From Gladrags to riches

To coincide with the release of Evolution of Mann which of course includes Mike D'Abo's version of Handbags and Gladrags here is an article from the Sunday Express dated Feb 8, 2003. Thanks to Alan and Ann Brown for suggesting this.

With the rediscovery of his Sixties hit the spotlight is at last back on Mike 'Abo - by Chris Goodman

There are prerequisites for rock stardom… such as talent, good looks, a voracious appetite for sin and a penchant for living fast and dying in time for the re-release of your back catalogue.

When Mike D'Abo joined Manfred Mann in 1966, though, he was a gent thrust into the excesses of the Sixties rock'n'roll revolution. But his deep moral streak helped him write one of the most famous songs of the rock canon – Handbags and Gladrags.

It is ironic that despite the legend of Sixties liberation, songs upholding traditional values are some of the period's most enduring features.

"I knew it was a social comment," says D'Abo. "The moral of the song is saying to a teenage girl that the way to happiness is not being trendy. There are deeper values."

Originally sung by Chris Farlowe, Handbags and Gladrags was made famous by Rod Stewart. It was revived by the Stereophonics in 2000, then used as the theme tune to the TV comedy series The Office.

D'Abo can hardly keep up since the song took on a life of its own but his own rock'n'roll career has returned as he prepares to star with Gerry Marsden in the rock tribute tour Reelinabdrockin.

Manfred Mann, originally a jazz ensemble, developed into an R&B/ pop outfit with the arrival of singer Paul Jones. After nine Top 10 hits Jones left to go solo in 1966. Needing a new frontman, the group spotted D'Abo in A band Of Angels – and chose him over Rod Stewart.

A sensitive young man educated at Harrow and Cambridge, the Sixties lifestyle was alien to D'Abo. "It was a culture shock," says the 58-year-old. "I felt green and was surprised by people's behaviour – their rudeness, their selfish actions. I was brought up to behave nicely. Until then I'd been going round in tweed jackets.

And it caused consternation in his traditional family. "I was moving in pop circles bringing disgrace to the good family name," D'Abo recalls. "It took a while to get the balance tight between being true to my values and being able to express myself in pop."

D'Abo promised the song Handbags and Gladrags to R&B singer Chris Farlowe and it went to No33 in 1967. But it was already in demand. "The same week, Rod Stewart came round to the house to discuss songs. Stupidly I played him Handbags and Gladrags and he said, 'I have to record it'.

"I had promised it to Chris but I told Rod that if he ever got an album deal, we would do it then."

A year later, Stewart had his album deal and came back to claim the track. "He arrived at 6pm and the studio was booked for 10 o'clock the next morning. We stayed up writing flute, oboe, French horn and string parts and booking musicians – not an easy task at 12 hours' notice. At 10am we went into the studio and did it in one take.

In 1971, Maggie May made Rod Stewart a star and Handbags and Gladrags became a favourite of his.

D'Abo had songwriting success with Build Me Up Buttercup, a hit for The Foundations in 1968, but after leaving Manfred Mann in 1969 his solo career never really took off. However, his advertising jingles such as Finger of Fudge proved to be enduring.

Then, in 2000, D'Abo heard that the Stereophonics were including Handbags and Gladrags in their repetoire. When The Office appeared a year later using yet another version recorded by the BBC, Mike had an idea.

"I rang the Stereophonics' manager because I thought it would be a good for them to put it out as a single. I told him that I wrote Handbags and Gladrags. He said, 'No you didn't, it's a Rod Stewart song'. Anyway, he accepted my case and told me the Stereophonics had just recorded my song. Then a company rang asking if they could use my own version on a Christmas album called The Office Party."

Handbags and Gladrags renewed success has encouraged D'Abo to reconsider his songwriting efforts. "I found fame but not fortune," he points out. "Then I was in the wilderness for long periods, which involved a lot of soul-searching."

Now the only problem is that the publishing company which owns Handbags and Gladrags (and pay D'Abo his royalties) are slow.

"I had to tell them about the Sterophonics and The Office," he reveals. "Eventually they catch up and the money goes to them, then they hand out my share later. But let's just say that this year is going to be better than many."

If you'd like to know a bit more about Mike,~here is a link to his website.

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