The legendary Manband from Wales...
...is, without doubt, one of my all-time favourite bands. Oh come on, any band that can come up with a song lyrics like:
"I like to eat bananas because they got no bones / I like marijuana because it gets me stoned."
has got to be worth listening to. Yeah, no prizes for guessing that I don't subscribe to the dumbass theory that smoking grass leads you to try harder drugs. No it doesn't. It leads you to giggling, raiding the fridge and falling asleep. If someone is going to end up hooked on coke or smack, they will do, irrespective of whether they smoke a joint at any point in their lives. But that particular avenue is best explored in the Rant section at some point, I think. Back to the Manband...
I have seen Man live on quite a few separate occasions over the years. My friend Mick Schofield first got me to listen to them in 1982, by playing me "Be Good To Yourself", "Rhinos, Winos and Lunatics" and "Slow Motion". He then progressed through "Greasy Truckers", "Padget Rooms" and "Christmas at the Patti". I was impressed. As we worked our way through the back catalogue, he inevitably dug out "Maximum Darkness" and that was the one that really sold me. I'm not exactly sure why. Maybe it was a combination of the music and the wicked Rick Griffin cover, who can say? Certainly, I still love the version of 7171-551 from that album.
"I like to eat bananas because they got no bones / I like marijuana because it gets me stoned."
has got to be worth listening to. Yeah, no prizes for guessing that I don't subscribe to the dumbass theory that smoking grass leads you to try harder drugs. No it doesn't. It leads you to giggling, raiding the fridge and falling asleep. If someone is going to end up hooked on coke or smack, they will do, irrespective of whether they smoke a joint at any point in their lives. But that particular avenue is best explored in the Rant section at some point, I think. Back to the Manband...
I have seen Man live on quite a few separate occasions over the years. My friend Mick Schofield first got me to listen to them in 1982, by playing me "Be Good To Yourself", "Rhinos, Winos and Lunatics" and "Slow Motion". He then progressed through "Greasy Truckers", "Padget Rooms" and "Christmas at the Patti". I was impressed. As we worked our way through the back catalogue, he inevitably dug out "Maximum Darkness" and that was the one that really sold me. I'm not exactly sure why. Maybe it was a combination of the music and the wicked Rick Griffin cover, who can say? Certainly, I still love the version of 7171-551 from that album.
Man - The Mean Fiddler London 10th April 1999
This was the Man band's first gig back in the UK after an intensive five week stint in Europe. Having been to both the Birmingham gig at the end of January and the Croydon gig (supporting Colosseum) at the end of Feb, I was more than familiar with what to expect from this current lineup. Mind you, even I was surprised by the performance that Saturday night. But, I'll get back to that later…
Alkatraz (Will Youatt and Jimmy Davies et al), reformed especially for this gig, opened the proceedings. Jimmy Davies certainly has not lost the knack of mauling a solo out of his guitar as he did frequently throughout the set. Will's in-between songs banter was amusing and it was good to see that the band were having a lot of fun, whilst playing some excellent music.
In the break, I heard someone saying that the last time they had seen Man, twenty-odd years ago, the support band was Alkatraz. Doesn't surprise me. I don't think anyone has ever really left the Man band. So what about the boys themselves?
The Mean Fiddler was pretty well packed with hot, sweaty bodies by the time "The Men" took to the stage. As is customary of late, the opening triumvirate of "The Ride and The View", "C'mon" and "Manillo" got things off to a blistering start. Deke's slide guitar intro to The Ride and The View is getting heavier every time I see them and, at the Mean Fiddler he was playing notes so sharp that you could slice cheese with them.
During "C'mon" Deke broke a string and disappeared for so long I thought he'd popped an Elvis and left the building. This did allow Micky to stretch out his solo spot for an unfeasibly long time, by the end of which. I think even he was wondering if Deke had left. Micky, as ever, does his part beautifully. He is always there, exactly where he is supposed to be. Martin, meanwhile, plugs away providing a solid rhythm for the guitar players' twiddly bits and, not forgetting the humorous anecdotes for the audience.
For me, the biggest change, in this latest incarnation of the band, is Bob Richards. I first saw Bob with them last year and, whilst he was good, the band were not as good as they can be. This is a picky point, I know. Man don't give bad performances- some shows are just more superb than others, but, hell. If you're reading this you know that, already. Over the last few months, Bob has really gelled with the band and it shows. The European Tour dusted off cobwebs and this band is truly stunning right about now. Bob's thrashing of the drum kit at the end of "C'mon" (and later, at the end of "Bananas") is positively brutal.
All of the usual selections were present "7171 551", "Wings of Mercury", "Many are Called but Few Get Up", and the closing "Bananas/Romain". Deke's usual invective intro to "Wings of Mercury" rounded on Richard Branson for a change, Phil Collins having been given the night off, no doubt.
Now, I have only been a fan for the last sixteen years and that makes me a junior member of the fan base, I suppose. What I do know is that the Mean Fiddler gig was one hell of a show and the best performance I've seen from Man since Reading '83. In fact it is probably one of the best gigs I have ever had the pleasure to attend. If you haven't seen them this year, be good to yourself and go see them. You will not be disappointed.
Mark L. Potts
The God of Thunder
16th April 1999
Alkatraz (Will Youatt and Jimmy Davies et al), reformed especially for this gig, opened the proceedings. Jimmy Davies certainly has not lost the knack of mauling a solo out of his guitar as he did frequently throughout the set. Will's in-between songs banter was amusing and it was good to see that the band were having a lot of fun, whilst playing some excellent music.
In the break, I heard someone saying that the last time they had seen Man, twenty-odd years ago, the support band was Alkatraz. Doesn't surprise me. I don't think anyone has ever really left the Man band. So what about the boys themselves?
The Mean Fiddler was pretty well packed with hot, sweaty bodies by the time "The Men" took to the stage. As is customary of late, the opening triumvirate of "The Ride and The View", "C'mon" and "Manillo" got things off to a blistering start. Deke's slide guitar intro to The Ride and The View is getting heavier every time I see them and, at the Mean Fiddler he was playing notes so sharp that you could slice cheese with them.
During "C'mon" Deke broke a string and disappeared for so long I thought he'd popped an Elvis and left the building. This did allow Micky to stretch out his solo spot for an unfeasibly long time, by the end of which. I think even he was wondering if Deke had left. Micky, as ever, does his part beautifully. He is always there, exactly where he is supposed to be. Martin, meanwhile, plugs away providing a solid rhythm for the guitar players' twiddly bits and, not forgetting the humorous anecdotes for the audience.
For me, the biggest change, in this latest incarnation of the band, is Bob Richards. I first saw Bob with them last year and, whilst he was good, the band were not as good as they can be. This is a picky point, I know. Man don't give bad performances- some shows are just more superb than others, but, hell. If you're reading this you know that, already. Over the last few months, Bob has really gelled with the band and it shows. The European Tour dusted off cobwebs and this band is truly stunning right about now. Bob's thrashing of the drum kit at the end of "C'mon" (and later, at the end of "Bananas") is positively brutal.
All of the usual selections were present "7171 551", "Wings of Mercury", "Many are Called but Few Get Up", and the closing "Bananas/Romain". Deke's usual invective intro to "Wings of Mercury" rounded on Richard Branson for a change, Phil Collins having been given the night off, no doubt.
Now, I have only been a fan for the last sixteen years and that makes me a junior member of the fan base, I suppose. What I do know is that the Mean Fiddler gig was one hell of a show and the best performance I've seen from Man since Reading '83. In fact it is probably one of the best gigs I have ever had the pleasure to attend. If you haven't seen them this year, be good to yourself and go see them. You will not be disappointed.
Mark L. Potts
The God of Thunder
16th April 1999
OK, since I wrote that review, we have all passed a lot of water. I have been to a few more gigs and well, done quite a few things. I was asked the question, not so long ago, "What is the best gig you've ever been to?" It isn't a simple question to answer. That gig at the Mean Fiddler, having thought about it, remains one of the best gigs I've been to to date, if not the best but there have been so many over the years, many of them special for so many different reasons. Certainly, it was up there!This review, which I wrote shortly after the gig, appeared in the Man newsletter, The Welsh Connection.
Mark L. Potts
The God of Thunder
December 2001
Mark L. Potts
The God of Thunder
December 2001