Banding together for change

During a gig aboard the Moshulu in 1989, Chris Manos and his band set sail for one unforgettable evening.

As the five-member group PUBLIC SERVICE! rocked out on the top deck, thick clouds of smoke began to pour from the side of the ship-turned-floating restaurant at 401 S. Columbus Blvd.

A waitress calmly approached Manos and whispered, "Can you tell everyone to abandon ship? The ship is on fire."

The lead singer/guitarist obliged, playing the role of captain as he told everyone to leave in an orderly manner. Panic gripped a few of the audience members as some jumped from the top deck into the water below.

The band helped escort the remaining guests to safety as firefighters extinguished the flames.

The next day, the musician, of the 700 block of Medina Street, read a newspaper article about the incident titled "Abandon ship." He immediately interpreted the headline as a play on words: "A band on ship."

Manos later turned this discovery into a new song, which is now a staple at PS! shows throughout the area.

The fusion of creative thinking, innovative lyrics and various musical styles is the reason behind PS!’s successful run, says Manos, 42.

For more than two decades, the band has lured music lovers to its shows with infectious ska, reggae and rock-infused tunes, the vocalist says.

Ska originated in the 1960s as Jamaican dance music. These beats were then infused with jazz, rhythm and blues and early rock to develop the original ska sound, which has evolved over the years.

As the name of the band suggests, its members are more than musicians.

Not only do the group’s lyrics address global problems of the day, but Manos and his crew have become activists for certain causes, contributing their time and music to area benefits.

"It fits in with the whole idea of what the band is all about–having a social conscience and trying to help other people that need the help," says Manos, who calls himself the group’s "driving force."

THE BAND’S ORIGINS date to 1983, when Manos found musicians with similar sonic interests while he was attending Penn State University. The band’s original lineup covered the vocalist’s greatest influences, which include The Clash, Bob Marley and The Specials.

A year later, the group honored its moniker by playing in two Rock Against Hunger concerts at the college.

By 1985, PS! replaced a few of its members and began performing in the Philadelphia area. The band’s first area show was at the former JC Dobbs (now the Pontiac Bar and Grille, 304 South St.). Manos, a Lower Merion native, decided to hang his hat in South Philly by the decade’s end.

Over the next few years, PS! underwent numerous lineup changes (the singer says the number of former band members "could be as long as the Philadelphia phonebook").

Yet Manos, who has been the only mainstay of the band, says the music has remained true to its roots. PS! has completed three albums and begun work on a fourth — Positively! — this month.

The band’s records were released in the United States and internationally through independent record labels. PS! is now seeking a distribution deal for Positively!An updated version of the song Too Much Violence, which first appeared on the Somebody Scream! album, will appear on the new CD.

The song addresses a worldwide problem that never seems to fade, says Manos, who pens the songs with the help of fellow and former band members.

"Violence is a natural part of the human condition," he says. "We all have to deal with it. As unfortunate as it is, we have to accept it’s a part of what happens in our world today."

The tune Stop the War discusses funding policies on national security and promoting worldwide democracy. Manos contends that concerns like homelessness, education and healthcare are not fully addressed or funded in this country.

"We should protect our country and promote freedom around the world, but I don’t know if we need to be spending as much money as we are on it right now," he says.

Last December, PS! performed in the Ska Against Hunger benefit, where attendees brought edible goods to the show. The Greater Philadelphia Food Bank later received the items.

"Helping people is just an extension of what I learned from my parents and people that have been a good influence on me," Manos says.

His band currently has six members who play a variety of instruments, including a tenor sax and a trombone.

Manos and a few PS! members still pay homage to some of their favorite artists by performing as Nat King Kong, a strictly cover band.

AFTER 20 YEARS in the film and video production industry, Manos began his own script-to-screen production company titled Cranium Digital in 1999. He has directed and produced commercials, music videos and corporate video projects.

Manos’ office at 721 Sears St. is a stone’s throw from his house.

"The morning commute is not that bad," quips the Medina Street block captain. "It can take upwards of 30 seconds to a minute to get to work."

His block captain duties include organizing community meetings and activities for the Friends of Paolone Park, which covers an area from Medina to Sears streets between Seventh and Eighth.

Although Manos has a viable day job, he says that leaving the music scene has never been an option.

"I love playing and creating music as much as people like breathing air," says Manos. "Music is a very important part of the human existence. If there wasn’t any music, we’d be a very unhappy species."

Music even indirectly led Manos to find harmony in his personal life. While working at QVC in West Chester, he met his future wife, Erika, who surprisingly played PS! records while she was a disc jockey in college.

"I had a crush on her from the first day I met her," he says. "I asked her out on a date on Jan. 3, 1997, and we’ve been together ever since."

When he is not entertaining audiences, Manos says he enjoys winding down in his quiet neighborhood.

"South Philly is a great place to live and it’s very encouraging to see how much of a resurgence the area is having," he says. "We’re really lucky to be in such a nice little corner of the world."

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For more information on PS!, go to www.publicserviceska.com.