An Evening with Shaun Ryder (Happy Mondays, Black Grape)

Tickets on sale Thu 27th June 10am

An Evening with Shaun Ryder will have an interview with the man himself followed by a Q&A with thew audience, followed by a Manchester/Hacienda Style party until the wee hours..

One of the few truly iconic British frontmen of recent times, the inspirational Shaun William Ryder has haphazardly but enthusiastically blazed a trail that many have followed. Now for the first time, the greatest moments from a career like no other have been made available on one album. “XXX – Thirty Years Of Bellyaching” is released on 13 December 2010 by Rhino. Ryder himself said, “It’s been an interesting journey, people have always bet against me but I guess that now I’ve reached this point I’ve proved them wrong. I’ve had a colourful life played out in the tabloids, but music’s always come first and it’s great to pull it all together here.”

Renowned for his wit and swagger at the helm of the seminal Happy Mondays as they ram-raided the charts with a slew of classic singles, it was Ryder who encapsulated the anarchic humour at the band’s heart. Formed in 1980, the band comprised Ryder, brother Paul on bass, guitarist Mark Day, Paul Davis on keys, drummer Gaz Whelan and, latterly, the irrepressible Bez. Releasing their first single through Factory in 85 – after winning a battle of the bands at The Hacienda - the Mondays defined an era. When the band split in 1992, he returned – Bez in tow - with the exuberant Black Grape in 1995, immediately scoring a number one album with ‘It’s Great When You’re Straight’. After the second Black Grape album ‘Stupid Stupid Stupid’ fared less well, the band folded in 1998. 1999 saw the Happy Mondays get back together for a year, before imploding again.

Ryder’s next move confounded many; in 2001 he appeared on Russell Watson’s debut album performing with the tenor on ‘Barcelona’. In 2004 the Happy Mondays reformed again [and still perform on occasion]. In 2005 he recorded ‘Dare’ with Gorillaz for their gigantic debut album ‘Demon Days’. This was followed in 2007 by a new Happy Mondays album ‘Uncle Dysfunctional’.

“XXX – Thirty Years Of Bellyaching” collects together, for the first time, the remarkable output of a truly maverick creative character. An anti-hero in the classic British mould who has been paid his dues and been taken to a nation’s heart, Shaun William Ryder is a true one off, and this album celebrates him.