Mansun were formed in Chester in 1995 by vocalist/rhythm guitarist Paul Dra… Read Full Bio ↴Mansun were formed in Chester in 1995 by vocalist/rhythm guitarist Paul Draper, lead guitarist/ backing vocalist Dominic Chad, bassist Stove King and drummer Andie Rathbone. Arriving on the Britpop-dominated scene as a beat-driven art rock band, Mansun liberally mixed progressive rock, psychedelia, art pop, shoegaze, 80's noir and electronic elements; instead of singles releasing numerous multi-format EPs bookended by concept albums, often changing their style (and peculiar uniforms) each release. Along with this they were a renowned live act who often drastically rearranged their songs on tour: extending some into heavy jams, combining others into epic suites. Non-stop touring and devotion to their fans took them to many distant places bands rarely travelled.
Mansun came to prominence in the mid-nineties British indie/ guitar-rock resurgence, despite pursuing their own path away from any of the emerging scenes. Their first album Attack of the Grey Lantern could easily have been lost amidst the wave of new music in the British (Britpop) scene at that time if it had not been for the majestic Wide Open Space. The single charted at number 15 in the UK. The album then went on to reach no. 1 in the UK charts. Many of the tracks from the album and the associated EP's formed part of a grand concept piece. The band created a twisted town inhabited by bizarre characters such as "Dark Mavis", "Stripper Vicar", "Flourella" and "Egg-Shaped Fred".
Between their 1st and 2nd album they released the Closed for Business EP which departed from the themes that had run through all Mansun's previous releases, while musically very similar to the tracks from Attack of the Grey Lantern.
The band's second album Six was a radical departure from the first album. The tracks segued into each other creating two musical sections which were separated by an "intermission". Musically, the songs were far more produced in sound. The album artwork was also very complex containing many references to the cult (and often surreal) 60's TV show "The Prisoner". This perfectly suited the music which had the feeling of a nonsensical prog extravaganza. The artwork together with the way that the complex structure of the songs/time signatures blended into each other gave the impression of a very ambitious progressive rock concept album, though lyrically there is little to suggest that there is a central theme to the album. While generally critically appreciated, Six was not a huge commercial success, though the album did reach no. 6 in the UK album charts.
For their third album, Little Kix, Mansun again changed direction. This time the songs were slickly produced (over-produced in some senses) with strong pop sensibility. The album was obviously an attempt by the band to produce an album with more maturity, but was perhaps too polished. Little Kix reached no. 12 in the UK charts.
Mansun disbanded in May 2003. This was a culmination of band tensions which had seen one of the original members leave (Stove King). Disappointed by the poor reception of their 3rd album, the band folded with little fanfare of their passing.
Due to pressure from their fans, EMI released the posthumous "4th album", Kleptomania, which was a three CD set containing rough recordings of tracks slated to be on the unfinished 4th album, b-sides and rarities.
Mansun came to prominence in the mid-nineties British indie/ guitar-rock resurgence, despite pursuing their own path away from any of the emerging scenes. Their first album Attack of the Grey Lantern could easily have been lost amidst the wave of new music in the British (Britpop) scene at that time if it had not been for the majestic Wide Open Space. The single charted at number 15 in the UK. The album then went on to reach no. 1 in the UK charts. Many of the tracks from the album and the associated EP's formed part of a grand concept piece. The band created a twisted town inhabited by bizarre characters such as "Dark Mavis", "Stripper Vicar", "Flourella" and "Egg-Shaped Fred".
Between their 1st and 2nd album they released the Closed for Business EP which departed from the themes that had run through all Mansun's previous releases, while musically very similar to the tracks from Attack of the Grey Lantern.
The band's second album Six was a radical departure from the first album. The tracks segued into each other creating two musical sections which were separated by an "intermission". Musically, the songs were far more produced in sound. The album artwork was also very complex containing many references to the cult (and often surreal) 60's TV show "The Prisoner". This perfectly suited the music which had the feeling of a nonsensical prog extravaganza. The artwork together with the way that the complex structure of the songs/time signatures blended into each other gave the impression of a very ambitious progressive rock concept album, though lyrically there is little to suggest that there is a central theme to the album. While generally critically appreciated, Six was not a huge commercial success, though the album did reach no. 6 in the UK album charts.
For their third album, Little Kix, Mansun again changed direction. This time the songs were slickly produced (over-produced in some senses) with strong pop sensibility. The album was obviously an attempt by the band to produce an album with more maturity, but was perhaps too polished. Little Kix reached no. 12 in the UK charts.
Mansun disbanded in May 2003. This was a culmination of band tensions which had seen one of the original members leave (Stove King). Disappointed by the poor reception of their 3rd album, the band folded with little fanfare of their passing.
Due to pressure from their fans, EMI released the posthumous "4th album", Kleptomania, which was a three CD set containing rough recordings of tracks slated to be on the unfinished 4th album, b-sides and rarities.
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Attack Of The Grey Lantern [Collectors Edition]
Mansun Lyrics
An Open Letter To The Lyrical Trainspotter Since the dawn of time I've rolled across the earth Spinning…
Closed For Business Roll on up and queue in line All you need is…
Dark Mavis Wait around, I'll be walking quite a while Don't be late,…
Disgusting Back off, off You're the stranger in here, with your strange…
Drastic Sturgeon Shop at Kwik Save and you make a good saving Difference…
Duchess Photographic duchess, Cousin of the queen I've been infatuat…
Egg Shaped Fred Na na na nah na nah na na …
Everyone Must Win We cold boot the brain stem We start to get pissed We're…
Flourella Wake up flower you're smelling of roses Drawing posies to…
Grey Lantern Look, frankly you're a star tonight Standing under grey lig…
Impending Collapse Of It All Needing, dying, parasite the same Just to be removed from al…
K.I.Double.S.I.N.G. John and Jackie are up the tree K. I. double S.…
Lemonade Secret Drinker Bigger head, you got no bread in our house Now look…
Live Open Space I'm in a wide open space, I'm standing I'm all alone…
Mansun's Only Love Song If I start this small debate The centre of the…
Moronica 2 foot long and your neck keeps growing 10 foot tall,…
Naked Twister To be twisted To be naked To be broken To be free Tell me…
No One Knows Us Verse One Bigger head, you've got no bread in our…
Rebel Without A Quilt Got to find the rebel within A pawn in the sea…
She Makes My Nose Bleed Hi, hi, hi, Hi, hi, hi, Hi, hi, hi. She makes me bleed,…
Ski Jump Nose I'm gonna sit on my own, maybe all alone …
Skin Up Pin Up Sniffle this, sniff on this My skin up pin up, oh…
Stripper Vicar Dear Mavis I'm compelled to write this letter In the hope…
Take It Easy Chicken Yeah, I'm sick of this England's sh** It's…
Taxloss He'll be your taxloss lover from Liverpool Taxloss lover…
The Chad Who Loved Me All come crashing down, your desperate icon You've got to go…
The Edge Cast your stone now he who never sins Clearly all your…
The Gods Of Not Very Much Safety in numbers together Nobody can tell us if we're thick…
The Greatest Pain The greatest pain that I have felt Is hidden deep within…
The Holy Blood And The Holy Grail The cup that caught your blood was stained Destroyed, taken …
The Most To Gain I know you're different from the boys who went to…
The World's Still Open Quiet morning, nothing moves and we can hear you breathe Ea…
Thief You make my skin crawl You make my eyes sore You make…
Things Keep Falling Off Buildings Things keep falling off buildings Things keep falling into …
Vision Impaired Stand up, you sit down 'cos your ceiling's too low, there's…
Wide Open Space I'm in a wide open space, I'm standing I'm all alone…
You Who Do You Hate You're a child, you are weak You are precious, you won't…