"Bringing big names to a small town"
60TH
ANNIVERSARY
THE MANFREDS
featuring Mike d'Abo & Tom McGuinness
Photo Credit: xcxcx xcxcx
SATURDAY
16TH SEPTEMBER 2023
The Manfreds, featuring Mike d’Abo and Tom McGuinness, appear at the Music At Stow Festival as part of the band's 60th Anniversary celebrations!
They are considered one of the finest and most respected bands from the 1960’s era and their numerous hits were not just ‘pop’ songs! Many were R&B based with an undercurrent of jazz - a very unusual but winning combination of playing style and substance.
As a result, their records have a timeless quality and, some 60 years on, The Manfreds, with front man, Mike d’Abo, will be performing many of their hits, including ‘Mighty Quinn’ and ‘Do Wah Diddy Diddy’, two of the most popular and instantly recognisable songs of the 1960’s, and still the biggest audience pleasers at their sell-out concerts.
Mike d’Abo will be joined by another original member of Manfred Mann, Tom McGuinness on guitar & vocals, with Pete Riley on drums, Marcus Cliffe on bass, and Simon Currie on saxophone/ flute.
Mike d'Abo in 1967 © Dutch National Archives
Mike d'Abo
In 1966 there was only one man who could fill Music at Stow Artist Paul Jones' shoes as front man for Manfred Mann. Already attracting attention with his group, A Band Of Angels, Mike d'Abo was thrust into a wider limelight with the Manfreds and the well-oiled hit machine rolled on. Just Like A Woman, Semi-Detached Suburban Mr James and Mighty Quinn were just three of the string of hits with the 'new boy' in the line-up.
And, like his predecessor, Mike's career after the disbanding of the Manfreds in 1969 lost none of its momentum. He'd already proved his impressive skill as a songwriter by composing Build Me Up Buttercup for The Foundations and Handbags & Gladrags, a massive hit for Chris Farlowe, reprised with equal success by Rod Stewart, first in 1970 and more recently on his MTV-based 'unplugged' album.
Back in the day - and more recently...!
Manfred Mann with Mike d'Abo
The Manfreds with Paul Jones & Mike d'Abo
2011
1968
Tom McGuinness (Guitar)
His first serious band was The Roosters in 1963 where he played guitar alongside a certain Eric Clapton. Tom then joined Manfred Mann on bass guitar just before they had their first hit 5-4-3-2-1. He soon switched back to guitar and stayed with Manfred Mann for all their hits throughout the 60s until they broke up in 1969. In 1970 he took up with the songwriters Benny Gallagher and Graham Lyle, and formed McGuinness Flint. When I'm Dead And Gone was their biggest hit. In 1979 Paul Jones invited Tom to join a blues band - imaginatively called The Blues Band - for a couple of gigs...and a couple of thousand gigs later, the band continues to tour. The Manfreds reunited in 1991 to celebrate Tom’s 50th birthday, and have remained together ever since!
Pete Riley (Drums)
The Manfreds were delighted when drummer, Pete Riley, agreed to stand in for Rob Townsend in 2022. He is a huge asset to the band with a great pedigree to boot! Pete has toured and recorded with a variety of artists including ‘80’s pop icon Tony Hadley, of Spandau Ballet fame, the band ABC, and two of the ‘90’s dance/rock pioneers - Republica and Sunscreem. Virtuoso musicians Keith Emerson (Emerson, Lake & Palmer) and guitarist Guthrie Govan are also on Pete’s list of favourite collaborators.
Marcus Cliffe (Bass Guitar)
Marcus started playing bass guitar/double bass in high school then went on to Leeds College of Music to study Jazz and Light Music as a pianist, but changed to bass after one year and graduated in 1983. After leaving college he joined a local band, Brendan Croker And The 5 O'Clock Shadows. On the last of their three albums he worked with Mark Knopfler, Eric Clapton and Tanita Tikaram. He has been involved with Tin Tin Out playing on mixes for Tina Turner, Sting and Mariah Carey, but they had their biggest hit with Emma (Baby Spice) Bunton. He can also be heard and seen on the Sunn Record Tribute film and album, where he made up the rhythm section with Elvis Presley’s original band members Scotty More and DJ Fontana to do tracks with Mark Knopfler, Brian Ferry, Zucchero and Jools Holland.
Simon Currie (Sax & Flute)
Simon is one of a relatively rare breed of musicians who is equally at home playing flute, clarinet, soprano, alto, tenor or baritone sax. He also composes, arranges, does regular session work, and even finds the time to front his own jazz band. Having played with Mike d’Abo’s band on several occasions, Simon was confidently recommended as the ideal candidate to replace Mike Vickers once he retired from playing in 2001. Simon has proved himself to be a worthy contributor to The Manfreds both on stage and on record. During stints playing at The Monte Carlo Casino in the South of France from 1988-90, he found himself backing musical legends as diverse as George Benson, Stevie Wonder, Donna Summer, Liza Minelli, The Three Degrees, Sammy Davies Jnr., The Temptations, The Four Tops and Jerry Lewis.
