Product Description

THE EXTRAORDINARY, HILARIOUS AND TRIUMPHANT SECOND COMING OF SHAUN RIDER AND THE HAPPY MONDAYS

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #81020 in Books
• Published on: 2003-05-08
• Original language: English
• Binding: Paperback
• 272 pages

Amazon.co.uk Review
First forming as a collaboration between Shaun Ryder and his brother Paul in 1980, (it was, apparently, "something to do, like"), Happy Mondays were to become one of the classic Manchester bands of the late 1980s/early 1990s. With classic albums such as "Bummed" and "Pills'N'Thrills'N'Bellyaches", (including "Kinky Afro" and "Step On"), the band were to become cultural icons, not least for the numerous "rock & roll" stories of drink and drugs that surrounded Shaun Ryder, and his hilarious dancing sidekick Bez.

The group disbanded in 1992, amongst accusations of heroin addiction and numerous "I'll never work with them again" claims. However, against sizeable odds, such statements were to prove misguided, and the group's members were indeed to come together once more in one of rock's more unlikely returns. John Warburton's Hallelujah tells the story of how this comeback came about. Warburton and Ryder had first met when collaborating on the latter's column for the British tabloid "news"paper The Daily Sport, and the style of that publication heavily influences the amusingly illustrated book. With chapter subtitles such as "Shaun bites Gaz's head", "Stoned man sets himself on fire", "Lobster enters Shaun's pants", and "Author slaps out fire in socks", the tone is set for what is one of the more entertaining soap operas in rock's more recent past. The author uses a combination of lengthy quotations from such witnesses as Keith Allen, Chris Moyles, Steve Lamacq and Jo Wiley, and his own excitable, exclamation-mark saturated prose to capture the mood of the Monday's late 1990s reformation. Whether it be in describing staged orgies, (one), near-drownings (two), or the rendering of band-members/journalists as being "off their heads" (countless), Warburton's enthusiasm is both amusing and contagious, as he takes the reader through what emerges as the "return of the ultimate rock and roll lifestyle".

Overall, while readers desiring an analytical analysis of tonal coherence in the Monday's music may be forced to look elsewhere, those seeking an afternoon's top-quality amusement could do a lot worse than take a look at Hallelujah. --Steve Price

Loaded
'Action-packed, rock 'n' roll and very, very funny. 9/10'

Heat
'A classic tale of sex, drugs, rock 'n'roll and more drugs ... amusing, entertaining and compelling'

Customer Reviews

cracker of a read
Before I read this book I read bez' 'freaky dancing' which was a fantastic read and this book touches on a few stories from freaky dancing but it is basically carrying on from where freaky dancing left off. A great insight into the mind of Ryder showing how humorous he really is! To anyone who has read bez' book then this book is defo for you and to anyone who has read this then buy bez'

Mondays fans rejoice ...the boys are back in town!

The funniest tabloid book to ever come out of Manchester
Even if you have never heard of the Happy Mondays, or never been to Manchester, or don't give a toss if Man U. win the premiership - you WILL find Hallelujah a hilarious read. If the Daily Sport ever came back to life as paperback, this is what it would look like (there's even a few page three girls thrown in there, for the discerning connoisseur). Esteemed journalist, John Warburton takes us on a rollercoaster ride of the drunken debachery, from the early dawning of the Happy Mondays, to the the comeback tour of the decade - and keeps you laughing all the way. Even the acknowledgements are amusing, as John thanks Man U., Xena Warrior Princess and anyone else who wants to add their name. He cleverly blends celebrity quotes, recollections from Shaun Ryder and first-hand experiences, into a colourful, crazy and choatic rock-bio of the likes never seen before. Laugh as Shaun gets lost in Ibiza, gasp as him and Bez nearly get shot by crackheads in New York, cry as Paul starts taking smack again, do anything, just BUY the book! Reading this collection of drug adventures, concert reviews and tales from the madness of Manchester just makes me want to go back to it's rainy streets and smoky clubs. Manchester is a better place with the Happy Mondays back in it's life, can you get the Hacienda re-opended now, John?

PURE CLASS
An informative and humerous journey through Mr Ryders and the Mondays life with contributions from the people who saw the whole thing as it happened - Top marks - Read it, you won't be disappointed!