Description
Ministry of the Interior is an album by the British singer and songwriter Geoff Mann (credited as Eh! Geoff Mann Band), released on Food For Thought Records in October 1991, a sub-label of Music for Nations (marketed and distributed by Music for Nations). The album was recorded at Cavalier Studios in Stockport, England.
The most creative of all that most misunderstood breed, the rocking reverend, has done it again! With his trusty band of cohorts (encapsulated in another zany band name variant) and liberal use of Geoff’s much loved “wobbly guitar” the Bolton vicar-cum-rocker turns in a fine album, full of muscle, bite, and lyrics which with a luminous beam of truth shine on the turmoil and tangle of life. Pride of place on this album, every bit as good as his classic ‘Loud Symbols‘ is the twenty minutes plus number «The Waking Dawn» which with its suite of themes echoes back to those glorious days of 70s progressive and Twelfth Night (with whom of course Geoff once played). You’re unlikely to hear a better progressive rock album this year and when one considers the presumably tiny budget on which it was cut credit and plaudits to Geoff Mann, Paul Keeble, John Maycraft and Gary Mitchell, currently known as Eh! Geoff Mann Band. [Tony Cummings, Cross Rhythms, December 1991]
I have a lot of cd’s, including nearly everything remotely “spiritual prog” in existence, as you might guess. Well, today I got in the mail a cd that blew my socks off, and it is by artist I had a nearly complete collection of, Geoff Mann. Geoff was a vicar of the Church of England, a sold out Christian, as well as being the lead vocalist/lyricist for one England’s premier neo prog bands, Twelfth Night. The work he produced with Twelfth Night was some great stuff, cool melodic prog, with hints and allegories about Christ abounding in Geoff’s stellar, satirical lyrics. Geoff eventually left the band and put out a number of cool solo albums in the late 80’s, early 90’s, but while experimental in many way, and mostly full of Christian themes, none of them were particularly progressive, except a concept-album collaboration with Clive Nolan of Pendragon called Casino, and a few songs here and there. Or so I thought. Luckily for Geoff (but not for the rest of us), he got to go and be with the Lord about ten years ago. But he left one gem undiscovered (at least by me): Ministry of the Interior. It was one of his last albums, and was recorded with the band, Eh! It is absolutely the best thing he ever did. Provocative, creative, progressive, cohesive, spiritually alive, and just flat out awesome. There’s a 20 minute epic («The Waking Dawn»), great tasteful playing, and of course, gobs of Geoff’s witty, insightful, challenging lyrics. If you are a fan of Genesis, Marillion, or any of the 80’s neo prog stuff, Ministry of the Interior is essential fare. [DT, Virtuosity, January 1, 2003]
CD tracklist:
01. Bashan Beef (Babylon Babe) – 4:15
02. What’s In A Name? – 3:57
03. Down Here – 7:27
04. Smile – 2:04
05. Dayspring – 6:35
06. The Waking Dawn – 20:05
06.1 The City Asleep…
06.2 The City Dreams… (Madmen/ The Waking Dawn/ Devouring Kings/ Clowning Around/ Great False Freedoms)
06.3 Into The Walking Day…
07. This Is Your Doing – 3:06
Note: Simultaneously released on cassette, 12-inch vinyl LP and CD by Food For Thought Records. Available at Bandcamp: https://twelfthnightuk.bandcamp.com/album/ministry-of-the-interior
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