The O-town Scene - Oneonta, NY
Issue link: https://www.ifoldsflip.com/i/98030
Making MANIK SUNY Oneonta alum is global club king By Charlie M. Holmes Remix artist/electronic musician M A N I K (aka Chris Manik) thought he knew where his life would end up when he entered SUNY Oneonta's Music Industry program. "I thought I was going to be involved in the music business, whether at a record label, publishing or licensing or just basically corporate," M A N I K said. With a destination in mind, M A N I K set out to complete one of his requirements for his degree — finding a place where he would like to be an intern. "I interned at Ultra Records in New York City, which is a very prestigious independent dance music label headed by Patrick Moxey who used to work at Virgin over in the U.K.," M A N I K explained. "That sort of made me realize I love the music business, but I would rather continue making music as an artist." Last month M A N I K found himself being inducted into his alma mater's Music Department Hall of Fame. M A N I K made it into the hall of fame the first year he was eligible and is its youngest member. "What is also a real benefit of the fact that he only graduated from here five years ago is that he's been able to visit classes and inspire students," SUNY Oneonta lecturer Colby Thomas said. "(Students) see Chris and think, 'That could be me.'" M A N I K has traveled the world playing in prestigious clubs everywhere from San Francisco to New York City to London to Tokyo. His rework/edit of "All Alone" by Toro y Moi came in at 30 on XLR8R Magazine's 2011 Top 100 Downloads, DJ Mag put him on their "Hot to Watch 2011" list, and in October the music from his sophomore album premiered on VIBE. "At the end of 2009-10, there was sort of a focus from European markets on American based house music, electronic music, disco DJs, disco producers as a whole anyway and I just happened to be coming up six or seven months before that ... and had that extra attention." M A N I K says going to school gave him an advantage over his peers. 14 O-Town Scene Dec. 6, 2012 MANIK discusses the settings he uses on his mixing board during a workshop following his induction into SUNY Oneonta's Music Department Hall of Fame in early November. Charlie M. Holmes