Deke Leonard

A veteran of a small but thriving Welsh beat group scene, Roger "Deke" Leonard was a member of Lucifer and the Corncrackers, the Jets, the Blackjacks, the Jets (again), the Smokeless Zone, and the Dream prior to replacing Vic Oakley in the Bystanders in 1968. Concurrently, this close-harmony act had decided to pursue a more progressive direction and became Man upon the newcomer's arrival. Influenced by Mick Green of the Pirates and Bo Diddley, Leonard's guitar work and compositional skill were crucial in their evolution from concept album acolytes to free-flowing improvisers. He left the band in 1972, following the release of Live at the Padgett Rooms, Penarth, and immediately recorded an impressive solo album, Iceberg. This inspired the formation of a permanent band that coincidentally supported Man on tour, but a disappointing second album, Kamikaze, doomed the project. Leonard subsequently rejoined his former colleagues, where he remained until their initial breakup in 1976. In 1981, he finally completed a third album and recorded with Sean Tyla as the Force. Leonard continued to pursue a career in less fashionable enclaves, both as a solo attraction and as a member of the re-formed Man. He later turned his hand to music journalism with admirable effect, completing two witty volumes of Man memoirs. He died on January 31, 2017 at the age of 72.
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