25/03/2004

The Who and The Manfreds: music for grown-ups?

Two reports, of gigs by The Who and The Manfreds, in yesterday's Times help to illustrate just what is - and isn't - music for grown-ups.

Both bands are clearly made up of grown-ups - Townshend and Daltrey, the Who survivors (Moon and Entwistle are both dead), and Jones, d'Abo and Hugg, the Manfreds who still perform, are all in their sixties, or pretty nearly there. Both bands were very successful singles artists in the Britpop boom of the '60s.

But the similarities stop there. The Who were a serious creative force. They produced numerous credible albums, notably My Generation and Who's Next, which have stood the test of time. They were also a leading live act. Behind only the Beatles and The Stones, they were the front-line shock troops of the British Invasion. And Townshend is reportedly writing again - a new album is possible in 2005. The musical world will take notice. As writers and performers, The Who demand to be taken seriously.

The Who play music for grown-ups.

Manfred Mann, by comparison, were relative lightweights, a singles band offering frothy covers (Dylan, Howlin' Wolf etc) and weak singalong teen sub-anthems like Pretty Flamingo. They sounded insubstantial even at their peak. The downside of prolonged pop chart success is that their legacy sounds even less substantial now. In fairness to the band, they easily achieved their objectives, and they weren't aiming for longevity. I'd expect that they now perform re-creations of their pop material; they major on nostalgia.

The Manfreds do not play music for grown-ups.

If I were being offered free tickets to see both bands, in a very local venue, I'd pass on the Manfreds. I might go see The (Half) Who, though I'd check first that I wouldn't be missing any half decent football on TV.

Gerry Smith

[Previous entry: "Share your musical expertise with thousands of open-minded listeners"]

[Next entry: "Renee Fleming - world-class soprano - lights up London"]

[Latest Daily Update]

Search entries:

Copyright © Music for Grown-Ups Ltd. 2005
The words Music for Grown-Ups^® and the logo design constitute a registered trademark of Music for Grown-Ups Ltd.

www.musicforgrownups.co.uk
Email: info@musicforgrownups.co.uk

Have you seen
our new sister site?
The Dylan Daily

[Latest Update]

[Archives]

[Previous entry: "Share your musical expertise with thousands of open-minded listeners"]

[Next entry: "Renee Fleming - world-class soprano - lights up London"]

Top | Back

Site design by watson press website design & authoring