I never thought I'd hear these songs performed, hear of Mansun
again. More than 20 years on, pink light glowed with appropriate celestial
splendour to gesture in The Chad Who Loved Me, strings all swaying.
Totally absorbed and in awe, I felt sheer gratitude. I was basking in
younger years, taken aback, knew all the words.
The album I'd first heard from a library loan, the band I'd seen
on the covers of the NME. Mansun represented, replicated a whole
other world. Pen pal circles, adoring fanzines with ridiculous titles
and frivolous expeditions, my first music festival, instant
friendships in Freshers' Week, and all the blissing out to their
music, words, revelling in characters and ridiculousness...
Mansun were one of the first bands I saw at a gig venue. They
weren't like other bands, they toured relentlessly and favoured small
places where fans greeted them with fervour. They came to my humble
hometown Milton Keynes! Played in the local leisure centre. Summer
holidays 1998 - that early July afternoon, I decided to dye my hair
cobalt blue, wear it in two plaits. Second-hand army shirt, cord
flares, purple Doctor Marten boots, maybe a baggy t-shirt, and off I
strode with glee. I'd meet a pen pal or two there, get there a few
hours early to enjoy the clamour for the band. A 45 minute walk later,
and I was joining the circle of female fans who travelled up and down
the country to see Mansun. Excitable stories about encounters with
band members, here a fanzine tale about tinned soup, flyers for our
latest fanzines exchanged, postal addresses noted and promises of
letters so we could keep in touch (no internet in our family household till 1999). I remember days like that crystal
clear and fond.
Mansun were this perfect embodiment of the kind of dreamy, zany, brilliant parallel world you could escape into as an aside to your sixth form studies.
Mansun were this perfect embodiment of the kind of dreamy, zany, brilliant parallel world you could escape into as an aside to your sixth form studies.
Back to the beautiful gig. It was simply special
hearing Paul Draper's silken voice again. And some of the solo songs
swirl about like the most elegantly melodic and shimmering of Mansun
classics. We heard a hotch potch of chosen songs from Paul's recent
career, rather than a straight-up rendition of his entire debut solo
album. The collection of songs we'd waited years for, kept hearing
about, then crept up and arrived of a sudden..
Opening with Don't Poke the Bear may have had an ulterior message
due to some recent upset, but let's just think on the music and that
night. It was a gem to hear Paul announce that he was about to play
"a string of B-sides." A long lost, forgotten art. Mansun
ruled supreme with B-sides, and it was the best of their art.
Memories of Everyone Must Win blisteringly closing live sets chiming
in my ears in distant memory... I took a lot of quiet moments to
remember fond times, people I'd been afforded to meet purely because
of the band.
More blazingly bright lights, seering sapphire and
purples - the trademark Attack of the Grey Lantern purple... strings
and bliss.
I'd been giving the old album a spin in the kitchen in the last week and I was gearing up for Taxloss. Got to dance about for that one - climax of electronic wigging out. Remembering those: "We're a Taxloss" Mansun fanclub t-shirts - never did buy one but probably still have the postal order form in a box of momentoes somewhere!
I'd been giving the old album a spin in the kitchen in the last week and I was gearing up for Taxloss. Got to dance about for that one - climax of electronic wigging out. Remembering those: "We're a Taxloss" Mansun fanclub t-shirts - never did buy one but probably still have the postal order form in a box of momentoes somewhere!
All night, just kept thinking how special it felt
to be hearing Pauls' voice and these songs again, as well as the new
songs. It's hard not to think track by track and write on and on but
every song was truly momentous. Had never heard You, Who Do You Hate?
played live, it really kicked in.
More nostalgia and dancing beyond my years for Wide Open Space - total bliss. I'll use that word again and again.I was fourth or fifth row down the front, like the old days, good view and bit of room to manoeuvre, there was no way I wasn't moshing for old time's sake to Stripper Vicar with its killer chorus and lyrics. Less thought about the pulled muscles in my sides from doing so, as I type this now, the better. I was probably alone in pogoing and I still don't care. All this too-cool attitude, posing still... I was there to feel the years fall away and enjoy myself and it was the best feeling to just let go and not care like when I was in my teens and 20s. I wore heart on sleeve with my 1998-circa Mansun fan gear. I had drawn the line at wearing the old army shirt and added safety pins on the arm though... Mansun's image changes were legendary, it must be recalled and celebrated and I loved indulging in all that in my teens.
More nostalgia and dancing beyond my years for Wide Open Space - total bliss. I'll use that word again and again.I was fourth or fifth row down the front, like the old days, good view and bit of room to manoeuvre, there was no way I wasn't moshing for old time's sake to Stripper Vicar with its killer chorus and lyrics. Less thought about the pulled muscles in my sides from doing so, as I type this now, the better. I was probably alone in pogoing and I still don't care. All this too-cool attitude, posing still... I was there to feel the years fall away and enjoy myself and it was the best feeling to just let go and not care like when I was in my teens and 20s. I wore heart on sleeve with my 1998-circa Mansun fan gear. I had drawn the line at wearing the old army shirt and added safety pins on the arm though... Mansun's image changes were legendary, it must be recalled and celebrated and I loved indulging in all that in my teens.
Disgusting was intriguing to hear live, and then it was into
another mosh-a-thon with She Makes My Nose Bleed. Only thing missing
was Steve Lamacq back-announcing it on the radio!
Naked Twister was
swirly and squally as of yore. Then a massive sing-a-long to Egg
Shaped Fred, with Paul joking about the lack of lyrics at the end...
na-na-na-Na-na-Na-na-na....
Dark Mavis was epic and it was one of several moments on the night where the humour of Mansun shone through so much - and I realised how lost it must have been outside of the dedicated fanbase. The descriptions, the wryness, but in such straight-up delivery. The subtlety. I found a lot of hilarity in the lyrics of the album, as if understanding them all anew.
"You can kiss his vase until the end of the month" sung over and over was a high point.
I exited the
fray, but I was keeping an ear out just in case. I mean, a band so
famed for quirks and B-sides and so much oddity... The familiar piano
riff kicked in and a great big sing-a-long ensued, music hall
style... "The lyrics aren't supposed to mean that much, they're
just a vehicle for a lovely voice..." All the arms aloft and
silly delight, it was fantastic and the best end to the night. I
finally got myself a long-sought-after roses t-shirt with Mansun
logo, so beautiful.
Sir Draper said he'd see us all "next year"
for a rendition of the album Six... I'm counting on it!
