Man at The Inn At Lathones

[Michael Heatley]

If you've binned the rose tinted specs, apology accepted Pete. 

But the second bit of my post stands. You can't judge a set by the setlist...but as you are a million miles from civilisation I almost exempt you. 

[Allan Heron]

I, clearly, fit into the second kind, while you, Micheal, are in group 4, along with Jules, Allan, and a host of others. It is this group that I was trying to give a name to, I shall call you group 4's from now on..

There's a certain security about this 

[Jules]

There are 4 kinds of people.
1. Those that have never heard, or dislike Man (as close to 100% of the population as is possible)
The remaining miniscule portions are split as follows..
2. Those that like the 70's 10-30 minute epics, C'mon, Love your life, Spunk Rock, Bananas in their varying forms
3. Those that like the 80's-00's shorter songs.
4. Those that like 2. and 3.

Can I be awkward and be in group 5, 'cos I also like the shorter songs from the 60's and 70's and the longer songs from the 80's and 00's too? Life wouldn't be the same without songs like "Daughter Of The Fireplace", "Don't Just Stand There", "One More Chance", "Face To Face", "Call Down The Moon".

No offence taken by me Pete, I do understand that there's some stuff we like and some we don't.   

[John Bannon]

 I shall call you group 4's from now on..

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Sorry Pete but Group Four are now owned by Securicor, people from that group have always sold out to the highest bidder......

[Colin Salter]

Aren't Securicor/Group 4 the prisoner transportation firm who keep losing their charges? Constantly troubled by escapees. Imagine that - a group of men in the back of a van, and there seems to be nothing Group 4 can do to keep that group together. Jailhouse/Rock!

[Pete T]

...but as you are a million miles from civilisation I almost exempt you. 

..many are called, but few get up this far..
Looses something somewhere..

[Martin Daughton]

It's frightening how similar we are as all the smartarse comments about group 4 and changing groups that I was going to make have been made....
Still, a propos, I claim group 6 in that I really only like the 60s and 70s output...

[Rob W]

I'm in Group 7.

Even in the halcyon years, I think I preferred the offshoot bands, particularly Help Yourself and Neutrons.

[Colin Salter]

You see that's the problem/joy of the Manband, there are as many groups as there are individual fans! (And come to think of it, probably as many offshoot groups as there are fans).

But actually, now you mention it RobW, I'm kinda Group 7 myself - it was the whole raft of the extended Manband family that was always part of the joy of being into them - all the associated little alleys and cul-de-sacs down which to dive for an LP or two. Helps, Neutrons, Alkatraz, Iceberg, Happy Daze ... all good family fun.

[Allan Heron]

My first gig was on the Up For The Day tour at the City Halls in Glasgow (where I was in touching distance of Mr Ace on balcony and could easily have pushed him off had I been so minded).   I was along with a bunch of mates rather than with any pre-expectations (although I had heard the Man album and loved Daughter of The Fireplace but felt its' impact was somewhat lessened by what followed!).

I loved the whole thing but it was Iceberg I rushed out to buy the following day (?1.85 from the original Virgin in Argyle Street), so I was primarily a Deke fan.  I was really pleased when he rejoined the band as I felt this matched up the songwriting chops with the playing chops.  (Much as I enjoy BGTYALOD and BITF, there's not that many great songs on there - superb playing and mostly structured compositions but not great songs.  Don't Go Away is certainly one of the exceptions).

Having said that, Iceberg apart, whilst there's a lot of good music in the offshoot bands it's all definitely of slightly lesser variety. (And perhaps a common thread is not having rhythm sections of the same calibre which lets the material down a little)   I don't regard the Helps as an offshoot, by the way.  If I'd heard the Helps first, I might be inclined to make a case for Man being a Helps offshoot!!

[Davey]

..uhh i call group 8(someone else can have 9)for my very own!... ...details furnished upon request...

[Rob W]

..uhh i call group 8(someone else can have 9)for my very own!... ...details furnished upon request...

Group 8, now that takes me back to my youth..... you didn't race group 8 single seaters in the 70's did you?? Tony Trimmer - a past hero of mine.

And considering all the kerfuffle about audience size at Man gigs, 20 or so at Lathones and 5 pages of posts. Not bad eh!

Thought I'd try to shoehorn it back on topic.

[Colin Salter]

And steering it defiantly OFF topic again ...

I have a prized old 45 I picked up in a church fete white elephant years ago, by Group X (as opposed to Brand X) with the greatest title ever for a jangly guitar-driven instrumental track from the 60s: "There are Eight Million Cossack Melodies - and This is One of Them". Pure joy from start to finish, in a taking-the-piss-put of the-Prisoner-theme Telstar sort of way. Found it on a compilation CD again last year, reunited and still love it.

[Davey]

..uhh i call group 8(someone else can have 9)for my very own!... ...details furnished upon request...

Group 8, now that takes me back to my youth..... you didn't race group 8 single seaters in the 70's did you?? Tony Trimmer - a past hero of mine.

... no unfortunately that's another thing i missed out on.oh the pain...more stories please

everybody(at your convenience of course)...peace

[Mark Davies]

how many of us play Endangered Species or Call Down the Moon more that Back into the Future, Be Good to Yourself  or 2 Oz of Plastic?

Endangered Species was OK, but no more. Love Call Down the Moon. Love BGTY. Got around to BITF & 2oz relatively late on, and have to say they are OK , but never shone for me.

So in a nutshell, I play CTDM far more than BITF and 2oz.

Man fandom should be a broad church