Fab Four

previously audi car sales man - introduced mansun to the beauty of nail varnish - lives in a converted brothel - birthday 8 Aug - tigger-like energy makes him one of the most stylish, flambouyant percussionists of the 90s - sound bloke one of characters in mansun songs/ titles - Once worked in kitchens at claridges - studied russian & french at bangor uni - hair - formidable musician - indie chick of the year (gay pride 96) birthday 5 Jun - Brian Jones fan, (resemblance...) ex Bar Manager of The Fat Cat in Chester - sound bloke
the deeside 007, james bond fan (fave; The Spy Who Loved Me) - a hobby : fishing - previously a graphic designer - star wars - birthday 8 Jan - picked up an instrument to stay with his mates but turned out to be very good at it - tattoos - reads novels - likes abba and the bee gees - sound bloke
likes dr who, the prisoner and dallas - previously a graphic designer - birthday 26 Sept - another of the great musicians of all time - remains unassuming and unaffected by all the bullshit that accompanies such acclaim - art student drop out - sound bloke
Mansun - A Great 90s Band (by Jo, "A Face In The Crowd") Ok, ok, I know I write a Mansun fanzine, and they're my life and everything but I'd still like to think that I'm pretty open-minded about all music. That said, I still consider Mansun to be the best band around! Paul Draper is positively a bottomless pit of emotion, and Chad - like Paul - has a gift for poetry, and therefore lyrics. Draper brings these feelings to life with his amazing voice, he only became the singer cos Chad was too shy, (Chad's got one hell of a voice, which he's using a lot more now, hurrah!) but Paul's vocalisation is outstanding. Not only does he have a large range, but he can convey pure emotion during songs - unlike any other singer I've heard. Considering they started (as many bands do) with only a scrap of talent - but a lot of energy, Mansun have blossomed into musicians with envious ability. When Chad goes off on a solo, he takes your breath away. Stove is undoubtedly the funkiest bassist around and Andie's got so much fucking rhythm he must sweat the stuff. As performers, the band have, from the very beginning been hailed as a brilliant live act. (They won the title in the Melody Maker Reader's Poll 1998, as if we [the fans] didn't know they've held if for years anyway). Live versions of their songs stretch out into epic, orgasmic, long hard screws of music. The band themselves love touring above anything else as it's important to them to keep in close contact with their fans, and we love them all the more for feeling that way. Jo See Jo's live review of Reading 1998 at Whirlpool
"there's a definite thrill to having people hate you for the way you dress. It's not just the fact they hate you. You can genuinely unnerve them, make them feel real uneasy. So we do tend to dress up, rather than down. That's cos we like living in our own little corner of the world. You know the best way to get noticed is to dress well, dress up a little"
Steve Lamacq has supported Mansun from Day 1 and shares Paul's enthusiasm for 60s cult TV series, The Prisoner. (even the same favourite episode) Mansun were the first act to appear on Radio 1's Lamacq live. The video for Egg Shaped Fred includes shots of Mansun kicking huge white balls around, smaller but similar to those that feature in The Prisoner so menacingly		the bee gees played live at the brits 97 which mansun attended. attack of the grey lantern had not yet been released, they were nominated for best band, a first. after the party, andie had to be helped back to his hotel in the sky tv news van...
Paul and Chad have been mates for many years. They both played guitar. They never even jammed together until Mansun. This band came together by accident and fate. one of the most prolific acts ever - by the time The Eleven EP was released in February 1999, over 40 "additional songs" had been recorded for the EPs - many of the extra tracks on mansun's eps have received great acclaim, since summer 1995 they have released albums worth of good music as extra songs and also two commercial gold albums. the "musicians" publications hold them in high esteem. recent copies of rhythm, bassist and guitar with andie, stove and chad on the cover sold out. despite the praise for their musicianship mansun admit to only really feeling 'famous' when they hear their music played on tv soaps. there has been talk of an album of Mansun B-Sides being released later in 1999 - with their being various Mansun b-side polls there must be some interest. B-side doesn't really describe some of the music that the general public are unaware of...
-l-r paul, chad, mark, stove, the hib - Martyn Goodacre took Mansun to his local supermarket on London's Old Kent Road to photograph them for their first NME interview at the end of 1995. A few miles and hours later they were on stage at Brixton Academy opening for The Charlatans. Martyn was one of the last people to see Mark as a member of Mansun at the NME Brats Party of January 1996. Martyn's flat mate, Paul Moody (a "Paul M") who did the interview became a member of Regular Fries. p.s. both Martyn ("Shakey") and Mansun appear in the Kevin Sampson novel, "Powder"
there is a fanzine, frilly shirt, dedicated to chad, and a website about his shirts	charles manson recently spelt his name m-a-n-s-u-n in court	two days before the release of the one ep, mansun were strip searched by the anti terrorist squad on their way to a gig (supporting cast at the forum)
"...so, i'm just lying there on the floor playing me guitar with me teeth and he comes over and starts gyrating his hips in me face! It was full-on, mouth-to-mouth! No simulation, it was right there!" one of Paul's on stage memories of Chad
"we aren't an alternative group, we never wanted to be an alternative group, we want to be the big group selling records throught the world. we're just a rock group. that's it"
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