Product Description

The Mondays were the band who had it all. Credited with a range of achievements, from creating Manchester and introducing indie kids to dance music to bringing ecstasy to Britain, they were the rock 'n' roll story that beggared belief. In Shaun they had an inspired gutter-poet; in his sidekick Bez they had a cultural icon. Hallelujah is the story of how this hapless group of ruffians, thieves, thugs and dealers, prompted by boredom, drugs and a visit from the taxman, got their act back together after six long years and played a sell-out world tour. Along the way a man was set on fire, an orgy was staged, someone nearly drowned and every single band member got lost in Europe. There were guns, writs, jellyfish, fights, copious amounts of class As - and a skull on a stick. Former Daily Sport jounalist John Warburton, Shaun's friend and confident, went along for the ride. He includes contributions from others who've witnessed the madness first hand, including Jo Whiley, Chris Moyles, Steve Lamacq and Fatboy Slim.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #102717 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

Review
'Action-packed, rock 'n' roll and very, very funny. 9/10' Loaded 'A classic tale of sex, drugs, rock 'n' roll and more drugs... amusing, entertaining and compelling' Heat 'Ryder's tale reads like a Loaded lads' night out' Mojo 'A rollicking, relentless read' Daily Mirror 'Full of practical jokes, rows, boozing and musical brilliance' Front 'A crudely entertaining portrait of excess' The Times

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

Customer Reviews

Alright
I was hoping for more. There is little insight into the Happy Mondays here but then what was I expecting from a Daily Sport journalist. Some of the writing really made me cringe it was so awful but the story was intersting enough to keep me reading. The author just seemed so impressed to be with the Mondays that no other band had ever or could ever touch them in outrageousness. In reality this is in no way true. You'll probably only be able to read this is you are a hardened fan.

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?

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!