Praying Mantis may have arthritis in their fingers but they'll rock till they drop (2024)

Formed in 1974 by London-based siblings Tino (guitar, vocals) and Chris Troy (bass), Praying Mantis broke through during the New Wave Of British Heavy Metal and continue to perform powerful, melodic hard rock.

Next year sees the 40th anniversary of debut album Time Tell No Lies (the one with the classic Rodney Matthews cover art), while the band's latest album Kartharsis, their 11th, arrives via Frontiers in January.

Below, Tino Troy brings us up to date.

Praying Mantis may have arthritis in their fingers but they'll rock till they drop (1)

How was your pandemic experience?

I quite liked it for the first few weeks, but it went on for way too long. I did build a studio at the bottom of the garden and also refurbished some of my old guitars, including an Explorer bought from Dave Murray when we toured with Iron Maiden in 1980.

In November 2020, between lockdowns, Mantis played a festival in the Czech Republic…

Yeah, that was a bit strange. There were 80 people in a place that would usually hold 200, but it worked well and people came from miles around. Then, of course, we were plunged back into staying home again.

Were musicians sold down the river by the powers-that-be over those trying 18 months?

I love football, but when we had 60,000 fans kissing each other during the European Championships it rankled that we weren’t allowed 20 people at a gig that could hold 500 people. The arts suffered a lot.

Does it seem possible that Time Tells No Lies is now four decades old?

[Laughs] It does! The band is almost five decades old. My bones are creaking, I’ve had surgeries, I’ve got arthritis in my fingers and I also suffer from tinnitus. Chris [Troy] and I have spoken many times about hanging up our guitars, but it seems there’s always another album left in us. We will rock till we drop.

With hindsight, did Praying Mantis sign to the wrong label in Arista?

Yes, and we also ended up with bad management. Both of those mistakes inflicted long-term damage.

We imagine that having an anti-vaxxer in your band must cause problems…

Hans is entitled to his views, but hopefully he will see the error of his ways next year when the band starts touring internationally. We’ve got lots of festivals including Sweden Rock and Bang Your Head lined up, also a Spanish tour, and Hans must realise he can’t work outside of Europe without getting his jab. We keep reminding him we [as a band] are all in this together, and unless he gets vaccinated it won’t work.

In these post-Brexit days, how problematic is having two overseas members – Hans in’t Zandt and his countryman, frontman John ‘Jaycee’ Cuijpers – in the group?

When they joined us [in 2013] nobody knew of the logistical nightmare that lay ahead. Brexit is definitely putting a spanner in the works for the band right now, but it’s up to us to keep on going and ride it out.

Though the decision has been vindicated, the ousting of the band’s previous singer and drummer to accommodate the two Dutchmen seemed a pretty ruthless thing to do.

Mike [Freeland] was a great singer but as a frontman he was just too apologetic onstage, and we reached a point where something had to be done. We’d tried to encourage him, but towards the end Mike just lost it. And because Gary MacKenzie [drummer] had introduced Mike to us, he felt he should express solidarity. In the long run it has worked out very well.

What’s in the pipeline for the coming months?

We were writing an album just before the virus hit, so it had to be made remotely and there were times when being apart was a bit fraught for all of us, especially when I wanted to put my arm around John and say: “C’mon, you can do better.” I missed that physical contact, but we got there in the end. Oh, and next year it’s almost certain I’ll do my first solo album.

What can you tell us about Mantis’ 11th album, Katharsis, which arrives in January 2022?

It’s like a box of Milk Tray – or maybe that’s Milk Troy [he laughs loudly] – not Ferrero Rocher, where everything inside is the same. We’re really pleased with it.

What advice would today’s version of Tino Troy offer to the Tino that was about to release his first album?

I would tell him to listen to [über-manager] Peter Mensch who approached me after a gig at the Rainbow Theatre and offered to take us on if we brought in a lead singer. We were just too co*cky. By the time we realised we did need a vocalist it was all a little bit too late.

Katharsis by Praying Mantis will be released via Frontiers on January 28.

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Praying Mantis may have arthritis in their fingers but they'll rock till they drop (2024)

FAQs

Praying Mantis may have arthritis in their fingers but they'll rock till they drop? ›

Praying Mantis may have arthritis in their fingers but they'll rock till they drop. Formed in 1974 by London-based siblings Tino (guitar, vocals) and Chris Troy (bass), Praying Mantis broke through during the New Wave Of British Heavy Metal and continue to perform powerful, melodic hard rock.

Why is my praying mantis staying in one spot? ›

A Chinese mantis in Porcupine Mountains Wilderness State Park. Photo: Corrine Higley, MSU. Mantids are famous for their sit-and-wait (otherwise known as ambush) predatory style. They typically stay very still in one place and wait for food to come to them.

Can you touch a praying mantis? ›

Though praying mantises are dangerous to their prey, they represent no danger to humans. Many people who see them wonder, “Do praying mantises bite?” And while they may chomp on a person's hand if they're approached aggressively, their bites are rare and do little damage.

How do praying mantis claws work? ›

These spines are preceded by a number of tooth-like tubercles, which, along with a similar series of tubercles along the tibia and the apical claw near its tip, give the foreleg of the mantis its grasp on its prey.

What is the biggest praying mantis? ›

Hierodula majuscula is a species of praying mantis in the genus Hierodula. It is also known as the giant rainforest mantis and the Australian giant mantis. It is found in coastal northern Australia, usually in rainforest and adjacent habitats.

Why is my praying mantis falling? ›

The mantis might be feeling threatened or stressed, and is trying to escape from the enclosure. Make sure the enclosure is not too crowded, and that there are enough hiding places for the mantis to feel secure. The mantis might be sick or injured.

Do praying mantis bond with humans? ›

In such circ*mstances, over a season, mantids become accustomed to human presence and gentle handling, happily walk around on 'their human,' exhibit reduced aggression, and even drink water (or milk) from a spoon. Short answer, yes.

Can praying mantis feel pain? ›

Contrary to the long-held believe that insects don't feel pain, they do. Researchers have confirmed that insects can experience different levels of pain, from mild to severe, and can become sensitive to their injured bodies.

Can a praying mantis look at you? ›

So keep an eye out for them and you might be lucky enough to spot one turning its head to eyeball you too. The world teems with interesting bugs, but praying mantises stand out because of their “intelligent alien” science fiction appearance as they stare back at you.

Do praying mantis pinch hurt? ›

Instead of teeth, praying mantises have mandibles, per A-Z Animals. These are sharp jaws that move sideways to cut through their food. They might also grab onto a person using their front legs, causing a pinch, and the larger the mantis, the more likely you are to feel that pinch.

What is the lifespan of a praying mantis? ›

The praying mantis is part of a larger group of insects called mantids. They live for 6-12 months and die after mating or laying eggs, depending on the gender.

Do praying mantises sleep? ›

When asleep, insects aren't just resting – sleeping praying mantises will droop downwards and sleeping bees are harder to startle than those that are having a rest.

What's the difference between a mantis and a praying mantis? ›

The praying mantids – mantis really refers only to the genus Mantis, while mantid refers to the entire group – are an order of insects (Mantodea) that appear to be “praying” when their front legs are held at rest.

Are praying mantises intelligent? ›

So, this begs the question: Are praying mantises intelligent? Their shape and posture are distinctive, and their large eyes, mobile head and alert, watchful behavior make them seem smart as they look like the creatures or aliens from the outer space movies. However, they are no smarter than other insects.

What is the difference between green and brown praying mantis? ›

A master of disguise. One of the most fascinating aspects of praying mantises has to be the many ways the different species camouflage themselves from their prey. Species that live on the ground floor tend to be spotted brown while species that live in trees are most often green and leaf-like.

Do praying mantises stay in the same spot? ›

Being somewhat territorial insects, praying mantis tend to hang out in one location in the garden, so it's always fun to have an 'easter egg hunt' of sorts to try and find where it's hiding.

Is my mantis dead or molting? ›

There are several indicative signs of an approaching moult in mantises. Refusal of food, lethargy, erratic vibration-like movements, inflation of the abdomen, elongated and extended legs, open raptorial arms, and large, swollen wing buds in sub-adult mantids.

Do praying mantis live in one place? ›

The Praying Mantis is found in many differing habitats. They are generally located in the warmer regions, particularly tropical and subtropical latitudes. Most species live in the tropical rainforest, although others can be found in deserts, grasslands and meadowlands.

How do you know if a praying mantis is sleeping? ›

When asleep, insects aren't just resting – sleeping praying mantises will droop downwards and sleeping bees are harder to startle than those that are having a rest.

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