5-4-3-2-1-The Manfreds

[gee]

Not a new release and maybe it's been discussed earlier on but I recently got hold of a copy of '5-4-3-2-1' - The Manfreds 1998 Album on CD - Camden 74321 566632

I have a DVD of The Manfreds in a later concert and assumed they only did live shows so this was something of a surprise

featuring both lead singers Paul Jones (harmonica) and Mike d'Abo (keyboards) from the 1963-66 and 1966-69 line ups of Manfred Mann ('chapters one and two') plus Tom McGuinness (lead guitar, vocals), Mike Hugg (keyboards,percussion), Mike Vickers (sax,flute,woodwinds) along with Benny Gallagher (McGuinness Flint, Gallagher & Lyle) on bass guitar,vocals and drummer Rob Townsend (The Blues Band, Family)


they run through studio re-recordings of ALL of Manfred Mann's UK chart hits from '5-4-3-2-1' to 'Mr Ragamuffin Man'  plus Paul Jones  'The One in The Middle' (a UK chart EP lead off track in 1964 - given another verse to include the longer and revised band line up here ), 'My Little Red Book' (from a film soundtrack) and Mike d'Abo's classic 'Handbags and Gladrags'

obviously the various hits compilations feature the original versions - assuming we already have those here they do a little updating of style and revision and Paul's harmonica and Mike Vickers sax and flute work give a more 'chapter one' feel to the 'chapter two' hits in places like on 'Mighty Quinn', 'Ha ! Ha ! Said The Clown' etc which is interesting

Paul and Mike are both still in excellent voices here giving credibility to the re-cuts which are expertly played and the old Manfred vocal harmonies are all in place too with Tom and Benny plus either Paul or Mike d'Abo (whoever sings lead the other does backup vocals) on harmonies / backing vocals

Mike Hugg provides vibes on 'Oh No Not My Baby' as deft  as he was back in 1965

Tom McGuinness only has the occasional blast on guitar here but most of their hits wern't really guitar led as a rule

- the two Mike's keyboards cover Manfred Mann's absence well

Mike Vickers does a note for note 'Klaus Voormann' recorder on 'My Name is Jack' 

they have had a 'one off' reunion jam with Klaus who I think now lives in the USA while Manfred Mann himself was not interested in reliving his sixties pop past tho' Paul Jones has said Manfred always has an open invitation to join them should he ever wish to take part of course....

Two perhaps surprising re-cuts of controversial sixties hits (to the group itself) are nevertheless included here - one by each 'chapter' of the group

 'Mr. Ragamuffin Man' their final UK chart single in 1969
(Tom McGuinness: 'A song none of us particularly even liked...!')

and from the immediate post Paul Jones era 'You Gave Me Somebody To Love' - an unfinished track sung by Paul that had been  left in the vaults which EMI then finished off with session players and female backing singers released without either Paul Jones or the group's knowledge or consent and got a minor UK chart hit with in 1966 just as MM released their first new recordings with Mike hence Tom McGuinness curt comment in his linear notes to their first Fontana album 'As Is'  at the time:
'Manfreds disown new single !'

whatever The Manfreds include both those sixties chart hits in this set and do them very well too !

NOT intended in any way as a replacement or substitute for the original versions, but rather as an addition to, this is a piece of pure pop nostalgia as was the DVD set of them later in concert (by which time Mike Vickers had retired from The Manfreds)

I grabbed a copy from Amazon UK and it's well worth getting if you were a fan of Manfred Mann who were of course major sixties chart contemporaries of The Hollies with Klaus Voormann playing bass for (and nearly joining to replace Eric Haydock) The Hollies in 1966 and of course Mike Vickers doing the additional accompaniment arranging / conducting  work on tracks on;  'For Certain Because...', 'Evolution' and also 'A Taste of Honey' (version two) and 'Blowin in The Wind' in 1968 for The Hollies

while Graham Nash played harmonica on a few tracks of Mike d'Abo's early seventies solo album 'Broken Rainbows' (1973 - A & M Records) including a later version of 'Handbags and Gladrags' plus later  Mike Rickfors was a guest on a few tracks on  Paul Jones 'Starting All Over Again' solo album a while back

Vintage sixties BBC sets of Manfred Mann: Paul Jones, Mike d'Abo and Chapter Three radio sessions will be released next month I understand 

[peterc]

I saw The Manfreds in Folkestone last night, and they were excellent. Paul Jones is 81, but looks, moves and sounds just like he did in 1964 (even up close he looks like a man in his 50s!). Superb.

This isn't the show I saw, but it will give you a good idea just how good they are:

[JamesT]

Oct 14, 2023 7:28:04 GMT peterc said:

I saw The Manfreds in Folkestone last night, and they were excellent. Paul Jones is 81, but lokks, moves and sounds just like he did in 1964 (even up close he looks like a man in his 50s!). Superb.

Haven't seen The Manfreds since 2012, which was a tour with Jones and D'Abo.  Much preferred the sadly disbanded Blues Band for some variety.  I see Rob Townsend is still out of action and likewise Mike Hugg.  The Manfreds are playing at one of my favourite venues next year, so might pop along.

Paul Jones' voice is incredible, likewise his gob iron playing.