Last updated: 18 November 2008
A pseudo-legendary and highly-influential band, Man have a labyrinthine history.
Revelation was followed by Two Ounces Of Plastic With A Hole In The Middle, which further honed their American West Coast-influenced sound. But when acid rock gave way to prog in the 1970s, Man gained increasing fame and renown on the festival circuit at home and in Europe.
Members (1968)
- Micky Jones: guitar, vocals
- Clive John: keyboards
- Ray Williams: bass
- Jeff Jones: drums
They spent the first half of the decade touring virtually non-stop, and yet also managed to release at least an album a year. And yet, like the Grateful Dead - to whom they have often been compared - Man never sounded their best on record, and came into their own in their many concerts.
Such a sustained and prolific work ethic took its toll on the group, and Man heralded the end of their first phase in December 1976 with a farewell gig in Slough. But you can't keep a good band down, and Man came back in April 1983 with a performance at London's Hope And Anchor. As before, they spent much of the 80s and 90s on the road, in both the UK and Europe.
Members (previous)
- Deke Leonard: guitar, keyboards, vocals
- Gareth Thorrington: keyboards, vocals
Notable past Man members include Terry Williams, who left Man to play with Dave Edmunds, Nick Lowe and Dire Straits; and John Cippolina, leader of the Quicksilver Messenger Service, who played on the 1975 live album Maximum Darkness. And by 2004 Deke Leonard had left the band to pursue solo projects including a new album and a movie about the band.
The illness and hospitalisation of founder member Micky Jones led to his son George taking over on frontman duties. In this incarnation, Man played across Europe with the likes of Love, The Damned, Eric Burdon and many others.
The vast number of Man releases can be daunting for newcomers to the group, but the best way to experience them is by seeing them play live. Man are still going strong today, touring regularly and releasing albums occasionally, to the delight of their solid fanbase of dedicated Manfans.
A live DVD, Man At The Rex, was released in 2006 and a retrospective documentary featuring lots of live footage is currently in pre-production. Meanwhile, a new album, Diamonds And Coal, was released in late 2006.
Founder member and the only man to have been in every line-up, Micky Jones, died on 11 March 2010.
See also
Elsewhere on the BBC
Elsewhere on the web
See also
Rock in Wales
Miners' benefits
Listen to Billy Bragg talking to us about the shows he played in aid of miners' families.
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