Live At the Padget Rooms Penarth

Live At The Padget Rooms Penarth (1972)

(UK) United Artists USP 100 (limited edition, £1.00 Rec. Retail Price)

SIDE 1

  1. Many Are Called But Few Get Up (Ace/Jones/John/Leonard/Williams)
  2. Daughter of the Fireplace 19:55 (Leonard)

SIDE 2

  1. H. Samuel (Jam) 19:05 (Ace/Jones/Williams/Leonard)
THE BAND
Mick Jones--Guitar
Deke Leonard--Guitar
Martin Ace--Bass
Terry Williams--Drums
Recorded by Vic Maile on the Pye Mobile on 8th April, 1972

Commentary

Budget live albums were becoming quite popular about the time this came out. "Jammin' with Edward" also came out in 1972. "Genesis Live" would come out in 1973 launching a Charisma Records budget series. Over at Island "Pictures at an Exposition" and "Earthbound" were released launching the HELP series. All of these albums were originally released only in the UK at greatly reduced prices from the standard LP of the time, with the intention of giving fans a quick taste of their favorite groups in concert, These albums were for the most part very sucessful (with the exception of Earthbound). They sold very well, and encouraged new fans who then went out and bought the more expensive studio albums. Many of these albums would later be released in the U.S. at full price. Several record companies developed budget labels like Nova, and Antilles, while Island and Charisma added many more live or more adventurous studio albums to their HELP and CLASS series of budgets.

United Artists did release a few budgets including Brinsley Schwarz's "Original Golden Greats" and Can's "Limited Edition" of which "Live at the Padget Rooms" was the first. It's a lean version of the band (without keyboards for the first time), but an excellent performance. "Many are Called But Few Get Up" from Do You Like It Here Now and "Daughter of the Fireplace" from Man, make up the A-side medley of the current hits, while the B-side "H. Samuel" is a long spacy jam showing that the band had not lost its ability to experiment. One significant milestone is that this is the first time "Roger" Leonard is officially called Deke, although this may have had something to do with the start of his first solo career.

Liner Notes, Uncredited

Since this recording Man have changed their line-up. Deke left to spend some time off the road writing songs and pursuing a more straight-ahead form of rock and roll music. Martin Ace is also writing and working on a project with his wife George under the name of "Videoville". Terry and Mickey brought Clive John back into the group after Clive had left a few months previously to form a new group which, legend has it, was to be known as "Iorweth Pritchard and the neutrons". Phil Ryan, keyboard magician late of Piblokto and the Eyes of Blue, joined along with Michael Youatt, bass player with another Welsh band, Quicksand.

The change-over was more worrying for 'Man fans' (most of whom are complete fantatics and feel, probably rightfully, that the band is one of the finest on the planet) than it was for the group. They went over to Germany and proceeded to tighten up the new group before playing to a British audience. When they came back it didn't take much longer than the first nuimber at the first gig to dispel anybody's worries. This band was good too. Arguments as to which band is better than the other are pointless. The new band is fine and will only get better. The old band was fine, and this special record has been released due to a demand from Man followers for a live album.

Meanwhile, the new band is recording an album to be released in October and working every day round the country. But then, if you've bought this album you probably know already.

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