MAn @ 100 Club

[Michael Heatley]

To quote the Bard (aka Chas Hodges): 'There ain't no pleasin' you...' 

[Colin Salter]

Yeah, seems like a lot of people can't stand the break with tradition, don't want/like the new stuff, yet hate it when they play the old stuff. Go figure!

[Jules]

I find it ironic that Martin has been saying  'this is a progressive band', implying that they would be concentrating on the new material, only for them to wheel out the old favourites again a few months later.  Or am I just being cynical?

Cynical? Maybe that's one word for it. This sounds like a "damned if they do, damned if they don't" argument to me, which (emotions aside) doesn't really stack up. 

The current tour would answer most queries. Man are presenting new material from the most recent albums, along with songs from the back catalogue. The shorter new and back catalogue songs are being delivered confidently and in their familiar arrangements. The longer back catalogue songs are being interpreted in the same progressive manner that Man have usually approached their classics. Boundaries are being found and stepped over, envelopes are being pushed. That's why every gig, every album, is different, and why I keep going along.

[HSamuel]

I think people have been misinterpreting my point - I was not expressing an opinion as to either approach (new vs old) but merely rasing the point that the 'official line' of a few months ago seems to have changed.

[Michael Heatley]

I think Jules has made the point I should have made instead of glibly quoting Chas n Dave, H.

It's songs like C'Mon and Bananas where as Phil said last night 'We haven't a clue what we're going to play in the middle bit'. Hence they can be more progressive and take more chances than in a simpler song such as those contained on KoN or the likes of 'XRay Eyes'.

So it is a step back, but not to my mind an un-progressive one.

Having seen two shows in three days, the songs may have been the same but they were played significantly differently. The fuzz organ solo Ryan pulled out on 'Do It' last night was absolutely spine-tingling.

[Mark Davies]

I think people have been misinterpreting my point - I was not expressing an opinion as to either approach (new vs old) but merely rasing the point that the 'official line' of a few months ago seems to have changed.

I seem to remember an interview with Phil in TWC earlier this year (which I can't locate just now) where he said that the hope was to bring back some longer, jamming numbers. Apologies if I am incorrect.

[Mark Davies]

So, as audience numbers seem to be measure by which a band stands or falls these days, roughly how many people were at the 100 Club?

[Tim W]

I dug out that TWC, these are Phil's words:

The last thing we want to do with the band going forward is to get people coming in to duplicate something that can't be duplicated in a credible way. There's only one Deke and there's only one Micky, they're irreplaceable. So the obvious thing is to let people find their own identity within the overall ethos of what the Manband is.

[Jules]

I think people have been misinterpreting my point - I was not expressing an opinion as to either approach (new vs old) but merely rasing the point that the 'official line' of a few months ago seems to have changed.

Both are possible of course. I'm always liable to grab the wrong end of any offered stick. What was your interpretation of the 'official line' ? I've always taken Martin and Phil's comments regarding progression to mean that they want to avoid 'freezing' the Manband at any given point, and would prefer the band to continue evolving.

I'm in favour of a good balance between old and new, especially if the old ones keep changing too. If I wanted them to always sound the same, I could just play the records.   

[HSamuel]

I think people have been misinterpreting my point - I was not expressing an opinion as to either approach (new vs old) but merely rasing the point that the 'official line' of a few months ago seems to have changed.

Both are possible of course. I'm always liable to grab the wrong end of any offered stick. What was your interpretation of the 'official line' ? I've always taken Martin and Phil's comments regarding progression to mean that they want to avoid 'freezing' the Manband at any given point, and would prefer the band to continue evolving.

I'm in favour of a good balance between old and new, especially if the old ones keep changing too. If I wanted them to always sound the same, I could just play the records.   

Is it safe to come out yet?  I think the big artillery's stopped for the moment so I'll make a quick point and duck down again...

My interpretation of Martin's  'official line' - based on comments from the gig I attended - was that this was a new beginning for the band and that they wanted to 'progress' and not be tied down by the old songs.  This seemed to be borne out by the set selection (the only 70's songs being Manillo, a truncated MACBFGU and Romain), so I was surprised to read about the current set, and was hoping my original post might stimulate some (friendly) debate as to the reasons behind the changes.

[Michael Heatley]

As I said to George today, there are plenty of orchestras playing Beethoven's 5th or whatever, but if no-one else is playing these classics (C'mon, Bananas, Spunk, MAC...) then the world is IMO a lesser place.

And given how the band played them last night, I would defend their right to do so. If and when George gets out there and plays any or all of them, we gotta choice. I will be happy to see, hear and enjoy both!

And as for whether the musicians played on the original recordings, I suspect Deke was always a bit peed off having to play 'Bananas' at every gig!

[Allan Heron]

As I said to George today, there are plenty of orchestras playing Beethoven's 5th or whatever, but if no-one else is playing these classics (C'mon, Bananas, Spunk, MAC...) then the world is IMO a lesser place.

This is something that does need to be taken onboard by fans of rock bands.  If the music is to survive then surely the ability for it to be heard in a live setting has to be a vital component of that.   The response to tribute bands in general doesn't seem to want to allow this to happen.

And given how the band played them last night, I would defend their right to do so. If and when George gets out there and plays any or all of them, we gotta choice. I will be happy to see, hear and enjoy both! .

You really are just a bleeding heart liberal, after all, aren't you...........

[Jules]

I suspect Deke was always a bit peed off having to play 'Bananas' at every gig!

The recent (and excellent) Esoteric re-issues gave me some food for thought on this aspect. Any ideas on when 'Bananas' was first worked up, and who was in the band at the time? Was it pre or post Deke's temporary dismissal?

[Nick Nation]

Any ideas on when 'Bananas' was first worked up, and who was in the band at the time?

Wry smile opportunity. I've always been a bit surprised that more was not made of it!

...for those just joining us, Jules has just oh so casually mentioned that 'Bananas' was originally called 'Help Me' (because they couldn't think of any lyrics) and apart from very minor changes (e.g. the ascending guitar chords before the middle section) is very close to the song that has always been regarded as one of the keystones of the 'BGTY' era....despite the fact that it was created by (drum roll.....) the MJ/DL/TW/MA line up during those odd few months previously.

Now there was a funny time.

[Pete Feenstra]

well if I was offered a gig to promote, it would help!!!