REHEARSING AT THE BOARDWALK, MANCHESTER

“We were rehearsing there every single night — just head down, fucking grafting. I loved it; it was mega. Then we’d go up to the bar in the club afterwards, have a little drink and watch some shit band. We were always getting kicked out, chased for rent... Everyone in Manchester — even today — they’re all a bit cloak and dagger, like, ‘You can’t hear what we’re doing.’ So all the other bands’ studio doors were closed. But our door would be wide open: ‘Fucking ’ave that!’ All these other bands would be coming in, going, ‘Excuse me, could you just turn it down?’ and we’d be going, ‘Fuck off, you turn your shit down.’ Then, on the way out, we’d walk past and turn their lights off... Everyone was getting gigs except us: you’d see Puressence next door going off to do a gig, and we’d be like, ‘Where’s our fucking gigs?’”