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"…Thunder
And Lightning Kids…"
I
remember buying this album in 1974 and thinking MAN had been bubbling under for
what seemed like years. And with seven albums and six line-ups under their
belts - by the time the band’s second chart placing came with the zippily
titled “Rhinos, Winos + Lunatics” – they’d served their rocking dues and were
finally receiving the public attention these Welsh rockers deserved. It wasn’t
perfect by any means but the good stuff kept me coming back for years. Time to
revisit…
This
2007 Expanded 2CD Remaster comes from the superb reissue label Esoteric
Recordings of the UK (part of Cherry Red) giving the album a proper overhaul
and with Deke Leonard’s involvement too. Here are the California Silks and
Satins from the valleys of Merthyr Tydfil in Wales…
UK
released November 2007 (reissued August 2013) – "Rhinos, Winos + Lunatics" by
MAN on Esoteric Recordings ECLEC 2020 (Barcode 5013929712027) is an 'Expanded Edition' 2CD Reissue and Remaster that breaks down as
follows:
Disc
1 (41:25 minutes):
1.
Taking The Easy Way Out Again
2.
The Thunder And Lightning Kid
3.
California Silks And Satins
4.
Four Day Louise
5.
Intro [Side 2]
6.
Kerosene
7.
Scotch Corner
8.
Outro
Tracks
1 to 8 are the album “Rhinos, Winos + Lunatics” released May 1974 in the UK on
United Artists UAG 29631 and in the USA on United Artists UA-LA247-G. It peaked
at 24 on the UK charts.
9.
Taking The Easy Way Out Again – the edited UK 7” single version at 3:19 minutes
(album is 4:23 minutes) released June 1974 on United Artists UP 35703 with
album track “California Silks And Satins” as its B-side
Disc
2 BONUS DISC (69:17 minutes):
1.
American Mother [Live]
2.
7171 551 [Live]
3.
A Hard Way To Live [Live]
4.
Romain [Live]
5.
Bananas [Live]
Tracks
1 to 5 were recorded live at the Whiskey A Go Go in Los Angeles, 12 March 1974
and are Previously Unreleased. The band featured is MICKY JONES on Guitar and
Vocals, DEKE LEONARD on Guitar, Piano and Vocals, MALCOLM MORLEY on Keyboards,
Guitars and Vocals, KEN WHALEY on Bass, TERRY WILLIAMS on Drums with JIM HORN guesting
on Saxophone.
The
16-page booklet is really good – new liner notes from Lead Guitarist Deke
Leonard with some witty remembrances of UA executives digging the album and the
dressing-room graffiti in the seedy and famous Whiskey A Go Go where words of
wisdom by everyone who ever played there can be found on the grotty toilet
walls. There’s repro of a NME article from February 1974, a facsimile of the
Hawkwind/Man tour program, a repro of the inner gatefold’s crazy liner notes
and best of all - MARK POWELL and PASCHAL BYRNE preparation and remastering of
the original tapes. This duo has been involved in hundreds of reissues in the
UK handling many of the superb Universal 3CD Box Set Retrospectives like
“Spirit Of Joy” (Polydor), “Time Machine” (Vertigo) and “Legend Of A Mind”
(Deram/Decca) (see reviews for them all). The Audio Quality on the album disc
is top notch.
Their
8th album opens with a stab at commerciality “Taking The Easy Way Out” - and I
can see why UA picked it as a lead off single (though personally I’ve always
loved its swirling and brilliant B-side more – the gorgeous “California Silks
And Satins”). United Artists Germany put out a famous Promo-Only single in a
titled sleeve that is pictured in the booklet on Page 3 titling it “Break!” It
placed “California…” on the A with the equally brill synth and funky guitar
jaunt of “The Thunder And Lightning Kid” on the B-side (United Artists UA 001).
Side One ends with the Proggy “Four Day Louise” which even at six minutes seems
to overstay its welcome.
Side
2 has two principal tracks “Kerosene” and “Scotch Corner” bookended by an
“Intro” and “Outro” and has always divided fans – some loving it – some
thinking it disappointing. I’m somewhere in between. Although musically the
slinky “Kerosene” is my poison – I hate the lyrics about ladies of the night
while there’s no denying the fantastic guitar battles between Jones and Leonard
in the nine-minute “Scotch Corner” – as MAN a tune as they’ve made. Famously a
band more alive on stage than in the studio – the CD has a fantastic line-up of
songs and even if it does sound a tad bootleg at times - it doesn’t disappoint
with its extended guitar fests. It opens with a nervous song announcement and
the band goes all Doors on “American Mother” lasting a full fourteen minutes.
Fans of the “Maximum Darkness” live album will appreciate another stab at the
excellent rocker “7171 551” and perennial favourite “Bananas” – both here in
rollicking form. But for me one of their greatest tracks has always been “Romain”
from their self-titled third album on Liberty Records in 1970. It gets a near
20-minute workout here with a slow guitar-build from the boys – wicked stuff.
Deke
Leonard put out three Solo LPs in 1973, 1974 and 1981 (also on UA), Terry
Williams later joined Dire Straits and Guitarist Micky Jones passed away in
2010.
From
their humble beginnings in the late Sixties - Esoteric have remastered their
entire catalogue up to the late Seventies in real style. And like this
forgotten album from 1974 – there’s much here to get misty-eyed about…
MAN Reissue CDs on Esoteric
Recordings of the UK
(Released 2007 to 2014)
1.
Revelation (January 1969) – Esoteric ECLEC 2127 (2009 Remaster with 4 Bonus
Tracks)
2.
2 Ozs Of Plastic With A Hole In The Middle (September 1969) – Esoteric ECLEC 2128
(2009 Remaster with 3 Bonus Tracks)
3.
Man (March 1971) – Esoteric ECLEC 2012 (2007 Remaster with 2 Bonus Tracks)
4.
Do You Like It Here Now, Are You Settling In? (November 1971) – Esoteric ECLEC
2013 (2007 Remaster with 3 Bonus Tracks)
5.
Live at The Padget Rooms, Penarth (September 1972) – Esoteric ECLEC 2014 (2007
Remaster with the original 3-track album expanded onto 6 tracks across 2CDs)
6.
Be Good To Yourself A Least Once A Day (October 1972) – Esoteric ECLEC 2019
(2007 Remaster In Card Digipak with ‘Map Of Wales’ insert and 2 Bonus Tracks)
7.
Christmas At The Patti by MAN and FRIENDS (July 1973) – Esoteric ECLEC 2018
(2007 Remaster. The original vinyl was a live double 10” record which featured
FLYING ACES, DUCKS DELUXE, THE JETS, PLUM CRAZY with DAVE EDMUNDS, HELP
YOURSELF with DEKE LEONARD and B.J. COLE and finally MAN with DAVE EDMUNDS and
STAN PHIFER. The CD contains the full double with no extras)
8.
Back Into The Future (September 1973 – Half Live/Half Studio Double-Album) –
Esoteric ECLEC 2060 (2008 3CD Remaster with the 2LP set on CD1 whilst CD2 (June
1973) and CD3 (August 1973) have 10 Bonus Tracks)
9.
Rhinos, Winos + Lunatics (May 1974) – Esoteric ECLEC 2020 (2007 Remaster with a
Bonus 7” single cut on Disc 1 and a Previously Unreleased 5-Track Live Concert
at The Whiskey A Go Go in LA on Disc 2)
10.
Slow Motion (November 1974) – Esoteric ECLEC 2062 (2008 Remaster 6 Bonus
Tracks)
11.
Maximum Darkness [Live] (September 1975) – Esoteric ECLEC 2061 (2008 Remaster
with two Live Bonus tracks)
12.
The Welsh Connection (March 1976) – Esoteric ECLEC 22403 (2013 Remaster with a
Bonus 7” single B-side ad 5 live tracks on CD1 and a 2nd CD of 9 tracks)
13.
All’s Well That Ends Well [Live] (November 1977) – Esoteric ECLEC 32431 (2014
Remaster of the album on CD1 with 2 Previously Unreleased CDs of the entire
show from December 1976 and a repro of the “History Of Man” insert that came
with the first 5000 copies of the original vinyl album)
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