from REVELATION
includes: The Missing Pieces 1:45 (R. Leonard/C. John/M. Ace/C. Reynolds)
from TWO OUNCES OF PLASTIC WITH A HOLE IN THE MIDDLE
Tracks from "REVELATION" not included:
- And In the Beginning 3:20 (Leonard)
- Love 2:58 (R. Leonard)
- Erotica 4:02 (R. Leonard/C. John/M. Jones/J. Jones/R. Williams)
- The Future Hides Its Face missing the first 3:52 (R. Leonard)
- Love 2:58 (R. Leonard)
Tracks from "2 Ozs of Plastic" not included:
- My Name Is Jesus Smith 4:03 (Leonard/Jones)
- Parchment and Candles 1:51 (Leonard)
- THE BAND
- Roger Leonard--Guitar, Harp, Piano, Percussion, Vocals
- Clive John--Organ, Piano, Guitar, Vocals
- Mike Jones--Lead Guitar, Vocals
- Jeff Jones--Drums, Percussion
- Ray Williams--Bass (Not listed in credits or liner notes)
- Clive John--Organ, Piano, Guitar, Vocals
Sound Effects -- Malcolm Eade
Recorded at the Langland hotel (Swansea) and at Pye Studios (London)
All songs published by Carlin Music
Compiled by Michael Heatley
Commentary
I just got this compilation a couple of weeks ago. Had put it off indefinitely due to the fact that I had the first two albums on CD and didn't need a compilation. But then I started this Man Page and to be complete bought this album and a bootleg I later found out I already had under another title (trying to be an expert can get expensive). Someone had written me saying that this was essentially a CD version of "Golden Hour of Man" so I felt I had to write it up right away to point out the differences."Golden Hour" was essentially the first album with about half of the second added to pad it out to an hour. "Early Years" on the other hand is missing about 14 minutes of the first album and 6 minutes of the second for a total run time of 59:25, and in fact includes all the second album cuts not used in "Golden Hour". There is some odd editing happening as well 'The Missing Piece' is not really missing but is included at the end of 'Don't Just Stand There' while 'The Future Hides It's Face' is missing everything but the rocket launch at the end. Since this is the future we're living in there is really no reason why the first two albums could have been on one CD in their entirety, but it would have cost Castle a few bob more and would have pissed off the people at See For Miles.
Liner Notes by Michael Heatley and Deke
With 13 different line-ups to their credit in their 24-year history to date, the story of Man is one of constant change. Indeed, one could stretch a point and argue that Man's early years of 1968 and 1969 were effectively the later years of the Bystanders, a five-piece harmony pop band who'd found some success on Pye with a string of tuneful if derivative mid-Sixties singles.The arrival of Llanelli-born singer-guitarist Roger 'Deke' Leonard in late 1968, replacing Vic Oakley to join the nucleus of Jeff Jones (drums), Ray Williams (bass), Clive John (organ) and Micky Jones (guitar), brought with it a change of name and a definite shift of musical policy away from the Fifth Dimension and Four Seasons towards the West Coast progressive rock sounds of Steve Miller, Quicksilver Messenger Service and Frank Zappa's Mothers of Invention whose seminal 'Freak Out', remembers Leonard, 'was never off the turntable'. All were role models for a band determined to put Wales firmly on the musical map for rather more than Tom Jones and Shirley Bassey.
Producer John Schroeder realised early on that the new band were less inhibited on stage than in the studio, hence parts of their first album -- 'Revelation', released in January 1969 -- were recorded on home turm at the Langland Hotel, Swansea. Tweke Lewis, then a teenage fan but later a member of Man's ever-changing line-up, recalls the event. 'It was the first time I'd seen them. I couldn't believe that these people could make this sound that was coming out. John Schroeder got up and said "The boys are going to record tonight; although it might seem strange, we don't want you to clap between numbers because we want a live sound but we don't want a live album".' A quarter-century later, it's hard to tell which tracks were cut in Swansea and which at Pye's Marble Arch studios. 'It's quite possible they did most of the non-psychedelic bits (in Swansea),' Lewis concludes -- though, as he accurately points out, the boys can't even remember doing it!"
Schroeder, who'd earlier selected the songs for as well as produced the Bystanders, was awestruck by 'Revelation' which, like many LP's of the time had a concept running through it. He encouraged the use of sound effects -- dated now, admittedly, but all the rage then -- to add a new dimension. 'The thing I liked was the fact that it was a story, more depth, the revelation of Man, in the beginning and throughout all the changes of life,' he later explained. 'That really got my creative juices going.' The album took three months (June-August 1969) from conception to completion, all recorded in the evening or early morning at Pye Studio 1. And while Schroeder was instrumental in helping them realize their vision, the musicians were now writing the songs and calling the shots.
The only single of their Pye period, 'Sudden Life', would get into Deke Leonard's all-time Man top 12. But then he co-wrote it! He also wrote 'Blind Man', a bluesy piece reminiscent of the Dream, the band from which he'd come. Co-guitarist Micky Jones showed more symphonic leanings with the lush 'And Castles Rise . . .' while the poppy 'Don't Just Stand There . . .' could have slotted neatly into a Bystanders set. Clive John's admiration for the Doors' organ sound came through clearly on 'Empty Room', while the album closer, 'The Future Hides Its Face', reprised the theme from 'And In The Beginning. . .' the track which had kicked off procedings. The space-age sound effects, however, were unique to the second version.
If, to misquote astronaut Neil Armstrong, 'Revelation' had been one large step for Man, their next album release just eight months later represented nothing less than a giant stride. '2 Ozs. Of Plastic With A Hole In The Middle' was named after a series of inconclusive band meetings which ended with Deke declaring 'It's only a bit of plastic with a hole in the middle!' Pye made this the third issue on their progressive offshoot label, Dawn.
Inevitably, the album was dominated by the epic suite 'Prelude The Storm' with which it opened. Only Quicksilver Messenger Service, with 'The Fool', had come close to the evocative instrumental passages of this ambitious 13-minute work. Producer Schroeder accurately describes it as 'etheral; listen to it and conjure up your own picture music'. Drummer Jeff Jones recalls an early recording attempt had ended rather abruptly. 'We'd set everything up ready; kettle drums, the lot. We were poised to do the take. Everything quiet in the studio. I did a magnificent kettle drum roll and promptly broke one of my beaters! The end flew up in the air and hit me on the head. The people up in the control rool collapsed!'
Long-time band champion Alan Freeman featured both tracks on Radio 1, bringing more fans into the fold, despite John Schroeder's initial feeling that it wouldn't get any airplay. On stage too, it blossomed into a basis for improvisation. 'It was always lovely to play,' recalls Ray Williams. 'Very atmospheric. We would extend it for as long as we wanted. It became the centre-piece of the set.' Six years later, the track would be resurrected for the 1975 tour with Quicksilver guitarist Jim Cipollina -- and was still a highlight.
Elsewhere, titles presented something of an unexpected problem: 'Spunk Rock' was deemed 'obscene' by Pye who promptly but confusingly changed it to 'Spunk Box' (It survived to remain a stage favourite to this day). Its recording had been witnessed by legendary comic actor Sid James, who used a neighbouring studio to record a regular interview series for South African radio (on which Man duly appeared). His approving verdict on the finished track? 'Now that's music to really move your bowels too!'
On the same subject, Clive John's 'It Is As It Must Be', with its immortal opening line 'Take a naked carrot and eat it', was originally to be called 'Shit On The World'. A Pye spokesman registered his distaste by telephone, on which a philosophical Clive muttered 'Oh well, it is as it must be' and hung up, unknowingly retitling his anarchic rant reminiscent of the Doors 'Five To One' with its insistent organ rift.
'Brother Arnold's Red And White Striped Tent' ends our collection, as it did '2 Ozs Of Plastic. . .' in fine style. Arnold was (and still is) co-writer Deke Leonard's middle name, but fresh insight into the off-the-wall lyrics is unlikely 24 years on. 'Don't ask me . . . I only wrote it!' By the time a third long-player was contemplated in 1970 a new rhythm section of Martin Ace and Terry Williams would be in place, and a new label, Liberty, selected to release it -- their third in successive albums.
Long time keyboardist Clive John, without whose pioneering spirit the Bystanders might never have been transformed into Man, sums up the band's early years thus, 'These were good times. We were like a large family, so we obviously had our ups and downs, but we enjoyed ourselves' As the band finished their comeback album 'The Twang Dynasty' in late 1992, that jole de vivre was still very much evident. Long may it continue!
Michael Heatley
Editor, The Welsh Connection
At the time, we were living in a band flat in Tierney Road, Streatham. We set the gear up in the front room and played sometimes, twenty-four hours a day. When the records came along, we were bursting with ideas, we had sackfuls of songs and an attitude. Looking back now, I wouldn't change a thing, although much needs changing. What we lacked in experience we made up for in the white heat of creativity. We were making a record -- and frankly, Scarlett, we didn't give a damn.
Deke Leonard
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