Product Description

The Buzzcocks. Joy Division. The Fall. The Smiths. The Stone Roses. The Happy Mondays. Oasis. Manchester has proved to be an endlessly rich seam of pop-music talent over the last 30 years. Highly opinionated and usually controversial, stars such as Mark E. Smith, Morrissey, Ian Brown and the Gallagher brothers have always had plenty to say for themselves. Here, in John Robb's new compilation, Manchester's gobbiest musicians tell the story of the city's thriving music scene in their own words.When the Buzzcocks put on the Sex Pistols at Lester Free Hall in 1976, they kickstarted a musical revolution and a fervent punk scene exploded. In 1979 the legendary Tony Wilson founded Factory Records, the home of Joy Division/New Order and later the Happy Mondays. The Hacienda, the Factory nightclub, became notorious in the late 1980s as a centre of the influential Madchester scene, led by the Mondays and the Stone Roses, with a unique style and sound of its own. Then, from the ashes of Madchester rose uber-lads Oasis, the kings of Britpop and the biggest UK band of the 1990s.Full of great characters, fierce conflicts, untold stories and seething controversies, Manchester In Its Own Words is indispensable reading for any music fan. It is the real story of the Manchester scene in the words of the musicians, promoters, club owners, managers and pundits. It is compiled by Manchester music authority John Robb, author of the bestselling The Stone Roses and the Resurrection of British Pop ISBN 978-0091878870. Robb has been at the frontline of the Manchester music scene for 25 years and has direct access to all the key players. The Manchester scene is of perennial interest to book buyers, e.g. Touching From a Distance ISBN 978-0571239566.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #69515 in Books
• Published on: 2009-04-10
• Original language: English
• Binding: Paperback
• 400 pages

Review
'John Robb spent a year shoving a recorder under the nose of seemingly everybody on the Manchester music scene.. From these interviews he has pieced together an extraordinary history.' **** --Mojo, April 2009

'Manchester s musical heritage eulogised in its players own words.' **** --Q Magazine, April 2009

About the Author
John Robb is a leading music journalist and the author of the bestselling biography of the Stone Roses. His other books include Punk: An Oral History, The Charlatans... We Are Rock and The Nineties: What the F**k Was That All About?

Customer Reviews

Manchester rise and fall!
I loved Robb's 'Punk Rock' and have read it twice all the way through. The beginning chapter or so of this book almost continues the Punk Rock story, but from a Northern view (We have been waiting a long time for the North's Punk and Post-Punk era musical contributions never mind how the whole explosion affected us lot...for AGEs)...It's this part of it that kicks the book into gear and its an almost expected but still interesting path that see many of the 80's and some of the 90's crowd appear with their anecdotes on how Punk was their early inspiration!
The North will rise again then catapults into the 80's and beyond with many compelling tales and soundbites from the cream of the Manchester scene. The rise of the Stone Roses and their gang provides some great reading, whilst the Factory representing New Order and their contempories also keep the pages just as interesting as the years turn over page by page.
The remaining years I didn't enjoy so much. Not that it doesent work or provide a great story and read. Its just for me personally, it seems too recent and less of a scene as such. But then thats the way the Punk and Post-Punk generation and scene decreased in vitality and immediacy. The drugs are mostly to blame in some ways. A great and thouroughly enjoyable read. I like the writing style, the intimacy of the work and greatly admire it's scope. Job well done!! Now over in Sheffield the Punk era was a little different again. Though only a few stretches of pennine moors stand between the Northern twins of these two cities and many a fan from each would travel to the other for their gig thrills, the stories have much in common but even more of their own individuality. Long live the North!Our Generation: The Punk and Mod Children of Sheffield, Rotherham and Doncaster

Straight from the horses' mouths
The North Will Rise Again: Manchester Music City 1976-1996
Essential reading for anyone with an interest in British indie/punk/rock/dance. Forget London, it was Manchester that took up the baton of punk and ran with it. The greatest bands of a generation were spawned in the post-industrial wastelands of the North East.

All of the key players have their say, from musicians to djs, promoters to producers.

A fascinating insight into how disparate groups of punks, soulboys, hip-hop and rap fans, and old school rockers mixed influences to create, well, magic.

A Right Rivittin Read...
Along the lines of the PUNK ROCK ORAL HISTORY book....includes all the Great Manchester names..what it did for me was make me appreciate the fact that I was growing up in the 70's...I was 15-16 when punk really kicked off..and I'm so glad I had the likes of the Buzzcocks...Magazine.. The Fall John Cooper Clarke and yes Slaughter and the Dogs too...in my soundtrack mix....I never got Acid House/Baggy or Madchester...and I don't really think I missed out on anything..I mean..what was I reacting against in the great punk wars....flares...drug taking bands who had lost touch with reality....love and peace maaan...

Its a good mix of stuff from the very famous..to the not very famous...which I think gives the book a nice balance