Back to the Beginning

To celebrate the release of the 'Then & Now' DVD here are a number of articles from the earliest days of the band.  Some of these were intended for the booklet accompanying the DVD but due to the quality of the source material we were unable to get these in sufficient quality to be included.  Still, waste not want not, here they are on the website.

Many thanks to Mick Maloney for tracking down this material, much of which was kindly passed to Mick by Milton Hammer while Mick was researching the DVD.

The following article is from an Australian magazine in 1972.

The Manfred Mann Earth Band to tour here later this month is the brainchild of one of the most creative of English Rock musicians - Manfred Mann!
Manfred's musical progression over the years has been nothing short of remarkable.  Beginning with the pure pop group Manfred Mann in 1965 (sic) he had a number of big hits including 'Doo Wah Diddy', 'I'm Your Kingpin', 'Sha La La'.
He brought that band to Australia and delighted a capacity crowd on the Kinks show. At that time Paul Jones was lead singer and harmonica player for the group and he provided a perfect focus in black skivvy and black trousers leaning against the microphone, harmonica blowing in the wind.  On that tour the bands trademark was the all black outfit (they appeared dressed that way on the cover of their first album) and I can remember what an exciting group both visually and audially they were.  Paul Jones left the band to follow a solo career which so far has consisted of making bad records and bad films, and Mike D'Abo from Band of Gold was asked to replace him.  Again success followed with 'Mighty Quinn', 'Handbags and Gladrags', 'Fox On The Run', 'My Name is Jack' all going close to the top of the charts.  Manfred became tired of the ;limitations of pop music and keeping only Mike Hugg from his previous band he formed Manfred Mann Chapter Three - a big band type jazz-rock band.  Mike D'Abo went  to Jesus Christ Superstar and Tom McGuinness went to Mc Guinness Flint and a number one with 'When I'm Dead And Gone'.  Manfred Mann Chapter Three recorded two albums but at this time success, usually his by right, eluded him.  The group was broken up and Manfred went into semi-retirement.  The drummer in Chapter Three, Craig Collinge had been a member of the Australian group Procession and through him Manfred had met Mick Rogers.  He contacted Mick in Australia where he was playing with Bulldog and asked him to join a new projected four piece band, as yet unnamed, which he was forming.  Mick agreed to do this and with the addition of Colin Pattenden on bass and Chris Slade on drums the new band was formed.
It was named Earthband Manfred says "in an effort to leave some of my past labelling behind.  The problem has been that I have been stick with a 1967 name and its past image bears no relation to the music Earthband are creating today.  Also I think this is the best band I have ever had , and I think they should be out front."  Australia has already had a chance to witness the band in its embryonic state on the Free/ Deep Purple tour last year.  With a full tour of England and the continent under their belts they should really be able to lay down a great new sound this time around. Definitely one of the most interesting and experimental bands playing in the rock genre at this time.  Not to be missed.