VA - Manchester, A City United In Music (2019)

Spanning 55 years and 45 songs, a 2CD collection to ratify Manchester’s claim to be Britain’s second – if not at times, first – musical city. From primal beat through promiscuous punk, high 80s disco/soul and pure baggy to proud and proper rock, the evidence is all here.

Starting with Ewan MacColl’s ‘Dirty Old Town’, which captures the effects the industrial revolution and its aftermath had on the city, “Manchester - A City United In Music” moves through the 60s beat boom, Strawberry Studio’s pop revolution, northern punk, indie mayhem and on to the Madchester years, culminating with Oasis’ modern-day rock‘n’roll anthem. Tracks vary from the multi-million selling hits of Wayne Fontana, 10cc, Herman’s Hermits and Simply Red to the more acquired taste of Haydock’s Rockhouse, Wynder K Frog and Smack. Well-known artists such as the Hollies, Georgie Fame and John Mayall are heard on some of their lesser-known but top-notch tracks.

Cult singles are featured by the Purple Gang, the Toggery Five, Gerry & the Holograms and the Dakotas, along with tracks by local personalities Graham Fellows (aka Jilted John and John Shuttleworth), Chris Sievey (Frank Sidebottom) with his group the Freshies and Dr John Cooper Clarke, the Bard of Salford. Future stars Graham Gouldman and Dave Formula are present on great cuts recorded before their fame arrived and producer Martin Hannett’s name threads throughout.

Manchester’s soulful roots can be heard in tracks by Elkie Brooks, Sweet Sensation, M People and Blue Zone; earlier attempts at R&B were made by beat groups the Measles, Pete Maclaine & the Clan and the Whirlwinds. A dozen years later the musical rebellion was taken up by Buzzcocks, Salford Jets and Slaughter & the Dogs. A further burst of pent-up energy followed through the angst-ridden sounds of Joy Division, Magazine and the Fall, while the Stone Roses, Happy Mondays and Inspiral Carpets come across in a far more blissed-out state.

Housed in a fold-out digipak, the 2CD set and its accompanying 44-page booklet – featuring copious notes by local music historian/musician C.P. Lee and a foreword by one-time Manchester resident Jon Savage, along with photos and illustrations from the period and reminiscences from many of the players – tell the fascinating story of the city’s musical history and examine how it came to be. Despite the several-decade time span, the varying music styles weave well together to make the experience a pleasure as well as an education.

Tracklist
CD 1
01. Exwan MacColl Featuring Peggy Seeger - Dirty Old Town
02. Pete Maclaine & The Clan - Yes I Do
03. Freddie & the Dreamers - If You Gotta Make A Fool Of Somebody
04. The Hollies - Baby That's All
05. John Mayall & The Bluesbreakers - Crawling Up A Hill
06. The Whirlwinds - Baby Not Like You
07. The Toggery Five - I'm Gonna Jump
08. Elkie Brooks - Nothing Left To Do But Cry
09. Wayne Fontana & The Mindbenders - The Game Of Love
10. George Fame & The Blue Flames - In The Meantime
11. The Measles - Bye Birdie Fly
12. Haydock's Rockhouse - She Thinks
13. St Louis Union - East Side Story
14. The Mockingbirds - How To Find A Lover
15. The Magic Lanterns - Rumplestiltskin
16. Herman's Hermits - This Door Swings Both Ways
17. The Purple Gang - Granny Takes A Trip
18. Wynder K. Frog - I'm A Man
19. The Dakotas - The Spider And The Fly
20. Greasy Bear - Geordie
21. Barclay James Harvest - Mocking Bird
22. Stackwaddy - You Really Got Me
23. 10cc - Life Is A Minestrone
24. Sweet Sensation - Mr Cool

CD 2
01. The Buzzcocks - Orgasm Addict
02. Slaughter & the Dogs - You're A Bore
03. John Cooper Clarke & The Curicious Yellows - Innocents
04. Alberto Y Lost Trios Paranoias - Gobbin' On Life
05. Jilted John - Going Steady
06. Gerry & The Holograms - Gerry & The Holograms
07. Magazine - A Song From Under The Floorboards
08. Smack - Edward Fox
09. Salford Jets - Who You Looking At
10. The Freshies - I'm In Love With The Girl On The Manchester Virgin Megastore Checkout Desk
11. The Fall - Leave The Capitol
12. Joy Division - Dead Souls
13. New Order - Thieves Like Us
14. Simply Red - Come To My Aid
15. Blue Zone With Lisa Stansfield - Thinking About His Baby
16. M People - How Can I Love You More
17. The Stone Roses - I Wanna Be Adored (7-Inch Version)
18. Inspiral Carpets - This Is How It Feels (Radio Mix)
19. Happy Mondays - Kinky Afro (Mix)
20. Johnny Marr - New Town Velocity (Single Version)
21. Oasis - Rock 'n' Roll Star