Rock Revival's Forgotten Classics (1969): Man 'Revelation' The Welsh Sgt Peppers ?

In the incestous world of 70's rock Welsh pub/prog band 'Man' have many connections, with Gentle Giant, Status Quo and Badfinger, one of the classic Welsh bands of the early 70's and one that has continued in an on-again-off-again state until their 40th anniversary tour this year

Man boast a cult following, if Grateful Dead fans are Deadheads and Uriah Heep fans are Heepsters, Man fans are 'Manoraks", (which for the yanks among you implies for anoraks or nerds, but in an affectionate way)

Their debut album, Revelation, is brilliant B3-drenched rock, a combination of the psychedelia of Quicksilver Messenger Service and the early prog-space-rock of Hawkwind or Nektar....

Here are Marsha Gracie's Liner Notes from the original U.S./Philips release. The band were called Manpower in the US due another US band called 'Man'...

"Revelation" begins with a ten second silence of stagnant air--forcing you to check the sound, and wisp the ddust from the needle. After a pause, a faint sound is heard, straining your ears to attention. The theme of Revelation is the creation of the world in as many aspects--past and future--as can be created by music and lyrics. The "song" EROTICA, is an explicit sexy interpretation of sex, that has caused a stir in the music business and the minds of men. The music builds, and builds, accompanied by mounting female moans and groans. It is vivid, too vivid for some.

MAN, has effectively used non-musical sounds for lyrical definition. All impulses are sucessfully attacked in THE MISSING PIECES--"sock it, sock it to me", is chanted until it dissolves into an actual audio war ending with a woman's tears. In THE FUTURE HIDES ITS FACE, a pounding rhythm dives into a musical depth to the accompaniment of a rocket count-down and blastoff. With a heavy church-like organ sound, and background voices, a party sound invades the mind's cathedral leaving nothing sacred in AND CASTLES RISE IN CHILDREN'S EYES. The musical arrangement of SUDDEN LIFE, gives the impact of a guitar humming like a four hundred pound fly that is being swatted by heavy drum sticks. In abstract contrast, LOVE, is a gentle interpretation of someone found and lost, backed by subtle, effective guitar, and an easy melody.

MAN, a group of five men from Wales, had definite opinions when making this album--"We thought it was a good idea, and went about it as best we could. If people don't like it, or it offends them, well that's that. We've thought about it since we've done it, and there's not much we would change. We think we've finally gotten down to it."

MAN has found THE MISSING PIECES, and there will be "a beginning, but no end" to their music.