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 Patti Pavilion Swansea 14th April 1999
O.K. I live in Cheshire. Why the hell would I travel almost 200 miles to Swansea, on a Wednesday, to see a band, I had travelled 200 miles to see, at the Mean Fiddler, only 5 days before? I have no idea. Except for the fact that it is the Man band we are talking about. The Mean Fiddler gig had been so good, I thought, what better time to see Man at The Patti? The home gig. A benefit gig, no less. It will be a real experience. Man at The Patti.
It took me 5 hours to get there. Alternating snow and brilliant sunshine and almost an hour driving round Swansea trying to find the Patti! It is not exactly obvious to anyone who doesn't know where it is, shall we say. But, I got there just in time to see Alkatraz take to the stage. Nothing in 20 years then twice in one week. Once again the set was superb - short but sweet.
It was a strange gig. I felt like a bit of a foreigner, there's no doubt. The only people in the building I'd ever met before wouldn't be on stage until about 10:30. Obviously the locals all knew who these musicians were - they were all friends, relatives or suchlike. One thing there was no doubt about was the atmosphere. Superb. It was almost like it was someone's living-room and a few close friends had gathered to have a sing along. I now know what a fly on the wall, feels like!
Special mentions to Alkatraz, Richie and Greg (and someone called Bob Richards), Racing Cars, and Garry and Taff's Steel Water Band. All provided some amazing music during the first five hours or so and I particularly enjoyed Richie and Greg (oh, yeah, and Bob). Richie, what a voice!
But what about Man? I have seen them quite a few times over the last 16 years and this was definitely one of their least proficient performances. In fact, it was diametrically opposed to the London show a few days earlier. The sound wasn't very good, especially towards the end. Micky broke a string this time and switched to the SG, which sounded strange. It was all a bit scrappy, really.
So, I didn't enjoy it? Of course I did. It was fantastic. The playing was not slick because these chaps were having such a good time. This was a fun gig and it was their turn to have some fun. The odd bum note didn't matter if the overall feel was right. Clive John guested on piano for most of the set and was obviously rusty compared to these guys who'd just been touring for the last six weeks. But, Clive got the hang of it and everyone seemed to be trying to catch everyone else out and laughing like drains when they succeeded.
For me, this was one of the best gigs I've been to. Actually, it is two of the best gigs I've ever been to. I'd much rather go to see a band that plays from the heart and gets it wrong sometimes, than a band that is perfect and sounds just like the CD. Whenever you see Man, it is party time. Just, sometimes, you get real lucky! My excitement didn't finish there though. I came out of the Patti to find snow lying thickly on the ground. I couldn't get home. I had to stay in a Motorway Travel Lodge because the roads were so bad.
In all, my last two Man gigs have cost me about £25 for the tickets and about £300 in travel! Is it that going to stop me? Not many, Uncle!
Mark L. Potts
The God of Thunder
16th April 1999
It took me 5 hours to get there. Alternating snow and brilliant sunshine and almost an hour driving round Swansea trying to find the Patti! It is not exactly obvious to anyone who doesn't know where it is, shall we say. But, I got there just in time to see Alkatraz take to the stage. Nothing in 20 years then twice in one week. Once again the set was superb - short but sweet.
It was a strange gig. I felt like a bit of a foreigner, there's no doubt. The only people in the building I'd ever met before wouldn't be on stage until about 10:30. Obviously the locals all knew who these musicians were - they were all friends, relatives or suchlike. One thing there was no doubt about was the atmosphere. Superb. It was almost like it was someone's living-room and a few close friends had gathered to have a sing along. I now know what a fly on the wall, feels like!
Special mentions to Alkatraz, Richie and Greg (and someone called Bob Richards), Racing Cars, and Garry and Taff's Steel Water Band. All provided some amazing music during the first five hours or so and I particularly enjoyed Richie and Greg (oh, yeah, and Bob). Richie, what a voice!
But what about Man? I have seen them quite a few times over the last 16 years and this was definitely one of their least proficient performances. In fact, it was diametrically opposed to the London show a few days earlier. The sound wasn't very good, especially towards the end. Micky broke a string this time and switched to the SG, which sounded strange. It was all a bit scrappy, really.
So, I didn't enjoy it? Of course I did. It was fantastic. The playing was not slick because these chaps were having such a good time. This was a fun gig and it was their turn to have some fun. The odd bum note didn't matter if the overall feel was right. Clive John guested on piano for most of the set and was obviously rusty compared to these guys who'd just been touring for the last six weeks. But, Clive got the hang of it and everyone seemed to be trying to catch everyone else out and laughing like drains when they succeeded.
For me, this was one of the best gigs I've been to. Actually, it is two of the best gigs I've ever been to. I'd much rather go to see a band that plays from the heart and gets it wrong sometimes, than a band that is perfect and sounds just like the CD. Whenever you see Man, it is party time. Just, sometimes, you get real lucky! My excitement didn't finish there though. I came out of the Patti to find snow lying thickly on the ground. I couldn't get home. I had to stay in a Motorway Travel Lodge because the roads were so bad.
In all, my last two Man gigs have cost me about £25 for the tickets and about £300 in travel! Is it that going to stop me? Not many, Uncle!
Mark L. Potts
The God of Thunder
16th April 1999
As of December 2001, the Swansea gig was the last time I would see Man live for a couple of years. I could not get to any of their Endangered Species gigs. I felt that it was a conspiracy, as they all took place on days that I could not get to the gigs from where I was! I do not doubt that I shall get to see them again soon. I certainly hope so because now I have indoctrinated the firstborn child in the ways of the Manband and she wants to go and see them next time they play! I think she's probably old enough. Besides, she has read both of Deke's books!
Mark L. Potts
The God of Thunder
December 2001
Mark L. Potts
The God of Thunder
December 2001