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ONE TAPE - Madchester

Manchester has brought out excellent bands from the 60’s until today. Still, the most popular movement that originated from that city was Madchester.
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Manchester is one of the biggest cities in England and is located Northwest. Besides Manchester United and Manchester city, it is also famous for the excellent bands it has brought out from the 60’s until today: Hollies, Bee Gees, 10 cc, Buzzcocks, Fall, Joy Division, Smiths, Oasis, Chemical Brothers, Doves etc.

Still, the most popular musical - but not exclusively - movement that originated from that city was the one that set off at the end of the 80’s and faded out 2-3 years later. Madchester, as far as nightlife was concerned, revolved around the Hacienda nightclub. Madchester brought out some of the most significant British bands of the last 30 years, while others took advantage of the hype, although they only had 2-3 good moments, such as Northside, Flowered up, High etc. Also, bands from the city that were already famous and recognized, became even more popular due to the entire movement, such as the favorites of the Greek audience James and New Order. I should not forget to mention that there were also some bands, such as the Farm and the Soup Dragons who related to the movement, although they did not come from Manchester.

One of the songs that mark the Madchester is the second single by the Charlatans, The only one I know, which was meant to remain a classic for the 90’s,  as it was played everywhere when it was first released, in 1990. The band has released 11 studio albums and several good singles since.

The most psychedelic-60’s bands was probably the Inspiral Carpets from Oldham, which belongs to  Manchester in a wider sense, especially loved in our country, since they have visited us many times, as well as after their reunion, in Fuzz Club in 2007. They set off in the late 80’s releasing a series of great EΡs and singles, while in 1990 they released their first complete album, Life, to be followed by three more studio albums until 1994 and some compilations later on.

The Happy Mondays, who we also enjoyed at Synch festival, in 2008, including one of the most quaint figures of the movement, the dancer Bez, never went beyond their top release, Pills and thrills and bellyaches in 1990. Their following album Yes please, two years later, was meant to bring about the financial disaster of Factory Records. Still, the singer, Shaun Ryder, did not stop and later created the Black Grape and in 1995 he released the very good It's great when you straight.. Yeah.

The Stone Roses, besides their first homonym album, which is included in many lists of the all-time greatest albums, also released a decent album, Second Coming, which remained in the shadow of the band's debut. Fools gold from their EP Fools gold/What the world is waiting for in 1989 is included in my list with all-time top 10 songs.

From Madchester also came out some electronica bands, such as 808 State, A Guy called Gerald and the Future Sound of London.

In the TAPE entitled Madchester, I have recorded some of the most significant songs and bands from those beloved times:

CHARLATANS – The only one I know

INSPIRAL CARPETS – Commercial reign

STONE ROSES – Fools gold

HAPPY MONDAYS – Step on

NORTHSIDE – Shall we take a trip

FLOWERED UP – Weekender

FARM – Groovy train

808 STATE – In yer face

NEW ORDER – World in motion

JAMES – Sit down

CANDY FLIP – Strawberry fields forever

HIGH – Box set go

PARIS ANGELS - Perfume

MOCK TURTLES – Can you dig it?

SOUP DRAGONS – I’m free

NEW FAST AUTOMATIC DAFFODILS – Stockholm

SHAMEN - Progen (Move any mountain)

A GUY CALLED GERALD – Voodoo Ray

FUTURE SOUND OF LONDON – Papua new Guinea





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