Manchester
Manchester remains one of Britain’s key musical meccas, a city of diverse musical styles, from The Bee Gees, The Hollies, Joy Division to The Smiths, Happy Mondays, Stone Roses, New Order, Elbow, Chemical Brothers and Mr Scruff.
It was Manchester’s notorious Hacienda club (no longer around) that captured a moment in the mid-1980s featuring early performances from The Smiths, New Order and Madonna and became the epicentre of the “Madchester” music with clubbers packed on its dancefloor to the beat of House and Techno.
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Great Record Shops
Manchester’s Northern Quarter is the city’s creative vibrant heart and is home to lively bars and restaurants, music venues, quirky shops, art galleries and cool record shops like Piccadilly Records and Vinyl Exchange.
Piccadilly Records (www.piccadillyrecords.com)
A treasure trove for music lovers and a monument to the city’s musical culture, selling punk, dance, rock, funk, electronica and loads more.
Vinyl Exchange (www.vinylexchange.co.uk)
Even the most tight-fisted won’t leave Manchester’s largest second-hand music store empty-handed!
Sifters Records
A record shop immortalised in the 1994 Oasis single, Shakermaker. This is where Noel and Liam Gallagher shopped for records as kids.
Venues
Carling Apollo
This venue has seen countless bands and comedians through its doors over the years, including greats like The Beatles, Queen, Prince,
The Smiths - Places of Interest
Strangeways Prison
Provided The Smiths with the title of their album Strangeways Here We Come.
Salford Lads Club (www.salfordladsclub.org.uk)
Thousands of Smiths fans from around the world have made the pilgrimage to this building, which provided the background for the band on the inside cover of their classic album The Queen is Dead.
Southern Cemetery
Believed to be the inspiration for the mis-spelled song Cemetry Gates by The Smiths on The Queen is Dead album.
More music in Manchester