Roger Joseph Manning Jr. is an American keyboardist, singer, and songwriter who co-founded the bands Jellyfish, the Moog Cookbook, and Imperial Drag. He has also spent several years as a member of Beck's backing band, contributed to several recordings by the band Air, and toured or recorded with acts such as Jay-Z, Blink 182, and Johnny Cash. In 2005, he released his first solo record, Solid State Warrior, followed with Robo-Sapiens, Catnip Dynamite (2008), and Glamping (2018). He is usually credited by his full name to avoid confusion with the folk musician Roger Manning.
Roger Joseph Manning, Jr. plays keyboards at Beck's semi-acoustic show at Irving Plaza in New York City on November 9, 2021.
Jellyfish was an American rock band that formed in San Francisco in 1989. Led by songwriters Andy Sturmer and Roger Manning, the group was known for their blend of 1960s classic rock and XTC-style power pop. They released two albums, Bellybutton (1990) and Spilt Milk (1993), that proved influential to many subsequent acts in a similar vein.
The Spilt Milk tour line-up of Jellyfish, 1993. From left: Andy Sturmer, Tim Smith, Roger Manning, and Eric Dover.
Among power pop bands of the 1990s, Jellyfish were distinguished for being influenced more by Cheap Trick (pictured in 1977)