[2019-01-25] Various Artists "Manchester: A City United In Music" 2CD set (Ace UK)

Linda · **Posted:** Thu Dec 06, 2018 6:41 pm

Description
Starting with Ewan McColl’s ‘Dirty Old Town’, written about the great metropolis and capturing the effects of 200 years of industrial revolution and its aftermath, “Manchester; A City United In Music” moves through the 60s beat revolution, Strawberry Studios pop revolution, northern punk, indie mayhem and on to the Madchester years culminating with an Oasis modern day-anthem.

The tracks vary from the multi-million selling hits of Wayne Fontana, 10cc, Herman’s Hermits and Simply Red to the cult musical art of Haydock’s Rockhouse, Wynder K Frog and Smack. Well-known artists like the Hollies, Georgie Fame and John Mayall are heard on some of their lesser-known but top-notch tracks.

Cult singles are featured by the Purple Gang, Toggery 5, Gerry & The Holograms and the Dakotas. Local personalities abound - Chris Sievey in pre- Frank Sidebottom guise with the Freshies, the Bard Of Salford - Mr John Cooper-Clarke and Graham Fellows aka John Shuttleworth when he was Jilted John.

Future stars like Graham Gouldman and Dave Formula are present on great tracks recorded before fame arrived. Legendary producer Martin Hannett’s name threads through the track-listing.

Manchester’s soulful roots can be heard with Elkie Brooks, Sweet Sensation, M People and Blue Zone, while earlier attempts at R&B were made by the beat groups the Measles, Pete MacLaine & The Clan and the Whirlwinds. A dozen years later that raucous “in your face” musical rebellion was taken up by Buzzcocks, Slaughter & The Dogs and the Salford Jets. That burst of pent-up energy was then followed by the moodier angst-ridden sounds of Joy Division, Magazine and the Fall and their younger followers the Stone Roses, Happy Mondays and Inspiral Carpets.

Sequenced mainly chronologically, the 2CD set and its accompanying booklet tell a fascinating story of a city’s musical history and examines how it came to be. Photos and artwork from the period, along with the reminiscences of the players bring it to life again.

Striking digipak package featuring a photo of Chris Sievey lurking outside Market Street’s Virgin Megastore with extensive notes by compiler CP Lee with an overview by Jon Savage.

Tracklist
[CD1]
1. Dirty Old Town - Ewan MacColl Featuring Peggy Seeger
2. Yes I Do - Pete Maclaine & The Clan
3. If You Gotta Make A Fool Of Somebody - Freddie & The Dreamers
4. Baby That's All - The Hollies
5. Crawling Up A Hill - John Mayall & The Blues Breakers
6. Baby Not Like You - The Whirlwinds
7. I'm Gonna Jump - The Toggery Five
8. Nothing Left To Do But Cry - Elkie Brooks
9. The Game Of Love - Wayne Fontana & The Mindbenders
10. In The Meantime - Georgie Fame & The Blue Flames
11. Bye Birdie Fly - The Measles
12. She Thinks - Haydock's Rockhouse
13. East Side Story - St. Louis Union
14. How To Find A Lover - The Mockingbirds
15. Rumplestiltskin - The Magic Lanterns
16. This Door Swings Both Ways - Herman's Hermits
17. Granny Takes A Trip - The Purple Gang
18. I'm A Man - Wynder K. Frog
19. The Spider And The Fly - The Dakotas
20. Geordie - Greasy Bear
21. Mocking Bird - Barclay James Harvest
22. You Really Got Me - Stackwaddy
23. Life Is A Minestrone - 10cc
24. Mr Cool - Sweet Sensation

[CD2]
1. Orgasm Addict - Buzzcocks
2. You're A Bore - Slaughter & The Dogs
3. Innocents - John Cooper Clarke & The Curious Yellows
4. Gobbin' On Life - Alberto Y Lost Trios Paranoias
5. Going Steady - Jilted John
6. Gerry & The Holograms - Gerry & The Holograms
7. A Song From Under The Floorboards - Magazine
8. Edward Fox - Smack
9. Who You Looking At? - Salford Jets
10. I'm In Love With The Girl On The Manchester Virgin Megastore Checkout Desk - The Freshies
11. Leave The Capitol - The Fall
12. Dead Souls - Joy Division
13. Thieves Like Us - New Order
14. Come To My Aid - Simply Red
15. Thinking About His Baby - Blue Zone With Lisa Stansfield
16. How Can I Love You More - M People
17. I Wanna Be Adored (7-inch Version) - The Stone Roses
18. This Is How It Feels (Radio Mix) - Inspiral Carpets
19. Kinky Afro (Mix) - Happy Mondays
20. New Town Velocity (Single Version) - Johnny Marr
21. Rock'n'Roll Star - Oasis

Amazon USA
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07L5ZD68H/?tag=imwan-20

Amazon UK
https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B07L5ZD68H/?tag=imwan-21

Fred Schaffel · **Joined:** 13 Oct 2006 **Posts:** 45

This looks good, but the track listing screams "we couldn't license the Smiths." (There is a Johnny Marr solo track.)

Linda · **Posted:** Thu Dec 27, 2018 5:25 pm

Both of the pre-order links are now active:

Amazon USA
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07L5ZD68H/?tag=imwan-20

Amazon UK
https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B07L5ZD68H/?tag=imwan-21

Rick A · 23 Jul 2006

Can't wait until mine comes in.

NoPhoneNoPoolNoPets · 17 Jul 2007

Fred Schaffel wrote:

This looks good, but the track listing screams "we couldn't license the Smiths."

♫ "... so much to answer for!" ♪

NoPhoneNoPoolNoPets · 17 Jul 2007

The tracklist looks terrific. Props to the compilers for the use of less-obvious tracks, and not resorting to the same old "Love Will Tear Us Apart" choices that appear on too many compilations (although it is a great song, just over-used).

[2019-01-25] Various Artists "Manchester: A City United In Music" 2CD set (Ace UK)

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