Modern Man -

Modern Man was a Scottish new wave band that released the 1980 album Concrete Scheme with accompanying singles on MAM Records.

Members: Jim Cook (vocals), Colin King (drums), Ali McLeod (guitar), Danny Mitchell (guitar), Mike Moran (bass)

Background

Modern Man formed in Glasgow when drummer Colin King and guitarist Danny Mitchell developed a local covers band into an original group with singer Jim Cook, bassist Mike Moran, and second guitarist Ali MacLeod.

Mitchell grew up in Govan and Drumchapel, where he briefly played oboe in a school orchestra and learned acoustic guitar in his late teens. King met Mitchell in summer 1976; the guitarist joined King’s covers band after returning from England and worked the local pub circuit.

Modern Man played the Mars Bar in Glasgow and the Bungalow Bar in Paisley as the west-central Scottish new-wave circuit expanded in the late 1970s. The group became a repeat attraction at the Bungalow from the early period of the venue.

Midge Ure, then singer–guitarist in Ultravox, saw Modern Man at a Sauchiehall Street bar in Glasgow. Ure secured demo time and helped the group obtain a contract with MAM Records.

Modern Man recorded Concrete Scheme at Ca Va Studios in Glasgow with producer Ure and engineer Brian Young. MAM issued “All the Little Idiots” on Aug. 15, 1980 (b/w “Advance”), then followed on Oct. 24 with “Body Music” (b/w “I Couldn’t Stop”) as the second advance single for Concrete Scheme.

Discography: