Manfred Mann's Earth Band: Chris Thompson, Shona Laing, Steve Waller (vocals); Manfred Mann (keyboards); John Lingwood (drums, percussion); Matt Irving (programming, bass programming).
Like fellow British Invasion band the Moody Blues, '60s stalwarts Manfred Mann updated their sound in the '80s to keep current, and they scored a sizeable hit with their 1983 release SOMEWHERE IN AFRIKA. Long gone were the party-pop anthems of yesteryear ("Do Wah Diddy Diddy," etc.); in their place was intelligent and mature pop in the vein of such '80s chart-toppers as Phil Collins and the Police. Standouts include the band's surprise top 20 single, the melodic "Runner," as well as a cover of the Police's "Demolition Man" that sticks fairly close to the original. SOMEWHERE IN AFRIKA surprised many critics, cracking the top 50 and turning a whole new generation onto the Mann. minimize