Maximum Darkness is the tenth album by the Welsh rock band Man and was released on the United Artists Records label in July 1975 and featured John Cipollina as special guest.
There were rumours when we were at school that Micky Jones had to over-dub Cipollina’s guitar, as it was out of tune, before the album could be released. But they are exaggerated. Only one track, "Bananas", had to have his playing removed/replaced. Deke Leonard said,"Everything ... which sounds like Cipollina is Cipollina."
I especially loved 7171551 the opening track, an instrumental which has a memorable riff. For years I only had a cassette recording of it from Russell in a C45 so had to leave off Babe I’m Going To Leave You to make it fit and even now it feels wrong
The album spent two weeks in the UK album chart, peaking at No 25. It was the band's last release on United Artists, before moving to MCA Records
I wasn’t especially aware they were all stoners when I first heard this in 1975, indeed the 14 year-old wouldn't have even known what that meant but I loved the jamming that was their trademark. And the Rick Griffin lettering. The front cover photo - who I always assumed was Cipollina - was by Keith Morris who we worked alongside until he died in a diving accident. He sent us a big folder of photographs to use and was a lovely, irascible cockney.
If you want to a shortcut to learn what Man were all about as a live band, this album perfectly encapsulates what they were all about