A Yawn in Your E-Mail - December 2003

A Christmas Yawn.

Nigel has been begging me to do this for ages and I have been pretending that he might go away. Sadly he hasn't, so I thought I'd better write some notes - to shut him up. I hope you all know how hard that guy works on your behalf. It is particularly difficult to work up enthusiasm in others, in what on the face of it has been a very dull year Manfred wise.

Early in the year we got the double CD and DVD package, 'Evolution of Mann'. Not really aimed at us die hard fans, it was a nicely packaged affair. It contained no surprises, (I knew they would miss off One In The Middle cause it wasn't a single. It was however a very big hit along with Dylan's With God On Our Side.) On the plus side its nice to see some MMEB in ordinary record shops in the UK again, thanks to that very competitively priced set. It looks good and works well for the market it was aimed at. Love the cover.

On the negative side it meant my box set full to the brim with mouth watering goodies was put back to later in the year. Trouble is nobody said what year! The CDs for that have been mastered and cover design was at a reasonably advanced stage, so I am becoming as frustrated as I hear a lot of you are about the delay. I think it should come late next year now, so as not to clash with the even more keenly anticipated new stuff, promised for around April or May. We have had no UK gigs this year either and not so many in Europe as Manfred was keen to finish the album.

A friend of mine is a huge Hollies fan. For those too young to remember they were a Manchester band who had loads of hits mostly in the sixties and still tour to this day. Not a big Hollies fan myself, but when I have been to a gig, I have to admit they do a little more than just play the sixties nostalgia thing. Anyway I got a CD for Christmas called Side by Side which is half Hollies and half Manfred Mann. Nice packaging, something a little different for the collectors. Exclusive to Marks and Spencers as far as I know. You won't find anything you haven't heard if you like the sixties. Whilst on the subject of upsetting people, I have mentioned before that I got into Manfred in the sixties because they were different. They had a sax player and a vibes player. There was flute and jazz piano and organ. None of this was reflected in their hit records, however you kind of understood they had to do that to do all the cool stuff as well. Live they did mostly the cool stuff and if they did the hits it was usually in a bit of a rush. It is sad that in the sixties nostalgia boom that has been forgotten. Not that I don't like the hits. Cult situation comedy The Office ended at Christmas. I mentioned only because of Mike D'Abo's wonderful Handbags and Gladrags theme tune.

So am I forgetting anything good from 2003? No doubt we have had a couple more sixties repackages that I have missed probably like Original Gold purchased very cheaply in Asda picturing the wrong group on the cover! We fans still have to look after ourselves. The best things I have had in 2003 have been concerts sent to me by other MMEB fans. Perhaps the most noteable is the live in Russia DVD. This is so good I heard a rumour that an official release may follow.

Bootlegs are an extraordinary thing. I try never to promote them for obvious reasons. However the swapping of concert tapes is a little different cause we would buy the proper version as well if there was one. Ian Tompson and I have been talking for ages about the idea of selling a live official bootleg compilation exclusively at the gigs. One day we might make it happen. Speaking of bootlegs, I have just been offered a rare concert tape by another fan. Not for money as is nearly always the case. It is a gig from about 1975 at the Roundhouse. Now honest I didn't make the only recording of that gig on my old brief case stereo cassette machine guv, you can't pin that on me. (Well you can't prove it anyway!) What made me laugh was the source of the offer was somewhere in the U.S. and it's now on CD. Well I'll have to have one then!

Back to 2003 then. We had some cancelled UK gigs. So at least we had something to look forward to! The band are I am reliably informed playing very well at the moment. Pressure of work has prevented me from getting out to Europe again this year.

We do have lots to look forward to in 2004. Two singles and a brand new album. Last time I heard stuff from the new album a couple of years ago it was already sounding mouth wateringly good. It is different but that is what I want. There are lots of gigs in Europe and of course some UK gigs as well. Who knows you may even get the box set, or is that 2005 now?

Thanks to everyone who has sent me tapes, CD's, encouragement, or anything in 2003 and a special thanks to Nigel. One thing from my involvement with Manfred and the fanbase over the years, is that I have met lots of great people. Manfred fans are a jolly nice (as well as extremely patient) bunch if I say so myself. It is good that in 2004 there still is an Earth Band and it's still sounding so good. I am not convinced I would have believed that possible at the end of the eighties. I for one hope he does the jazz thing as well in 2004.

Hope you all had a great Christmas and get everything you want in 2004.

I will return to yawn some more in the New Year.. All the best to one and all.

Andy Taylor

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