The early 70's was for me a unique period in Rock Music many years before the Commercial Video age and record Company hype, a time when musicians had to be good in order to impress the media, E.L.P. King Crimson, Gentle Giant. The Prog Rock movement was a period of experimentation when many new interesting instruments were being invented to create new sounds. A new keyboard instrument which would be particularly prominent in this new scene would be the moog synthesizer, the masterful invention of the late Robert Moog, which later became fashionable to be known as simply the Mini Moog, would play an integral part in the overall sound of many of the days most successful contemporaries like Emerson Lake and Palmer, Yes and indeed MMEB. Although Uriah Heep stated from “Very 'eavy and very ‘umble” beginnings mainly due to an infamous review in Rolling Stone magazine, when a somewhat idiotic American Journalist proclaimed ‘if this band makes it I’ll have to commit suicide’ I have been an ardent fan since the tender age of 12 once hearing the wonderous crunching hard biting chords of Gypsy for the first time I was immediately hooked and have never looked back (Tis true). Look at yourself, their third album and first for the Bronze Label is indeed an accomplished work and is quite

The Earth Band were already special to me - top of my favourite musical tastes when something happened which raised them even higher than the pinnacle they had already achieved in my eyes. It  was in the mid 1970's and soon after the Roaring Silence had been released - one of the best albums ever made in my opinion. The  Earth Band were out on tour and one of the venues they were playing was at Southampton University. A friend of mine lived at Andover and he also liked the Earth Band sound and I said "Vic, how do you fancy a trip to Southampton to see Manfred Mann’s Earth Band in concert?". He agreed immediately and I said fine, I would arrange to purchase tickets and I then set out to try and purchase some in advance. The University told me that tickets were not yet available but it was unlikely to be a sell-out and if I turned up on the night I would have no trouble getting in. I was not happy with this scenario and a day before the concert was due to take place I checked once again with the venue, only to be told the same thing again. I reluctantly accepted this and informed Vic I would be down the next afternoon to pick him up and drive us to Southampton. 

The day arrived and as usual all I could think about was the couple of hours of extreme pleasure I was going to get later that evening. I was not working that day so I sorted out a a selection of the Band’s finest music to play in the car to both get in the mood for the gig and also to keep the momentum going afterwards - it was going to be a memorable day, one to remember for a long while. Little did I know how true this was going to be. I drove down from West London to meet Vic and after a spot of tea drove down past Winchester to Southampton and on to the venue. l parked the car, and we duly made our way to the venue for the concert only to see SOLD OUT plastered outside the entrance - a disaster, the impossible had happened, we had driven all that way for nothing. I tried to see if we could purchase tickets but the booking staff apologised and said all tickets had been sold and despite me telling them of my telephone calls to try and buy tickets, they said "sorry, there was nothing they  could do".

PE#16 - Page 2

Contents

A Yawn in Your Ear .........……....2
World Service News.........……...3
Earth Band Live 1998......……....4
Not Quite Overnight
Sensations - Part 1 ......…….......6
The Brook - Southampton …....8
Jimi Hendrix ........................…..9
The Ascent of Mann.........….....9
Manfred Mann's Tall Stories...10
Mann Alive ...........................….11

The Earth Team
Editor ...............…...…..Andy Taylor
Secretary....................Carol Taylor
Treasurer............….....Graeme Yates
Desrgn/Typesetting...lain R. Scott
Master of Envelopes .Thomas Taylor
Web Master .........……..Ron Clint
Printer ........................James Porter
Front Cover Photo: Andy Taylor
Back Cover and Men In Black Photo: Carol Taylor
Cartoon's: Rita Gerlach
Web Site:
http://www.manfredmann.co.uk

Printed by: Penketh's Print Limited
Bassendale Road, Bromborough, Wirral
Merseyside L62 SOL

No deliberate mistakes have been deliberately harmed during the making of this journal. If you have any articles, pictures or views you would like to be considered for inclusion in our next issue, send them along to Andy & Carol Taylor to the address below, together with a stamped addressed envelope for return. All articles, stories, pictures, etc. will be returned safely. The Manfred Mann Fan Club,
C/o Andy 8 Carol Taylor,
29 Lyndhurst Road, Wallasey,
Merseyside. ENGLAND L45 6XB
Tel: (44) 151 639 7057

MANN ALIVE
You should now have your copy of the long awaited Live album. Well worth the wait, switch on the stereo, turn up the volume and enjoy. Going by the mail bag, this was the album everybody wanted and I doubt you will be disappointed. Let us know what you think.

Now then about that video Manfred........…

HITCHING
Terry and Linda, who were among the Dudley crowd, Terry making 3 of 5 gigs despite awkw'ard shifts are getting married on July 4th. Instead of the Bridal March they have chosen 'Sikelele'. Both have been of much help to the Fan Club and some of the photo's by them from the May gigs are included herewith. Terry has also sent me some great archive pictures so watch out for them. On behalf of all their friends around the world our congratulations to a smashing couple.

AN APOLOGY TO THE BEAVER
We always seem to miss a typing error in Graeme's articles, so in the last edition’s centre spread we employed at huge expense an outside proof reader who was so spot on he managed to correct a deliberate mistake thus loosing the thread at one point.
Chris Hamlet Thompson should have read
Chris Hamlet Thomposon.
Whoops! Sorry Graeme.

Dear Platform End. A while ago Andy and I worked on a ‘Where are they now’ feature. Although this is still a proposed intention for future use in this publication, I have instead opted to write a feature based around some very interesting and useful MMEB facts, connections and personal recollections, many of which have never before been documented not even in Greg Russo’s encyclopaedic, ‘Mannerism’s' extravaganza.

I would firstly like to take this review back to Chapter 1 when a young Phil Collins, fresh from a stint with Progsters Flaming Youth, unsuccessfully auditioned for the vacant drum stool position. This vacancy was eventually filled by the hugely underrated Andrew McCullough, who later found favourable critical acclaim with King Crimson and Greenslade, (played on ‘It’s Good To Be Alive’, on their second album), who is today one of Britain’s leading yacht instructors.

Chris Slade was drafted in as a session musician to help out on the proposed, abandoned and lost third Chapter Ill album, but was wisely maintained by Manfred for the formation of his next group. Chris was a seasoned player, having bashed the skins with a fellow Welshman from Pontypridd, Tom Jones, for seven years as part of the Squires.

A period of heavy session work followed guesting on albums by Tony Hazzard who penned “Ha, Ha, Said the Clown”, and bottle neck guitarist Stefan Grossman. Chris was also invited to join Olivia Newton John’s Toomorrow for a proposed film and album. Although this project materialised, Slade was musically unfulfilled so it was a blessing in disguise when Manfred called him up and offered him a session.

PE#16 - Page 7

Although Pattenden and Slade quit MMEB respectively in the mid to late 70’s, they briefly teamed up together again in the short lived Terra Nova (New Earth in Latin), along with vocalist Peter Cox , who was later destined to become a heart throb to scores of adoring female fans as half of one of the most successful 80’s chart acts Go West. Although this operation was short lived they did, however, secure a Monday night residency at London’s Marquee Club, issued a lone single and furthermore bore the distinction of having supported The Scorpions on a UK tour.

Colin and Chris continued their musical business interests by co- managing Rock City studios in Shepperton. In 1979 Slade was lured back into the limelight having been sponsored by Stacatto drums (the loudest and strangest shaped drum kit in the world) to give drum clinics. Bronze label mates Uriah Heep were looking for a replacement for the recently departed Lee Kerslake. One quick audition was all it took and he was in beating some would be 50 other hopefuls, in the process. Although I briefly detailed Slade’s post MMEB work in issue No. 15 following his short lived spell with the mighty Heep. In 1982 he re-emerged with new romantic sensation Gary Numan and can be heard on the ‘l Assassin’ album. The following year, thank goodness, Jimmy Page and Paul Rodgers sharply snapped him up.

Colin Pattenden today runs a lucrative P.A. Company and has recorded with a revamped line up of Beggars Opera in 1980 and has toured the live circuit with Mungo Jerry and The Nashville Teens.

Contrary to public opinion that Mick Rogers is from the land down under he is in fact an Essex boy born and bred from Dovercourt, Essex near Harwich docks. Mick is another self- taught musician, though having had the distinction of being born into a musical family (like Chris Slade). His dad was a drummer, whilst his Uncle Ernie was a double bassist.

His schoolboy obsession with rock’n’roll, Eddie Cochran, Gene Vincent and in particular Elvis Presley made the young Michael ever more determined to fulfil his teenage ambitions. Purchasing his first guitar at the age of 14, his adolescent ambitions soon turned into a reality, as within a year he was a fully accomplished player. Upon leaving school he was briefly employed as a shoe salesman, followed by a 6-month period as an apprentice Engineer. However, the ever restless Mick decided to make music his full time occupation. He jacked in his day job and turned pro soon afterwards, securing live work as a backing musician for Adam Faith and Gene Pitney before the eternal search for pastures new prompted him to travel further afield to Australia to seek his fame and fortune. It was here for the first time that he was recognised as a major talent for the group he joined, Normie Rowe and the Playboys, who were quite a sensation, securing rather a sizeable female following. Next up were Procession, whose eponymous album secured a UK release on Mercury in 1968 with the quartet of musicians posing for the front cover holding a banner, with Mick looking remarkably like a young David Essex.

Sadly their lone studio album doesn’t stand the test of time particularly well though it has since gone on to become something of a minor collector’s item. However, the
album does bear significant Manfred connections as it was produced by our old friend Mike Hugg (Manfred’s former partner). Upon  the group’s break up in early 1969, Mick’s credentials were jotted  into Manfred’s little red book, whilst the  procession drummer  Craig Collinge jumped the gun and joined  Manfred Mann Chapter  III. He stayed long  enough to complete work on both their albums for the Phillips Corporation’s, new progressive orientated Vertigo label. Craig later played with ‘Shoot’ and ‘Third World War’.

May 5th and we are at the Brook in Southampton yet again, and our Platform End editor Mr. Taylor has come to see "What it is with Southampton", I speak for myself, but he could not have been disappointed.
The audience were as usual enthused that Manfred Mann's Earth Band were back. With a great instrumental and ‘Shelter' Opening, the nights proceedings were off to a brilliant start, the crowd even getting in on the act, singing 'Shelter From The Storm', at the end, much to Noel's amusement. Then Noel showing how it was supposed to be done. 'Nothing Ever Happens' followed. This is fast becoming a favourite live track of mine, a fine piece of guitar work in the middle. After the opening section of 'Martha‘s Madman', Chris Thompson got a great reception and sang the rest of the song. Manfred played a rather laid back synth solo slowly building into another rousing finale. Another favourite of mine ‘You Angel You' with the vocals of Chris, Noel and Mick. This is sheer heaven. So glad this is back in the set. With ‘Times They Are A Changin' coming straight after, there's hardly time to draw a breath. The audience by now, are well into the evening and beginning to move. I turned to Andy and said ‘Good 'ere ain't it?‘ His smile said enough.
Then Mick's show case 'Father Of Night“. What can l say? Brilliant  guitar playing,

subtle and then forceful, magical. The Mick and Manfred interplay towards the end was exceptional.
The wonderful ‘Medicine Song' came next, a complete contrast. One of the reasons the ‘Earth Band' are great to see. I love John Trotters drumming on this, and Noel's voice is entrancing. 'For You' and Chris Thompson's turn. Superbly sung with Manfred playing piano and no other instruments, it becomes almost haunting.
Demolition Man', had the crowd moving again. Tight and rocking, you almost feel like you have been hit by a wrecking ball.
A bit of a surprise the next one, “Spirits In The Night'. it even surprised Chris, OOOOpppps! With Mick, Chris and Noel taking it in turns with the vocals. Lovely guitar solo by Mick. This went nicely into the instrumental segue, magnificently played by Manfred into 'Blinded By The Light‘. Unusual synth solo, well executed then Mick taking over, Playing Bach what next? Well! We had a singing competition, the crowd. Mick, Noel, Steve and Chris against Manfred. Not quite sure who won but great fun.
The crowd by now were partying, so when 'Davy's On The Road Again' started not many were standing still. A really rocking organ sound from Manfred and a strong boogie from John, Steve and Mick. Wow.

Well at least his music that we heard at the tribute to Jimi  Hendrix music festival at the 'ATELIER'. We had four brilliant  guitar pIayers who made us relive Jimi's music. The guitarist  were: Tony MacAlpine, Pat Travers, Mick Rogers an Steve Lukather. The opener of this nearly five hours Feedback evening was Tony MacAlpine, with his band, Ricky Riccardo (bass/vocals) and Visa  Mike Terrana (drums), a real power drummer. In the second part of Tony's 45 minutes set, there was a real guitar firework going on, songs like 'All Along The Watchtower', 'Manic Depression' and ‘Wild Thing', the enthusiastic audience  were taken by storm. The only missing  joke was that at the end of his set Tony should have set the guitar on fire as Jimi Hendrix did 30 years ago, at the Monterey  Pop Festival. 

Just to slow down a bit, the Canadian  Blues Rocker who has played guitar since he was 12 years old, counted Jimi, Cream and The Yardbirds as his favourite bands.  Pat played 'Spanish Castle Magic', 'Bold  As Love', 'The Wind Cries Mary', 'Hey Joe', 'Voodoo Child' and 'If Six Was Nine'.  He was followed by Juan Van Emmerloot  on drums, Walter Latipurrisa on bass and Bobby Vandenbergh on Keyboards, this  same hand backed both Mick and Steve.  Next guitar hero, was_ Manfred Mann's Earth Band founder  member Mick Rogers. Mick saluted the audience and he did not  deny from where he's coming from. He must nearly feel at home for nearly the third time playing on stage at The Atelier. 

PE#16 - Page 10

THE NOEL IN SWEDEN ONE (1993)
“This is Crap” said Noel.

“What’s wrong with it?” l said.

“It’s fucking cold, that’s what”, said Noel, and then I understood six months were up and Noel was having his twice yearly, hormonal imbalance, and Standing Up For His Rights! 

Noel McCalla is a wonderful musician, a great live performer and also a warm naturally friendly open human being. However, twice a year this warm human being turns into a werewolf, and behaves like a complete dickhead. Noel naturally enough sees it somewhat differently. Noel suddenly feels that because he is the nice warm human being that he is, we don’t respect him, we take him for granted, and so Noel ‘takes a stand’ to remedy the situation. Now Noel will take a stand on anything, that happens to be happening. For example, he will arrive in a German department store for a free leather jacket, on the grounds, that he can’t afford one. To Noel, taking a stand means digging his heals into a completely hopeless cause, such as this. What Noel hasn’t quite grasped, is that when behaving like this the rest of us don’t see him, as a noble chap, who knows his rights, and won’t be pushed around, standing his ground resolutely in the face of adversity. We just think he’s being a bit of a dick really, and as Noel said “It’s fucking cold, that’s what”. I knew that Noel, was once again embarking on a campaign to protect his civil liberties, in this case it happened in an Indian Restaurant in Sweden.

“Call the waiter over Noel and ask to have it heated”.

“Tell him”, I said, in an obviously futile and pathetic attempt to calm this bubbling, impending explosion.

“This is fucking ridiculous”, was Noel’s reasonable response. 

Manfred Mann has been making music now for 35 years producing an extraordinary number of international hit records during the 60's, 70's and 80's.  Since 1971 Manfred has had his Earth Band and despite many personnel changes Mick Rogers, lead guitarist/ singer one of the founding members and Chris Thompson, who sang on most of the big hits are both in the current line-up along with Steve Kinch - bass player for the last dozen years.  Noel McCalla whose incredible vocal range puts a little soul into the band and newest member John Trotter on drums completes the present day Manfred Mann's Earth Band.

So what makes the new album Mann Alive one of the bands most important releases to date.  True the double CD contains full length and edited versions of Earth Band classics 'Blinded By The Light' and 'Davy's On The Road Again', but then Mann Alive is full of Earth Band classics starting with the wonderfully moody and atmospheric 'Martha's Madman', all ten minutes and including rock anthems like 'Father of Day', featuring Mick on vocals as well as lead guitar, and Sting's 'Demolition Man'. A glance at the track listing and this could be the 'Very Best Of', Greatest Hits album, but it's much much better than that.  This is Manfred Mann's Earth Band at their very best, live and on stage.  I do not know of anybody who has gone to see MMEB Live and not been blown away.  They have one of if not the greatest live sounds of any contemporary rock bands.

The problem is catching the magic on tape and that is not easy.  A few years ago the album 'Budapest' set out to do this.  It is generally accepted that Budapest is  a great 'best of' but disappointing as a live album.

So the network of loyal fans have kept themselves

PE#17 - Page 2

Contents

A Yawn in Your Ear ......……….....2
World Service News......……......3
John Trotter Interview ...….......4
Not Quite Overnight

Sensations - Part 2 ……............6
Steve Kinch Interview...……......8
Manfred Mann Story Teller....10
Rickman Files 2..................…..11

The Earth Team
Editor .....................…..Andy Taylor
Secretary...............,.....Carol Taylor
Treasurer...............…...Graeme Yates
Desrgn/Typesettmg ..lam Scott
Master of Envelopes..Thomas Taylor
Web Master ............….Ron Clint
Front Cover Photo-Simon Rickman

Cartoon's: Rita Gerlach
Web Site:
http://wvvw.manfredmannco.uk
Printed by: Penketh's Print Limited
Bassendale Road, Bromborough, Wirral
Merseyside L62 3QL

Anyone who complains about PE17 will he harmed. I mean Steve Kinch, John Trotter, Simon Hickman and the Mann himself. what do you want blood or something?

If you have any articles, pictures or views you would like to be considered for inclusion in our next issue, send them along to Andy 8 Carol Taylor to the address below, together with a stamped addressed envelope for return. All articles, stories, pictures, etc. will be returned safely. The Manfred Mann Fan Club,
C/o Andy 8 Carol Taylor,
29 Lyndhurst Road, Wallasey,
Merseyside. ENGLAND L45 6X8
Tel: (44) 151 639 7057

RE-MASTERS UPDATE
As previously mentioned in these pages, the first batch of remastered and repackaged albums, complete with bonus tracks and additional sleeve notes are now due out around November. Messin', Solar Fire, The Good Earth, Watch, Roaring Silence and Plains Music, all have additional bonus tracks. Messin' for example includes 'Pretty Good' previously only released in the States.  Plains Music comes complete with one previously unreleased song that will be familiar to Earth Band fans. However, when compiling the forthcoming Best Of Volume I, the problem became only too clear, as we had planned to include the Single 'l Who Have Nothing'. Sadly however, the masters for these and indeed almost everything pre-l 986 were destroyed 

UP THE JUNCTION AGAIN
Manfred Mann Go Up The Junction, or at least they did in 1968 when Mann and Hugg were busy writing music for adverts T.V. drama and in this case film music.  Up The Junction, the film is a remake of a BBC TV play typical of its time a, kitchen sink drama. Rich girl moves to the wrong side of the tracks in 60's London, and sees the rough side of life. One of its stars Dennis Waterman went on to become a household name here in the UK for TV shows such as The Sweeney and Minder. Manfred Mann and Mike Hugg used a combination of straight Pop songs and modern jazz, a 

medium they had featured on one or two tracks on previously released albums. The title track stands out as a fine piece of writing and sounds just as good almost 30 years later. Sadly Manfred and Mike wrote only one more film score that I am aware of Venus In Furs, which turned out to be a soft porn film. A shame because Up The Junction worked very well and I would recommend the CD release to anyone complete with bonus track Sleepy Hollow, the 'B' side of the Up The Junction single. But beware the sleeve notes, which are sadly once again inaccurate and misleading.
Andy Taylor.

PE#17 - Page 4

The sun. is shinning on the beautiful surroundings of the Mosel valley. l finally track John down to his room, which is right on the bank of the river, whilst boats of various sizes sail gently past, we begin to explore the man behind the drum kit. Once again we start right back at the beginning.
I remember one day at school aged 11, a school winter concert. Suddenly these drums started, I'd never actually been in a room before with a drum kit, all the kids' head's turned when these drums started. It sounded fantastic and that was it, I was hooked from then on. Back then I used to play along to the Top of the Pops, on a couple of pots and pans in my bedroom. Then my home background changed. I'd lived with my Mother, and went to live with my Dad and got involved with a drum shop in Newcastle, called Ronnie's Drum Shop which was fantastic, that was the nucleus certainly for drummers in Newcastle. l met a guy called Barry Black who was a drummer with John Miles, he was like the local star - he'd get any session work going in the area. 

My Dad paid for my lessons, l learnt to read music, then started to get gigs. l was the dogs body in the drum shop, always practising, and it just blossomed from there. There was a recording studio in the basement and I used to go in on Sunday's and listen to the sessions and learn from them. The guy who ran the studio used to get me to play on his backing tapes, l was only about 13 or 14. 

Then l got into a band in Newcastle at the local Mayfair, with a guy called Don Smith. I think in the 60's he'd had one of the top bands in the country, second only to the Ted Heath Band. He had some fantastic musicians in his band. Don used to give me a really hard time, but l was only 16. it was a fantastic experience for a lad of 16 to play all styles and not just the pop stuff, Tango, Quick Steps, Fox Trots, Samba's etc, and you were backing the cabarets of the time, Little & Large, Bob Monkhouse, The Nolans, people like that. 

We were resident at the Mayfair in Newcastle then we would go off to do a summer season in Blackpool. l had the time of my life a 16 year old, earning about £140 per week. l didn't have any responsibilities, spent £10.00 and put the rest in the bank to buy myself a proper kit. At the time l had a Premier kit, it was bits put together, all sorts of bit and bobs and we recovered it all one colour. After that some of us moved on, got our own season in Great Yarmouth. 

I worked in London for the first time in 1985, then went back to Newcastle and formed my own band. We were the Top Club Band in Newcastle. The idea was we’d do the clubs, do a few covers so we could get some cash together to record our own songs.  It was the world's worst run band. We were paying for three vans at one time. Somebody went out and bought a van only to find we couldn't get all our gear in. Even back then l was a pain in the arse, wanting to rehearse, change the set etc., whilst the rest were content sitting in the pub. l was offered the gig at the Empire in Leicester Square London, through some guys I'd worked. with - so I left that band.

PE#17 - Page 5

And recently you have played with the legendary Blues Guitarist, Peter Green. 

That's right, Peter was lovely to me actually. When we were doing the audition we played 'Green Manalishi' and he said that's the best it's ever been played, and l was extremely flattered. I knew the stuff, however l wasn't the guy they had pegged for the gig, that was a guy called Geoff Britton, who used to be in Manfred Mann's Earth Band (Angel Station). In the end l got the gig.

Even the Earth Band gig l fully expected John Lingwood to get. He'd been in the band before, and he plays very well. So John or somebody like Chris Slade or Clive Bunker who they already knew. I mean they don't know who I am, they don't know what I'm going to be like on the road, l could be a complete nightmare (ha! ha!). The gigs only 3 hours of the day, it's not the hard part, it's the other 11 hours of the day you have to live with these  people. I see that as being a big thing with the band, and everybody does get on really well.  There is always banter of course. l moan as much as anybody but it's never nasty, if it was l wouldn't do it.

Right, say’s I, but isn't it true that you were a bit of an Earth Band fan yourself in a previous life? 

l bought Watch for 30 pence in Edinburgh in a second hand shop because l loved Davy. Somebody had been singing it on a bus and l thought l haven't heard that song for ages.  I didn't even know it was MMEB and obviously everybody likes Blinded, that was a hit when l was a kid in 1976.  l would have been 1O. I didn't even know who Manfred Mann was, l thought Manfred Mann was the name of the band but not a bloke. I got to meet and record with Chris, but l still didn't know much about MMEB. 

The day before l did the audition, Chris told me to speak to Manfred. l asked what should I learn to play, and he said Martha's Madman. l booked a rehearsal studio and practised. I knew the arrangement of the song had totally changed from Watch, even so l think it was that which got me the gig.  Having been on the road with the Earth Band for the last three years, l think I am a much better player. Playing three-minute songs it's easy, if your having to cope with ten-minute arrangements to the extremes of the Earth Band stuff, say something like Martha, which is absolutely flying at some stages, then drops down to nothing. To physically go through that, keep it all together, and hold the band together is a hard job for the drummer. This is a hard gig for a drummer to keep it feeling, to use my expression, ’expensive'. l don't believe I'm a busy drummer, I'm quite happy to hold the whole thing together. 

My hero was Jeff Porcaro, when I was 13 I heard Randy Crawford's Secret Combination, which was great funky groovy stuff, which of course featured Jeff. Then l heard Boz Scaggs, Steely Dan, Michael McDonald, Christopher Cross and Toto of course. "This guy's on everything, so l thought people obviously like the way he plays, so it made sense for me to think I'll try and copy this bloke". "Jeff had the 'Golden Groove'. I did have other influences as well, Harvey Mason, Steve Cadd, John Robinson, Carlos Vega and English drummer Graham Jarvis, but l suppose long term it's been mainly Jeff. 

l heard a rumour things got a bit emotional at times when finishing off the new album Mann Alive. How do you feel about the finished product?  

PE#17 - Page 6

BARRY WINTON'S NOT QUITE OVERNIGHT SENSATIONS - Part 2

The original impetus of Manfred's new direction was simple, a back to the roots type band.  The cost of putting together a large type ensemble like Chapter III back out on the road was financially disastrous, doing a Paul Jones or Mike D'Abo project all over again was a step back and most importantly could Manfred survive the new decade after all he was not exactly giving his original fans quite what they wanted. A new audience was what he most needed, a new identity at this point was vital to his future survival.

PE#17 - Page 7

 they received the distinction to tour with two of Britain‘s premier rock bands; Free and Deep Purple in a package deal.  Apparently every night the Manfred's went down a storm. Towards the end of the tour they eventually one night headlined over the enormously popular Deep Purple, on their reputation alone.

Once back in old blighty MMEB recorded an 'in concert' for John Peel's Radio One in Concert. Three songs, 'Ashes to the Wind', 'Happy Being Me' and 'Black Betty” were previewed displaying an astonishing progression in such a short time. On the subject of these early tours between 1972 - 1975 MMEB. supported ELP, ELO & ZZ Top. More diversely they also undertook a coast to coast tour with 'Bronze Label Mates' 'Uriah Heep' when Canadian superstars 'Rush‘ were third on the bill. Also in 1974 MMEB. toured the States, this time around they topped the bill over 'Kiss', as well as fulfilling European tours with the Sensational ‘Alex Harvey Band', and 'Hudson and Ford'. 

It was also during the same year that Mick Rogers was to receive his perfect accolade when MMEB. supported his mentor 'Frank Zappa'. This esteemed great honour was to have a prolonged effect on the guitarist who was totally besotted with the late great musician. This was to be the proudest moment of Mick's entire career when Zappa personally invited him to play bass with him at a gig, something he never quite recovered from. From that moment onwards it was Zappa, Zappa and more Zappa driving the rest of his colleagues nuts. Yes Mick was totally obsessed with the man to put it mildly. 

As we all know MMEB. Mk.One stayed together for five and a half years releasing six studio albums (the same length of time the 60's Manfred Mann had lasted). In my view this will always be the definitive line up, although I dearly love the 

band all the way through but somehow the original MMEB were something very, very special. I avidly remember the day
when 'Solar Fire' was released I waited impatiently at Cloud Nine record shop in Wimbledon for its arrival, bunked off school for the day, ran home to play it. For me it was MMEB's masterpiece. I will remember how I forged a sick note to my school so I could stay at home all week and played it over and over again. In fact all the other bands I liked, Heep, Argent, Gentle Giant, Mahavishna Orchestra, Atomic Rooster and King Crimson all took a back seat for months. I must have played Solar Fire at least 400 times straight before I gave anything else consideration. A quarter of a century on it still stands as my favourite album of all time. 

Anyhow by 1975, I witnessed Mick Roger's final show with MMEB at the Greyhound, Croydon. I had tickets for the Rainbow Theatre to see John Martyn, Kevin Coyne and Hatfield and the North, but I ended up giving my tickets away to a friend. Hell on earth wouldn't deter me from missing an MMEB Gig. 

I kept my eyes glued to the music press for further information and regularly phoned the Workhouse who were always very kind and helpful to me. By this time I had become a huge fan of US. heavyweights 'Blue Oyster Cult’, and I was absolutely over the moon when MMEB paired up with them to co-headline a European tour with provisional British dates to follow, (with a pencilled in date at the Hammersmith Odeon Theatre in London). I think I ended up driving the Workhouse to a frazzle. Sadly these gigs never took place on these shores. 

Following the release  of 'Nightingales and Bombers' in August  1975 a band meeting  was called. Mick Rogers, still smitten with  the Frank Zappa bug and increasingly wanting to steer the Earth Band into a jazz rock unit parted company by mutual consent.

PE#17 - Page 8

PE#17 - Page 9

prolific songwriter, I do it when the mood takes me. Back to Earth Band, the next album was Soft Vengeance. 

Half the tracks I played on, half I didn't. At the end of the day it's Manfred Mann's Earth Band and for recording he gets in other musicians as well. 

Let's talk about the new live album. 

What the album has managed to do is capture the excitement of the band, it's and exciting album. It's the closest thing you are going to get to Manfred Mann's Earth Band Live, that's for sure, apart from being a live show. Very few overdubs which is unusual, most live albums you wonder how live they are. I've heard albums where you think there is no way they could have done that live, but this is as live as it gets. That's not to say all the songs are taken from the one show. I am pleased with it but as a musician you always listen to it thinking I wish I'd done that. 

And the next album?

A Difficult question. Manfred decides what he wants to do and I believe he‘s started the next album for the Millennium, so you never know. I would like to break free of some of the restrictions that are imposed on the band. A lot of the older songs have a similar feel, maybe some different grooves would be nice, not to break away entirely from the Earth Band sound. I think that is the sort of direction Manfred wants to take. Settling into a groove, letting that groove establish itself, rather than getting near then changing direction. 

This is by far the best Earth Band we all get on; we are all

PE#17 - Page 10

Mike D'Abo and I stepped out on the stripped pine veranda of a very lovely house in a forest in the North of Sweden. It was early evening, it was summer, and we two had bravely volunteered to taste the local delicacy, a partly rotted fish that was traditionally eaten with a boiled potato. It was a famous and very well known food combination, I was proudly informed. I later found out that the reason we were out on the veranda, and not in the house, was that if the tin was to be opened in the house, the fumes would lodge in the furniture and curtains, would infect the fabric of the premises when the next generation inhabited the premises and probably for many years afterwards.

I wonder who the person was, who decided that what this area needed to be associated with, was partly rotted fish eaten with a boiled potato. One would have thought that anyone with a piece of fish would generally be seeking for it not to go rotten. Did some Johan Swede forget about it, or was he perhaps delayed by an attractive Ingrid, and came home later to the smell of partly rotted fish, and sniff and think '0 Goody, Goody', it's nearly gone off and smells terrible, but I bet it tastes good, 'I'll put it in a tin and create a local delicacy‘.

I have travelled a fair amount and have noticed that the word famous, when referring to famous local delicacies seems to have a somewhat different meaning to the one we associated with it. I have as the years have gone by, begun to develop an amount of sympathy with the philistine who travels the world looking for Chicken in the basket, and seeks a hamburger when standing in a Bavarian street market, and I have regularly cursed my gastronomic open mindedness, as I ask for Reindeer eyebrows in Finland, or pigs toenails in aspic, in Thuringia. I often would look enviously at my colleges who had ordered Steak and Chips, which looked and smelled wonderful.

I went first, don't know why, perhaps bravado. A piece of potato was put on a fork, the tin opened, several metres away. Oddly enough, I don't remember a smell, anyway the famous Swedish concoction went into my mouth.

There are at least two things I never thought I would acquire. a taste for. Two horrible, horrible things, olives, blue cheese and no sugar in tea and coffee. Well as time saw has gone on, each of these has become a part of my