Manfred Mann Reflects on Career and Controversial Album in Prog Magazine Interview

Manfred Mann Reflects on Career and Controversial Album in Prog Magazine Interview

Manfred Mann, the creator of a concept album released in 1983, reflects on his career in an interview with Prog magazine. Despite his attempt to address the issue of apartheid in South Africa through his album "Somewhere In Afrika," he feels that it was overshadowed by Paul Simon's later work, "Graceland." Mann admits that he may have diluted the album's message and failed to make a significant impact musically.

Growing up in South Africa, Mann's personal connection to the apartheid issue led him to tackle it in his music. However, he acknowledges that the execution of the concept fell short of his expectations. The inclusion of Bob Marley's "Redemption Song" on the album, which deviated from the South Africa theme, is one example of where he believes he went wrong.

Despite his disappointment with "Somewhere In Afrika," Mann remains critical of his entire discography. He questions whether any of his albums, including "Solar Fire" and "The Roaring Silence," can be considered classics. He expresses a lack of confidence in his songwriting abilities and defends his band's choice to perform covers of other artists' songs.

Mann dismisses the criticism of his band's reliance on cover songs, comparing it to the practices of renowned artists like Frank Sinatra and Elvis Presley. He argues that adapting existing songs to their style was a better approach for his band. While acknowledging his limitations as a songwriter, Mann remains content with his music career and continues to enjoy performing, even if his work is not always well-received by critics.