challenges. His health declined rapidly and before long was in hospital for what would be two straight months of agony.
Diagnosed initially with Ulcerative Colitis, it was not long until it turned cancerous. Parts needed to be removed and a swathe of meds prescribed.
This would have been horrible for anyone, but again, degree of difficulty dialed up, Rick was unable to take any real pain killers due to the nature of his organs lining. So all of the above and following was without proper pain treatment.
Obviously the saga surrounding his health impacted his ability to produce and play music which was a major contributing factor to his steep mental health decline.
He shares with me the dark days of depression, a topic I’m able to understand and sympathise with. I feel him as he reminisces the loneliness, the hopelessness, the feelings of worthlessness.
Again, it was music that pulled him out of this dark time. A return to writing and performing was pivotal in his recovery birthing a renewed passion for it.
“Music has always been part of my life. It started as a way to feed myself and my family but I realised later that I actually have a gift and that I actually love it as a passion.”
It’s interesting to me because sometimes making your passion your work can leech some of the joy from it, so it’s refreshing to hear a version the other way around.
In true Rick fashion he has played down the severity of the illness and as our session comes to an end I find out that it was not an isolated incident. Actually he’s been in and out of hospital, on and off different medication, dealing with flare ups and emergency biopsies for close to a decade now.
Around seven years ago, during a period of eased symptoms, Rick again finds himself in hospital, this time after a motorcycle accident which breaks more bones- in particular his left hand.
The hand gets set in the only position it could be and he remembers the first thought when he woke up was, “Oh no, I can’t play guitar!”
A lengthy rehab over two years, and resulting pause in playing was actually a blessing. His renewed passion burned brighter than ever.
“I couldn’t play at all. I wanted it more than ever. I’m a ten times better guitar player because of it.”
A significant flare-up returns him to hospital just before Christmas 2023. It’s bad. He pulls through but this time it feels like an actual second chance (or 8th life as we joked about also).
He can’t put his finger on exactly what changed, or why this visit was different, but the man is no longer the same.
He has pulled out the shoebox and is hell-bent on a mission to record as much music as possible. 100 songs are ready to go, and five are already on Spotify (check end of article).
I call it his renaissance.
It’s not just the desire to record that has changed either.
There’s a new lease on life. There’s a lightness.
He has found forgiveness. All the negative circumstances and people in his life don’t affect him the same anymore. He’s able to release it. He’s putting himself first now. So much of his story and drive revolved around providing for everyone around him and he will continue to do that, but no longer at the detriment of himself. He’s been guided to fill his own cup first so that he can help more fully.
It seems like everything has led him to this point. He remarks that he wouldn’t change anything, no matter how horrible, because it made him who he is today. The school of hard knocks has created a very tough, very talented, and now very focused individual.
Rick is still passionate about music and motorcycles but is now also very passionate about mens mental health.
He supports the local Red Bike organisation (of course breaking ribs on the annual K’gari trip last year but that’s another story) and is open to healing in this new chapter of his life.
He is a husband and a father of three.
He continues to record music and is able to perform again.
After all he and his body have been through the ends with this, “It’s the worst I’ve ever felt but it’s the best I’ve ever felt.”
He refers of course to how much pain he is in daily which is overshadowed by the sense of peace and purpose.
Or maybe it’s just that the music saved his life and is healing him.
It’s in us, after all.
Spotify: Ricky Manych
Bookings: rickoman701@gmail.com