Mándu
{{Use dmy dates|date=September 2019}}
{{Use Australian English|date=September 2019}}
{{Infobox musical artist
| name = Mándu
| image =
| image_upright =
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| birth_name = Chris Moraitis
| alias =
| birth_date =
| birth_place = Queensland
| origin = Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| death_date =
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| genre = Rock
| occupation = Singer
| instrument = Vocals
| years_active = 1973–1980, 1985
| label = Image/Astor
| associated_acts = Lobby Loyde
| website =
}}
Chris Moraitis, who performed as Mándu, was an Australian rock music vocalist. He released his debut solo album, To the Shores of His Heaven, in 1974. He joined Lobby Loyde's Southern Electric group and was recorded on two of their albums, Obsecration (May 1976) and Live with Dubs (live album, 1980). According to Australian musicologist, Ian McFarlane, Mándu had "a distinctive and emotional voice" and his solo album, "stands as a worthwhile period piece, a work graced with elegant songs, soaring arrangements and fine musicianship." However, in 1980 he "disappeared from view, re-emerging briefly during the mid-1980s with a band called Mándu Bándu."
Biography
Mándu (Chris Moraitis) moved to Melbourne from Queensland in the early 1970s.{{cite book | last1 = McFarlane | first1 = Ian | author-link1 = Ian McFarlane | title = Encyclopedia of Australian Rock and Pop | chapter = Encyclopedia entry for 'Mándu' | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20040917054018/http://www.whammo.com.au/encyclopedia.asp?articleid=457 | chapter-url = http://www.whammo.com.au/encyclopedia.asp?articleid=457 | year = 1999 | publisher = Allen & Unwin | location = St Leonards, NSW | archive-date = 17 September 2004 | isbn = 1-86508-072-1 }}{{cite web | publisher = Australasian Performing Right Association (APRA) | Australasian Mechanical Copyright Owners Society (AMCOS) | title = 'Captain Voyager' at APRA search engine | url = http://apraamcos.com.au/search?searchtype=works&keywords=Captain+Voyager | access-date = 5 September 2019 }} Note: For additional work user may have to select 'Search again' and then 'Enter a title:' &/or 'Performer:'{{cite web | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20130929121447/http://hem.passagen.se/honga/database/l/loydelobby.html | url = http://hem.passagen.se/honga/database/l/loydelobby.html | title = Lobby Loyde | last1 = Holmgren | first1 = Magnus | publisher = Australian Rock Database (Magnus Holmgren) | archive-date = 29 September 2013 | url-status = usurped | access-date = 5 September 2019 }} He issued a concept album, To the Shores of His Heaven, in 1974 using studio musicians: Steve Cooney on mandolin and guitar, Phil Manning on guitar, Barry Sullivan on bass guitar, Peter Sullivan on keyboards and Gary Young on drums.{{cite web | url=http://www.aztecmusic.net/031.htm | title = To the Shores of His Heaven Liner notes | last = Lethborg | first = Ted | publisher = Aztec Music | date = 2 February 2008 | via = National Library of Australia | archive-url = https://webarchive.nla.gov.au/awa/20110218183220/http://www.aztecmusic.net/031.htm | archive-date = 18 February 2011 | access-date = 5 September 2019 }}{{cbignore|bot=medic}} It was recorded at Melbourne's Armstrong Studios and produced by Ern Rose for Image Records/Astor Records.
Ian McFarlane, an Australian musicologist, felt that, "the cosmic concept album ... stands as a worthwhile period piece, a work graced with elegant songs, soaring arrangements and fine musicianship." Mándu toured Australia with a backing band of Cooney, Peter Sullivan, Bob Bickerton on drums (ex-Rock Granite and the Profiles), Mike Clarke on bass guitar (ex-Skylight) and Greg Cook on guitar (ex-Cam-Pact, the Mixtures, Skylight).{{cite web | url = http://www.milesago.com/Artists/mandu.htm | title = Groups & Solo Artists – Mandu | last = Culnane | first = Paul | publisher = Milesago: Australasian Music and Popular Culture 1964–1975. Ice Productions | editor = Duncan Kimball | year = 2007 | access-date = 5 September 2019 }} The album was retitled, We Ran Across the Sky, and reissued in 1980. A bonus track, "Gimme Shelter", a cover version of the Rolling Stones' single was added to a remastered and reissued version, To the Shores of His Heaven, in February 2008 via Aztec Music.{{citation | author1 = Mándu | title = To the Shores of His Heaven | date = 2008 | publisher = Aztec Music | url = https://trove.nla.gov.au/work/25416294 | access-date = 5 September 2019 }}
Mándu joined Australian rock guitarist Lobby Loyde's group Southern Electric, and sang on their album, Obsecration (May 1976). He left for the United Kingdom and returned to Melbourne to record that group's live album, Live with Dubs (1980). McFarlane writes that he subsequently "disappeared from view, re-emerging briefly during the mid-1980s with a band called Mándu Bándu." He observed that the artist "was something of an enigma and a sadly overlooked talent. He had a distinctive and emotional voice, but only issued one album that was received with bemused indifference."
Discography
=Studio albums=
| class="wikitable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center;" border="1"
|+ List of albums, with Australian chart positions ! scope="col" rowspan="2" style="width:20em;" | Title ! scope="col" rowspan="2" style="width:20em;" | Album details ! scope="col" colspan="1" | Peak chart |
| scope="col" style="text-align:center;" | AUS {{cite book|last=Kent|first=David|author-link=David Kent (historian)|title=Australian Chart Book 1970–1992|edition=illustrated|publisher=Australian Chart Book|location=St Ives, N.S.W.|year=1993|isbn=0-646-11917-6|page=190}} |
|---|
| scope="row" | To The Shores of His Heaven
|
| align="center" | 42 |
=Singles=
| class="wikitable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center;" border="1"
! Year ! Title ! Album |
| 1974
! scope="row" | "We Ran Across the Sky" |rowspan="2" | To The Shores of His Heaven |
| 1975
! scope="row" | "Gimme Shelter" |