Pop Music of the NorthWest & Manchester

Manchester
Popular & Rock Music (4 of 11)
Around Manchester and the Northwest Region

The Buzzcocks

Howard Devoto

The Buzzcocks

The group formed in Manchester in January 1979 with Pete Shelley (vocals/guitar), Howard Devoto (vocals), Steve Diggle (bass) and John Maher (drums).

They supported the Sex Pistols on their infamous "Anarchy" Tour, shortly after which Devoto left to join the group Magazine, to be replaced in the group by Gareth Smith and later by Steve Garvey.

During the first years of the 1980s they recorded what are regarded as their finest post-punk singles, to be followed by several albums before Shelley left for a solo career.

The reformed Buzzcocks never quite managed to reproduce their early energy and originality. A great influence on later 80s Indie music in the UK.

Major songs and Albums include :

• Another Music in a Different Kitchen
• A Different Kind of Tension
• Love Bites
• Lest We Forget
• The Peel Sessions Album
• Entertaining Friends
• Going Steady

Easterhouse

Formed in the mid-1980s in Manchester by brothers Andy and Ivor Perry, Easterhouse was actively promoted by Morrissey of the Smiths.

The band included Andy Perry (vocals), Ivor Perry (guitar), and featured Peter Vanden (bass), Gary Rostock (drums) and Mike Murray (rhythm guitar). After a row, Ivor left the group, and Andy continued, despite losing all other members over a period of time.

He enlisted others : David Verner, Neil Taylor, Lance Sabin and Steve Lovell, but their music really failed to make commercial success or to achieve serious chart listings.

Perry's insistent and strident political lyric content was much criticised, and lead to their early demise.

Music included :

• Contenders
• Waiting For the Red Bird
• Stay With Me (Death on the Dole)

Darren "Daz" Partington

808 State

A Manchester dance band which comprised Martin Price, Graham Massey, Darren Partington and Andy Baker.

The four had met while working at, or visiting, a local café, and with Gerald Simpson, they produced their first single "Pacific State" in 1989, a big hit with the Manchester underground followers, and topping charts in both street sales and soul music charts.

Part of the Manchester independent dance boom, they became the city's prime exponents of techno dance music, and soon earned a recording contract with ZTT Records.

They continue to produce music for this genre.

Music includes :

• Newbuild (Album)
• Quadrastate
• 90
• North at its Heights
• Ex:El

Electronic

A powerful British duo which included Johnny Marr (born John Maher), and Bernard Sumner, who formerly belonged to other Manchester bands - The Smiths and New Order respectively.

They had already worked together over many years before they formed Electronic in 1989, and their melodic pop guitars were intended to achieve greater commercial success than they had previously.

They invited Neil Tennant of the Pet Shop Boys to add vocals to their debut single "Getting Away With It" in 1989, and this helped place it at No 12 in the UK music charts.

Their subsequent work went down well with the Manchester dance scene, as well as being well received by music critics.

Still active. Music includes :

• Electronic (Album)
• Get the Message
• Feel the Beat

High

Formed in Manchester in October 1987, High was started by ex-Stone Roses (as yet unknown) musician, Andy Couzens (born in Macclesfield). Couzens was joined by John Matthews (vocals), fellow Mancunian Simon Davies (bass), and Chris Goodwin from Oldham (drums).

Their unapologetically classic guitar songs earned an early contract signing with London Records, and they had released 3 singles by 1990.

By 1991 they had achieved success with "Box Set Go" which reached 28th place in the UK music charts, and they still produce music up to the present.

Their music includes :

• Somewhere Soon (Album)
• Box Set Go