Surprise Castle
/Books/Biographies & Autobiographies/Entertainment & Arts/Music
Manchester Must Dance: A Life of Music, Madness and Moving on Up

Manchester Must Dance: A Life of Music, Madness and Moving on Up

$21.99
$29.95
-27%
Quantity
01

Pay over time for orders over $35.00 with

Offers & Perks

Earn 21 points with this purchase

Added to your rewards balance after checkout.

100 points welcome bonus

Create an account and start with extra points.

Join now
Availability:In StockContributor:Mike Pickering, Paul MorleyTheme:Chronological Period/20th Century, Cultural Region/BritishPublish date:7/7/2026Pages:416
Languages:EnglishPublisher:Manchester University PressISBN-13:9781526190567ISBN-10:1526190567UPC:9781526190567Book Category:Biography & Autobiography, Music, Sports & RecreationBook Subcategory:Memoirs, Genres & Styles, SoccerBook Topic:RockSize:9.40 x 6.20 x 1.50 inchesWeight:0.999Product ID:SCVW7J3RYM

From Manchester's backstreets to global dancefloors - the untold story of a musical pioneer.

Beginning on the night in November 1963 when his mum took him to see the Beatles live at Manchester's ABC Cinema, Mike Pickering takes the reader through sixty years of clubs, clothes, gigs, record labels, football matches and politics.

Pickering has lived through decades of rapid change in popular music. As an influential DJ he introduced house music into the legendary Haçienda. He signed Happy Mondays and James to Factory Records before working with Kasabian, Gossip and Calvin Harris at Sony. His Mercury Prize-winning, multi-million-selling group M People transformed the music industry's attitude to dance music. As he tells his remarkable story he introduces an array of friends and collaborators, many of whom would become important - and sometimes notorious - figures in music history.

Manchester must dance is a revelatory insider's account that moves from the cramped back streets of 1950s north Manchester on a journey deep into music, the city and the wider world. It features forewords from some of those Pickering inspired: Martin Fry, Johnny Marr, Noel Gallagher and Calvin Harris.

Languages:EnglishPublisher:Manchester University PressISBN-13:9781526190567ISBN-10:1526190567UPC:9781526190567Book Category:Biography & Autobiography, Music, Sports & RecreationBook Subcategory:Memoirs, Genres & Styles, SoccerBook Topic:RockSize:9.40 x 6.20 x 1.50 inchesWeight:0.999Product ID:SCVW7J3RYM

Mike Pickering began his career at Factory Records in the early 1980s as an A&R man. He booked artists at the Haçienda from its opening he also DJed there. He later co-founded Deconstruction Records, one of the UK's first dance labels. In the 1990s he achieved a new level of success with his band M People, winning two Brit Awards and the Mercury Prize. As A&R at Columbia Records Mike signed Calvin Harris, Kasabian, Gossip and The Ting Tings. Mike continues to DJ today.

Paul Morley is a writer, broadcaster and cultural critic who has written about music since the 1970s. A founder member of Art of Noise and Art of This, his books include From Manchester with Love: The Life and Opinions of Tony Wilson, The North and Joy Division: Piece by Piece. He also collaborated with Grace Jones and Island Records' Chris Blackwell on their memoirs.


Publisher: Manchester University Press

Free shipping on orders over $75. Standard shipping takes 3-7 business days. Eligible items may be returned within 30 days of delivery. Conditions apply.