Man
The Rayners, Harrow

21st December 2002

During your early teens your life ahead is mapped out in many ways. One such path being mapped at this point your leaning in musical tastes. I remember as a teenager at St Nicks, Northwood, that there were those that liked Gary Glitter, some Slade, and some Hendrix. I remember that we left Donny, David and the Bay City Rollers to the girls' school down the road. And I remember that there were some of us who liked what was called "Progressive Rock".

So it was that we had to make a choice, and I (and my mates) chose progressive rock. I remember listening to the likes of Edgar Broughton, Van der Graf Generator, Nektar, King Crimson and Hawkwind on our Magnavox record player (complete with penny on the end of the arm) and I remember getting my first stereo and my mates coming around just to listen to it.

Back in those days money was not in abundance, so records were bought mainly second-hand from Sellaby, in South Harrow. It was there that I bought my first Man LP, Back to the Future, a double album for £2.20.

Progressive rock was all about long tracks, Yes did whole albums that was one track. Progressive rock was about the whole experience, the music and the vocals together forming a tune. Even if beautifully crafted lyrics were present nobody hung on every word, it was the overall sound that matters. Indeed, whist so called experts spent hours analysing the lyrics to Yes's Tales from Topographic Oceans and saying how deep and meaningful they were the band later confessed they just said anything that sounded good and fitted in with the music.

So it was that I, eager in anticipation, went to see Man at the Rayners, Rayners Lane on 20th December. I had seen Man twice before, most recently about four years ago, but never in such an intimate venue.

Arriving at 9.00pm, and duly paying my £8 to get in I was disappointed to find few present. Sure it was the run up to Xmas, and a damp night, but I felt for the promoters. The entertainment started with a support band called Tony Hill's Friction and they entertained us with some excellent rock music for around three quarters of an hour.

At about 10.15 Man came on, by this time a few more had arrived and I would estimate an audience of around 130. Disappointed they were not. The band played all their classic tracks, list them here I won't as it would be meaningless to anyone who does not know the band and those that do will know them all intimately.

The two founder members are now in their 50's, and when the third returns from illness soon (his place being taken for the time being by his son!) the band will have a distinctly ageist look about them, but there is no substitute for experience. Progressive rock is all about playing just enough of what is required at just the right time, it is not about everyone playing at once and trying to outdo one another, and with years of experience this was pulled off to a fine art.

Starting slowly and then leading you into the main section each 20 or so minute piece was beautifully crafted, as it had been crafted so many times before. Progressive Rock is there all right, but you have to listen, it is not all about riffs and crescendos, it is about subtlety. The only thing missing from this evening were the clicks and pops that accompanied Man when played on my gramophone.

Grown men in the audience who should know better were wafted Dr Who like back to the Roundhouse and their early 20's, only the loon pants and love beads were missing (and the hair in many cases). This was an evening of escapism; this was an evening when all the worries of the world and life were forgotten. This was an evening of Goldring G800's and Garrard Decks. I left at 12.15 seventeen again.

Progressive rock for me starts and finishes with Man, if you have never seen them I urge you to make the effort, if you have never heard them and like any music on the rockier side of the fence then go out and buy "Back to the Future", search for it on the net, it is out there. Read more at this web site.

More than anything however, this evening serves to remind all of us that hunting out these small venues locally and keeping an eye on what is coming up can often present you with a great night out at a fraction of the cost of going to major arenas. I have seen some nights at the Rayners diabolically supported; I have never seen a bad band.

Philip Duerden - Ruislip Online