Automatic Man, an American funk and rock group formed in San Francisco in 1976, was founded by drummer Michael Shrieve after leaving Santana, keyboardist Todd Cochran, guitarist Pat Thrall, and bassist Doni Harvey. The band’s early sessions featured experimental space‑rock textures that led to a 1976 signing with Island Records, where they released the self‑titled album Automatic Man; the single "My Pearl" peaked at Number 97 on the Billboard Hot 100. In 1977 the group issued Visitors, a more accessible funk‑rock effort, but internal disagreements and limited touring support caused the lineup to dissolve the same year. After the breakup, members pursued prolific careers: Shrieve became a sought‑after session drummer for artists such as Mick Jagger and The Rolling Stones; Cochran worked as a composer and arranger for diverse acts and later as a film score writer; Thrall collaborated with Pat Travers, Bruce Springsteen’s guitarist Little Steven Van Zandt, and the band Asia; Harvey continued as a session bassist and later formed the group Doni Harvey and Deeper Shade of Blue. In 2004 and 2005, both albums were remastered and reissued on CD by Cherry Red, reintroducing Automatic Man to collectors and confirming the band’s influence on the transitional period between jazz, disco, and progressive rock.
