‘In front of crowds’ - Greg Manahan, bassist for Head East, gained experience in KC area band London Drive

Greg Manahan was given his first guitar in 1969 when he was only eight years old. He went on to play with rock and roll bands in high school and later performed with the popular regional band London Drive. Since 2006, he has been a member of Head East and most often plays bass guitar. Courtesy of Greg Manahan

The rock album Flat as a Pancake by Head East was a popular release during the time Greg Manahan was attending junior high and high school. Little did he realize that his experiences of playing in his first band in junior high would mark the starting point for his amazing journey as a musician and culminate decades later with being asked to join Head East.
 
In 1961, Manahan was born in Los Angeles, where his mother was employed at the city hall. His family continued living on the West Coast until he was five years old, at which time they relocated to Kansas City.
 
Manahan recalls receiving as a gift his first guitar shortly after turning eight years old in 1969—a $12 classical guitar from Sears. The following summer, his mother hired a high school student to begin giving him guitar lessons.  
 
“When she left for college the following summer, my high school guitar tutor told me to wave to her when I played on the Ed Sullivan Show,” Manahan grinned. “I always wanted to play guitar and had grown up a fan of the Beatles and remember watching the Monkees on television,” he added.
 
He practiced the guitar on his own until reaching junior high school, when he and some fellow students began putting together rock and roll bands. Their first paying gig, he explained, was for an event titled “Teen Town,” where each of the musicians participating in the performance were paid ten dollars. It was that very moment, he affirmed, which solidified his resolve to become a professional musician.
 
“The first band I was with in school was called Experience,” and I was later in a band called Axe,” he said. “One of these guys I played with in these first two bands, Mark Murtha, became a guitarist with me in Head East years later.”
 
Following his graduation from Oak Park High School in Kansas City in the spring of 1980, Manahan spent the next few years working in restaurants jobs such as a cook. It was this type of employment that did not require him to cut his hair so that he could maintain his rock and roll appearance.
 
Eventually, he was able to reunite with his friend and high school bandmate, Mark Murtha, and the two went on to perform in the popular regional bands Toymaker’s Dream and London Drive.
 
Not only did London Drive play covers of popular songs by other bands but they later entered a local studio and recorded eight songs that were released on cassette. This was followed up by the release of a compact disc featuring a total of thirteen of their songs.
 
While playing various gigs throughout the Midwest, Manahan began taking over the role of bass guitarist, but often demonstrated his musical flexibility by continuing to play rhythm guitar on several songs.
 
“Our CD got a little interest in Europe, but nothing really took off for us,” Manahan explained. “I continued to play in some version of the band until the opportunity came for Head East a few years later.”  
 
It was in 2006, Manahan recalled, that Roger Boyd, a founding member of Head East, considered disbanding the group since he was having trouble locating musicians that were a good fit for the music. The booking agent for Head East also happened to book London Drive and suggested that Boyd consider auditioning them for the band.
 
Manahan, along with Glen Bridger and Darren Walker, was among the members of London Drive who auditioned with Boyd; they were offered a position with Head East on the spot.  Since 2006, Manahan has been playing and performing with Head East while London Drive disbanded a couple years later.
 
For several years, he worked full-time in the information technology field for the Kansas City Art Institute. He is now employed by the school district in Liberty, Missouri, continuing his work in information technology. For the past 26 years, he has been married to his wife, Jodie, and enjoys bicycling in his spare time, oftentimes completing 100-mile rides.
 
“It’s very exciting to be able to go out and play in front of crowds of people who are there to see your band,” Manahan said. “It is also a privilege to have been part of the new album Head East has recently released called Full Circle, which features two songs that I wrote.”
 
Darren Walker, the lead singer for Head East and formerly of London Drive, plays bass guitar, Manahan explained. However, just as they did in their previous band, Manahan will occasionally switch out with Walker on certain songs, affording him the opportunity to play rhythm guitar.
 
He added, “Years ago, I was banging around KC with my other bands and although I had a lot of fun, it is certainly a step up to be given the opportunity to play in Head East. We’ve just have a lot of fun and continue to do so.”   

Jeremy P. Ämick is the author of the upcoming biography of the classic rock band Shooting Star.       
 

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Manahan, far right, was for many years with the band London Drive. Several of the band’s members became part of Head East in 2006. Courtesy of Greg Manahan