Manafest – Catchin’ no dust

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I met Chris Greenwood, a.k.a Manafest, around five years ago when I flew to Canada to play drums for him. It was the dead of winter. We traveled from city to city, through dreary weather and crazy snow storms to put on a rock show, and to bring a message of hope. Now with over a decade of rock-and-hip-hop ministry experience, his tenth album Stones (buy) marks a new season and a foray into uncharted waters for the versatile artist and Canadian.

He’s also now back to full-time living in the Great North, just a stones-throw away from his childhood home. A husband and father, things have seemingly come full circle for Greenwood. Growing up without a dad, he now relishes in being one, and thrives as an artist all on his own terms. Operating SmartMusicBusiness.com, Manafest immerses himself in the indie artist community, and invests in the next generation of music’s stars—whether you’ll end up knowing who they are, or not.

It’s only fitting that I get the chance to chat with the man I met on the road, while currently traveling, myself. CCM Magazine has allowed me the opportunity to take a brief moment away from my current tour with Scott Stapp to converse and reconnect with my old friend, Manafest. Like a rolling stone that catches no moss, we learn that Greenwood is an even leaner, meaner, and in his own words, “smarter” artist, touring act, husband, and father.

CCM Magazine: It’s been a little while since we’ve talked, catch us up on what’s been going on.
Manafest: I’m in Toronto now. We moved back about three years ago after we had our daughter London. We’re back here now. I kind of took a break from touring and just kind of trying to figure myself out musically and personally, to be honest. Now, I’m reinvigorated and more excited, kind of doing more mainstream stuff now, too. I feel like it’s been like five years since I released a rock record, and I really went back to my roots of what worked with me, what my fans really like, and touring smarter. With having a family now, I’m now approaching things a bit more wisely and balanced as opposed to just destroying the pavement.

CCM: I played drums for you in the past on some of your solo tours, and then got to fill in this last year when we were on a tour together. It was fun to relive some of the old set, and to get to play some of your classic songs. How many records have you put out now?
Manafest: I think this is nine or ten. If I look at all of them, Youth, My Own Thing, Epiphany (buy) [counting], Glory (buy), Citizens (buy), Chase (buy), Fighter (buy), Moment, Reborn (buy)…yeah, this is number ten.

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