‘It’s all about the atmosphere’

Cult indie band the Happy Mondays are back with a string of 30th anniversary shows, kicking off with a gig at Dundee’s Caird Hall on November 10.

Three decades on and despite years of hardcore partying, Madchester icons the Happy Mondays are still going strong.

And while the drugs have gone, the rock ‘n’ roll aspect is very much alive and kicking.

Formed in 1980 and signed to Factory Records, the Mondays bridged the Manchester independent rock music of the 80s and the emerging UK rave scene, drawing influences from acid house, funk, and psychedelia.

They experienced their commercial peak with Bummed (1988), Madchester Rave On (1989), and Pills ‘n’ Thrills and Bellyaches (1990), with the latter going platinum in the UK.

The original line-up was Shaun Ryder (vocals), his brother Paul Ryder (bass), Mark Day ( guitar), Paul Davis (keyboard), and Gary Whelan (drums).

Mark “Bez” Berry later joined the band as a dancer/percussionist.

When The Courier catches up with Rowetta Satchell, who joined as guest vocalist in 1990, she says the band is better than ever, musically.

“We’ve been back together with the original lineup since 2012 and we still put on a great show,” she says.

“Bez is still Bez and people love him; he really gets the crowd going.

“He still has his mad eyes and loves dancing but he’s into health and organic food now; he doesn’t even smoke weed.

“He’ll get drunk on a couple of whiskeys which is quite funny to see.” Rowetta says the band parties more on stage than off stage now: “The drugs have gone from the band; it’s a much better place to be.

“Everyone’s different, everyone’s

settled down, a lot more mellow and more into doing it as a proper gig.”

The band played a bunch of summer festivals but Rowetta says they’re “hugely excited” to be coming to Dundee. The massive tunes will be on the set but there’ll be a few surprises, too.

Rowetta is keen for fans who’ve not yet seen the band in action to get along to the gig. “There are loads of people whose mums and dads got them into the Mondays and they didn’t get to see us because they were too young the first time round.

“It’s all about the atmosphere; you have to be there to get it.”

Mondays’ gigs in Scotland always go down well, says Rowetta, because it’s “all about the party crowd”.

And fans hoping to meet the music icons in the flesh could be in for a treat.

“We’re very Mancunian, so you’ll see us at the bar chatting to people,” she smiles.

“We’re not going to ignore you; we’ll probably go out with you, or go for some dinner with you. That’s the sort of people we are. We’re very personable.”

Alongside New Order star Peter Hook, Rowetta led a minute’s silence to victims of the Manchester and London terror attacks and Grenfell Tower blaze at Glastonbury. She also sang the anthem You Got the Love, which, she says, was a “real honour”.

Frontman Shaun had planned to take his family to the Ariana Grande gig, but cancelled at the last minute.

After the tour, Rowetta plans to work on her dance music career before getting stuck into more Mondays gigs.

Then they’ll start working on a new album, due for release in 2019.

The Mondays’ tour marks 30 years since the release of their debut album, Squirrel and G-Man Twenty Four Hour Party People Plastic Face Carnt Smile (White Out).

They play Caird Hall on November 10 ahead of a 26-date UK and Irish tour.

The Dundee date was originally planned for October 6 but the gig was pushed back due to “unforeseen scheduling conflicts”.

The drugs have gone from the band; it’s a much better place to be

Happy Mondays’ dancer and percussionist Bez dances in the foreground while the rest of the band perform behind him. T

The band will be in Dundee next Friday.