Welsh Wednesday #36

#36: Erotica by Man

First off, a word of warning: if you download today's offering, please make sure there are no minors or people who are a touch sensitive in the vicinity when you play it - it's a bit raunchy.

Man formed from the ashes of The Bystanders, a pop group from Merthyr Tydfil whose close harmonies and melodic tunes were of a similar ilk to other bands of the time like the Zombies and the Dave Clarke Five. In 1968, at the height of psychedelia, the band reinvented itself, changing its name and musical direction. Man's debut album 'Revelation' came out the following year and captures the era perfectly. Their psychedelic rock experiments set them alongside the likes of Hawkwind, Pink Floyd and King Crimson, with all four leading the charge of progressive rock (or 'prog') into the 70s.

While the band released the song Sudden Life as the album's single in the UK, in Europe (and curiously Angola) the track Erotica was put out instead. This largely instrumental cut was banned in the UK. I say 'largely' instrumental as there is a voice on there. Kind of. As the band noodles away, an uncredited female 'enjoys herself' over the top. Almost like a Je T'aime... Moi Non Plus for the acid generation, only ruder.

After four minutes, it's all over ("So what's new?" says every married woman ever...[1]) and we can cwtch[2] up and go to sleep. Man would go on to release another nine studio albums before splitting in 1976. They reformed in 1983 and have been active ever since, continually gigging and putting out records, their most recent being 'Reanimated Memories' which came out just a few months ago. I'm not aware they did anything quite so sensual as this since though. The little teases.

This post is dedicated to George and Walter who like a bit of Man.

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[1] Except MrsRobster, of course.
[2] A lovely word; Welsh for cuddle. The 'w' is pronounced like a flat 'oo' as in foot or good.