Bonehead: Revamped and Ready to Rock Southampton Days Midway Stage

Fronted by Warminster native, Jayy Mannon, alternative-rock and cover band Bonehead will be opening the Midway stage at

Mannon, a graduate of William Tennent, is something of a regular at the annual Southampton festival.

“I think this is our fifth year at Southampton Days,” said Mannon.  “We’ve been fortunate the last few times - we’ve gotten good weather.  There were a couple of rainouts we had in the past.”

A staple in Philadelphia nightclubs through the 90’s and early 2000’s, Mannon said Bonehead got their start exclusively as a cover band.  Over time though, they evolved into much more than that.

“I hated the whole idea of not playing original music,” Mannon said.  “But the bars were great and the money was good.”

Still, Mannon wanted to do a little bit more, and with some experience from his teenage years as a lyricist, he began penning original tunes for Bonehead.  

Primarily a singer, Mannon decided he had to pick up the guitar if he was going to practice songwriting regularly.

“I’m very, very limited as to what I can do on guitar,” he admitted. “Primarily power chords and that kind of thing.  But it’s enough to write a song.”

Those power chords took Mannon and Bonehead all the way to Los Angeles where they were offered a contract with MCA records. 

Because of legal issues, Bonehead assumed the name Familiar 48 and began cutting a record.  Three months in the studio produced an album, Wonderful Nothing, that sent the band on an extensive tour throughout the U.S.

Unfortunately for Mannon and the band, however, the record label folded not too long after the tour began.

“Once the money ran out, so did the tour,” he said. 

Mannon eventually found his way back to Philadelphia.  And although they still go by the name Bonehead, Mannon said he’s the only one left from the original band. 

A new lineup featuring Mannon on vocals, Jeff Camarco on bass, Daryl Updike on drums, and Mike Arellano on guitar now makes the rounds through the bars and clubs in and around Philadelphia.   

When they have the time.

Now married with kids, Mannon said Bonehead is mostly an evenings and weekend job.  Still, Mannon is doing what he loves.  And Southampton Days is just the kind of place he likes to play.

“All our families can come, all the kids,” said Mannon.  “It’s so much fun – everyone gets to come out and see us play.  My oldest is 16 and I’ve been doing this for as long as she’s been around.  She still wants to come out and bring all her friends.  She’s not embarrassed by me.  Yet.”

“Every time we get asked back, I’m just so glad,” he said of Southampton Days.  “It’s my favorite show of the year.”

You can catch Bonehead rocking the Midway Stage at the Southampton Days fair from 7:30 - 10:30 p.m. on Monday, July 4.