Alternative Weekend: Mansun
It’s been a while since I listened to any Mansun. This alternative rock band from the late nineties had a string of hits in the UK but failed to make much impression outside their native homeland, besides perhaps one song.
Looking back into their past, they appear to have a dedicated army of fans who adores them while categorising them into the late 'brit-pop' era.
I tend to regard brit-pop as one of the last distinguishable eras of specific types of sounds in the UK. I mean, what else came after brit-pop?
Source
The problem with Mansun is however much I listen to their material there were only ever two songs that hit me.
What makes it worse is I really like both of them, and can’t understand the hype about all the rest. I must not be hearing what their fans do.
Taxloss - Mansun (Attack of the Grey Lantern -1997)
So I will highlight THREE songs but I mentioned I only like TWO of their entire catalogue. This is not one of them, but the idea of throwing a huge wad of money into Liverpool St Station and watching ensuing chaos is hilarious.
Building the video around the build-up and execution makes it watchable and earned them a lot of attention at the time.
The comments by British Rail were predictable and laughable. Watch the inspector pocket some fivers! It's not a bad song, but doesn't hit my sweet spot.
Wide Open Space – Mansun (Attack of the Grey Lantern -1997)
Perhaps their most widely known song, Wide Open Space has been taken apart and dance versions created from it by some of these DJs.
This song attracted me to the band though unfortunately, I have overplayed it somewhat over the years.
It did make a little ground in the USA so maybe some of my American friends may recognize it.
Legacy – Mansun (Six -1998)
Now this to me is Mansun at their best and was their most successful single in the UK hitting number 7 in 1998.
Yet, Wide Open Space is the song the band is most remembered for. I hated the promotional video they made, using Thunderbird puppets, so have used a clip from Top of the Pops.
They are all miming as was the style then and the video copy is atrocious, but it's still better than that shitty video they made for it.
The band split in 2004 leaving the final album Kleptomania unfinished.
The band split up while recording songs for the album Kleptomania, leaving unfinished tracks that were never released.
An extensive explanation of the break-up has never been made public although a press release by Paul Draper stated that the band had simply "grown apart".
Several attempts have been made to reform, but one member 'Dominic Chad' steadfastly refuses to co-operate. In other words, it isn’t gonna happen.
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Hard to believe some of the stupidity we watched on TV and on cable
Thunderbird puppets
that was one of the stupidity I did see on occasion, unfortunately I also have to take ownership of watching a few Ren and Stimpy shows, and Sponge Bob pants.Not sure about the band, Open Spaces I may have heard before but I really don't remember it, the lead singer has one of those voices that just doesn't click with me.
I just recently finished watching the Stargate Atlantis series, one of the last episodes was called Vegas, and the song Solitary Man by Johnny Cash was highly featured.
I wonder how far into the future I would have to travel to where I thought I watched Stargate Atlantis Series?
I couldn't get into Stargate, it was the original series I tried years ago. Johnny Cash is cool, I only know of his singles... from the seventies.
I can't remember them at all. Don't feel bad :) Last half of the 90s and first half of the 00s I was mostly huddled up with the blues and didn't really care what was on or not on the radio.
That train station video is some great stuff. They should have hired John Lee Hooker to do the sound track :)
Thanks for another music education.
Hehe, worth watching for the video..., I never encountered any of those fivers with a taxloss sticker attached. I wonder if any are still in general circulation?
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I remember Wide Open Space, but don't recall Taxloss or that stunt at all. I do know the KLF burnt a million. Legacy does not sound familiar either.
They are a band who really passed me by. They are okay, but from these songs I am not desperate to hear more.
I'm digging into the dregs now @steevc, most of my musical knowledge has been poured out on here during the last 2.5 years.
Eventually you run out of stuff. I have to keep finding new things to keep it fresh. Just not discovering much music these days. I could dive into my collection though.
I was more mainstream in those days. 'Mainstream Weekend' does not really have a ring to it, and on HIVE most people are not your everyday people anyway. If I was to go there, I would have a lot more to pick from.
Whitney Houston anyone?
Ok, thats new to me :)
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It is always a bit sad when one of the members holds things up like that. I guess everyone has their reasons and we can't really judge. I've never heard of this band before (big surprise).
It seems few have, even the UK people.
I had/have quite a soft spot for Mansun. Taxloss rates as one of my favourite videos of all time, just because of the sheer audacity of it.
I do think that they had a deft touch with a tune - I seem to remember they tended to self-produce, but I think with a big name producer behind them they could have been a lot bigger. They did get tarred with the britpop brush, but I think they had the potential to outgrow that - but they didn't last that long.
Good to hear someone is a fan, and has heard of them!
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