It’s easy when immediately thinking of Manchester music to think of the big names- Happy Mondays, The Stone Roses, Oasis and The Smiths, so I want to draw attention to what I think are the seminal Manchester tracks that also heavily contribute to the musical nerve centre that is Manchester. We could start with The Hollies, formed in 1962, they were (and still are) a rock group known for their distinctive vocal harmony style and beat influence. They were one of the leading bands of the 1960s and eventually reached global fame in 1966 when their song ‘Bus Stop’ received US chart success, helped by the so-called British Invasion and love for The Beatles, they brought the first sounds of Manchester to a wider audience. Their track ‘The Air That I Breathe’’s legacy was also key to British music, heavily influencing Radiohead’s infamous track ‘Creep’, though so much so, two of the band members had to be credited as co-writers after a legal battle.
The next seminal aspect of Manchester music is that of Northern Soul and the legendary club, Twisted Wheel, which saw the early development of the scene. The reputation of the Whitworth Street club quickly grew as people came to listen and dance to the latest American Soul and Rhythm and Blues, and their now infamous Saturday all-nighters that became a nation-wide success. The introduction of this type of music and the development of the Northern Soul scene is arguably quintessentially Manchester. The fast-paced joy of Northern Soul echoes the energy and dynamism of the city and reinforces the inclusivity and universality at the heart of Manchester.
In the 1970s Manchester pioneered another wave of music, punk. Though the birth of punk in the UK is obviously attributed to London’s the Sex Pistols, Buzzcocks launched punk up North, developing an entirely revolutionary sound. The influence of punk and what can be seen as, what Paul Hanley in his book, Leave The Capital describes as ‘Manchester music’s big bang’ were the Sex Pistols two performances at the Lesser Free Trade Hall on Peter Street in June and July of 1976. These gigs, organised by Buzzcocks who had been inspired by a previous Sex Pistols gig, is truly one of the most infleuntial moments of musical history, not just in Manchester but throughout the UK.
Mark E. Smith, Peter Hook, Bernard Sumner and Morrissey were all in the crowds at these gigs, and it makes you wonder perhaps if they hadn’t have watched the unmatched power and energy of the Sex Pistols and Buzzcocks, would we have ever had Joy Division, The Fall, or The Smiths. The accessibility and interconnected nature of the music scene in Manchester and the constant influence, meant that anyone who wanted to make music, could. Buzzcocks transformed the music scene of the late seventies and their legacy lives on with their undeniable brilliance. Particularly in their track ‘Boredom’ from their very first 1977 EP Spiral Scratch, the raw force of their sound is incomparable and no one does lyrics, or songs for that matter, quite like Peter Shelley and each line delivers a dry wit determined not to take itself too seriously.
A direct result of the Sex Pistol’s Trade Hall gig put on by Buzzcocks was the creation of another seminal Manchester band, Joy Division. They were one of the original pioneers of post-punk, once described as ‘crystalline grit’, Joy Division incorporated new technologies of electronic drum synths and spatial production techniques into their songs. This combined with Peter Hook’s iconic basslines, the otherworldly stage presence of Ian Curtis and his dark, emotional lyrics, created a distinctly brooding, atmospheric and avant-garde sound. A key example of this culmination and of Hook’s drone bassline, usually an open D played directly under the melody, can be seen on ‘She’s Lost Control’. Elsewhere on Unknown Pleasures, Peter Hanley also writes that:
‘Interzone’ is the nearest the album gets to capturing their live sound. It features vocals by Pete Hook and the main riff was actually lifted from ‘Keep On Keeping On’ - a Northern Soul classic by Nolan Porter’
I thought this connection to Northern Soul was especially poignant as it shows the diverse creative space Manchester is and how all of these different and distinct music scenes overlap and influence one another.
Another band that I think quintessentially represents Manchester is The Fall, formed in 1976 in Prestwich, led by, in my opinion, one of the most truly rock and roll frontmen, Mark E. Smith, The Fall were another band that perhaps formed as a direct response to the Trade Hall gig. There is a truly amazing surrealism to Smith’s lyrics, and The Fall boasts a heavy guitar-focused post-punk sound, with catchy basslines, sharp drum rhythms and an overall abrasive noise - which I mean as the highest of compliments. They were a band ahead of their time, creating sounds that were so unique and distinctive, post-punk and music were forever transformed. Music critic Simon Reynolds describes them as a ‘kind of Northern English magic realism that mixed industrial grime with the unearthly and uncanny, voiced through a unique, one-note delivery somewhere between amphetamine-spiked rant and alcohol-addled yarn’. Also, if there’s ever a greater stamp of approval, it's the fact that they were John Peel’s favourite band, which I think tells you all you need to know, with him once saying, ‘The Fall, always different, always the same’.
A band that I think bridges multiple scenes, primarily post-punk and dream pop, but also more ambient electronic music, is The Durutti Column. Originally in a band with both Billy Duffy of The Cult and Morrissey of The Smiths, Vini Reilly left to pursue this solo project and signed with the official foundation of Manchester music, Factory Records. ‘Sketch for Summer’ from their debut album, The Return of The Durutti Column, which I have always thought was an amazing name for a first album, perfectly captures their beautiful transcendent sound. Journalist Felix Petty adds :
‘Vini would make some of the most spiritual and poetic pieces of guitar music to come out of Manchester, and his work was unlike anything else coming out of the scene then (or since). A sense of quietly capturing and unassuming perfection. A tender and sublime grandeur.’
The release of the infamous NME C86 cassette tape, featuring 2 Manchester bands, Miaow and Big Flame, kick-started a new wave of indie music, with a particular focus on the DIY and independent approach taken by many Manchester bands. Though each of these bands have a different distinctive sound, they all share a certain Manchester attitude, fast-paced indie that didn’t take itself too seriously unlike many of the musos in the London-centric indie scenes. Big Flame were particularly ironic and experimental, pushing the boundaries of the jangly indie music that was so popular at the time. Another favourite of John Peel, they were also one of the main inspirations for the later Manic Street Preachers who admired their out-there nature.
New Fast Automatic Daffodils were another iconic 90s Manchester indie band and though associated with the Madchester movement, were never really a part of it. They had the similar fun, upbeat groove that defined Madchester, and their bongo-filled track ‘Big’ had the ‘baggy’ air to it, fitting perfectly in as an indie dancefloor tune.
Speaking of ‘baggy’ Madchester, the acid house revolution, started in basements and warehouses all over Manchester, cemented its place in seminal Manchester music history. In the mid-80s acid house exploded and with it came the acid house and rave youth culture. Part of the so-called ‘Second Summer of Love’, this new scene was one of the most significant youth cultural revolutions since the 60s. The ecstasy-fuelled nature of the music and dance culture became a source of panic in the media, when in reality it was all just a bit of fun.
Graham Massey of 808 State, seminal leaders of this Manchester scene, spoke of the importance of class, economics and Manchester’s cultural mix. He said, ‘the proof that it’s not money that gives you taste was a strong idea growing up. The broad data input you get in a British city, it plays out really well in Manchester’, highlighting the distinctly special effect Manchester had on its music. Quando Quango are another example of this, embracing the Factory Records sound, they added another level of eclecticism to the underground dance scenes. The Future Sound of London took this further again, pushing the boundaries of electronic music, merging genres like techno, ambient, dub and trip hop and their track ‘Papua New Guinea’, I think encapsulates the type of experimentation going on at this time.
The legacies of all of these incredible Manchester bands and scenes can be seen in the newer and more recent music coming out of the city. Delphic, an alternative dance band from Stockport, reminiscent of past acid house music and 90s indie, cite the ‘sheer proximity of famous musicians as being crucial to Delphic’s development’. In an interview with the Guardian, Matt Cocksedge spoke particularly of the distinct nature of the Manchester scenes, suggesting the city itself impacts the way the music sounds. Mentioning the ‘red brick’ and ‘the rain’, he says, "There's a poetic sadness to Manchester, which makes it a romantic place.", but more importantly the city’s communal energy, which encourages everyone to get stuck in.
Another more recent and in my opinion, seminal Manchester band, is Everything Everything. Emerging in 2010 as a dancey indie powerhouse, they have since released 5 albums, with each incorporating entirely new wacky lyrics, styles of production and impossibly talented bass and guitar riffs.
Dance music has always played a huge part of Manchester music culture, but it's exciting to see post-punk’s return in the newer Manchester band Cabbage. With song titles like ‘Uber Capitalist Death Trade’, ‘Dinner Lady’ and ‘Terrorist Synthesizer’, they embrace the classic Manchester attitude of never taking yourself too seriously, or at least injecting some wit and fun into your music. Their heavy guitar-driven tracks are bursts of pure chaotic energy and the best type of discordance.
Through this exploration of seminal Manchester tracks that often are hidden in the shadows of the mega-groups, like Oasis and The Stone Roses, and the Britpop image of swaggering dungaree and bucket-hat clad men. When the cloud of flares dissipate we can see something distinctly special and distinctly Manchester about these bands. There is a deep sense of community, pride and independence that makes Manchester such a unique and important centre for music, with new bands and scenes constantly evolving.
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