The History
2002 -Manta Ray Records was formed in the Daytona Beach, Florida suburb of Palm Coast by Mike Diamond. The label immediately started to catalog the Punk Rock/Metal scene in Daytona Beach and working with various out of state bands to try to kick start the Daytona Beach scene.
2003 –Manta Ray Records added Hip-hop to the label and begun to work with touring acts and bigger mainstream entities.
In 2004 - Manta Ray records launched ”Manta Raydio” a 24hr internet/terrestrial pirate station broadcasting on a 2 watt transmitter to the towns of Bunnell , Palm Coast and Espanola and worldwide through the internet (a very novel and expensive venture in 2004).
The station was picked up for syndication through the Sinco Broadcasting network . This led to celebrity appearances on several of our shows including, Lou Ferigno ( The incredible hulk, King of Queens ), Vincent Pastore ( The Sopranos ) as well as some of the top acts in Punk Rock ( The Horrorpops, Agnostic Front, Mindless Self Indulgence, the Dead Kennedys and many others).
2005 - saw a year of rapid change and growth for Manta Ray Records. New acts like When Empires Burn, Bill Crandley and the Lost Dogs and our various hip-hop groups, started burning up the coastline and we started our regional touring programs. All of this activity culminating in our first event with MTV and Trustkill records that summer.
In 2006 - Manta Ray Records was doing promo work for Independent labels and agents from B.S.T. Productions, Street Legal Ent. to Epitaph/ Hellcat records. Manta Raydio grew to its biggest size yet with 2 syndicated programs and 6 full time programs.
2007 - was an exciting year. We moved our offices into a 2000 square ft, studio / performance space and started doing Hardcore, Emo and hip hop shows on various days during the week. Many southern touring bands came through our doors and played on our stage. Depending on the band, anywhere from 2 to 200 kids would be in attendance at any given night. Unfortunately, due to the logistics of running a record label, recording studio and performance space, we made the hard decision to close down “Manta Raydio”
2008- the national economy plunged and Florida was one of the hardest hit. We closed up the performance space and tried to ride the storm out. That year Rolling Stone magazine proclaimed that Baltimore had the best live music scene in the country. Manta Ray had an office in Baltimore by April of that year and its first live show in May of that year.
2003 –Manta Ray Records added Hip-hop to the label and begun to work with touring acts and bigger mainstream entities.
In 2004 - Manta Ray records launched ”Manta Raydio” a 24hr internet/terrestrial pirate station broadcasting on a 2 watt transmitter to the towns of Bunnell , Palm Coast and Espanola and worldwide through the internet (a very novel and expensive venture in 2004).
The station was picked up for syndication through the Sinco Broadcasting network . This led to celebrity appearances on several of our shows including, Lou Ferigno ( The incredible hulk, King of Queens ), Vincent Pastore ( The Sopranos ) as well as some of the top acts in Punk Rock ( The Horrorpops, Agnostic Front, Mindless Self Indulgence, the Dead Kennedys and many others).
2005 - saw a year of rapid change and growth for Manta Ray Records. New acts like When Empires Burn, Bill Crandley and the Lost Dogs and our various hip-hop groups, started burning up the coastline and we started our regional touring programs. All of this activity culminating in our first event with MTV and Trustkill records that summer.
In 2006 - Manta Ray Records was doing promo work for Independent labels and agents from B.S.T. Productions, Street Legal Ent. to Epitaph/ Hellcat records. Manta Raydio grew to its biggest size yet with 2 syndicated programs and 6 full time programs.
2007 - was an exciting year. We moved our offices into a 2000 square ft, studio / performance space and started doing Hardcore, Emo and hip hop shows on various days during the week. Many southern touring bands came through our doors and played on our stage. Depending on the band, anywhere from 2 to 200 kids would be in attendance at any given night. Unfortunately, due to the logistics of running a record label, recording studio and performance space, we made the hard decision to close down “Manta Raydio”
2008- the national economy plunged and Florida was one of the hardest hit. We closed up the performance space and tried to ride the storm out. That year Rolling Stone magazine proclaimed that Baltimore had the best live music scene in the country. Manta Ray had an office in Baltimore by April of that year and its first live show in May of that year.
2009- the opening of a new Manta Ray Studios and the recording of a diss track on Nikki Minaj by a young rapper named Keys gave our work a national audience and led to the major label signing of that artist. In the Summer of that year Mike Diamond met and signed his signature artist and future business partner Auddio Viddeo.
2010- Manta Ray Records started its relationship with ioda/Sony Music and started releasing records from the Baltimore/DC scene. The label then took on one of its brightest stars when Larry Kessler of the legendary GODZ, walked in the door with the 1st new GODZ record in almost 40 years. This was the final year for the Florida office and we shut the doors in September.
2011- Manta Ray Records begins its partnership with Label Services LTD. This allows Manta Ray Records access to some of the music industry’s best producers, techs and marketing people working today. Our relationship with Radio One was strengthened by our joint promotion of the “Who’s got Next “competition with 92Q for 12 straight weeks.
2012- The releases of: The Godz - Remastered, Auddio Viddeo - Blue Lights, Apollo Sun, and Thee Katatonix were all highlights. This was also a banner year for radio promotion as Manta Ray records worked heavily with NPR, Radio one, and our first promotion with Clear Channel.
2013 –A great year for radio play. Manta Ray Records saw “Earatik Static” record Big Fire charting at stations around the country, some as high as number #1. Mielly Mee charted in the Itunes top 50 (#44) in his home country , Ukraine. Manta Ray Records ended the year at a beautiful new location in the North Avenue Arts District. The groundbreaking compilation “The Ground Beneath: Vol . 1 and Something Complex’s Catharsis were highlights.
Today – Manta Ray Records continues to strive to capture the sound of the Mid –Atlantic. We welcome all musicians and artists to contact us. Let’s look to the future!
2010- Manta Ray Records started its relationship with ioda/Sony Music and started releasing records from the Baltimore/DC scene. The label then took on one of its brightest stars when Larry Kessler of the legendary GODZ, walked in the door with the 1st new GODZ record in almost 40 years. This was the final year for the Florida office and we shut the doors in September.
2011- Manta Ray Records begins its partnership with Label Services LTD. This allows Manta Ray Records access to some of the music industry’s best producers, techs and marketing people working today. Our relationship with Radio One was strengthened by our joint promotion of the “Who’s got Next “competition with 92Q for 12 straight weeks.
2012- The releases of: The Godz - Remastered, Auddio Viddeo - Blue Lights, Apollo Sun, and Thee Katatonix were all highlights. This was also a banner year for radio promotion as Manta Ray records worked heavily with NPR, Radio one, and our first promotion with Clear Channel.
2013 –A great year for radio play. Manta Ray Records saw “Earatik Static” record Big Fire charting at stations around the country, some as high as number #1. Mielly Mee charted in the Itunes top 50 (#44) in his home country , Ukraine. Manta Ray Records ended the year at a beautiful new location in the North Avenue Arts District. The groundbreaking compilation “The Ground Beneath: Vol . 1 and Something Complex’s Catharsis were highlights.
Today – Manta Ray Records continues to strive to capture the sound of the Mid –Atlantic. We welcome all musicians and artists to contact us. Let’s look to the future!