Diamonds And Coal

Man is a rock band from Wales. Formed in November 1968 as a reincarnation of the Welsh vocal group the Bystanders, Man is renowned for the extended jams during their live performances.

The Bystanders

Man evolved out of the Bystanders, a successful close harmony pop group from Merthyr Tydfil who played in numerous club residencies in Wales, often playing at several clubs a night. The Bystanders issued eight singles, including " 98.6" (No. 45 in UK Singles Chart in February 1967) which was played in the 2009 film ''The Boat That Rocked'' (although Keith's version was the bigger hit, reaching No. 24 in the UK) and "When Jesamine Goes", written by their manager Ronnie Scott and Marty Wilde under the pseudonyms of Frere Manston and Jack Gellar, which was later covered by the Casuals as "Jesamine" and got to No. 2 on the UK chart. They also recorded sessions of cover versions for the BBC as rules restricting needle time required "live" performances between the records during the 1960s;Sleevenotes by Nigel Lees to "Shapes and Sounds 2 - Shades of Deepest Purple from the BBC Archives 1967-1971" - Top Sounds TSSCD 003 (2008) becoming regulars on the ''Jimmy Young Show'', the '' David Symonds Show'' and others.

When formed in 1962, the Bystanders included Owen Money, then known as Gerry Braden, but he was replaced by Vic Oakley, giving the classic line-up of Vic Oakley (vocals), Micky Jones (guitar), Clive John aka Clint Space (keyboards), Ray Williams (bass guitar) and Jeff Jones (drums). By 1968, the other members wanted to change musical direction to a more psychedelic/American west-coast guitar sound, so Oakley left, to be replaced by Deke Leonard, for which it recorded its first two albums with John Schroeder producing ''Revelation'' (January 1969) noted for the simulated orgasm on "Erotica", which received a UK ban,BBC Wales Biography
Retrieved 10 August 2009. and '' 2 Ozs of Plastic with a Hole in the Middle'' (September 1969). While mixing the second album, Leonard left and was replaced by Martin Ace from Leonard's previous band, Dream. At this time, Man was recording three demo sessions a week for Leeds Music, including "Down the Dustpipe" which was taught to Status Quo.

Man then toured Europe, predominantly Germany, supporting Chicago, but on the band's return, they were stopped as suspected terrorists, then jailed for drugs offences in Belgium. Leonard then rejoined, but Ace stayed on as a multi-instrumentalist. Shortly after, the bass guitarist Ray Williams and the drummer Jeff Jones were fired, with Terry Williams joining on drums and Ace moving to bass guitar. Leonard, Ace and Terry Williams having been together in Dream, this was seen by some as a take-over.

A bootleg of the first gig by this line-up, in October 1970 in Hamburg, was issued as ''To Live for to Die'' (recorded 1970, CD issued as ''The Honest One'' in 1992 and 1997) and was later re-bootlegged by the band. Despite good reviews in Britain, ''Two Ounces of Plastic ...'' was more popular in Germany, so the band spent a year in Germany, where, having to play 4–5 hours a night, most numbers became extended jams.

United Artists years

The band's manager, Barrie Marshall, obtained a new record contract with Andrew Lauder of United Artists Records, for whom the band recorded the album ''Man'' (March 1971), which received mixed reviews. The band's media break came when outperforming Soft Machine, Yes and Family at a concert in Berlin, but Man continued to play on the continent.The Manband Archive - The UA Years
Retrieved 17 March 2009 Having appeared on the United Artists double sampler album, ''All Good Clean Fun'' (1971), Man undertook a tour of Switzerland to promote the album, with Help Yourself and the Leicester band Gypsy.

The next album, '' Do You Like It Here Now, Are You Settling In?'' (November 1971), recorded at Rockfield Studios by Kingsley Ward, received good reviews, and the band appeared on German TV and in Iceland with Badfinger. Constant touring was creating internal pressures and, in January 1972, the keyboard player Clive John left the band to form Iowerth Pritchard and the Neutrons with Phil Ryan and Will Youatt (1950-2017).

The new four piece supported Hawkwind and Brinsley Schwarz at a charity gig at The Roundhouse on 13 February 1972, recorded and issued as ''Greasy Truckers Party'' (with other artists, April 1972), a limited edition double album which rapidly became a collectors' item. United Artists' A&R man, Andrew Lauder, persuaded them to follow this with a live album. ''Live at the Padget Rooms, Penarth'' was recorded on 8 April 1972. It was sold at a reduced price and only 8,000 copies were pressed, which sold out in a week, making it No 1 in the "budget" album chart.

The band then tried to write a new studio album, but lacked inspiration. Ace left, to form The Flying Aces, with his wife George, so Micky Jones and Terry Williams sacked Leonard, and Clive John rejoined with his new band members, Ryan (keyboards) and Youatt (bass guitar). The new band recorded the first of Man's three Peel Sessions on 29 August 1972, (the others being on 18 September 1973 and 31 October 1974). Man then recorded ''Be Good to Yourself at Least Once a Day'' (November 1972) which received good reviews. A party on 19 December 1972, with Dave Edmunds, Help Yourself, The Flying Aces and others, was issued as ''Christmas at the Patti'' (July 1973), a double 10" album, which again topped the "budget" album chart, but on tour the keyboard player Clive John fell out with the guitarist Micky Jones and left again.

The four-piece started to record ''Back into the Future'' (September 1973), but felt the need for a second guitarist, so Alan "Tweke" Lewis joined from 'Wild Turkey'. On 24 June 1973 they recorded the live half of this double album at Man's spiritual London home, The Roundhouse, backed by the Gwalia Male Choir, who had previously sung with Man at The Oval, when they supported Frank Zappa. The album initially sold well, rising to No 23,Chart Stats for Man Albums
Retrieved 17 March 2009 and again, this was tipped to be album that would make the band, but pressing was restricted by a lack of plastic during the oil crisis. The follow-up tour had Deke Leonard's 'Iceberg' as support. During the tour, Micky Jones and Leonard discussed a new Man line-up, so when Ryan and Youatt left to form 'The Neutrons' in December 1973, Leonard disbanded Iceberg and rejoined Man along with two former members of Help Yourself; Malcolm Morley (keyboards) and Ken Whaley (bass guitar), who had also played in Iceberg.

The next album, ''Rhinos, Winos and Lunatics'' (May 1974), was produced by Roy Thomas Baker, noted for his work with Queen, and spent four weeks in the UK album chart, peaking at No 24. In March/April 1974, Man supported Hawkwind on ''The 1999 Party'', a five-week US tour. At the Los Angeles Whisky a Go Go on 12 March, Jim Horn joined on saxophone, which was issued as a bonus disc with the reissue of the ''Rhinos ...'' (1974) album in 2007. The 21 April gig in Chicago was recorded for radio and issued on CD in 1997 as ''The 1999 Party Tour'', but omits Morley from the credits, although he is on the recording.

Morley left the day before recording started on the next album, ''Slow Motion'' (October 1974). Before the album was released, the band toured the UK (again with Badfinger) and USA in August–October 1974, and returned to the US in March 1975, to promote the album by touring with REO Speedwagon and New Riders of the Purple Sage, but the tour collapsed on the first night. A new US tour, with REO Speedwagon and Blue Öyster Cult broke up two-thirds of the way through. Additional dates were arranged, but most were cancelled when Micky Jones developed pneumonia, so the final gigs were at the San Francisco Winterland. These were a great success, and the promoter Bill Graham paid them a bonus, and rebooked them, but Whaley had had enough and left.

Ace flew out as a stand in and the band met and rehearsed with John Cipollina of Quicksilver Messenger Service, who played with them at Winterland and agreed to play a UK tour. On this tour, the Roundhouse gig was recorded for commercial release and, although Buckley and Ellingham said that it is rumoured that Micky Jones had to over-dub Cipollina's guitar, it was only the track "Bananas" on which his playing was replaced: "Everything on ''Maximum Darkness'' which sounds like Cipollina is Cipollina", per Deke Leonard. The album ''Maximum Darkness'' (September 1975) reached no 25 in the UK album chart and Ace continued as a "stand in" bass guitarist until the end of a French tour, with Hawkwind, Gong and Magma, when he returned to the Flying Aces.

MCA

The band changed label to MCA Records, Phil Ryan rejoined on keyboards, but as no bass players they knew were available, the band had to audition for the first time in their history. Auditions went badly, until the final audition, of John McKenzie of Global Village Trucking Company, who was immediately offered the job.The Manband Archive - The MCA Years
Retrieved 17 March 2009 They then recorded ''The Welsh Connection'' (March 1976) which reached No 40 in the UK Album Chart and was toured in March/April 1976 in Britain and June/July in the US. During the US tour differences arose again, and on the subsequent European tour keyboardist Phil Ryan and bassist John McKenzie announced they would be leaving, and the rest of the band agreed to call it a day. The MCA record deal, however, was for three albums, but nobody was willing to contribute new material, and their attempts at covers were poor, so MCA eventually agreed to a live farewell album. ''All's Well That Ends Well'' (November 1977) was recorded at the Roundhouse on 11–13 December, although the final gig was in Slough on 16 December 1976. The band agreed that they "would never, ever, be one of those bands who reformed in a futile attempt to recapture past glories ...".

Interval

After the 1976 break up, band members undertook numerous projects, often with other former members.

Martin Ace

Bassist/guitarist Martin Ace left Man before ''The Welsh Connection'' to reform The Flying Aces with his wife George (guitar), Mickey Gee (guitar), Phil Ryan (keyboards) and Stuart Halliday (drums).
Ryan returned to Man and Halliday joined 'Alkatraz' being replaced first by Dave Charles, (ex Help Yourself) and then Mike Gibbins (ex Badfinger)

In the 1980s Ace and Micky Jones occasionally backed Welsh Elvis impersonator, Peter Singh in 'The Screaming Pakistanis' and Ace also played with guitarist David Tipton with John 'Pugwash' Weathers (ex Gentle Giant) on drums.Manband Archive - The Missing Years
Retrieved 16 March 2009

Micky Jones

Shortly after the break-up, guitarist Micky Jones recorded some demos with John McKenzie (bass), Malcolm Morley (guitar & keyboards) and Derek Ballard (drums). In 1978 he formed the 'Micky Jones Band', with Tweke Lewis (guitar), Steve Dixon (drums), Al McLaine (bass) and Steve Gurl (ex Wild Turkey and Babe Ruth) (keyboards).

Lewis and Gurl left, so Jones, Dixon and McLaine continued as three-piece 'Manipulator' occasionally known as 'The Acidtones'. In 1981 Jones disbanded Manipulator and formed 'The Flying Pigs' with Mick Hawksworth (bass) and Phil Little (drums).

Deke Leonard

Guitarist Deke Leonard

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