What Was Madchester?

What is Madchester?

If you had been in Manchester in the late 1980s or early 1990s, you would have seen the city deep in the cultural sweep of all things Madchester. Marked by the transition of musicians performing live at the legendary Haçienda nightclub, from the club-oriented pop music of New Order and Culture Club, to the rise of indie acts who were inspired by them like James and The Stone Roses and those who mixed the two genres like Happy Mondays. Over the period of the 80s, the sound of Manchester had transformed, out was the sad baritones of Morrissey and Curtis, and in was the Manc drawl of the Ryders and Ian Brown.

What shouldn't have worked as a music genre and cultural scene somehow did - '60s inspired psychedelia was seen alongside rave beats, while football shirts were being worn with the baggiest jeans possible. Combined with the hedonism inspired by easily available MDMA, the growth of acid house and the Mancunian's love of a bucket hat, the Madchester movement was Britpop on acid wrapped up in tie-dye.

Who coined the phrase Madchester?

Tony Wilson hosting After Dark - Easter 1991, Open Media Ltd., GFDL, via Wikimedia Commons

The term Madchester was born around the same time as Happy Mondays. It is often credited to Tony Wilson, boss at Factory Records, the record label of a lot of infamous Mancunian artists.

However, legend has it that the phrase was actually coined by video directors the Bailey Brothers who were working with Factory and Happy Mondays at the time. They claim that they used the word Madchester when creating a film about car thieves and wanted to avoid legal issues that might have risen if they used the name Manchester. About one month later, Wilson told Happy Mondays to rename their second EP from "Rave On" to "Madchester Rave On.'' Released in November 1989, the EP featured the track "Hallelujah" which became the band's breakthrough release, reaching the top twenty in the UK and leading to their first Top of the Pops appearance.

This makes the two things (Madchester and Happy Mondays) completely synonymous with each other - you can't have one without the other.

Which bands are part of Madchester?

While the Madchester movement saw its rise throughout Greater Manchester, its influence spread far beyond the North West, to the point where bands were being considered part of the genre even though they weren't Mancunian. These bands just had more than the average Britpop or baggy act did; whether it has a rave flavour inspired by the Haçienda, or having connections to the city of Manchester.

 

Here are some of the bands considered to be part of the Madchester genre -

• 808 State - Formed in the iconic Eastern Bloc record shop, shot to Top 10 fame with their single “Pacific State,” of which there are allegedly 72 versions of.

• Black Grape - From Shaun Ryder and Bez who brought you Happy Mondays, Black Grape added a more electronic feel to their signature psych-rave sound.

• The Bridewell Taxis - From their home in the East of the Pennines, they put their stamp on the Madchester scene by supporting Happy Mondays in Leeds.

• Candy Flip - Known for their cover of Strawberry Fields Forever, this electronic duo from Stoke-on-Trent used soul samples and rave beats and later worked with the Charlatans.

• The Charlatans - With 22 Top 40 singles and 13 Top 40 albums, the Charlatans are still performing live and released their last album in 2017.

• EMF - Their single “Unbelievable” make them a 90s indie staple, and even though they formed in Gloucestershire, EMF’s alt-dance material has earned its right to be part of the Madchester scene.

• The Farm - From our next-door neighbours over in Liverpool, The Farm’s songs including “All Together Now” have the baggy style beats that make them quintessentially Madchester.

• Happy Mondays - The pioneers of rave culture, funk house and Madchester, Happy Mondays have a good time, all the time.

• The High - Made up of former Stone Roses, Inspiral Carpets and Buzzcocks members, The High are a supergroup formed in 1989 and still active today, with Record Store Day releases and headline festival slots.

• Inspiral Carpets - Releasing some of the most iconic Madchester singles including “This is How it Feels to be Lonely” and “Saturn 5” you can catch Inspiral Carpets on tour in 2023.

• Intastella - Following the trend of indie-dance acts with dancers (like Happy Mondays and James) Intastella didn’t quite break the Top 40 with their records but they still made an impact on other Madchester acts, worked with Shaun Ryder and were played on Marc Riley’s radio show.

• James - A Manchester band through and through, James have gone from being offered a record deal from Tony Wilson after playing a gig at the Haçienda in 1982, to releasing 37 singles and 16 studio albums, most recently in 2021.

• The Mock Turtles - Fronted by the brother of Steve Coogan (Martin Coogan) this Middleton-based indie band peaked with their Top 20 hit “Can You Dig It?”

• New Fast Automatic Daffodils - Made up of Manchester Polytechnic alumni, New FADS didn’t see chart success with their three albums, but they did record three sessions for John Peel’s radio show.

• Northside - Featuring the jangly guitar and breathy vocals synonymous with Madchester, Northside were known for their BBC banned single “Shall We Take a Trip” and performing on Top of the Pops despite not having a Top 40 single.

• Paris Angels - Inspired by acid house and the other bands coming up through the Madchester scene, Paris Angels were made up of former Happy Mondays and Black Grape members and were regular performers at the Haçienda nightclub.

• The Real People - Another honorary Madchester act from Liverpool, The Real People could be credited with giving Oasis a leg up during the beginning of their career for letting them use their recording studio to make an eight-track demo tape.

• The Stone Roses - Arguably the pioneers of the Madchester scene, The Stone Roses only recorded two albums, yet their debut is regarded as one of the greatest British albums ever recorded. They are also credited with inspiring Noel Gallagher to become a musician.

• Sub Sub - Later to become indie band Doves, Sub Sub were initially a dance act from Handforth in Cheshire who got to number 3 in the UK singles chart with “Ain’t No Love (Ain’t No Use)”

• The Wendys - Signed by Factory Records, this band from Edinburgh came to Tony Wilson’s attention after Shaun Ryder's dad told them to send him a demo tape when they supported Happy Mondays.

• World of Twist - This band were successful in indie clubs over the pond when their single "Sons of the Stage" was being played in New York and Toronto, despite having never toured North America and the song reaching #42 in the UK Singles charts. The song title was also considered for Oasis’ band name and was later covered by Beady Eye.

Anyone that we've missed that you feel deserves a shout? Drop us a comment below and we'll get them added to the list, no matter how big or small!

Who are the most famous Madchester people?

Shaun Ryder at Coachella 2007, Rob Annis from Indianapolis, USA, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Tony Wilson

During Wilson's career on-screen at Granada, he presented their music culture and events programme. This led him to become more involved with the music industry, including being present at the legendary Sex Pistols at Manchester's Lesser Free Trade Hall gig, in June 1976. He saw something different in them as he probably saw in the acts he managed or signed to his record label Factory Records, established in 1978. Bands on Factory Records included Joy Division, New Order, A Certain Ratio, the Durutti Column, Happy Mondays, Northside, Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark and James. Factory also ran The Haçienda nightclub, in partnership with New Order.

The impact of Wilson's Factory Records and the Haçienda is still felt today, from a commemorative exhibition at Manchester Science and Industry Museum to a box set released in October 2019 including rarities and the label's releases from its first two years.

Shaun Ryder and Bez

From leaving school at 13 to work on a building site, to being a runner-up on I'm a Celebrity, Get Me Out of Here! Shaun Ryder formed Happy Mondays when he was 18 with his brother Paul. Later. His friend Bez joined after Ryder asked for "moral support" when performing on stage. Not knowing what to do, Bez Grabbed some maracas and started dancing, creating the classic Happy Mondays line-up we know and love. Both Ryder and Bez are known for their rock n roll behaviour and drug taking, but despite this, the pair have managed to earn their status as two of the nation's favourite Mancunians, possibly due to their multiple reality TV appearances (Bez has won Celebrity Big Brother and been a contender on Dancing on Ice and Bargain Hunt, while the two appear together on Celebrity Gogglebox)

Ian Brown

With seven solo albums, performances in 45 countries and a cameo in Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, the achievements of Ian Brown go far beyond the two albums with The Stone Roses. After meeting Geno Washington in 1983 who told him he should be a star, Brown took up an offer from John Squire to be the singer in his band and The Stone Roses were born.

Dave Haslam

If something was going on in the Manchester music scene during the '80s, Dave Haslam was there. DJing at the Haçienda 450 times during its 15 year history, Haslam went on to support and host after parties for The Stone Roses, New Order, Depeche Mode, Gorillaz, and the Charlatans as well as writing books about Manchester's cultural landscape and his own life, including the encounters he's had with inspiring characters along the way.

Graham Massey

With roots in experimental jazz rock and punk, Massey enrolled on a sound engineering course after recording at Factory Records, the results of which lead him to form 808 State. The success of the band (of which he is the last remaining member) has elevated the use of drum machines in popular and indie music and he has since been credited by Bjork as one of her influences, and the pair in fact worked together for the single "Army of Me."

What was Factory Records?

Entrance to the former Factory Records offices, Yvesdebxl, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

A huge part of the legacy of Madchester was the success of Factory Records. Born from the success of Factory club nights during the late '70s, their first release "A Factory Sample" in January 1979 features tracks from Joy Division, The Durutti Column and Cabaret Voltaire. To move forward with releasing more records, the Factory founders (Alan Erasmus, Rob Gretton, Martin Hannett and Tony Wilson) set up an office in a house in Didsbury, and worked on releasing their first LP - Joy Division's "Unknown Pleasures." The album has sold over 132,500 copies internationally to date and is known as one of the greatest indie albums of all time.

From there they went on to open the Haçienda with New Order, which saw more alternative dance and rave acts performing there during the late '80s. It became a space for Madchester acts to cut their teeth and potentially gain attention from one of the Factory founders, like Happy Mondays and James both managed to do.

Sadly Factory Records went into decline during the early 90s when New Order and Happy Mondays spent too much money making follow-up albums and ultimately bankrupted the label. If you want to know more about Tony Wilson and the story of Factory, be sure to check out 24-Hour Party People, directed by Michael Winterbottom and starring Steve Coogan.

Why was The Haçienda so important?

"I've played some shit-holes during my time, but this is really something." - Bernard Manning on The Haçienda

Opening its doors in 1982, the Haçienda quickly established itself as the place to see rising Mancunian bands and artists, including The Smiths, Happy Mondays, Oasis, The Stone Roses, 808 State, Chemical Brothers and of course New Order, who were co-owners of the nightclub. It was also a pioneer for legendary performances, from Madonna's first live concert in the UK, to German experimental act Einstürzende Neubauten who drilled into the walls that surrounded the stage.

The club continued riding the wave of success by being one of the first spaces in the UK to play house music, leading to Nude being its regular house night and being full every night of the week by 1987.

The following year they launched their acid house night Hot which allowed the Madchester scene to grow. Unfortunately due to the lack of security and the modernist architecture of the club allowing for darkened spaces and corners, both taking and dealing ecstasy became an out-of-control problem in the Haçienda. So many people turned to drug use at the club, that the Haçienda was not taking enough money from alcohol sales. This created debts, and ultimately the Haçienda was forced to close its doors for good in 1997 after losing its entertainment licence and going bankrupt.

What was Manchester music like before Madchester?

If Madchester is the tie-dye-painted, crazy-dancing, rave-loving side of the Manchester music scene, then everything before that was the grey and solemn side, just like the Northern weather. Bands like The Smiths, Joy Division and The Fall are known for their often bleak and sometimes depressing music, with song titles such as "Heaven Knows I'm Miserable Now" and "Industrial Estate." Not to say that this style was badly received; these bands are seen as some of the greatest indie acts in the history of music. Madchester seemed to be offering an alternative to wearing all grey, not being entirely guitar-focused and maybe taking life in the North a little less seriously.

Who were the biggest Manchester bands in the 80s?

Stone Roses at Fuji Rock 2012, mari, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons

The Stone Roses

Formed by school friends in South Manchester, The Stone Roses created their sound during the 80s, and this led them to international accolades including a headline slot at Coachella in 2013 with 180,000 people in attendance. Fronted by Manchester icon Ian Brown, the band is known for their psychedelic-style indie dance ballads and for inspiring other infamous Mancunian musicians Oasis to start making music. The Roses have been active on and off for over 40 years, with their last live performance in Glasgow in 2017, then the band's guitarist John Squire confirmed they had disbanded in 2019.

Happy Mondays

A band that truly personifies rave culture, the Happy Mondays went from working at the Post Office in 1981 to headlining Glastonbury festival in 1990. Salford's favourite 24-hour party people make funk-focused indie dance music, fronted by the Ryder brothers Shaun and Paul (until Paul sadly passed away in 2022) and "freaky dancer" maraca shaker Bez. With the powerful vocals of soul singer Rowetta, the music of the Mondays is truly unique and made to make people smile, dance and party.

Inspiral Carpets

Another band formed by musically inspired school lads in the 80s, Inspiral Carpets' 1983 line-up included 14-year-old drummer Craig Gill and original singer Stephen Holt. Beginning in live venues around Oldham and Ashton-under-Lyne, the band honed their alt-indie-rock sound by releasing several demos and building a fanbase in the North before breaking through with their debut album in 1990 featuring the iconic "This is How it Feels." Still active to this day but with 21 line-up changes over 40 years, they will be embarking on a 13-date tour in 2023.

The Charlatans

Although they got together in the West Midlands, 3⁄4 of the band are from the Birmingham and Cheshire area and most of their early work was recorded in Dudley, The Charlatans have gained Madchester icon status through Salford-born singer Tim Burgess and by being based in Northwich for much of their early career. They forged their own psychedelic style Britpop sound that the genre has become known for, with a rhythmic style driven by a Hammond organ and Tim Burgess' breathy, often shoegaze-esque vocals. The band are still active after their formation in 1988, but the road for the Charlatans has been a rocky one, with the deaths of band members, prison sentences and dodgy accountants all threatening to derail the band. Despite all this to date, the band has achieved 22 Top 40 singles and secured high-profile supporting slots with The Who and Liam Gallager. We're happy to say they're still going strong.

James

James tick all the boxes for being part of the Madchester scene. Getting together through jam sessions in Whalley Range and finding their singer Tim Booth at a student disco in Withington (he initially joined as their dancer, Bez style!), before supporting The Fall at Manchester Polytechnic and recording their debut EP at Strawberry Studios in Stockport all mean James are as Madchester as it gets.The band combines catchy pop style lyrics with classic guitar-led indie that has scored them nine Top 10 albums. As of 2010, the band had sold more than 25 million albums worldwide, supported Neil Young on tour and performed at Lollapalooza and Coachella festivals in the USA. Their only break has been when Booth left for six years to pursue other projects including teaching experimental dance, starring in Batman Begins and portraying Judas in a live broadcast of Manchester Passion (a Mancunian retelling of the Easter story) which involved him singing The Smiths' "Heaven Knows I'm Miserable Now" in Albert Square.

808 State

The godfathers of acid house, the band named after their Roland TR-808 drum machine have been fronted by Manchester legend Graham Massey since 1987. Initially starting up as a hip-hop group, Massey got together with the owner of Manchester's influential Eastern Bloc Records shop Martin Price and another customer at the Stevenson Square record shop Gerald Simpson, the band gained traction around Manchester after their acid house version of New Order's "Blue Monday was played regularly at the Haçienda nightclub. Soon after their most well-known single Pacific State (featuring a super catchy saxophone riff and the repetitive bird call of a Loon) reached number 10 in the UK Singles Chart, Gerald Simpson left to pursue his own Madchester solo project A Guy Called Gerald.

Is baggy the same thing as Madchester?

Before there was grunge, before there was Britpop, there was baggy. Baggy could be seen as Madchester for the rest of the country, and some would argue Madchester raved its way onto the '80s music scene first. The fashion worn by Madchester bands was baggy, literally! The term was coined from the loose-fitting flared jeans (inspired by the up-tempo all-night dancers of the Northern Soul movement) and oversized t-shirts, super comfy and casual, topped off with a bucket hat to keep that morning sunshine out of your eyes when you come out of the Haçienda. Baggy is basically the same thing as Madchester, but as most of the bands from the genre were so heavily concentrated around the Greater Manchester area, it became worthy of its own genre.

How long did Madchester last?

Although the legacy of Madchester means that you can still feel its influence today (especially around Manchester), the popularity of the first wave lasted for just 2-3 years. Commercial success during this time saw Top 10 albums from Happy Mondays, The Stone Roses, James and a number one album from The Charlatans.

What caused the death of Madchester?

Several things will have contributed to the decline of Madchester, but locally the bankruptcy of Factory Records meant the label could no longer release music from the bands who made it infamous and it therefore became defunct in 1992. It could also be argued that the rise of Britpop and grunge caught more attention of music journalism and was easy for Madchester and baggy fans to transition over to, due to a similar style of dress and hedonistic lifestyles.

The bands who put Madchester on the scene also seemed to be struggling to keep momentum. The Stone Roses cancelled their US tour, New Order and Happy Mondays spent too much money on their second albums(and in the case of The Mondays, developed serious drug problems) and other bands chose to explore different musical directions, such as shoegaze and Britpop.

What is the legacy of Madchester?

The Haçienda apartments, Yvesdebxl, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Manchester has left its mark on pop culture history; the city is known all over the world for its bands as a result of the success of Madchester. Manchester has invested in and developed its culture and nightlife establishments since the rise of Madchester, which has helped make the city the most popular university application destinations in the UK. The Manchester bands during this era who were inspired by Madchester went on to enjoy even greater international success, such as Oasis, The Verve and Chemical Brothers.

The legacy of Madchester can also be seen nationally. You only have to look at the crowds from Glastonbury 2022 to enjoy a sea of Stone Roses-style bucket hats. The neo-psychedelia style that Madchester bands utilised to create their sound is still popular today, and the '00s wave of indie bands in the UK like Arctic Monkeys, Kasabian and Kaiser Chiefs, were all influenced by Madchester bands, and you can hear hints of Madchester in the more contemporary music of Blossoms, The Courteeners, Afflecks Palace, Bugzy Malone and Aitch.

For more information about Manchester, please have a read of our article "What Is Manchester Famous For?".

 

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