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2000 |
Ray Jones, the original bassist in
60's act The Dakotas,
dies on 20th January, aged 60 |
Primal Scream's
second studio album with Mani on bass,
'XTRMNTR' reaches no.3 and spawns hits 'Swastika Eyes'
(no.22), 'Kill All Hippies' (no.24) and 'Accelerator'
(no.34)
[video] |
Doves debut
album 'Lost Souls' reaches no.14 in April and features
the singles 'Catch the Sun' (no.32), 'The Cedar Room'
(no.33), 'The Man Who Told Everything' (no.33) &
'Here It Comes' (no.73)
[video] |
On July 15th 2000, Sad
Cafe and Mike
& The Mechanics frontman Paul
Young dies suddenly of a heart attack, aged
53. A tribute concert to him later that year at Manchester
Apollo features artists like Queen's Roger Taylor, Roy
Wood and Fish, together with his previous bands. |
Following a huge fight on a ferry between Shaun
Ryder and backing vocalist Rowetta,
Happy Mondays
split up for a second time in August |
Monaco split
up citing musical differences with Peter Hook
returning to New Order |
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2001 |
Inspiral Carpets
reform after a 6 year hiatus |
In April, The Bee Gees
release what is to be their final album as a trio with
the UK no.6 CD, 'This Is Where I Came In'. The title track
reaches no.18 in the singles chart. [video] |
In June, a reworking of the 1995 The
Smiths 'Singles' greatest hits album is released
as 'The Very Best Of The Smiths', with five added tracks.
It reaches UK no.31 and is criticised by Morrissey
and Marr,
who were not consulted over the release. |
With very little promotion, James
reach a disappointing no.11 with their 'Pleased To Meet
You' album, which only spawns one, albeit minor, hit in
'Getting Away With It (All Messed Up)' (no.22). Shortly
later, lead singer Tim
Booth announces he will leave the band |
|
The Charlatans |
Wonderland
|
The Charlatans'
seventh album, 'Wonderland', continues their success
into the new century, with hits 'Love Is the Key'
(no.16) and 'A Man Needs to Be Told' (no.31) pushing
them into the no.2 position in September, held off
the top spot by Manchester born, Jay Kay's
Jamiroquai.
[video] |
|
In October Ian Brown
releases his most successful solo album, 'Music of the
Spheres' (no.3). It spawns the hits 'FEAR' (no.13) and
'Whispers' (no.33)
[video]
|
New Order
bounce back with the no.6 album 'Get Ready' (US no.41)
in Nov, a more rocky approach to their sound as highlighted
in the singles 'Crystal (no.8) and '60 Miles An Hour'
(no.29)
[video]
|
The excellent 40 track Bee
Gees retrospective collection, 'Their Greatest
Hits - The Record' reaches no.5 in Nov. |
James play a
sold-out 'farewell' gig at the MEN Arena on Dec 7th 2001
with former guitarist Larry Gott returning
for some tracks. The incredible concert is later released
on DVD & CD (does not chart) |
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2002 |
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24
Hour Party People
|
The multi award-winning Michael Winterbottom
movie, '24 Hour Party People',
is released in April, telling the story of Tony
Wilson, Factory Records,
The Hacienda,
Joy Division
and The Happy
Mondays. Starring Steve Coogan,
Andy Serkis, Paddy Considine
and John Simm amongst
others it's a must for all Manchester music fans.
The soundtrack spawns the New
Order hit single 'Here To Stay' (UK
no.15) |
|
|
Doves |
The
Last Broadcast |
In
April, Doves
second album 'The Last Broadcast' reaches no.1 in
the UK (USA no.83) where t stays for 2 weeks. it
includes the smash hit single 'There Goes the Fear'
(no.3), 'Pounding' (no.21) and 'Caught By the River'
(no.29) together with local influences 'M62 Song'
and, on the US limited edition version, 'Northenden'
[video] |
|
Bernie Dwyer, drummer
with 60's legends Freddie
& The Dreamers dies on his 62nd birthday |
'Evil Heat', Mani's third studio album
with Glaswegian's Primal Scream
reaches no.9 and produces the hit 'Miss Lucifer'. (no.25)
[video] |
|
With the band's input, Silvertone release 'The Very Best
Of The Stone Roses'
in November. It reaches no.19 in the UK charts and includes
tracks from the band's entire career |
Fivepenny Piece
founder member George Radcliffe dies
in December |
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2003 |
On January 12th 2003, Bee
Gee Maurice
Gibb dies of a strangulated intestine, aged 53 |
In the same week as his brother's death, Robin
Gibb reaches no,23 with the single 'Please',
his only solo chart success since the 1960s |
The Mock Turtles
reform after 'Can You Dig It' is used in a Vodafone advert.
The reissue reaches no.19 and is included, with 8 (yes
eight!) new tracks on 'The Best Of The Mock Turtles'
[video] |
|
Tim Burgess |
I
Believe |
The Charlatans
frontman's solo country-pop album won widespread
acclaim on it's release in September, however only
reached no.38. The singles 'I Believe in the Spirit'
and 'Only a Boy' fail to chart.
[video] |
|
Primal Scream's
'Dirty Hits' best of compilation reaches no.25 in November
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2004 |
Mel Pritchard,
the drummer with 70's Oldham prog-rockers
Barclay James Harvest, dies of a heart attack
on 28th January, aged 56. |
|
Tim Booth |
Bone
|
In
February, former James
frontman Tim Booth
releases the debut solo album 'Bone'. Despite critical
acclaim and the singles 'Down To The Sea' and 'Wave
Hello', it fails to chart
[video] |
|
John McGeoch,
the highly influential original guitarist of Manc post-punk
act Magazine,
dies in his sleep on March 4th, aged 48. |
|
Morrissey |
You
Are The Quarry |
In
May, Morrissey
returns after a 7 year hiatus with the smash hit
album 'You Are The Quarry', his biggest hit in America
(UK no.2 / USA no.11). It spawns the worldwide hits
'Irish Blood, English Heart' (UK no.3), 'First of
the Gang to Die' (no,6), 'Let Me Kiss You' (no.8)
and 'I Have Forgiven Jesus' (no.10). A limited edition
version of the album also includes the track 'Munich
Air Disaster 1958', a tribute to the Manchester
United players who lost their lives
in the 1958 air crash. His new found popularity
sees 'The Best Of - Suedehead' re-enter the chart
at no.25 (higher than when it was originally released)
[video]
|
|
Also in May, Shaun Ryder, Gaz
Whelan and Bez reform again
as Happy Mondays,
playing another sell-out gig at the MEN Arena |
The same month, fellow Madchester faves, The
Charlatans return to their trademark sound
with their eighth studio album 'Up At The Lake'. It's
their least successful release in 12 years (UK no.13)
although it does spawn the singles 'Up at the Lake' (no,23)
and 'Try Again Today' (no,24)
[video]
|
Ian Brown
has a cameo appearance in 'Harry Potter and the Prisoner
of Azkaban' |
Morrissey's
homecoming gig at the MEN Arena is released on DVD as
'Who Put The M in Manchester?' |
Incredibly, 15 years since it's original release, The
Stone Roses self-titled debut album finally
reaches the UK Top 10 (no.9) in July 2004 |
In September Ian Brown
returns with his fourth studio album, 'Solarized', (UK
no.7). It spawns the singles 'Keep What Ya Got' with Noel
Gallagher (no.18) and 'Time Is My Everything'
(no.15)
[video]
|
The 18 track collection of the Bee
Gees chart toppers, 'Number One's' reaches
no.7 in November |
In December former Happy
Mondays backing vocalist Rowetta
comes 4th in the first ever X-Factor |
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2005 |
In January Happy Mondays
dancer Bez wins Celebrity Big Brother |
Adidas release a limited edition Ian
Brown 35th Anniversary Superstar trainer,
designed by the artist himself using the colours of his
beloved Manchester United
and being made in the most sturdy material to survive
the Manchester rain |
|
Doves |
Some
Cities |
In
February, Doves
third album 'Some Cities' spends a week at the top
of the charts and features the singles 'Snowden'
(no.17), 'Sky Starts Falling' (no.45) and the hit
single, written about their hometown of Wilmslow
'Black And White Town' (no.6) [video] |
|
Meanwhile, 60's Manchester music legend Wayne
Fontana fights off banktrupcy but is arrested
at his home in Glossop after setting fire to a car with
a bailiff inside. He attends the court case dressed as
the lady of justice, with a sword, scales, crown, cape
and dark glasses, claiming "justice is blind".
He's held under the Mental Health Act 1983. |
in April, New Order
reach no.5 (US no.46) with their ninth (and final) studio
album, 'Waiting For The Sirens Call', which includes the
hit singles 'Krafty' (no.8), the title track (no.21),
and 'Jetstream', featuring Ana Matronic
from the Scissor Sisters (no.20)
[video] |
In the same month, Morrissey's
'Live At Earl's Court' CD reaches no.18 and spawns the
no,11 hit single 'Redondo Beach / There Is A Light That
Never Goes Out'.
[video]
|
In June, former James
frontman, Tim Booth,
appears as Mr. Zsasz in the film 'Batman Begins' |
The excellent New Order
'Singles' 2 CD collection reaches no.14 in August. Unlike
their previous compilation albums, it chronciles every
one of their 7" hits, including some which have never
been issued on CD before |
|
Shaun
Ryder |
Dare |
Happy
Mondays frontman Shaun Ryder
provides vocals on Gorillaz no.1 hit 'Dare' in September.
He also appears live at their Manchester Opera House
concerts [video] |
|
In Oct Ian Brown
releases 'The Greatest' collection (no.5) with single
'All Ablaze' (no.20)
[video] |
As a new generation latches on to the music of The
Stone Roses, their self-titled 1989 debut
album enjoys it's sixth run in the charts, reaching no.19
in October. |
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2006 |
In January, ex-Smiths
bass player Andy Rourke organises the
massive Manchester V Cancer charity night at the MEN Arena.
Highlight of the night, sees him rejoined on stage with
Johnny Marr. |
Freddie
& The Dreamers frontman Freddie
Garrity dies aged 69 in Bangor, North Wales of
emphysema
|
|
Morrissey |
Ringleader
Of The Tormentors |
In
April, Morrissey
scores his third no.1 album in the UK (US no.27)
with 'Ringleader Of The Tormentors', which includes
the hits 'You Have Killed Me' (no.3), 'The Youngest
Was the Most Loved' (no.14), 'I Just Want to See
the Boy Happy' (no.16) & 'In the Future When
All's Well' (no.17) [video] |
|
With very little radio promotion, The
Charlatans reach no.10 in April with their
reggae influenced ninth album 'Simpatico' (no.24). It
includes the hit 'Blackened Blue Eyes' (no.28) '
[video]
|
On Good Friday April 14th, a huge play is performed on
the streets of Manchester city centre and is broadcast
live by the BBC. Entitled 'The Manchester Passion', it
tells the story of the last hours of Jesus Christ by using
the music of Oasis,
Morrissey,
Joy
Division, M
People, Smiths,
James, New
Order, Stone
Roses, Robbie
Williams, Elkie
Brooks, Happy
Mondays, Buzzcocks,
808 State
and Black Grape.
Former James
frontman, Tim Booth
stars as Judas, Denise Johnson
stars as Mary, and there's cameos from Bez
and Anthony Wilson [video] |
As part of his 2006 tour, Morrissey
incredibly plays homecoming gigs at The Lowry, Manchester
Apollo, Manchester Opera House, Bridgewater Hall and two
nights at the G-MEX |
Meanwhile his The Smiths
nemesis, guitarist Johnny
Marr joins American group Modest
Mouse |
Mani's fourth studio album with Primal
Scream, 'Riot City Blues', reaches no.5 in
June and produces the band's biggest ever hit, 'Country
Girl' (no.3), as well as 'Dolls (Sweet Rock n Roll)' (no.40)
[video]
|
in November, The Charlatans
'Forever' singles collection, reaches no.38 in the UK |
Lead singer Dermo is the only original
member on Northside's
reunion tour in December |
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2007 |
After a 5 year hiatus, James,
complete with Tim Booth
and Larry Gott, reform in April, playing
the MEN Arena at the end of a small tour to promote the
'Fresh As A Daisy - The Singles' collection, which boasts
2 new recordings (UK no.12) |
In May, bass player Peter Hook announces
his departure from New
Order. The remaining band members vow to
continue without him, leading to an argument as to who
owns the name of the band |
On 15th September, a bronze statue of George
Formby is erected in his home town of Wigan |
|
Control
|
Anton
Corbijn's Cannes Film Festival
Award-winning cinema biopic of Joy
Division frontman, Ian Curtis,
is released on the 5th October. Adapted from Deborah
Curtis's biography, 'Touching From A Distance',
the
movie wins many awards and brings the music of the
Manchester punk band to the attention of a whole
new generation. |
|
Despite reaching UK no.4, Ian
Brown's fifth studio album 'The World Is
Yours' disappears from the charts almost immediately.
The anti-Iraq single 'Illegal Attacks' (with Sinead O'Connor)
reaches no.16 but other singles flop largely due to the
highly political nature of the album
[video] |
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2008 |
In February Morrissey's
'Greatest Hits' reaches no.5 in the UK and features two
brand new tracks, 'That's How People Grow Up' (UK no.14)
and 'All You Need Is Me' (no.15)
[video]
|
Meanwhile his Smiths
nemesis, Johnny Marr
joins Yorkshire band The Cribs, whilst
also remaining Modest Mouse's guitarist |
Despite being described as their best since 1999, The
Charlatans tenth album 'You Cross My Path',
initially released as a ground-breaking free download,
indicates the bands 18 year career may have stalled as
it only reaches no.38 in March |
In April, James
reach UK no.10 with the superb album, 'Hey Ma', despite
no promotional singles |
30 years and 96 (yes, ninety six!!!) albums into their
career, The Fall
reach no.35 in May with the album 'Imperial Wax Solvent',
15 years since their last chart success |
Mani's fifth studio album with Primal
Scream, 'Beautiful Future', reaches no.9
in July
[video] |
In August, 25 years after being sacked, Limahl
rejoins Kajagoogoo for a retro
80's tour |
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