John Mann - Spirit of the West reveals Alzheimer’s diagnosis

[Low D]

I thought this may be of interest to some here...


John Mann of Spirit of the West reveals Alzheimer’s diagnosis
'I will continue to make music and I will continue to do shows,' says the 51-year-old front man
CBC News Posted: Sep 08, 2014 10:19 AM ET| Last Updated: Sep 09, 2014 8:53 AM ET

http://www.cbc.ca/news/arts/john-mann-o ... -1.2759069

Spirit of the West front man John Mann revealed today he needs an iPad to remember lyrics after diagnosis for early onset Alzheimer’s disease.

"I know this will come as a shock to many of you," the 51-year-old wrote in a statement on his website. "It wasn’t for me. I’ve had my fears and suspicions, but I was remaining hopeful that there was some other cause for the problems I was experiencing."

Alzheimer’s is a degenerative brain disorder characterized by memory loss, behavioural changes and difficulty performing tasks. It is a terminal condition with no cure.

A statement on the band's website confessed his band mates had known about Mann's condition for "some time," but they had been unable, until now, to "reach the acceptance necessary to be able to speak of it publicly."


I don’t want to spend any more energy trying to hide my symptoms," said the Juno award-winning musician. ( Suzanne Strojwons/Canadian Press)
Mann, who is also in remission from colorectal cancer, explains he now needs to read the lyrics to his band's iconic songs (like the frosh week drinking standard Home for a Rest) off an iPad on stage.

He also needs accompaniment on guitar for his solo shows, but Mann insists he's not giving up performing:

"I don’t want to feel embarrassed. I want to accept what has happened and live."

The band says it is committed to standing behind Mann "foresquare" as they have for more than 30 years.

Spirit of the West is scheduled to take the stage Thursday in Revelstoke, B.C.

[John McGovern]

I read about John Mann while i was on holiday in St.John's , very sad.I got to know John in the late 80's -early 90's when Spirit of the West frequently toured the UK ,fellow Spirits colleague Geoff Kelly has also had serious health issues recently.I wish them both,good luck and hopefully better times ahead.

[Low D]

You sure you don't mean John again? He had colorectal cancer a few years ago, which was I'm sure horrible, but he got an album out of the experience, "The Waiting Room".
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/arts/mus ... e16497913/

[John McGovern]

I read about John's cancer in Penguin Eggs magazine, his new album is reviewed in the latest issue.I read, somewhere that Kendel Carsen stood in for Geoff Kelly in SOTW,as he, Geoff had to undergo sugery.

[Toonboy]

Kendel Carson performed with Sprit of the West in 2012 when Geoffery Kelly was ill,they were for a long time colleagues in The Paperboys.More recently, Kendal has been touring as a member of Chip Taylor's band, also toured with Alan Doyle and is also a member of Bellestar.It goes without saying, good luck to John Mann, a very talented,versatile performer.

[Low D]

Spirit of the West's John Mann debuts special concert film
Concert recorded just weeks after the iconic west coast performer revealed struggle with Alzheimer's

CBC News Posted: Jul 04, 2015 9:00 AM PT Last Updated: Jul 04, 2015 9:00 AM PT

CBC Television presents "John Mann Here and Now," a special concert featuring the iconic west coast performer and front man of Spirit of the West.

The concert was recorded last fall — just weeks after Mann went public with his diagnosis of early onset Alzheimer's Disease.

Mann played a show at CBC Vancouver surrounded by his closest musical pals, including singer and violinist Kendel Carson, guitarist, singer and songwriter Craig Northey, and the band Mann has fronted for over 30 years — Spirit of the West.

Tune in to CBC on July 4 at 9 p.m. PT to watch a special concert documentary. Streams online at: http://www.cbc.ca/television/

[Low D]

Spirit of the West's John Mann to try unproven treatment for Alzheimer's
Canadian researchers say there's no evidence risky stem cell procedure will have any benefit
http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-c ... -1.3379235

[Villajohn]

I recently met Geoff Kelly of Spirit of The West and more recently The Paperboys,who i saw in Lichfield earlier this month.Geoffery told me that John Mann is now in a nursing home and doing ok.Both John and Geoff appear on Alan Doyles new album.

[Low D]

There was actually a fundraiser for dear John Mann at Vancouver's Commodore Ballroom just last week, those who missed or were unable to attend are invited to contribute via a gofundme page here:
https://www.gofundme.com/spirit-of-canada

Live Nation has just announced that Spirit of Canada: A Benefit for John Mann will take over the Commodore Ballroom on November 19.

The Spirit of the West lead singer has been living with early-onset Alzheimer's for several years. To help facilitate his ongoing care and to raise awareness of the disease, friends within the music community have organized a benefit concert.

The event is expected to feature exclusive performances and rare collaborations by Spirit of the West, Odds, Barney Bentall, Dustin Bentall, Jim Byrnes, Kendel Carson, Jim Cuddy, Alan Doyle, Colin James, Sarah McLachlan, Ed Robertson, Shari Ulrich, and Spirit—The Next Generation.

[Low D]

Alan Doyle of Great Big Sea is joining the fundraising campaign for John Mann:

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/newfoundland-labrador/alan-doyle-spirit-of-the-west-1.4484726

'We got it in the can in the can': Alan Doyle spearheads bathroom recording to benefit John Mann
Track recorded in restroom during benefit show for Spirit of the West frontman who has Alzheimer's
CBC News Posted: Jan 13, 2018 9:00 AM NT Last Updated: Jan 13, 2018 3:20 PM NT

A new version of a Spirit of the West hit was recorded in restroom before a Vancouver gig to support ongoing care for the band's lead singer, who is living with early onset Alzheimer's.

"We got it in the can in the can," said singer-songwriter Alan Doyle of the recording, which came together with the help of other Canadian musicians at the Nov. 19 benefit show at the Commodore Ballroom.

"'I knew when that gig was coming up, that it was going to be a special day," Doyle told Weekend AM about the show in support of John Mann, who was diagnosed in 2014 at the age of 52.

Despite Alzheimer's, Spirit of the West's John Mann still 'has a memory for melody'
In order to have something from the benefit that would last beyond the event itself, Doyle planned a recording of one of the band's best-known songs, Home For A Rest.

LISTEN | Alan Doyle tells us how he pulled together the benefit recording
Doyle and members of his touring band laid down a bed track while in Halifax for a gig, and vocals — and a video — were recorded at the Commodore ballroom on the day of the show itself with dozens of the musicians who played on stage later that evening.

Doyle a longtime fan
Doyle has a long history with Mann and Vancouver-based Spirit of the West as a solo musician and as a member of Great Big Sea.

But his introduction to the band actually came from Much Music in the late 1980s. Doyle said he was excited to see music videos from a band playing the traditional instruments he was familiar with in an entirely new way.
The first band that we knew in Canada that was getting on television, and even getting on the radio, and playing acoustic instruments really aggressively and punky was Spirit of the West," Doyle said of the band, which he described as a huge influence on him as a young musician.

"The way they chose to play very, very, delicate, fragile acoustic Celtic instruments was incredible to me," Doyle said. "It was very influential, yeah, probably one of the most influential bands of my lifetime."

'A show of love and support
The musical tribute to one of the band's biggest hits was planned around the November show, which Doyle described as "a night of entertainment, as a show of love and support and fundraising for John and his ongoing care."

With the bed track already recorded, Doyle and audio engineer Peter Green set up shop in a second-floor men's washroom at the venue, bringing musicians in and out during pre-show rehearsals to record on a mic lent by famed music producer Bob Rock, who was in town working on another project.

'We found a bunch of black drapes to put over the urinals.'
- Alan Doyle
The unusual lavatory location for vocal recording was selected because it was enclosed, quiet and as far as possible from the rehearsal space, Doyle said.

"We did drape it nicely. We found a bunch of black drapes to put over the urinals and the like," Doyle said. "We had Sarah McLachlan coming in there. I couldn't ask Sarah to go to just any old men's can to sing a song."

Along with Doyle and McLachlan, the Home For A Rest cover includes Jim Cuddy (Blue Rodeo), Ed Robertson (Barenaked Ladies), Barney and Dustin Bentall, Colin James, and Craig Northey (Odds).

Geoffrey Kelly and Tobin Frank from Spirit of the West also played, along with some of the band members' children.

John Mann, Spirit of the West
A GoFundMe campaign raised $22,567 to help cover the expenses of John Mann and his family. (GoFundMe)

A GoFundMe page set up to support Mann and his family as his disease progresses and the amount of care he requires increases had surpassed its goal after raising $22,567 as of Friday.

As for Mann himself, Doyle said he was at the show and appeared to enjoy the evening.

"He just kept saying to me that it was lovely, the whole day was lovely," Doyle said. "Anything that keeps him connected to his friends and his musical friends that love him is good."

[Toonboy]

I first saw Spirit of the West in 1984-85 playing various venues in and around Vancouver BC, it was while i was working and living there that i heard The Pogues for the first time.'Spirits' were often compared to Shane and Co, and in those early days it wa easy to see why.Sad to hear about John Mann's illness,he was such a live wire on stage.