Mantissa (band)

Mantissa
Origin	Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
Genres	heavy-rock
Years active	1989–1996
Labels	Red Eye, Polydor
Website	Myspace page
Members
Adam Pringle - vocals Nina Grant - bass Chris Paine - guitar Chris Collins - guitar Syd Green - drums Jed Starr - guitars Tubby Wadsworth - drums

Mantissa is a heavy rock band formed as Killing Time. Killing Time formed in Melbourne, the band comprised Adam Pringle, Nina Grant, Chris Paine, Jed Starr and Tubby Wadsworth. In 1991, they started to gain a following and after a bidding war were signed to Polydor. Their first release, Ruby's Mind, reached #76 on the Australian charts.^[1] Wadsworth was sacked in 1991 and was eventually replaced by Syd Green. (One of the intervening drummers was Russell Hopkinson, later a member of You Am I). 1992 single Dream Alone peaked at #32.^[1] In 1992 Starr left and was replaced by Chris Collins. Killing Time supported national tours by Jane's Addiction, Mudhoney, Scatterbrain and Baby Animals.

Killing Time changed their name to Mantissa in 1992 due to there being bands named Killing Time in USA and Japan. Their first album, Mossy God (produced by Mantissa and Terry Date), was released in 1992 and reached #66. The two singles from the album, Mary Mary and Land of the Living, peaked at #62^[1] and #64^[2] respectively. Mantissa supported the Red Hot Chili Peppers national tour followed by their own national tours to promote their releases.

In 1993 Mantissa located to USA and to promote the US release of Mossy God toured heavily, including a support for Mindfunk.

Mantissa returned to Australia in 1994 and opened for Pantera, played the 1995 Big Day Out then released another EP, Inter Alia, in 1995. They recorded their second album, Thirst (produced by Mantissa and Michael Letho). This album did not perform very well and after one last national tour they broke up in 1996.

Discography

As Killing Time

• Ruby's Mind [ep] (1991) - Red Eye
• The Mandlebroth Set [ep] (1991) - Red Eye
• Dream Alone [single] (1992) - Red Eye

As Mantissa

• Mary Mary [single] (1992) - Polydor
• Mossy God (1992) - Polydor
• Land of the Living [single] (1993) - Polydor
• Sanctify [single] (1994) - Polydor
• Inter Alia [ep] (1995) - Polydor
• Thirst (1995) - Polydor

References

• Mathieson, Craig (2001). The Sell-in: How the Music Business Seduced Alternative Rock. Allen & Unwin. ISBN 1865084123, 9781865084121. 
• McFarlane, Ian (1999). Encyclopedia of Australian Rock and Pop. Allen & Unwin. ISBN 1864487682. 
• About Syd Green

1. ^ ^{a b c} Kent, David (1993). Australian Chart Book 1970-1992. St Ives, N.S.W.: Australian Chart Book. ISBN 0646119176. 
2. ^ Kent, David (2006). Australian Chart Book (1993–2005). Turramurra, N.S.W.: Australian Chart Book, 2006. ISBN 0646458892. 

External links

• Aus Metal Guide
• Librarius Metallicus Mantissa
• Librarius Metallicus Killing Time