1973’s Back Into The Future is the first of the releases chronologically, and places us at the tail end of original member, Deke Leonard’s alleged exile from the band, which lasted for about a year and a half, at the most.  But in that time, the band recorded two studio albums, which were actually starting to get them some wider recognition.  As Deke Leonard comically divulges in the liner notes, he has for his band mates during that time ‘no retrospective animosity toward the ulcerous swine’.  Oddly enough, Leonard did extensive liner notes for the whole remaster series… even the albums he wasn’t on.  It’s lucky for us though, because his writing is quite clever and he has incredible anecdotes about the recordings and from life on the road.

Other original MAN guitarist and singer, Micky Jones, had added keyboardist Phil Ryan to the lineup for the first Leonard-less album, Be Good To Yourself At Least Once A Day, and then added another guitarist, young Tweke Lewis, to the mix for the recording of Back Into The Future.  And there is plenty of both guitar and keyboard on this album, probably more keyboard than on any prior MAN albums.  Back Into The Future’s studio material comes off as an upbeat dizzying blend of blues, rock, funk, and prog, with lots of excellent vocal harmonies throughout, most notably on the beautiful part-acoustic tune, “Don’t Go Away”, a song that also shows that the band knew how to pull back on the proggy keyboard flourishes, sometimes goofy lyrics and busy dual guitar licks to present a very solid ballad.

Then, as Back Into The Future was originally a double album over four sides, we get to the live material that was on the second piece of vinyl.  Enter the Gwalia Male Vocal Choir, which was invited to sing at a show with MAN, singing the traditional Welsh folk song, “Sospan Fach”.  As it’s recounted in the excellent Manband Archive,"Phil Ryan describes the effect; "The choir didn't know what to expect. They walked up the steps to the stage, saw the thousands of people and went GONK. The audience froze for a moment when sixteen guys in blazers and ties walked on. Then it was, 'OK boyos, give me an A,' and they were off, and it was incredible".

And the choir adds an amazing vocal to the middle section of one of MAN’s live opuses, “C’mon”, this one clocking in at just over 19 minutes.  This is a serious jam that never gets tedious.  It’s actually a song that very much reminds me of Phish, with its “David Bowie”-ish ambient intro that eventually gives way to an upbeat blues riff that completely grooves when the drums and bass kick in.  Then there’s a sublime slowed-down spacey middle section with trippy guitar and vocal effects and, in this case, a male choir, which all crescendo back into that familiar upbeat blues groove that just whips the audience back into a frenzy.  Chill-inducing.