Haçienda

I am twenty years too late. I've been to London several times, usually on business, and so I never had the opportunity to steal myself away to Manchester. Why Manchester you might ask?

Though I have never stepped foot on its soil or danced at The Haçienda, Manchester has been an integral part of my personal history. See screenplay by the same name, Haçienda. 

Quite a few bands originated from Manchester. Ever heard of Joy Division, New Order, or The Smiths? These bands got their start in Manchester as well as planted their roots. The Haçienda was opened by Factory Records and New Order in May 1982 and played predominantly indie music in the early years, but later featured disco, hip hop and electronic music to become a legendary club in the 1990s, widely regarded as the world's most famous nightclub. 

My fanaticism for New Order grew exponentially when I met Tim Haslett, who was a disc jockey and music journalist in Boston. He also introduced me to other music coming out at the time from Madchester before the tunes hit stateside. The next wave of bands to come out of Manchester included The Stone Roses, Happy Mondays, Inspiral Carpets, James, The Charlatans and in particular A Guy Called Gerald and 808 State. Pacific 101 by 808 State in fact is probably one of the first electronica/techno songs I had ever heard, and it is a song that will, quite frankly, haunt you.  

Select songs from that era:

Pacific 101 by 808 State

Voodoo Ray by A Guy Called Gerald

Sun Rising by The Beloved

Getting Away With It by Electronic

Bizarre Love Triangle by New Order

I Don't Know Anybody Else by Black Box

The Host of Seraphim by Dead Can Dance

These Things Happen by Mark Stewart

Such A Shame by Talk Talk

Between Something and Nothing by The Ocean Blue

World In Motion by New Order

Go by Moby

LFO by LFO

Elevate My Mind by Stereo MC's

Helter Skelter by Meat Beat Manifesto

Every Day is Halloween by Ministry

Spice by Eon

Heaven Or Las Vegas by Cocteau Twins

Smells Like Teen Spirit by Nirvana

James Brown is Dead by L.A. Style

UHF3 by Moby

Human Nature by Gary Clail On-U Sound System

Mind at the End of the Tether by Tackhead

My Secret Laboratory by Lee "Scratch" Perry

I am twenty years too late because the places I would like to visit next week no longer exist. The Haçienda shut down in 2001. The same can be said for Factory Records. So I can't ever go back, but luckily this era is neatly captured in the film 24 Hour Party People. 

Nonetheless, I will take the train 2 hours north next week and kick around the environs to check out Afflecks Palace and the various quirky and interesting shops in Northern Quarter. In addition, there is now a bi-annual Manchester International Festival which screens only premieres of movies, which takes place this year July 2-19th. This seems a fitting bookend to my creative pursuits, once fueled by music and now by writing.

Punchlines

After banning triangles from geometry, I thought I would promote the benefits of circles, especially as they relate to...

...Pi, and I do love me some of that.