BACK in the Sixties Manfred Mann was an unstoppable hit machine.

Almost ever-present in the charts with classics like 5-4-3-2-1, Doo Wah Diddy Diddy, Pretty Flamingo and Come Tomorrow, their music was so good they survived a change of lead singer when Paul Jones left in 1966 and was replaced by Mike D’Abo.

After splitting in 1969, the band (without Manfred Mann himself) reformed in 1991 as The Manfreds and since then they have continued to enchant audiences around the world.

Their latest tour will see them performing at Ferneham Hall, Fareham, on Thursday.

Three of the original band: singer Paul Jones, keyboard player (formerly drummer) Mike Hugg and guitarist Tom McGuinness are still plying their trade, along with long-standing members drummer Rob Townsend, bassist Marcus Cliffe and Simon Currie on flute and sax.

The 2015 tour is concentrating on the jazz and blues ingredients of the band’s music.

But with them having the ‘heavier’ side of jazz and blues in their mix, I wondered whether the band were pleased to be known for their ‘pop’ hits.

“Well,” says founder member Mike Hugg philosophically, “if we hadn’t had those hits, I wouldn’t still be touring. Seriously, of course we were glad. We had a great time, it was a very exciting time back then.”

In the Sixties Mike played drums but now he is the keyboard player. Why the change?

“I’d always played piano, even before Manfred Mann,” he explains.

“When we split Manfred and I formed a band called Emanon (‘no name’ backwards), and I was writing a lot of the music on the piano, so it seemed right for me to switch.

“Also,” he adds ruefully, “just after we split the van which had all my drums in was stolen. I’d love to know where they are now.”

For this tour, the band will be concentrating not only on the hits, but on jazz and blues.

“We can’t ignore the hits, but we’ve dug out a few numbers from the past that we haven’t done before, said Mike.

“It’s been interesting for us playing these songs again and it will be a change for the fans as well.”