Man From Delmonte

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The Man From Delmonte was an independent band from Manchester, England, formed in 1987. Band members included Mike West (vocals and acoustic guitar), Sheila Seal (bass), Martin Vincent (guitar), and Howard Goody (drums).[1]

The band members had little in common with most Manchester bands. Howard Goody was a graduate of Winchester School of Art. Martin Vincent had been an art critic and painter. Sheila Seal, a Glaswegian, was a classically trained musician who had run an art gallery. And Mike West, who wrote the songs, was the Australian-born son of the successful author Morris West.

The band played many gigs at the Boardwalk club, in Manchester, where they recorded their Big Noise live album in 1989. However, they attained little commercial or critical success.

They took their name from a series of 1980s TV adverts for Del Monte fruit juices, featuring the "Man From Del Monte". In these, the man would visit villages to sample their fruit juices, to see if they were good enough to be included in his company's drinks. The tagline, shouted jubilantly by a villager on approval was, "The man from Del Monte, he say 'Yes!'"'.

At one point they were managed by journalist Jon Ronson, then only nineteen.

Mike West moved to New Orleans to pursue a solo career in the early 1990s. He continues to tour internationally and record albums.

Contents

[edit] Discography

Chart placings shown are from the UK Indie Chart.[1]

[edit] Singles

  • Drive, Drive, Drive (1987) Ugly Man Records
  • Water In My Eyes (1987) Ugly Man Records
  • Will Nobody Save Louise (1988) Ugly Man Records (#13)
  • Waiting For Ann (1989) Bop Cassettes
  • Big Noise (1989) Bop Cassettes/(2000) Vinyl Japan (#20)
  • My Love Is Like A Gift You Can't Return]] (1989) Bop Cassettes (#13)

[edit] Albums

  • Catholic Boys on Mobilettes (1989) Bop Cassettes
  • The Good Things in Life (2000) Vinyl Japan

[edit] References

  1. ^ a b Lazell, Barry (1997). Indie Hits 1980-1999. Cherry Red Books. ISBN 0-9517206-9-4. 

[edit] External links