Manda Rin (real name Amanda MacKinnon,[1] born 22 March 1977) is a Scottish singer, artist and songwriter. She is the singer, drummer and keyboardist of the Scottish indie rock band Bis,[2] later fronted the Kitchen and also released a solo album. She also co-hosted a radio show on BBC Scotland called Air.[3]

Manda Rin
Born
Amanda MacKinnon

(1977-03-22) 22 March 1977 (age 47)
OccupationMusician
PartnerStuart Memo

Rin was the only person ever to appear in three of the line up rounds on Never Mind the Buzzcocks: twice on the original run on the BBC, and once on the revival on Sky. Her first appearance initially unaired; one of the contestants on the programme was Russell Brand who, shortly after taping, became embroiled in a tabloid row after leaving messages on the answerphone of Andrew Sachs for his radio programme, resulting in Brand being banned from the BBC.[4]

Music career

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In 1994, Rin, along with the brothers Steven Clark (Sci-fi Steven) and John Clark (John Disco), formed the band Bis in Glasgow, Scotland.[5] In March 1996, Bis performed their single "Kandy Pop" on Top of the Pops twice,[6] which charted at number 25 in the UK Singles Chart.[7] The lead single, "Eurodisco", from their second album, Social Dancing (1999), reached number 37.[7] Bis toured extensively from 1996 to 2000, and achieved strong fan bases in Japan,[8] the US and Australia. The band split in 2003, but in 2005 formed a new band, Data Panik, which lasted until the next year.[8] Bis reformed in 2007 and released a fourth album, Data Panik Etcetera, in 2014.[6] A fifth album, Slight Disconnects, followed in 2019.[9]

Solo

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Rin released a solo single, "Guilty Pleasure",[10] and an EP, My DNA Sampler, in 2008, both on This Is Fake DIY Records.[11] The next year, her EP My DNA was released,[12] and a solo album of the same name followed in 2009.[1]

Other work

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Rin contributed vocals to tracks for the 1998 album Cat Food by J Church[13] and Meister's 2004 album I Met the Music.[14]

Rin also fronted the Kitchen with Ryan Seagrist from Alison Mosshart's first band, Discount, who released several singles from 2001 to 2004 and an album in 2003 on the Damaged Goods label.[15] She later teamed up with Hyperbubble on a track for the group's 2011 album Drastic Cinematic and for the 2013 EP Hyperbubble + Manda Rin.

Following the first dissolution of Bis, Rin became a DJ at nightclubs, most notably Death Disco at the Arches in Glasgow.[16]

Artwork

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Rin was responsible for the manga-inspired artwork on all of Bis's releases.[17] Her sleeves aided the success of the band, most notably in Japan;[8] she published a monthly comic strip in the Japanese magazine Buzz.[citation needed] More recently, Rin has held an exhibition of her work under the title "Cover Versions and Other Hits".[17]

Personal life

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In 2009, Rin revealed that she had been diagnosed with multiple sclerosis in 2005.[18]

Rin married Stuart Memo in 2011.[citation needed]

References

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  1. ^ a b Suarez, Jessica (2 March 2009). "Manda Rin: My DNA Album Review". Pitchfork. Condé Nast.
  2. ^ Bogdanov, Vladimir; Woodstra, Chris; Erlewine, Stephen Thomas (2002). All music guide to rock: the definitive guide to rock, pop, and soul. Hal Leonard Corporation. pp. 100–. ISBN 9780879306533. Retrieved 31 July 2011.
  3. ^ "MANDA GETS DOWN TO BIS-NESS". NME. 10 November 2000.
  4. ^ The programme was aired several years later, though Rin was invited back for a second appearance before it aired.Iai. "Every artist that has ever appeared in the identity parade of Never Mind the Buzzcocks". Rate Your Music. Retrieved 13 April 2019.
  5. ^ "The band Bis - Biography". Bis Nation. Retrieved 28 January 2022.
  6. ^ a b Fulton, Rick (31 October 2014). "Bis reunion marks 20 year anniversary of debut single with new music, headline shows, albums and nostalgia". Daily Record. Scottish Daily Record and Sunday Mail Ltd. Retrieved 28 January 2022.
  7. ^ a b "BIS Full Official Chart History". Official Charts. The Official UK Charts Company. Retrieved 28 January 2022.
  8. ^ a b c Burrows, Marc (6 May 2014). "Album Review: Bis - data Panik etcetera". Drowned in Sound. Retrieved 28 January 2022.
  9. ^ McColgan, Stephen (12 February 2019). "Interview – Manda Rin, Bis – Slight Disconnects". Snack. Snack Publishing. Retrieved 28 January 2022.
  10. ^ Manda Rin – "Guilty Pleasure" discogs. Retrieved 4 September 2017.
  11. ^ Manda Rin – "My DNA Sampler " discogs. Retrieved 4 September 2017.
  12. ^ Manda Rin – "DNA" discogs. Retrieved 4 September 2017.
  13. ^ J Church – "Cat Food" discogs. Retrieved 4 September 2017.
  14. ^ Meister – "I Met The Music" discogs. Retrieved 4 September 2017.
  15. ^ "THE KITCHEN - Damaged Goods". Damaged Goods. Retrieved 28 January 2022.
  16. ^ Barrie, Stuart (19 September 2003). "Amanda McKinnon Former pop star is the Bis". Daily Record. Retrieved 28 January 2022.
  17. ^ a b Berman, Judy (12 December 2011). "Manda Rin's Manga-Inspired Remakes of Classic Album Covers". Flavorwire. Retrieved 28 January 2022.
  18. ^ Reid, Pete (3 July 2009). "Manda Rin Interview and Japanese Show". Dear Scotland. Retrieved 28 January 2022.
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