Still Belting Out The Hits – The Manfreds

For 60 years and counting, the core of one of the UK’s most successful 60s pop groups are still enjoying what they do best and with a vast back catalogue of hits at their disposal, the trio of Jones, d’Abo and McGuinness still deliver…

MAXIMUM RHYTHM ‘N’ BLUES TOUR REVIEW By Ian Woolley

“It was Tom McGuinness who got us back together for a one-off show and we loved it so much we’ve been touring ever since”, announced Paul Jones. Judging by the audience’s reaction, their fans don’t want that to stop either. 

At their penultimate current tour gig in Bournemouth before the Christmas break (the last one is in Torquay tonight), a near-full theatre once again was treated to all the hits and a surprise acoustic set in the second part of the show.

When you consider that every year of the ’60s after that, hit upon hit kept the group’s popularity to the fore. In those five successful years, the two lead singers of Jones and d’Abo amassed three UK chart-toppers and 10 top ten hits which were all performed with the same spark which was evident in these talented original members.

In the first set, their opening number was the obvious ‘5-4-3-2-1’, the Ready Steady Go! TV theme which catapulted the group into the big time in 1964.

One of the finest harmonica players on the circuit, Paul Jones interacted with the crowd with his well-rehearsed easy-on-the-eye manner and friendly banter. McGuinness’s ‘Malt & Barley Blues’ went down well with the crowd who remembered his brief McGuinness Flint venture. His ‘When I’m Dead And Gone’ was performed in the second set.

Before the interval, they finished the first set with the Howling Wolf classic ‘Smokestack Lightnin’ which again showed the talent every member of the band clearly has as well as Jones’s harmonica prowess.

At the merch table during the interval, brisk transactions were taking place to purchase the band’s limited signed ‘Hits From The 60s’ CD and vinyl with unique artwork from former member Klaus Voormann. Clearly a collector’s ‘must-have’ for any Manfred Mann fan.

The second set opened with an acoustic set of four songs, ‘Without You’, ‘Ballad Me Up Buttercup’, ‘If You Gotta Go, Go Now’ and Dylan’s ‘Just Like A Woman’. The latter was interspersed with a fine keyboard feature from Mike Gorman.

Throughout both sets, the original trio passed over the baton to each other for their solo collaborations, and in Mike d’Abo’s case, his well-loved penned songs like ‘Build Me Up Buttercup’ and ‘Handbags & Gladrags’ were both performed with the same passion he must have felt when he wrote them down for the very first time.

Guitarist Tom McGuinness makes his part look so easy with his laid-back strumming style throughout. Paul Jones performed one of his solo hits ‘I’ve Been A Bad, Bad Boy’ after telling the audience that he had decided to leave the group after their first chart-topper.

Both lead singers had the audience participation down to a fine art. If they weren’t singing along to every hit, they were encouraged to clap along.

“Singing is good for your endorphins!” Paul Jones told the audience.

With drummer Pete Riley, Marcus Cliffe (bass), and Simon Currie (saxophone & flute) as the other members on this current Maximum Rhythm ‘n’ Blues tour, these guys clearly still enjoy touring and performing.

“Who says this is our farewell tour”? Paul told me before the show.

Clearly, they will have the final say when they do decide to call it a day but for now, do go and see one of the most talented 60s groups out there. As Paul says, “It’s good for your endorphins”!

NOTE: For 51 years providing the sound for some of the biggest names in the music business, one of Manfred’s current sound engineers on this tour John Turner had decided to retire tonight at his last gig in Torquay.

For all that have worked with him in his long career, we wish the 67-year-old a long and happy retirement.