1 Man

Live At The Padget Rooms, Penarth

UNITED ARTISTS, 1972

You say: “Whereas I only appear on Rhinos, Winos And Lunatics, my personal favourite is Live At The Padget Rooms, Penarth, which perfectly captured the spirit of Man’s live set.” Malcolm Morley (former/current Man member) via Facebook

This limited-edition live album was a throwaway release (the designers even misspelt Paget Rooms). However, in a fitting burst of perversity, the keyboard-free Jones-Leonard-Ace-Williams line-up hit a furious level of intensity before a modest crowd, and delivered perhaps their greatest recorded work. Jones and Leonard’s guitars dance around elegantly before slamming into Many Are Called But Few Get Up, while Leonard does his sabre-toothed Johnny Kidd bit on Daughter Of The Fireplace. Side-long improv H Samuel – including random back catalogue clippings – captures the intrepid soul of Man, a desiccated Captain Beefheart taking in Syd-era Floyd boogie, Focus-style scat, Gong nightmare prog and doomy Sabbath riffs en route to a freaked out feedback ending. A beast.

2 Man

Rhinos, Winos And Lunatics

UNITED ARTISTS, 1974

You say: “No Man collection is complete without this one. Probably their most commercial album. Great short songs and side two: just freakin’ awesome.” Hideo P Gump, via Facebook

“The best record to come out of San Francisco in quite a while,” said Village Voice’s sardonic Robert Christgau, Rhinos, Winos And Lunatics marked Leonard’s return, and the arrivals of Help Yourself’s Whaley and Morley. With Queen producer Roy Thomas Baker, this might be the point when Man came closest to a Bees Make Honey-style pub rock band. There’s a certain downhome quality to Man’s most consistent ‘songs’ record, but the summer of love vibes remain pretty intense given that it’s 1974. The Thunder And Lightning Kid, California Silks And Satins and Man’s British answer to Roadhouse Blues, Scotch Corner, are all winners.