Man

Amid further lineup changes, Martin Ace and Terry Williams arrived (both also previously in Dream), adding to the core of Micky Jones, Clive John and Deke Leonard. Man signed what would become a longstanding contract with United Artists in 1970, beginning with the issue of their third album, Man. The bluesy “Romain,” a tale about a Belgian policeman, opens quietly, but the ending section adds a lot more to the picture. When Man were on, they proved themselves to be hugely talented and creative. When Man didn’t work, such as on the following track “Country Girl,” they sounded like pedestrian West Coast rockers. But the next number, the instrumental “Would the Christians Wait Five Minutes? The Lions Are Having a Draw,” though perhaps similar to Pink Floyd at the time, accentuates the band’s live psychedelic rock potential. “Alchemist,” a triptych trip of the highest order, furthers this design. The rocking “Daughter of the Fireplace” b/w “Country Girl” was released as a single, but without success. The middle instrumental section of the former highlights the potential firepower of the band. Another album appeared in late 1971, Do You Like It Here Now, Are You Settling In?; fueled by their tours of Germany and Switzerland, it was a strong showing for the Manband, especially on the epic “Many Are Called, But Few Get Up.” But an appearance at London’s Roundhouse in 1972, immortalized on the Greasy Truckers Party album alongside Hawkwind and others, switched the band’s focus to the UK market.