'This is the story of how Factory pioneered Briton's independent pop culture, imagined a new Manchester, and blew a shedload of money:

Factory - Manchester from Joy Division to Happy Mondays'
posted by Item on Aug 1, 2009 - 33 comments

Not that this is a surprise, but the planned congestion charging/public transport scheme in Manchester has been rejected. Perhaps those in favor of the charging should have spent less on their web sites; like the no-campaign people did. You know, with more primary colours and exclamation marks. Instead, they should have spent their money on shark costumes. [more inside]
posted by 13twelve on Dec 12, 2008 - 37 comments

Damon Albarn’s career reads like a roadmap to some musical no-man's land: start a pop band, turn into an indie/hip-hop/dub “virtual” group, followed by a supergroup featuring Tony Allen and Paul Simonon, and throw in an album of Malian guitar music for good measure. [more inside]
posted by mannequito on Sep 23, 2008 - 25 comments

The late, great Tony Wilson is being honoured today with a 24-hour long "intelligent" conversation in Manchester, England. Wilson was a musical Svengali par excellence. He co-founded Factory Records, helped discover both Joy Division and the Happy Mondays and has been credited with reviving the city that was cradle to the industrial revolution. [more inside]
posted by MrMerlot on Jun 21, 2008 - 16 comments

Shrinking Cities (virtual and real): Analysis and Interventions. [more inside]
posted by salvia on Nov 29, 2007 - 12 comments

BIGMOUTH BIKES AGAIN! "Smiths fans are organising a 16 mile sponsored bike ride around Salford and Manchester to raise funds for Salford Lads & Girls Club whilst recreating the video for the song Stop Me If You Think You've Heard This One Before. But will Morrissey be available to reprise his role 20 years on?" via
posted by Alec on Sep 10, 2007 - 19 comments

Anthony H. Wilson: 20th February 1950 - 10th August 2007
posted by Webbster on Aug 10, 2007 - 74 comments

Post your grandson's mad football skills on YouTube, get him recruited by Manchester United.
posted by goodnewsfortheinsane on Aug 2, 2007 - 52 comments

Roger Eagle is one of the great, unsung heroes of the British music scene. Over a period of twenty five years or so, he was responsible for not one, not two, but three legendary music venues, each of which defined their particular era. Still fondly remembered.
posted by PeterMcDermott on Nov 20, 2006 - 4 comments

Remember the announcement for the BBC's Manchester Passion? The full list of songs and lineup were recently announced, rehearsals are over, tonight the procession through the city will be broadcast live on BBC Three - for now you can watch trailers and interviews with the cast (only for UK viewers/proxy users).
posted by funambulist on Apr 14, 2006 - 13 comments

Take One Museum on BBC Four is the Russian Ark of documentaries as expert Paul Rose looks around a museum, with the help of some tour guides in one take over a thirty minute period. I caught the tail end of the Royal Navy Submarine Museum episode and he seemed like a man of great enthusiasm. Much like New York's Museum of Modern Art's podcast official and unofficial, an audio podcast version of the show is available so that a visitor to the actual museum can cover the same ground with the aid of their mp3 player. Excellently, it's the Museum of Science and Industry in Manchester next week so I'll definitely be going there again soon to see what this is like.
posted by feelinglistless on Feb 19, 2006 - 4 comments

George Best dies at 59. Footballer George Best has died today from an infection after a protracted iillness due to ill health following his battles with alcoholism. A great talent he was famous for his good looks, ability and love of the ladies.

"I spent a lot of money on booze, birds and fast cars - the rest I just squandered."

Rest in peace Besty.
posted by ClanvidHorse on Nov 25, 2005 - 70 comments

Music for the Kind : A half-completed tentative lineup for the fourth annual Bonnaroo Music Festival has been announced. With no advertising budget, the festival draws 90,000 fans to the pastures of Manchester, Tennessee for some of the best that live music has to offer. Smaller local festivals, like Langerado and Wanee Festival in Florida, have popped up featuring many of the same artists. Phish may be phried, but the music jams on and there could be a brighter future for selling music than more MTV.
posted by trinarian on Jan 22, 2005 - 12 comments

What is truth, said jesting Tony? You may have already seen 24 Hour Party People, an openly self-serving, dishonest and very enjoyable account of the rise and fall of Manchester's Factory Records and its associated projects, such as the Hacienda. I tried to find more accurate, coherent and comprehensive accounts of the company's history. If you have the cash, you can always ring up Tony for some more mythology.
posted by maudlin on Aug 29, 2002 - 27 comments

A 9-year-old girl has been arrested on sex charges, perhaps the youngest suspect ever to face such charges in Manchester, local police say. [...] The alleged incident occurred in the fall, when the girl and three other children a 3-year-old boy and two girls, 4 and 5 were playing in a bedroom, [Police Sgt. John] Maston said. The girl is charged with initiating sex between the younger children and then with her, Maston said. (From Boston.com, via Billy Wildhack.) I admit I don't have all the facts, but it seems like this little girl's life about to be ruined because a game of Doctor went out of hand.
posted by RylandDotNet on Jan 12, 2002 - 46 comments

Manchester's Gay Village is being invaded ... by straight people ... 'Bob and Rose', the latest TV show from Russell T Davis (the creator of 'Queer as Folk') featured the every day story of a gay man and straight woman falling in love. Now the place where it was filmed is being flooded by women looking to fulfill the fantasy. Is this a new extreme form of media tourism? An interesting aspect of the story is that the community is objecting because these new visitors arn't following the established rules of regular patrons ...
posted by feelinglistless on Oct 24, 2001 - 10 comments