Music of Manchester
Encyclopedia
The pop groups of the 1960s and early 1970s
ManchesterManchester
Manchester is a city and metropolitan borough in Greater Manchester, England. According to the Office for National Statistics, the 2010 mid-year population estimate for Manchester was 498,800. Manchester lies within one of the UK's largest metropolitan areas, the metropolitan county of Greater...
had an impressive music scene before 1976, with groups like The Hollies
The Hollies
The Hollies are an English pop and rock group, formed in Manchester in the early 1960s, though most of the band members are from throughout East Lancashire. Known for their distinctive vocal harmony style, they became one of the leading British groups of the 1960s and 1970s...
, The Bee Gees, Herman's Hermits
Herman's Hermits
Herman's Hermits are an English beat band, formed in Manchester in 1963 as Herman & The Hermits. The group's record producer, Mickie Most , emphasized a simple, non-threatening, clean-cut image, although the band originally played R&B numbers...
, Wayne Fontana and The Mindbenders, Freddie and the Dreamers
Freddie and the Dreamers
Freddie and the Dreamers were an English band who had a number of hit records between May 1963 and November 1965. Their stage act was based around the comic antics of the 5-foot-3-inch-tall Freddie Garrity, who would bounce around the stage with arms and legs flying. The group remained active...
in the 1960s and Barclay James Harvest
Barclay James Harvest
Barclay James Harvest are an English progressive rock band. They were founded in Saddleworth, Lancashire, in September 1966 by John Lees, Les Holroyd, Stuart "Woolly" Wolstenholme , and Mel Pritchard .-History:...
and 10cc
10cc
10cc are an English art rock band who achieved their greatest commercial success in the 1970s. The band initially consisted of four musicians -- Graham Gouldman, Eric Stewart, Kevin Godley, and Lol Creme -- who had written and recorded together for some three years, before assuming the "10cc" name...
in the early 1970s. Top of the Pops
Top of the Pops
Top of the Pops, also known as TOTP, is a British music chart television programme, made by the BBC and originally broadcast weekly from 1 January 1964 to 30 July 2006. After 25 December 2006 it became a radio program, now hosted by Tony Blackburn...
was also recorded by the BBC
BBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
at this time in the city. In 1965, Herman's Hermits outsold the Beatles, selling over 10 million records in seven months. Manchester bands Freddie and the Dreamers, Wayne Fontana and the Mindbenders and Herman's Hermits topped the American Billboard charts consecutively during mid-April – May 1965. In 1965, all three bands were numbers 1, 2 and 3 on the US Billboard top 100 for one week. Graham Nash
Graham Nash
Graham William Nash, OBE is an English singer-songwriter known for his light tenor vocals and for his songwriting contributions with the British pop group The Hollies, and with the folk-rock band Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young. Nash is a photography collector and a published photographer...
of The Hollies
The Hollies
The Hollies are an English pop and rock group, formed in Manchester in the early 1960s, though most of the band members are from throughout East Lancashire. Known for their distinctive vocal harmony style, they became one of the leading British groups of the 1960s and 1970s...
moved to California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
to become part of the rapidly expanding music scene there. With the exception of Graham Gouldman of 10cc and Eric Stewart of The Mindbenders (who built Strawberry Studios in Stockport
Stockport
Stockport is a town in Greater Manchester, England. It lies on elevated ground southeast of Manchester city centre, at the point where the rivers Goyt and Tame join and create the River Mersey. Stockport is the largest settlement in the metropolitan borough of the same name...
, the UK's first world class recording studio outside London) there was little reinvestment in Manchester from its local musicians who had been successful.
The Sex Pistols at the Free Trade Hall and Punk Rock
On 4 June 1976, at the invitation of Howard DevotoHoward Devoto
Howard Devoto is an English rock and roll singer-songwriter, who began his career as the frontman for the punk band Buzzcocks, but then left to form Magazine, one of the first post-punk bands...
and Pete Shelley
Pete Shelley
Pete Shelley is an English singer, songwriter and guitarist, best known as the leader of Buzzcocks.-Biography:...
of the Buzzcocks
Buzzcocks
Buzzcocks are an English punk rock band formed in Bolton in 1976, led by singer–songwriter–guitarist Pete Shelley.They are regarded as an important influence on the Manchester music scene, the independent record label movement, punk rock, power pop, pop punk and indie rock. They achieved commercial...
, the Sex Pistols
Sex Pistols
The Sex Pistols were an English punk rock band that formed in London in 1975. They were responsible for initiating the punk movement in the United Kingdom and inspiring many later punk and alternative rock musicians...
played at the Lesser Free Trade Hall. In an audience of less than 42 people, several key members of Manchester's future music scene were present: Tony Wilson
Tony Wilson
Anthony Howard Wilson, commonly known as Tony Wilson , was an English record label owner, radio presenter, TV show host, nightclub manager, impresario and journalist for Granada Television and the BBC....
(Granada TV presenter and creator of Factory Records
Factory Records
Factory Records was a Manchester based British independent record label, started in 1978 by Tony Wilson and Alan Erasmus, which featured several prominent musical acts on its roster such as Joy Division, New Order, A Certain Ratio, The Durutti Column, Happy Mondays, Northside and James and...
), Peter Hook
Peter Hook
Peter Hook is an English bass player, musician and author.He was a co-founder of the post-punk band Joy Division along with Bernard Sumner in the mid-1970s. Following the death of lead singer Ian Curtis, the band reformed as New Order, and Hook played bass with them throughout their career until...
, Bernard Sumner
Bernard Sumner
Bernard Sumner , also known as Bernard Dickin, Bernard Dicken and Bernard Albrecht is an English singer-songwriter, guitarist, keyboard player and producer....
(Joy Division
Joy Division
Joy Division were an English rock band formed in 1976 in Salford, Greater Manchester. Originally named Warsaw, the band primarily consisted of Ian Curtis , Bernard Sumner , Peter Hook and Stephen Morris .Joy Division rapidly evolved from their initial punk rock influences...
and New Order
New Order
New Order are an English rock band formed in 1980 by Bernard Sumner , Peter Hook and Stephen Morris...
), Morrissey
Morrissey
Steven Patrick Morrissey , known as Morrissey, is an English singer and lyricist. He rose to prominence in the 1980s as the lyricist and vocalist of the alternative rock band The Smiths. The band was highly successful in the United Kingdom but broke up in 1987, and Morrissey began a solo career,...
(later to form The Smiths
The Smiths
The Smiths were an English alternative rock band, formed in Manchester in 1982. Based on the song writing partnership of Morrissey and Johnny Marr , the band also included Andy Rourke and Mike Joyce...
with Johnny Marr
Johnny Marr
Johnny Marr is an English musician and songwriter. Marr rose to fame in the 1980s as the guitarist in The Smiths, with whom he formed a prolific songwriting partnership with Morrissey. Marr has been a member of Electronic, The The, and Modest Mouse...
), producer Martin Hannett
Martin Hannett
Martin Hannett , sometimes credited as Martin Zero, was a record producer and an original partner in Factory Records with Tony Wilson...
, Mark E Smith of The Fall, Paul Morley
Paul Morley
Paul Morley is an English journalist, who wrote for the New Musical Express from 1977 to 1983, during one of its most successful periods, and has since written for a wide range of publications...
later to become an influential music journalist, and Mick Hucknall
Mick Hucknall
Michael "Mick" Hucknall is a British singer and songwriter. He was the lead singer of the British band Simply Red, and is recognisable for his smooth, distinctive voice and wide vocal range, as well as his red curly hair.-Early life:...
of Simply Red
Simply Red
Simply Red were a British soul band that sold more than 50 million albums over a 25-year career. Their style drew influences from blue-eyed soul, new romantic, rock, reggae and jazz...
. Another influential event was the release of Buzzcocks' Spiral Scratch
Spiral Scratch (EP)
Spiral Scratch is a four-track EP by the British punk rock band Buzzcocks, recorded in 1976 and released in January 1977. It was the first punk record to be self-released , and only the third record ever by a British punk band When reissued in 1979, it...
EP
Extended play
An EP is a musical recording which contains more music than a single, but is too short to qualify as a full album or LP. The term EP originally referred only to specific types of vinyl records other than 78 rpm standard play records and LP records, but it is now applied to mid-length Compact...
in early 1977 – the first independent-label punk record.
In the wake of the Buzzcocks' release, the old movers and shakers from the Manchester music collective Music Force, who included producer Martin Hannett
Martin Hannett
Martin Hannett , sometimes credited as Martin Zero, was a record producer and an original partner in Factory Records with Tony Wilson...
, Tosh Ryan and Lawrence Beadle, formed a local label called Rabid Records and started putting out singles by local acts like Slaughter & The Dogs
Slaughter & The Dogs
Slaughter & The Dogs is an English punk rock band that formed in the late 1970s in Manchester, England. They were one of the first UK punk bands to sign for a major label, Decca Records.-Career:...
(Rob Gretton
Rob Gretton
Rob Gretton was the manager of Joy Division and New Order. He was also a partner in Factory Records, proprietor of the Rob's Records label and a co-founder along with Tony Wilson of The Haçienda nightclub in Manchester, England. In 1977, Gretton became a leading figure in the Manchester punk...
later to manage Joy Division and New Order was their roadie/tour manager – all Wythenshawe
Wythenshawe
Wythenshawe is a district in the south of the city of Manchester, England.Formerly part of the administrative county of Cheshire, in 1931 Wythenshawe was transferred to the City of Manchester, which had begun building a massive housing estate there in the 1920s to resolve the problem of its inner...
lads), John Cooper Clarke
John Cooper Clarke
John Cooper Clarke is an English performance poet who first became famous during the punk rock era of the late 1970s when he became known as a "punk poet"...
and Ed Banger & The Nosebleeds (whose lineup included Vini Reilly
Vini Reilly
Vincent "Vini" Gerard Reilly is an English musician and leader of the post-punk group The Durutti Column.-Biography:...
) and they licensed "Jilted John" by Jilted John to EMI records. The timing of this record company coincided with Tony Wilson
Tony Wilson
Anthony Howard Wilson, commonly known as Tony Wilson , was an English record label owner, radio presenter, TV show host, nightclub manager, impresario and journalist for Granada Television and the BBC....
bringing the cream of both American and British punk and New Wave bands to the public on his acclaimed late night Granada Television
Granada Television
Granada Television is the ITV contractor for North West England. Based in Manchester since its inception, it is the only surviving original ITA franchisee from 1954 and is ITV's most successful....
show So It Goes
So It Goes (TV series)
So It Goes was a British TV music show presented by Tony Wilson on Granada Television between 1976 and 1977. It is most famous for showcasing the then burgeoning Punk rock movement...
. This meant that Manchester had televised the Sex Pistols
Sex Pistols
The Sex Pistols were an English punk rock band that formed in London in 1975. They were responsible for initiating the punk movement in the United Kingdom and inspiring many later punk and alternative rock musicians...
long before they appeared on Thames Television
Thames Television
Thames Television was a licensee of the British ITV television network, covering London and parts of the surrounding counties on weekdays from 30 July 1968 until 31 December 1992....
with Bill Grundy
Bill Grundy
William "Bill" Grundy was an English television presenter and former host of Today, a regional news programme broadcast on Thames Television...
(incidentally another Mancunian). Unlike other major cities, Manchester hosted The Sex Pistols Anarchy Tour twice at The Electric Circus; and it was these gigs more than the small Lesser Free Trade Hall gigs which really lit a fire under Manchester's assorted musicians and gave them that do-it-yourself philosophy which defined British punk.
When So It Goes concluded on Granada TV, Tony Wilson wanted to remain involved in the local music scene, so he started an event night at the old Russell Club in Hulme
Hulme
Hulme is an inner city area and electoral ward of Manchester, England. Located immediately south of Manchester city centre, it is an area with significant industrial heritage....
called The Factory along with his friends (soon to be business partners) Alan Erasmus and Alan Wise. Deeply Vale Festivals (1976–1979), just north of Manchester between Rochdale and Bury, was the first free festival in the country to introduce punk bands such as Durutti Column, The Fall and The Drones. The festival was compered by Tony Wilson as a favour to friend and organiser Chris Hewitt. Wilson had been taking a great interest in Rabid Records and its set up. After working on the research for a Granada TV feature about Rabid, he along with Alan Erasmus and Joy Division Manager Rob Gretton (the Ideal for Living EP had been distributed by Rabid) decided they would do their own version of Rabid Records, but instead of churning out singles and then licensing the album deals to major labels (Slaughter & The Dogs' debut appeared on Decca, John Cooper Clarke was licensed to CBS, and Jilted John to EMI), they would concentrate on albums. The first album following the Factory sampler EP (which included Joy Division, Cabaret Voltaire
Cabaret Voltaire (band)
Cabaret Voltaire were a British music group from Sheffield, England.Initially composed of Stephen Mallinder, Richard H. Kirk and Chris Watson, the group was named after the Cabaret Voltaire, a nightclub in Zürich, Switzerland that was a centre for the early Dada movement.Their earliest performances...
, and Od
OD
- Non abbreviated meanings of OD :* Od , a language of the Oad people* Od, a life force - see Odic force* Od, a Nordic god - see Óðr* Od, a replacement for "God" in some minced oaths- Health and medicine :...
) was Unknown Pleasures
Unknown Pleasures
Unknown Pleasures is the debut album by the English post-punk band Joy Division, released in 1979 through Factory Records. Martin Hannett produced the record at Strawberry Studios, Stockport, England. The album sold poorly upon release, but due to the subsequent success of Joy Division with the...
by Joy Division, recorded at Strawberry Studios in Stockport.
Factory Records and the post-punk period
Taking the Industrial Revolution as its model, Factory Records played upon Manchester's traditions, invoking at once apparently incongruous images of the industrial north and the glamorous pop artPop art
Pop art is an art movement that emerged in the mid 1950s in Britain and in the late 1950s in the United States. Pop art challenged tradition by asserting that an artist's use of the mass-produced visual commodities of popular culture is contiguous with the perspective of fine art...
world of Andy Warhol
Andy Warhol
Andrew Warhola , known as Andy Warhol, was an American painter, printmaker, and filmmaker who was a leading figure in the visual art movement known as pop art...
. While label mates A Certain Ratio
A Certain Ratio
A Certain Ratio are a Post-punk band formed in 1977 in Manchester, England. While originally part of the punk rock movement, they soon added funk and dance elements to their sound. They are sometimes referred to as "post punk funk"...
and The Durutti Column
The Durutti Column
The Durutti Column are an English post-punk band formed in 1978 in Manchester, England. The band is an ongoing project of guitarist Vini Reilly who is often accompanied by drummer Bruce Mitchell. Other current members are Keir Stewart and Reilly's girlfriend Poppy Morgan...
each forged their own sound, it was Factory's Joy Division who managed to grimly define what exactly it was to be a Mancunian as the 1970s drew to an end. At the same time, and out of the same post-punk of Joy Division combining rock, pop, and dance music to earn much critical acclaim while selling millions of records. The group that would ultimately become the definitive Manchester group of the 1980s was The Smiths
The Smiths
The Smiths were an English alternative rock band, formed in Manchester in 1982. Based on the song writing partnership of Morrissey and Johnny Marr , the band also included Andy Rourke and Mike Joyce...
, led by Morrissey and Marr. With songs like "Rusholme Ruffians" and "Suffer Little Children", Morrissey sang explicitly about Manchester, creating songs that are as iconic of Manchester as the paintings of L.S. Lowry.
Madchester
As the 1980s drew to a close, a new energy arrived in Manchester fueled by the drug ecstasy. A new scene developed around The HaçiendaThe Haçienda
Fac 51 Haçienda was a nightclub and music venue in Manchester, England. It became most famous during the "Madchester" years of the late 1980s and early 1990s, during the 1990s it was labelled the most famous club in the world by Newsweek magazine...
night club (part of the Factory Records empire), creating what would become known as the Madchester
Madchester
Madchester was a music scene that developed in Manchester, England, towards the end of the 1980s and into the early 1990s. The music that emerged from the scene mixed alternative rock, psychedelic rock and dance music...
scene, the main proponents being Happy Mondays
Happy Mondays
Happy Mondays are an English alternative rock band from Salford, Greater Manchester. Formed in 1980, the band's original line-up was Shaun Ryder on lead vocals, his brother Paul Ryder on bass, lead guitarist Mark Day, keyboardist Paul Davis, and drummer Gary Whelan...
, Inspiral Carpets
Inspiral Carpets
Inspiral Carpets are an alternative rock band from Oldham in Greater Manchester, England formed by Graham Lambert and Stephen Holt in 1983. The band is named after a clothing shop on their Oldham estate...
, Northside
Northside (band)
Northside are a British band from Blackley and Moston, Manchester, England. Formed in 1989, they released their only album Chicken Rhythms on Factory Records in 1991...
and The Stone Roses
The Stone Roses
The Stone Roses are an English alternative rock band formed in Manchester in 1983. They were one of the pioneering groups of the Madchester movement that was active during the late 1980s and early 1990s...
. The history of the Manchester music scene over this period was dramatised in Michael Winterbottom
Michael Winterbottom
Michael Winterbottom is a prolific English filmmaker who has directed seventeen feature films in the past fifteen years. He began his career working in British television before moving into features...
's 2002 film 24 Hour Party People
24 Hour Party People
24 Hour Party People is a 2002 British film about Manchester's popular music community from 1976 to 1992, and specifically about Factory Records. It was written by Frank Cottrell Boyce and directed by Michael Winterbottom...
.
The 1990s and after
After the Madchester period, Manchester music lost much of its provincial energy, though many successful and interesting acts were still to emerge. Notable musical acts in Manchester have included GeneGene
A gene is a molecular unit of heredity of a living organism. It is a name given to some stretches of DNA and RNA that code for a type of protein or for an RNA chain that has a function in the organism. Living beings depend on genes, as they specify all proteins and functional RNA chains...
, Take That
Take That
Take That are a British five-piece vocal pop group comprising Gary Barlow, Howard Donald, Jason Orange, Mark Owen and Robbie Williams. Barlow acts as the lead singer and primary songwriter...
, 808 State
808 State
808 State are a British electronic music outfit, formed in 1987 in Manchester, taking their name from the Roland TR-808 drum machine and their common state of mind...
, M People
M People
M People are a British house music act from Manchester, who formed in 1990 and achieved success throughout most of the 1990s. The name M People is from the initials of Mike Pickering, who formed the group.-Career:...
, Oasis
Oasis (band)
Oasis were an English rock band formed in Manchester in 1991. Originally known as The Rain, the group was formed by Liam Gallagher , Paul "Bonehead" Arthurs , Paul "Guigsy" McGuigan and Tony McCarroll , who were soon joined by Liam's older brother Noel Gallagher...
, The Courteeners
The Courteeners
The Courteeners are a rock band formed in Middleton, Greater Manchester, England in 2006 by Liam Fray , Michael Campbell , Daniel Conan Moores , Mark Cuppello -Formation:...
, The Durutti Column
The Durutti Column
The Durutti Column are an English post-punk band formed in 1978 in Manchester, England. The band is an ongoing project of guitarist Vini Reilly who is often accompanied by drummer Bruce Mitchell. Other current members are Keir Stewart and Reilly's girlfriend Poppy Morgan...
, A Certain Ratio
A Certain Ratio
A Certain Ratio are a Post-punk band formed in 1977 in Manchester, England. While originally part of the punk rock movement, they soon added funk and dance elements to their sound. They are sometimes referred to as "post punk funk"...
, James
James (band)
James are a British rock band from Manchester, England. They formed in 1982 and were active throughout the 1980s, but most successful during the 1990s. Their hit singles include "Come Home", "Sit Down", and "She's a Star" as well as their American College Radio hit "Laid"...
, Badly Drawn Boy
Badly Drawn Boy
Damon Gough is an English alternative music singer/songwriter. He was born on 2 October 1969, in Dunstable, Bedfordshire. He grew up in the Breightmet area of Bolton, Lancashire, England....
, Chameleons, Simply Red
Simply Red
Simply Red were a British soul band that sold more than 50 million albums over a 25-year career. Their style drew influences from blue-eyed soul, new romantic, rock, reggae and jazz...
, Cleopatra
Cleopatra (band)
Cleopatra are a platinum-selling, BRIT Awards and MOBO Awards nominated, R&B/pop girl group from the UK whose members are sisters Cleo, Yonah, and Zainam Higgins.The girls were signed to Madonna's Maverick record label...
, Michael McGoldrick
Michael McGoldrick
Michael McGoldrick is a flute and tin whistle player. He also plays the Uilleann pipes and low whistle. He is well known for his ability to skate switch and regular with the same level of ability.-Bands:...
, Monomania
Monomania
In 19th century psychiatry, monomania is a single pathological preoccupation in an otherwise sound mind. Emotional monomania is that in which the patient is obsessed with only one emotion or several related to it; intellectual monomania is that which is related to only one kind of delirious idea...
, I Am Kloot
I Am Kloot
I Am Kloot are an English band formed in Manchester, in 1999 by John Bramwell , Peter Jobson and Andy Hargreaves .-History:...
, Autechre
Autechre
Autechre are an English electronic music duo consisting of Rob Brown and Sean Booth, both natives of Rochdale, Greater Manchester. Formed in 1987, they are one of the most prominent acts signed to Warp Records, a label known for its pioneering electronic music and through which all Autechre albums...
, Lamb
Lamb (band)
Lamb is an electronic music duo from Manchester, England, whose music is influenced by trip hop and drum and bass. The duo consists of producer Andy Barlow, who also produces under the pseudonym Hipoptimist, and singer-songwriter Lou Rhodes...
, Marconi Union
Marconi Union
Marconi Union are a British musical trio Richard Talbot, Jamie Crossley and Duncan Meadows, with strong links to the Manchester based DOTCA arts collective. Their music incorporates elements of electronica, ambient, jazz and dub.-History:...
, A Guy Called Gerald
A Guy Called Gerald
A Guy Called Gerald is the stage name for the musician, record producer and DJ Gerald Simpson ....
, Goldblade
Goldblade
Goldblade are an English punk rock band from Manchester, England. The band formed in early 1995 when ex Membranes frontman, John Robb, put the band together with Wayne Simmons and former A Witness vocalist Keith Curtis on bass, Rob Haynes on drums and Jay Taylor on guitar.The band signed to...
, Mr Scruff, Oceansize
Oceansize
Oceansize were a British rock band, formed in Manchester, England on 19th October 1998. The band consisted of Mike Vennart , Steve Durose , Richard "Gambler" Ingram , Mark Heron and Jon Ellis for the majority of its career, with Steve Hodson replacing Ellis on bass in 2006...
and Doves.
Morrissey
Morrissey
Steven Patrick Morrissey , known as Morrissey, is an English singer and lyricist. He rose to prominence in the 1980s as the lyricist and vocalist of the alternative rock band The Smiths. The band was highly successful in the United Kingdom but broke up in 1987, and Morrissey began a solo career,...
and The Fall still continue to garner critical acclaim while Oasis
Oasis (band)
Oasis were an English rock band formed in Manchester in 1991. Originally known as The Rain, the group was formed by Liam Gallagher , Paul "Bonehead" Arthurs , Paul "Guigsy" McGuigan and Tony McCarroll , who were soon joined by Liam's older brother Noel Gallagher...
remains the most popular, having played to more than 1.7 million people worldwide during their Don't Believe the Truth
Don't Believe the Truth
Don't Believe the Truth is the sixth studio album by English rock band Oasis, released on 30 May 2005. It reached number 1 in the UK Albums Chart with first week sales of just under 238,000, and is the 32nd fastest selling album ever in the UK. The album entered the U.S...
tour of 2005 and early 2006. In 2010, Manchester was named the UK's seventh "most musical" city by PRS for Music.
The venues of the early 21st century
Manchester's biggest popular music venue is the Manchester Evening News ArenaManchester Evening News Arena
The Manchester Evening News Arena is an indoor arena situated in Manchester, England. It is adjacent to Manchester Victoria station near Corporation Street...
, which seats over twenty thousand and is the largest arena of its type in Europe, with the City of Manchester Stadium and Old Trafford's cricket grounds also providing large ad-hoc open air venues outside of the sporting season. Other major venues include the Manchester Apollo
Manchester Apollo
O2 Apollo Manchester is a concert venue in Manchester, England. Locally known as The Apollo, it is a listed building, with a capacity of 3,500 ....
, Manchester Central (formally known as the GMEX) and the Manchester Academy
Manchester Academy
Manchester Academy is a brand name used by the University of Manchester Students' Union for its four concert venues in Manchester, England, which reside on Oxford Road both within and adjacent to the main Students' Union building....
. There are over 30 smaller venues for signed and unsigned artists of all genres to perform in, ensuring that the music scene in Manchester constantly remains vibrant and interesting. An area known as the Northern Quarter, considered the cultural and musical heart of the city, houses some of the best known of these venues such as Band on the Wall
Band on the Wall
Band on the Wall is a live music venue at 25 Swan Street in the Northern Quarter area of Manchester city centre.-Early history:The building dates back to around 1862 when a local brewery, the McKenna Brothers, built it as the flagship pub of their operation. It was called the George and Dragon; the...
, the Roadhouse and The Night and Day Cafe
The Night and Day Café
The Night and Day Café is a cafe bar and live music venue located on Oldham Street, Manchester, opposite Piccadilly Records and between Magma Design Bookstore / Vinyl Exchange and Café Pop/ Dry Bar...
. Various other venues exist in pubs and clubs throughout the city.
Resources on the web
- The definitive independent northern resource, ManchesterMusic, an independent website established in 1999 cataloguing hundreds of local acts and with thousands of reviews available on-line:
- BBC Manchester's indispensable Music & Entertainment Section, a major long-established website with music reviews:
- Manchester Evening News (includes City Life) music pages:
- High Voltage, a long running fanzine and local music site:
- Manchester is Music Radio, a free online local music station exclusively playing unsigned bands:
List of music artists and bands originating from Manchester
|
The Colourfield The Colourfield were a British band formed in 1984 in Manchester, when former Specials and Fun Boy Three frontman, Terry Hall, joined up with ex-Swinging Cats members Toby Lyons and Karl Shale... The Courteeners The Courteeners are a rock band formed in Middleton, Greater Manchester, England in 2006 by Liam Fray , Michael Campbell , Daniel Conan Moores , Mark Cuppello -Formation:... John Cooper Clarke John Cooper Clarke is an English performance poet who first became famous during the punk rock era of the late 1970s when he became known as a "punk poet"... Crispy Ambulance Crispy Ambulance were an English rock band, formed in Manchester, United Kingdom in late 1977 by Alan Hempsall , Keith Darbyshire , Gary Madeley and Robert Davenport... Daddysmilk Daddysmilk is a rock band based in Manchester, England. The founding members are originally Norwegian, from Bjørndal, a small suburb of Oslo. When based in Norway, the band were mostly known for their live shows in Oslo... Delphic Delphic are an alternative dance band from Marple Bridge, Stockport, Greater Manchester, England. They are signed to Polydor and released the single "Counterpoint" in April 2009 through R&S Records, produced by Ewan Pearson... The Distractions The Distractions are a British punk rock/new wave band from Manchester, England.-History:The band was originally formed in 1975 by college friends Mike Finney and Steve Perrin , alongside Lawrence Tickle and Tony Trap... The Durutti Column The Durutti Column are an English post-punk band formed in 1978 in Manchester, England. The band is an ongoing project of guitarist Vini Reilly who is often accompanied by drummer Bruce Mitchell. Other current members are Keir Stewart and Reilly's girlfriend Poppy Morgan... Dutch Uncles Dutch Uncles are an indie band from Manchester. They are known for their use of atypical time signatures within a pop context. Their influences includes several bands such as The Smiths, King Crimson, Steve Reich, XTC and Talking Heads.-Biography:... Easterhouse (band) Easterhouse was a British rock group from the mid- to late-1980s known for jangly guitars and leftist political leaning.- Original line-up :* Andy Perry - vocals, harmonica* Ivor Perry - guitar* Peter Vanden - bass guitar* Gary Rostock - drums... Egyptian Hip Hop (band) Egyptian Hip Hop are an English indie rock band, formed in Greater Manchester in 2008. Their debut EP, "Some Reptiles Grew Wings" was released 20 September 2010 through the Hit Club record label.-Biography:... Elbow (band) Elbow are an English rock band. They have played together since 1990 and recorded five studio albums, the most recent of which is Build a Rocket Boys!, released in March 2011... Electronic (band) -Albums:-Singles:-Music videos:-External links:* *... Everything Everything Everything Everything are a British indie band that formed in late 2007, originate from Newcastle, Kent and Guernsey, and reside in Manchester. The band rose to fame when they were revealed as part of the BBC's Sound of 2010 poll on 7 December 2009... Mangled After Dinner (band) -Overview:An English based Goth Rock band founded in 1981 in the city of Manchester, UK,. Mangled After Dinner reached a small but loyal community of fans and played an overly gloomy sound, using synthesizer effects and well-written lyrics of exceptionally romantic poetry... Fear Of Music (band) Fear of Music were a four-piece indie/alternative band from Manchester, England. They formed in 2001 as a threesome consisting of Jo Rose , Ali Esmaail and Chris Stanley . Mike Ward joined the band in 2003 as an additional guitarist after being introduced to the other two members by Rose... Fingathing Fingathing are an instrumental Nu jazz / hip-hop band from Manchester, UK, comprising classically trained double bass player Sneaky and DJ / turntablist Peter Parker.-History:... Freddie and the Dreamers Freddie and the Dreamers were an English band who had a number of hit records between May 1963 and November 1965. Their stage act was based around the comic antics of the 5-foot-3-inch-tall Freddie Garrity, who would bounce around the stage with arms and legs flying. The group remained active... Freeloaders (band) The Freeloaders were formed in 2004 by Kevin O'Toole and Dale Longworth, two of the founder members of N-Trance.Under this alias they released a UK Top 10 single, "So Much Love to Give", which sampled The Real Thing; and an album Freshly Squeezed... The Freezing Fog (band) The Freezing Fog was a Hard Rock band from Manchester, UK.-Members:* James Longsden - Vocals* Liam Stewart - Guitars* Mark Lyons - Guitars* David Hopkinson - Bass Guitar* Todd Staszko - Drums & Percussion... The Freshies The Freshies were a punk band from Manchester, England formed in the late 1970s and dissolved in the early 1980s, fronted by singer and comedian Chris Sievey .-Career:... Stephen Fretwell Stephen Fretwell is an English singer-songwriter.-Biography:Fretwell attended St. Augustine Webster Primary School in Scunthorpe and St. Bede's Catholic School in Ashby before furthering his study at John Leggott College... David Gray (musician) David Gray is an English singer-songwriter. He released his first studio album in 1993 and received worldwide attention after the release of White Ladder six years later... A Guy Called Gerald A Guy Called Gerald is the stage name for the musician, record producer and DJ Gerald Simpson .... Happy Mondays Happy Mondays are an English alternative rock band from Salford, Greater Manchester. Formed in 1980, the band's original line-up was Shaun Ryder on lead vocals, his brother Paul Ryder on bass, lead guitarist Mark Day, keyboardist Paul Davis, and drummer Gary Whelan... Herman's Hermits Herman's Hermits are an English beat band, formed in Manchester in 1963 as Herman & The Hermits. The group's record producer, Mickie Most , emphasized a simple, non-threatening, clean-cut image, although the band originally played R&B numbers... Hurts Hurts are a British synthpop duo formed in 2009, consisting of singer Theo Hutchcraft and synthesist Adam Anderson . Their debut album Happiness, which was released in September 2010, has reached the Top 10 in 12 European countries, and has sold over 800,000 copies worldwide... Tom Hingley Tom Hingley is a musician best known as the lead vocalist of the English rock band Inspiral Carpets.-Life:... Tom Hingley and the Lovers The Lovers are a British punk rock band formed by singer Tom Hingley and brothers Steve Hanley and Paul Hanley - both former members of The Fall - with guitarist Jason Brown and keyboardist Kelly Wood.... The Hollies The Hollies are an English pop and rock group, formed in Manchester in the early 1960s, though most of the band members are from throughout East Lancashire. Known for their distinctive vocal harmony style, they became one of the leading British groups of the 1960s and 1970s... I Am Kloot I Am Kloot are an English band formed in Manchester, in 1999 by John Bramwell , Peter Jobson and Andy Hargreaves .-History:... Inca Babies Inca Babies are a post punk death rock band from Manchester, England, initially active between 1982 and 1988, but reformed since 2007, releasing an album "Death Message Blues" in 2010 and performing live across Europe... Inspiral Carpets Inspiral Carpets are an alternative rock band from Oldham in Greater Manchester, England formed by Graham Lambert and Stephen Holt in 1983. The band is named after a clothing shop on their Oldham estate... It's Immaterial It's Immaterial were a band from Liverpool, England, formed in 1980. They were best known for their 1986 single "Driving Away From Home ", which reached number 18 in the UK Singles Chart.-Career:... J-Walk (British band) J-Walk is Manchester-based duo consisting Martin Fisher and Martin Desai.- Discography :* The Squeeze * The Squeeze * Orion EP * Buggin' Becky * Soul Vibration * The Wasp / French Letter... James (band) James are a British rock band from Manchester, England. They formed in 1982 and were active throughout the 1980s, but most successful during the 1990s. Their hit singles include "Come Home", "Sit Down", and "She's a Star" as well as their American College Radio hit "Laid"... |
Davy Jones (actor) David Thomas "Davy" Jones is an English rock singer-songwriter and actor best known as a member of the Monkees.-Early life:... Joy Division Joy Division were an English rock band formed in 1976 in Salford, Greater Manchester. Originally named Warsaw, the band primarily consisted of Ian Curtis , Bernard Sumner , Peter Hook and Stephen Morris .Joy Division rapidly evolved from their initial punk rock influences... Kinesis (band) Kinesis were an alternative rock band from Bolton, England. The group formed in September 2000 whilst at school, and split after five years in June 2005. During this time they recorded two full studio albums, a mini album and several singles under three record labels.When Handshakes for Bullets was... King of the Slums King of the Slums were a British alternative rock band. Formed in Greater Manchester in the mid-1980s, the band specialised in a kind of electric violin and guitar-driven rock music, and released their debut single in 1986... Lamb (band) Lamb is an electronic music duo from Manchester, England, whose music is influenced by trip hop and drum and bass. The duo consists of producer Andy Barlow, who also produces under the pseudonym Hipoptimist, and singer-songwriter Lou Rhodes... Lonelady Julie Campbell, otherwise known as Lonelady , is a musician from Manchester, England. Her debut album, Nerve Up, appeared on Warp Records in 2010 and drew praise from Paul Morley.-Biography:... The Longcut -Members:* Stuart Ogilvie - vocals, keyboard, drums* Lee Gale - guitar* Jon Fearon - bass-Career:The Longcut formed in Manchester in 2002, while attending the University of Manchester. Originally a four-piece, their vocalist left soon after the band started and the remaining members intended to... Long-view Longview are a British indie rock band from London.Its members are chief songwriter Rob McVey, guitarist Doug Morch, bassist Aidan Banks and drummer Francesco Mendolia. Original drummer Matt Dabbs left the band for family reasons during 2007... Ludus Luduș is a town in central Romania in Mureș County, 44 km south-west from the county's capital Târgu Mureș.Six villages are administered by the town: Avrămeşti , Cioarga , Ciurgău , Fundătura , Gheja and Roșiori .-History:* 1330 - First mentioned as Plehanus de... Luxuria Luxuria was a British pop music band made up of vocalist Howard Devoto and instrumentalist Norman Fisher-Jones, aka "Noko." The band was active in the 1980s and early 1990s.... M People M People are a British house music act from Manchester, who formed in 1990 and achieved success throughout most of the 1990s. The name M People is from the initials of Mike Pickering, who formed the group.-Career:... Magazine (band) Magazine are an English post-punk group active from 1977 to 1981, then reformed in 2009. Their debut single, "Shot by Both Sides", is now acknowledged as a classic and their debut album, Real Life, is still widely admired as one of the greatest albums of all time... MC Tunes MC Tunes is a British rapper from the suburb of Moss Side in Manchester. His name was legally changed to Lockett in 1981. Tunes was one of the big promoters of the Madchester-era during the 1980s and 1990s.-808 State:Tunes first worked with 808 State on the 1990 album, The North At Its Heights... Man From Delmonte Man from Delmonte was an independent band from Manchester, England, formed in the mid-1980s.-History:Band members included Mike West , Sheila Seal , Martin Vincent , and Howard Goody .... Marconi Union Marconi Union are a British musical trio Richard Talbot, Jamie Crossley and Duncan Meadows, with strong links to the Manchester based DOTCA arts collective. Their music incorporates elements of electronica, ambient, jazz and dub.-History:... Johnny Marr Johnny Marr is an English musician and songwriter. Marr rose to fame in the 1980s as the guitarist in The Smiths, with whom he formed a prolific songwriting partnership with Morrissey. Marr has been a member of Electronic, The The, and Modest Mouse... John Mayall John Mayall, OBE is an English blues singer, songwriter, and multi-instrumentalist, whose musical career spans over fifty years... John Mayall & the Bluesbreakers John Mayall & the Bluesbreakers are a pioneering English blues band, led by singer, songwriter, and multi-instrumentalist John Mayall, OBE. Mayall used the band name between 1963 and 1967, but then dropped it for some fifteen years. However, in 1982 a 'Return of the Bluesbreakers' was announced and... The Mindbenders The Mindbenders was a 1960s beat group from Manchester, England. They were part of the mid 1960s British Invasion with their chart-toppers "Game of Love" and "A Groovy Kind of Love".... Mint Royale Mint Royale is a big beat electronic music act from Manchester, England. They were originally founded by the duo Neil Claxton and Chris Baker in 1997; the latter left the band in 2004, but Claxton continues to produce music using the Mint Royale name.-Career:... Monaco (band) Monaco was a side project of New Order bassist Peter Hook. Together with David Potts, the only remaining member of Revenge, the band was formed in 1995... Morrissey Steven Patrick Morrissey , known as Morrissey, is an English singer and lyricist. He rose to prominence in the 1980s as the lyricist and vocalist of the alternative rock band The Smiths. The band was highly successful in the United Kingdom but broke up in 1987, and Morrissey began a solo career,... The Mothmen The Mothmen were a short-lived post-punk band from England, formed around 1979 by Dave Rowbotham, Chris Joyce and Tony Bowers, shortly after they left The Durutti Column, including ex-Alberto Y Lost Trios Paranoias singer Bob Harding.-History:... Mr. Scruff Mr. Scruff is the recording name of Andy Carthy , a British DJ and artist. He lives in Stockport, Greater Manchester, and studied fine art at the Psalter Lane campus of Sheffield Hallam University... N-Trance N-Trance are a British electronic music group, from Oldham, Greater Manchester, who were formed by Kevin O'Toole and Dale Longworth, in 1990. The group has sold over 5 million records worldwide and some of their hit singles include "Set You Free", "Forever", as well as covers of the popular 1970s... National Forest (band) National Forest is the vehicle for musician Daniel Cowley. He primarily creates fairly laid-back electronica, created at home using a PC, record player, keyboards, guitar and a microphone and mixed in Manchester. Musical influences include Grandaddy, My Bloody Valentine and Max Tundra... New Order New Order are an English rock band formed in 1980 by Bernard Sumner , Peter Hook and Stephen Morris... Nine Black Alps Nine Black Alps are an English alternative rock band formed in Manchester, named after a line in The Couriers by Sylvia Plath and fronted by Sam Forrest.-Career:... Noel Gallagher's High Flying Birds Noel Gallagher's High Flying Birds are an English rock band formed in 2010 as the solo moniker of former Oasis lead guitarist/songwriter Noel Gallagher. The band originates from Manchester and includes former Oasis session pianist Mike Rowe, drummer Jeremy Stacey of The Lemon Trees, The Zutons... Northern Uproar Northern Uproar are an English rock band from Heald Green, Stockport. They formed in 1995 and initially disbanded in 1997. The band reunited in 2006 and are currently working on their fourth album. They released three albums and a number of singles, several of which charted in the UK Singles Chart... Jim Noir Jim Noir is the stage name of Alan Roberts, an English singer-songwriter from Davyhulme, Manchester. Noir's stage moniker is in homage to Vic Reeves, whose real name is Jim Moir. He has released two albums to date, 2005's Tower of Love and 2008's self titled LP... Northside (band) Northside are a British band from Blackley and Moston, Manchester, England. Formed in 1989, they released their only album Chicken Rhythms on Factory Records in 1991... Oasis (band) Oasis were an English rock band formed in Manchester in 1991. Originally known as The Rain, the group was formed by Liam Gallagher , Paul "Bonehead" Arthurs , Paul "Guigsy" McGuigan and Tony McCarroll , who were soon joined by Liam's older brother Noel Gallagher... Oceansize Oceansize were a British rock band, formed in Manchester, England on 19th October 1998. The band consisted of Mike Vennart , Steve Durose , Richard "Gambler" Ingram , Mark Heron and Jon Ellis for the majority of its career, with Steve Hodson replacing Ellis on bass in 2006... Omerta (band) Omerta were an indie rock band from Manchester, England.The band consisted of:*Aaron Starkie - lead vocals*Nick Moylan - guitar, backing vocals*James Ryan - bass guitar*Neil Turvin - drums/percussion.... The Other Two AlbumsSingles-External links:* * - Videos :* * * *... |
Paris Angels Paris Angels were a seven piece band, hailing from Guide Bridge, Ashton-under-Lyne, England, associated with the Madchester scene of 1989 -1991. Their music fused indie guitars with electronic dance music... The Passage (band) The Passage were a post-punk band from Manchester, UK who appeared on several record labels including Cherry Red Records, and their own label Night & Day, a subsidiary label to Virgin Records.-Biography:... Puressence Puressence are a British rock band from Failsworth, Greater Manchester, England, formed in May 1992.-Band membership:The band currently consists of:*James Mudriczki: Vocals*Lowell Killen: Guitar*Kevin Matthews: Bass guitar... Quando Quango Quando Quango was a British, Manchester based new wave and dance project, formed by The Haçienda DJ and Factory Records A&R man Mike Pickering, Hillegonda Rietveld and Reinier Rietveld. Their unique sound influenced the underground dance music scenes in New York and Chicago in the 1980s... Rae & Christian Rae & Christian were Grand Central Records' founder Mark Rae and fellow producer and DJ Steve Christian. Their music is broadly classed as Hip-Hop / soulful dance music and features such vocalists as The Jungle Brothers, Jeru The Damaja and The Pharcyde as well as contributions from Bobby Womack... The Railway Children (band) The Railway Children are a British alternative rock band, formed in Wigan in 1984, by Gary Newby , Brian Bateman , Guy Keegan , and Stephen Hull .-Career:... Revenge Revenge is a harmful action against a person or group in response to a grievance, be it real or perceived. It is also called payback, retribution, retaliation or vengeance; it may be characterized, justly or unjustly, as a form of justice.-Function in society:Some societies believe that the... Lou Rhodes Lou Rhodes is an English singer and songwriter from Manchester, now living in Wiltshire. In addition to providing vocals and lyrics for the band Lamb, Rhodes has released three solo albums: Beloved One, Bloom and One Good Thing... Sad Café (band) Sad Café were an English rock band, which formed in Manchester in 1976, as a result of the unification of the rock bands Mandala and Gyro. Sad Café are best known for their song "Every Day Hurts" which reached Number 3 in the UK Singles Chart in 1979.... The Seahorses The Seahorses were an English rock band, formed in 1996 by guitarist John Squire, following his departure from The Stone Roses.The band released one album in 1997 and began work on a follow up, before splitting up due to musical differences during recording sessions in January 1999.-History:Formed... Frank Sidebottom Christopher Mark Sievey was an English musician and comedian known for fronting the band The Freshies in the late 1970s and early 1980s and for his comic persona Frank Sidebottom from 1984 onwards.... Simply Red Simply Red were a British soul band that sold more than 50 million albums over a 25-year career. Their style drew influences from blue-eyed soul, new romantic, rock, reggae and jazz... Slaughter & The Dogs Slaughter & The Dogs is an English punk rock band that formed in the late 1970s in Manchester, England. They were one of the first UK punk bands to sign for a major label, Decca Records.-Career:... The Smirks The Smirks were an English new wave band from Manchester who played from the late 1970s to the early 1980s. Although they failed to meet with commercial success, they built a small but loyal base of fans.... The Smiths The Smiths were an English alternative rock band, formed in Manchester in 1982. Based on the song writing partnership of Morrissey and Johnny Marr , the band also included Andy Rourke and Mike Joyce... So Shush Although relatively unknown in their own country So Shush are an English alternative rock band who have generated a following in the US having featured coast to coast on numerous FM radio and internet radio playlists... Sonic Boom Six Sonic Boom Six are a five-piece rock band from Manchester, United Kingdom. Their eclectic sound combines different elements of several genres and has been described by Kerrang! as "taking ska, pop, grime, dubstep, punk and metal apart, then rebuilding them as a hyperactive hybrid"... Space Monkeys The Space Monkeys were a four-piece alternative band from Manchester, England, signed to Factory Too and Interscope Records in the US. The band members were Richard McNevin-Duff, Tony Pipes, Dom Morrison and Chas Morrison... John Squire John Thomas Squire is an English musician, songwriter and artist.Squire is best known as the guitarist for The Stone Roses, a rock band in which he formed a songwriting partnership with lead singer Ian Brown. After leaving The Stone Roses he went on to found The Seahorses and has since released... Starsailor (band) Starsailor is an English post-britpop band, formed in Leigh, Warrington and Greater Manchester. By 2009, they had four charting albums and ten Top 40 singles in the UK since 2001.-Early history:... Sub Sub Sub Sub were an English dance act from Wilmslow, Cheshire composed of Jimi Goodwin and twin brothers Andy and Jez Williams.The threesome met at school in 1985 and became regulars at The Haçienda while composing their own material together... The Stone Roses The Stone Roses are an English alternative rock band formed in Manchester in 1983. They were one of the pioneering groups of the Madchester movement that was active during the late 1980s and early 1990s... Sweet Sensation (band) Sweet Sensation was an eight piece British soul group who had some success between 1974 and 1977. Cast very much in the then-popular mould of the Philly sound, they broke through in 1974 following an appearance on a UK television talent show, New Faces... Swing Out Sister Swing Out Sister are a British "sophisti-pop" group best known worldwide for their 1986 song "Breakout". Other hits include "Surrender", "Twilight World", "Waiting Game" and a remake of "Am I the Same Girl?" Though album sales in the U.S. and Europe have levelled off since the early 1990s, the... Take That Take That are a British five-piece vocal pop group comprising Gary Barlow, Howard Donald, Jason Orange, Mark Owen and Robbie Williams. Barlow acts as the lead singer and primary songwriter... Theatre of Hate Theatre of Hate were a post-punk band formed in Britain in 1980.Led by singer-songwriter and ex-member of punk band The Pack, Kirk Brandon, the original group also consisted of: guitarist Steve Guthrie, bassist Stan Stammers , saxophonist John Lennard and drummer Luke Rendle from Crisis/The... The Ting Tings The Ting Tings are an English music duo comprising Jules de Martino and Katie White . They formed in December 2007 while based at Islington Mill Studios in Salford... Tractor A tractor is a vehicle specifically designed to deliver a high tractive effort at slow speeds, for the purposes of hauling a trailer or machinery used in agriculture or construction... Twang An old onomatopoeia for the sound of a vibrating string - for instance of a bow or a musical instrument, or the sound of a vibrating spring of an air gun.... Twisted Wheel (band) Twisted Wheel are an indie rock band from Oldham, Greater Manchester, England.-Formation and debut album:Twisted Wheel formed in February 2007 in Saddleworth, Oldham, Greater Manchester by guitarist and singer Jonny Brown and bassist Rick Lees, later joined by drummer Adam Clarke... Van der Graaf Generator Van der Graaf Generator are an English progressive rock band, formed in 1967 in Manchester. They were the first act signed to Charisma Records. The band achieved considerable success in Italy during the 1970s... The Verve The Verve were an English rock band formed in 1989 in Wigan by lead vocalist Richard Ashcroft, guitarist Nick McCabe, bassist Simon Jones, and drummer Peter Salisbury. Guitarist and keyboardist Simon Tong later became a member. Beginning with a psychedelic sound indebted to shoegazing and space... The Waltones The Waltones were an indie band from Manchester, England, who formed in September 1984.-History:The band consisted of Alex Fyans , Mark Collins , James Knox and Manny Lee... The Warning The Warning is the first full-length album by Queensrÿche, released on 7 September 1984 .The original tracklisting for the album was changed by mix engineer Val Garay under orders from EMI America against the wishes of the band... When in Rome (band) When in Rome are an English New Wave trio, originally consisting of vocalists Clive Farrington and Andrew Mann, and keyboards player Michael Floreale. They are best known for their 1988 single, "The Promise".-History:... The Whip (band) The Whip are a band whose founding members Bruce Carter and Danny Saville come from Oldham, Greater Manchester, England formed in 2006. The rhythm section is Nathan Sudders and Fiona "Li'l Fee" Daniel , who was previously in Colne based band Earl.... Winterfylleth Winterfylleth was the Anglo-Saxon or Old English name for the month of October. It marked and celebrated the beginning of winter.The name of the month was recorded by the Venerable Bede... Working for a Nuclear Free City Working for a Nuclear Free City is a band from Manchester, England.-History:Original members Phil Kay and Gary McClure formed as a studio entity in 1999; WFANFC began performing live in 2004, after adding drummer Jon Kay and bassist Ed Hulme to the group... World of Twist World Of Twist were an English rock band, formed in Sheffield in 1985.-History:The original line-up of the band consisted of James Fry , Andrew Hobson , Gordon King , Tony Ogden , Rory Conolly , Nick Phillips and Andy Robbins... WU LYF WU LYF are a band from Manchester, England that originally became known for creating a mystery about themselves by declining requests for interviews and not releasing much information to the press. The band describes their music as "heavy pop"... |
Broadcast media
Granada TV, the BBCBBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
on Oxford Road and Key 103 have all played prominent roles in supporting and expanding various parts of the music scene in Manchester. Rock Radio is another recent addition to the local airwaves. The region is now served well by its own local radio shows, most notably via some regular weekly slots on BBC Radio GMR. London based commercial station Xfm Manchester
Xfm Manchester
Xfm Manchester is a commercial radio station broadcasting alternative and indie music to Manchester in North West England.It builds on the brand and format established by Xfm London. The majority of programming is shared but some is produced specifically for Manchester...
in Manchester has also established itself, delivering a strictly indie diet to the populace and offering regular and effective exposure to local unsigned acts.
The continued development of programming by TV broadcaster Channel M (part of the Guardian Media Group) provided an opportunity for many contemporary unsigned acts to appear on live television via interview shows, in studio sessions and in-venue recordings. This boost to the profile of the North West's already diverse array of emerging talent was terminated in 2009 when the Guardian Media Group (GMG) disbanded its in-house music team and removed most of its music programming from the Channel M schedules.