Be Good To Yourself At Least Once A Day

Following the success of Greasy Truckers Party, United Artists issued another live album, Live at the Padget Rooms Penarth, but at a reduced price and in limited quantities. A hit, it soared straight to the top of the budget charts in September. But recording their next studio album was proving to be unfruitful, leading, of course, to more lineup changes: Martin Ace left, while Deke Leonard was sacked; Clive John returned, but on guitar, bringing with bassist Will Youatt and keyboardist Phil Ryan from The Neutrons. Released in November Be Good To Yourself At Least Once A Day proves to be one of Man’s finest recordings. “C’mon” leads off the album and straight into “Keep on Crinting,” the Manband rocks steady throughout, laying out their impeccable improvisational skills. The second side’s “Bananas” begins the immortal lyric: “I like to eat bananas / because they have no bones / I like marijuana / because it gets me stoned,” but it’s the next nine minutes after the break that render the track classic. Throughout the album, Ryan’s keyboards are impeccable: classic tones, an economy of all the right notes-and empty spaces. John and Micky Jones prove to be a perfect pairing on guitars, continuously complementing each other. “Life on the Road” closes, another jaunty number, again highlighting the jam-band nature of the group. I would be remiss not to mention the album’s pop-up fold-out map of Wales, perhaps one of the most extravagant and perfectly executed packages to ever hold a vinyl record. The Manband finally nestled into the charts in 1973 with the half-live, half-studio album Back Into The Future, with ex-Wild Turkey Alan “Tweke” Lewis replacing Ryan on the studio side. Further changes were afoot: Jones and drummer Terry Williams rehired Leonard, alongside two members from Help Yourself, keyboardist Malcolm Morley and bassist Kevin Whaley. Leaving their psychedelic edge behind and adopting a more mainstream rock sound, Man would remain together for a further few more excellent albums, before calling it quits in 1976.