Manchester, so much to answer for!
I would also like to add a thank you to a couple of guys, who in my mind are unsung heroes and were working behind the scenes to help turn Manchester into MADchester. They were responsible for some of the best raves in the North West. To Anthony and Chris Donnelly, thank you for the mayhem, the love and the amazing parties. They truly are 24 hour party people. And we can't thank them without thanking their wonderful sister Tracey, who worked for Factory records and introduced her brothers to Tony Wilson and the Hacienda and another episode in Manchester's cultural history began.
Chris and Anthony Donnelly
The worst part of thanking everybody is you are almost certain to miss someone out and upset them! If I have, just email us and we'll add you in - the old memory is not what it used to be!
So here we go, a thank you to the following, it was a brilliant time including the tears and you were all part of it:
Tina, Debby, Ana, Rick, Rez, Si the DJ, Robert, Mark, Steve Tuffin, Colin, Elliot, Binni, Brent, Gary, Julie, TinTin, Gata, Venue Damian (Brave Music Agency), Con and Janet - Royal Exchange, Anthony & Tara (Identity USA) and Dave Haslam (he wasn't always an international DJ and Journalist)!
Brother Austin, Tenspot Toe.
Ian Tilton, AJ Wilkinson.
Darren and Andy (808 State) for wearing the t-shirt on TOTP, MC Tunes, The Ruthless Rap Assassins, New Order, Inspiral Carpets, The Smiths, The Stone Roses, Happy Mondays, First Offence, Carl Campbell, Pat Elson and Jerry for the Ski Pants - LOL!
Tina Street for everything. Dave Burgess for his enthusiasm. And to both of them for "Keeping the Faith"! Also, special thanks to Andrew and Stephanie from Modern Army Stores in Chorlton.
Russian Rick and Kat from Kubek who inspired me with the initial concept (Rick - sorry for telling you to "F*cK off, I'm busy!" 26 years ago lol)
Sean Keating.
Caroline Dinsdale (whose father Gerry was my art teacher at St Marys, Astley, Leigh) and Elizabeth Taylor for their help with the t-shirt designs.
Thanks also to Mike Pickering and Graham Park for being totally nice guys through all of the hedonism.
Big thanks to the guys at Eastern Bloc records for supplying the soundtrack to those amazing years.
Thanks to Melanie McGuirk and Paul Jonson-Pannone and Craig Maher at Thomson & Cooke.
P.S. If you are reading this in the year 2088, I don't care how good you are having it, you will never, ever have it as good as we did in 1988 LOL x