“There’s talk of a new album to come, which I’m really f***ing looking forward to,” Bez told The Sun. “It’s going to be visionary. It’s going to be massive. With all my heart and soul, I want it more than anyone.”

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Although there is no information on when fans can expect this album, it would be their first studio outing since ‘Uncle Dysfunktional’ in 2007. That release also came after a barren period of 15 years following 1992’s ‘Yes Please!’, often considered the last in the classic period of the band. Peaking at a disappointing 73 in the UK Album Chart, ‘Uncle Dysfunktional’ received criticism and was described as “directionless,” however it would springboard The Happy Mondays into a festival mainstay. The band has played almost 300 live shows since the album’s release.   

The influences of The Mondays cannot be overstated. Fusing a variety of eclectic genres such as acid house, funk and psychedelic rock, they would come to help define the Madchester sound alongside bands like James and The Stone Roses, influencing them with tracks like ‘Step On‘ and ‘Kinky Afro‘. Further along the musical evolutionary chain, Oasis would emerge, inspired by the sounds of Manchester before them, and would go on to become one of the biggest bands of the 90s. Oasis were signed by Alan McGee, who was also managing the Happy Mondays. 

 

 

 

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Bez’s comments come at a busy time for both him and Ryder. The two have become mainstream figures thanks to their appearances on Celebrity Gogglebox, becoming fan favourites for their genuine, down-to-earth comments and observations. The pair also starred in a Channel 4 feature where Bez planned a mock funeral for Ryder, with the video reaching nearly a million views. Ryder also remains active with the Happy Mondays’ spiritual successor Black Grape, who will be heading out on tour this year to celebrate 30 years of their debut album ‘It’s Great When You’re Straight… Yeah’.

Meanwhile, Bez and Ryder’s other project, Mantra of the Cosmos—a supergroup featuring Oasis’ Andy Bell and Zak Starkey—has also been making headlines. The band debuted an exclusive vinyl-only single, ‘Domino Bones (Gets Dangerous)’, co-written with Noel Gallagher, during their performances at Liverpool’s Cavern Club. According to Bez, Starkey has played a key role in reigniting their creative spark: “Zak is the driving force behind the creativity. It’s ignited us all and got us all excited again.”

The Happy Mondays are set to take the stage at Forever Now 2025 this coming June, sharing the bill with the likes of Johnny Marr, The The, and recent Rock & Roll Hall of Fame nominee, Billy Idol. 

Whether the new album comes before or after this year’s festival season, Bez has promised “the most magic s**t you’ve ever heard.” Only time will tell if it ranks among their greatest albums, but 2025 promises to be a great year for fans of Bez and Ryder, and their various projects.

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Black Grape celebrated the 25th anniversary of the same album in 2021 after the planned celebrations were undone by the COVID-19 pandemic. Originally planned for 2020, the tour was moved to March 2021 before being rescheduled again, and eventually happening in September.  

When it finally happened, the event was just as much about the anniversary of the album as it was about fans finally being able to return to music venues, even if it did require vaccine passports. RGM’s Carl Maloney described the energy between band members Shaun Ryder and Kermit as electric, likening them to “scallywags just let out after being cooped up for 18 months.” ‘It’s Great When You’re Straight…Yeah’ is the band’s most well-known album and makes up most of the material they perform live. Fans attending any of the 11 dates can expect to hear ‘In The Name Of The Father’, ‘Tramazi Parti’, and ‘Kelly’s Heroes’, alongside material from their latest album, ‘Orange Head’, released last year.  

The tour will be supported by Dodgy, another ’90s act best known for hits like ‘Staying Out for the Summer’ and ‘Good Enough’, the latter of which reached No. 4 on the UK charts. The pairing will be a nostalgia trip for fans, transporting many of them back to the peak of Madchester and Britpop.

 

 

 

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Shaun Ryder and Bez are both currently part of the supergroup Mantra of the Cosmos, which recently played two sold-out shows at Liverpool’s Cavern Club and released a track co-written with Noel Gallagher. Though Bez is no longer an official member of Black Grape, leaving the band in 1998, it wouldn’t be a shock to see him join Ryder and Kermit on stage, armed with a pair of maracas or a tambourine.

Ryder shared the tour poster from his X account as well as a link for tickets. Fans were quick to point out the absence of shows in Leeds and Dublin. There are no shows planned for Northern Ireland or the Republic of Ireland, as was the case in 2021 too, though there was a date in Wales, which also misses out on the 2025 tour. There’s no official word on extra dates yet, but if there is the demand, Black Grape may just add one or two more shows.

Where’s Leeds ?

— craig smith (@SmithCsmiff1974) January 27, 2025

‘It’s Great When You’re Straight…Yeah’ was met with critical acclaim upon its release and debuted at number 1 in the UK Album Chart, knocking off the Supergrass album ‘I Should Coco’. It was praised for its musical variety, which Lollipop Magazine’s Chris Adams compared to The Beatles’ ‘Revolver’.  

Though Black Grape don’t command the same recognition as Ryder and Bez’s previous band, The Happy Mondays, they still have a devoted following, with fans quick to defend the album and heap praise on it. The Happy Mondays were in the news back in December when their backing singer, Rowetta, abruptly left the group.

Comment byu/rusy from discussion invinyl

Interestingly, the album is yet to receive a remaster, and the 30th anniversary would be a prime opportunity for one to surface. Whether they’re a nostalgia act or not, fans of Black Grape will be excited for everything 2025 holds. As long as Shaun Ryder is at the helm, the party shows no signs of slowing down.

Tickets are currently on pre-sale, but will go on general sale on Friday 31 January. They can be bought here.

The drummer’s issue didn’t stop the celebratory atmosphere, with the gig being part of a wider party celebrating the release of their new, vinyl-only single ‘Domino Bones (Gets Dangerous)’, co-written by Noel Gallagher. In the early hours of Wednesday morning, Starkey shared a digital bootleg of the track taken from spotify, humorously endorsing it by saying, “I’m totally down,” before making clear that the only official release is the vinyl copy available from the Cavern Club website.

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Mantra of the Cosmos performed at the iconic Cavern Club just days earlier, playing two sets for fans and debuting the new track. The vinyl single was initially only available to purchase at the shows, ironically being sold in red and blue pressings. Their appearance on the venue’s website suggests that the band weren’t able to sell all 1000 pressings, though the performances were a hit, with one X user saying that both he and his daughter loved the show.

Me and my daughter loved the gig yesterday afternoon thanks a lot Shaun (and all of you)

— Paul Meagher (@PaulMeagher20) January 20, 2025

Noel Gallagher’s role in ‘Domino Bones’ is particularly understated with the Oasis legend writing the chorus and contributing vocals remotely. Starkey took the vocal contribution and built the rest of the song around the chorus, and that disjointed approach is noticeable on the track. Gallagher is still yet to publicly comment on the single despite his involvement. 

The Soho event welcomed several notable attendees, including Yungblud and Louie Starkey, Zak’s nephew, and an actor in his own right, alongside Dan Parker of Liverpool-based indie band Keyside. Parker performed Gallagher’s vocal parts during the Cavern shows, as Gallagher wasn’t present. Keyside are a growing band from Liverpool, and recently sold out the Art Club Theatre in the city, and added additional shows in Leeds, Manchester, and Glasgow.

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While fans took to social media to offer well wishes, bandmate and former Happy Mondays frontman Shaun Ryder took the opportunity to have a light-hearted joke at Starkey, telling the audience “as soon as I get out of here I’m going to take some tights to get on Zak’s legs.” Starkey’s road to recovery should be fairly straight forward, and there are currently no plans for tours in the near future. 

With new music reportedly in the pipeline for 2025, Mantra of the Cosmos have definitely made a name for themselves, be it high profile collaborations or being supported by some of the North West’s most exciting bands. While Starkey won’t be able to get behind the drum kit for a few weeks, his involvement in different capacities will still be felt by fans.

Unlike their two previous singles, ‘Gorilla Guerilla’ and ‘X (Wot You Sayin’)’, Domino Bones will not be released digitally. Instead, it will be available exclusively on vinyl and sold only at Liverpool’s iconic Cavern Club. This limited release coincides with the band’s two shows at the venue on January 19.

Mutual admiration seems to have laid the groundwork for the surprise collaboration. Mantra of the Cosmos have posted photos of Gallagher on their Instagram, captioned “Noel of the Cosmos.” Gallagher previously praised the band’s artistry, likening them to “Dylan, Dalí, and Ginsberg on a rocketship to the moon to have it with the Clangers.”

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Zak Starkey, the group’s leader, shared his excitement at the collaboration: “It’s not every day that the greatest songwriter of my generation – not to mention Shaun, the greatest beat poet of our times – sends a tune to me.” Gallagher heaped even more praise on Ryder, “Noel texted me saying, ‘Do you know what you’ve got? The British Bob Dylan.’”  

The song’s creative process suggests the partnership will be a one-off collaboration. Gallagher sent his recorded vocals for the chorus to Starkey, who then built the track around them. With Gallagher’s commitments to upcoming Oasis dates, any long-term involvement with Mantra of the Cosmos seems unlikely.  

The Cavern Club holds personal significance for Starkey, who wasn’t shy about his family’s connection to the venue: “There’s a great deal of family heritage at the Cavern aside from the Beatles. My parents courted there. Who knows, I may have even been conceived there!”  

 

 

 

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This marks Starkey’s first performance at the Cavern Club, a venue that will always be synonymous with his father, Ringo Starr. In fact, Ringo was the first of the four Beatles to play at the Cavern, doing so in July 1957. The original venue was demolished in the 1970s to make way for Merseyrail infrastructure, but rebuilt in the 1980s, preserving much of its original footprint.  

Mantra of the Cosmos has split opinions. While one X user described their music as “like walking into a northern pub at 4am which smells horrible with several men half asleep lying on the sticky floor singing madchester tracks but totally out of tune,” Gallagher included ‘Gorilla Guerilla’ in his ‘Summer 2023 Playlist’ on Spotify. 

mantra of the cosmos songs are like walking into a northern pub at 4am which smells horrible with several men half asleep lying on the sticky floor singing madchester tracks but totally out of tune

— carol (@magicalspring) January 8, 2025

The choice to release ‘Domino Bones’ exclusively on vinyl aligns with buying habits in the UK. Vinyl sales in 2024 hit almost £200 million, making it the most premium format despite being outsold by CDs in volume. Fans are happier to buy quality over quantity, especially when it comes to exclusive releases. Limiting sales to the Cavern ensures the track reaches die-hard fans.
Whether ‘Domino Bones’ signals the end of the band’s erratic journey or the start of a prolific year remains to be seen. For now, fans can look forward to seeing the group—and Gallagher’s contribution—in the intimate, historic setting of the Cavern Club. Tickets for the event have sold out, however fans can join the waiting list here.

Fans will see Manchester’s finest, Kermit, and Happy Mondays frontman, Shaun Ryder, return to the music scene as a duo as they hit the road in a few months.  

Ryder, who formed the band Mantra of the Cosmos this year, is seemingly buzzing to perform alongside his pal.  

In a statement, Ryder said: “It’s going to be a wild ride of pure energy, infectious beats, and a whole lot of fun. See you in the front row!” 

Tickets for their tour are available now, but fans need to be quick as the duo will only perform five shows in the UK.  

Other artists and bands are set to make appearances at certain shows. The indie band Marquis Drive will perform at the London venue, whilst hit Inspiral singer Tom Hingley and his band The Kar-Pets will also support the anticipated tour.  

Orange Head, which will be released on 2 November, marks the group’s first album in over six years since their 2017 release Pop Voodoo.  

The album, which will feature a promising mix of sounds such as hip-hop and psychedelic pop, will see the duo go back to their edgy and experimental roots.  

Fans can pre-order the album now, which also will include their hit single, “Milk”.  

“Milk”, which was released in July this year, has over 27,000 streams on Spotify, whilst other single “Pimp Wars” has more than 20,000 on the platform.  

In anticipation for the album, fans can also purchase limited edition vinyl’s and signed albums from the band.

Formed in Manchester in 1993, Black Grape has become a staple in the British music scene. Their 1995 album, It’s Great When Your Straight… Yeah, peaked at number one on the UK charts and has since been certified Platinum for selling over 300,000 units. Hits from that record include “Reverend Black Grape”, “In the Name of the Father”, and “Kelly’s Heroes”, which all peaked in the top 20 of the charts.  

Meanwhile, their 2017 album, Pop Voodoo, peaked at number 15 on the charts. The album was also well received by critics, ranking at number 23 on Louder Than War’s Top 100 Albums of 2017.  

Tour dates  
23/11/23 – The Mill – Birmingham  
24/11 – Albert Hall – Manchester  
30/11 – Tramshed – Cardiff  
01/12 – Electric Ballroom – London  
02/12 – Engine Rooms – Southampton  

Happy Monday and Black Grape members Shaun Ryder and Bez have teamed up with former Oasis and The Who drummer Zak Starkey, and Oasis bassist and Ride guitarist Andy Bell to form the supergroup.

On the chaotic and fun-filled single “Gorilla Guerilla” Ryder’s cries of “Gorilla!” echo over Bez’s energetic maracas, repetitive guitar riffs, and thumping drum beats. Released alongside the hallucinogenic single is a colourful animated music video created by Ryder’s son Olli. Watch the trippy video for “Gorilla Guerilla” below:

Mantra of Cosmos features baggy icon Shaun Ryder on vocals, Welsh musician Andy Bell on guitar, Ringo Starr’s son Zak Starkey on drums, and everyone’s favourite cheeky chappy Bez on percussion.

Ryder revealed the group’s formation to The Sun in early May spilling to the publication that the band had been secretly working on a debut album that would be “coming out very soon”. The 90s star continued, “It doesn’t sound like the Mondays or Black Grape or Oasis or The Who, it’s what we’re doing all together.”

Channel 4 herded together the fantastic four for a TV interview in which Bez revealed, “for the first time ever I’ve actually got maracas solos”! Watch the whole interview here.

In a video shared to the band’s Instagram, when asked who would be in his fantasy supergroup dead or alive, Ryder replied, “John Lennon, Paul McCartney, every member of the Rolling Stones past and present. Sly Stone, the Pistols, the Kinks, both brothers and all the rest of the band. Funkadelic-Parliament! Every member of Parliament!”

The band made their debut live appearance at The Box in London on the 5^th June giving an intimate performance at the venue.

Mantra of The Cosmos will be taking Glastonbury Festival’s Glade area by storm on Sunday 25^th June at 8.20 pm.

Bez and Ryder will also be playing as part of the Happy Mondays later this year. The band will be playing Dreamland in Margate alongside Primal Scream and Crystal Palace Bowl in London with James in August. A month later they will appear at the Rock N Roll Circus festival in Sheffield.

See below for Mantra of the Cosmos UK dates:

25/06/23 – Glastonbury Festival – Glastonbury

“This special release of Tart Tart showcases the unique musical talent of our brother Paul Ryder who passed from this world … we will all miss you Horse…he brought the funk and the rock n roll to Happy Mondays … love you long time R Kid.” https://t.co/h1tXfH4Gq4 pic.twitter.com/aVvT33wOJq

— Happy Mondays (@Happy_Mondays) July 28, 2022

The band released an official statement concerning Ryder’s tragic passing via social media; the moving message stated, “The Ryder family and Happy Mondays band members are deeply saddened and shocked to say that Paul Ryder passed away this morning. A true pioneer and legend. He will be forever missed. Long live his funk.

The newly released EP has been released in Ryder’s memory and contains three previously unreleased versions of “Tart Tart“. The track first appeared within the group’s debut album Squirrel and G-Man Twenty Four Hour Party People Plastic Face Carnt Smile (White Out) and was released in 1987 via Factory Records. The album served as a catalyst to the group’s success and placed the band at the centre of Manchester’s blossoming music scene. “Tart Tart” was released in March 1987 and was the first single released from the album; the 12-inch release also included the B-side “Little Matchstick Owen’s Rap“.

Speaking on the release, Shaun Ryder has given the following statement, “This special release of Tart Tart showcases the unique musical talent of our brother Paul Ryder who passed from this world … we will all miss you Horse…he brought the funk and the rock n roll to Happy Mondays … love you long time R kid.“

The EP’s live renditions of “Treat Treat” are available across all major streaming platforms. The newly release EP includes a recording from 1989 of a John Peel Session on BBC Radio 1 and a recording from the same year at a concert at Sheffield University. The group have also announced the pre-sale opening for a 7-inch version of the release; click here to pre-order.

Profits incurred from the digital release of the EP will be given to the charity Music Cares, the cause was chosen by Paul Ryder’s daughter Amelia. In a statement, she described the importance of the non-profit organisation, “Music Cares is a charity that helps people in the music industry who are struggling with addiction issues. 14 years ago, Paul was given help and support from the organisation that helped fund extended outpatient care and therapy that enabled him to have 14 subsequent happy and productive years. Just two weeks ago he mentioned them in an interview and often expressed his gratitude and desire to pay their support forward so others could be helped too.“

Click here to listen to the digital release of Treat Treat.

The charity gig held on 10th August 2021 supported and thanked the nation’s NHS workers who have worked hard during the COVID-19 pandemic. Within the middle of the concert, ticket-holders were treated to live redemptions of the three new collaborative songs. The ‘Clint Eastwood’ performers teamed up with rapper and singer Jelani Blackman on track ‘Meanwhile’, Alicia Harley on the song ‘De Ja Vu’ and finally the British hitmakers joined forces with multi-talented British artist AJ Tracy on brand new track ‘Jimmy Jimmy’

The group took to their Instagram to post photos of the event and their collaborative performances.

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The triumphant event boasted an impressive setlist of 32 songs, the band also shared the stage with various other special guests. Some of music’s most respected and popular artists joined the band to entertain and thank the audience of NHS staff and their families. The Cure’s frontman and pop culture figure Robert Smith joined the group to perform a version of ‘Strange Timez’, a track which Smith featured on from the group’s seventh studio album ‘Song Machine, Season One: Strange Timez’, the single was released on 9th September 2020.

Other artists who joined Gorillaz on The O2 stage included rapper Posdunos member of legendary hip-hop group De La Soul, Popcaan, Leee John, actress and singer Fatoumata Diawara, Happy Monday’s members Shaun Ryder and Rowetta, EARTHGANG, Little Simz, singer and DJ Sweetie Irie, Slowthai and Slaves who previously worked together with Gorillaz on track ‘Momentary Bliss’. The group were also joined by a member of another iconic and pioneering group within the dance and electro music genre, Peter Hook from New Order paired with the band in celebrating the healthcare key workers.

The charitable event marked the victorious return for Gorillaz, the group had not helmed a live performance since October 2018. The band have been a staple of the countries’ radio play since their first hit ‘Clint Eastwood‘ released on 5th March 2001. The single reached number four within the UK Singles charts and propelled the virtual band into popularity. The group was formed by Blur frontman Damon Albarn and Jamie Hewlett, the musician and artist who created the individualistic group which features a mix of animated and non-animated band members.

Damon has spoken to NME regarding the group’s new music, within the interview the musician also hinted that he has been discussing reuniting iconic Brit-pop band Blur, in which he started his musical career. In the interview Albarn revealed the virtual band’s new album’s sound, the singer also teased that the group’s new material will be a throwback to Gorillaz’s debut album ‘Gorillaz’ released in 2001. “Since then I’ve been working on carnival-themed music with Gorillaz with a lot of people from west London, We’re really going back to the spirit of the first record.”

Albarn continued to discuss the new album, whilst comparing the musical process to that taken whilst recording his second solo album ‘The Nearer The Fountain, the More Pure the stream Flows’. “It’s really exciting and we’ve been really enjoying it. It’s a nice kind of counter-balance to ‘The Nearer The Fountain…’, really. I’ve definitely needed a dose of something else after I finished that record. Steel pan drums and Casio MT-40s were always going to be a good cure.”

Although the group has completed both of their London O2 performances, Gorillaz has one more UK appearance this month at the Cornwall festival, Boardmasters, on 14th August 2021.  After their last UK appearance, the group is set to hit the road on their European tour which starts on 29th August 2021 in the Netherlands. UK fans may have missed the band’s August UK dates, but fans can get excited about the new tracks’ possible release with new material being performed live.

Shaun Ryder – joined by Kermit from Black Grape – produced by Paul Oakenfold and Goldie – have debuted the England anthem in preparation for the tournament kick off on Friday 10 June.

Entitled ‘We are England’, it is said to have that unique inspiring sound from the 90s and aims to be an anthem that rivals the success of ‘Three Lions’ by Baddiel and Skinner, and Ian Broudie twenty years ago in 1996.

Ten years ago Embrace released the 2006 ‘World at Your Feet’. The Football Association has not commissioned an official song since then.

Prior to this, the England squad were joined by New Order for their massive anthem ‘World in Motion’ featuring the rap by John Barnes for the Italia 90 World Cup.

After ‘Three Lions’ the only near rival to an anthem was ‘Vindaloo’ by Fat Les for the France 98 World Cup.

So, not a bad line up of bands in the recent history of English football anthems: Happy Mondays’ Shaun Ryder (not forgetting Black Grape), Embrace, The Lightening Seeds (Ian Broudie), and New Order.

Big names are now joined by Manic Street Preachers who have performed their song ‘Together Stronger (C’mon Wales)’ for the Welsh squad (see our article here).

So why has the music industry had to wait twenty years for a notable England anthem? David Baddiel has an answer as he informed the BBC News:

“I can tell you why there isn’t one, and why there hasn’t been one for a while.

And that’s because Three Lions killed off the football anthem quite conclusively. There were a few attempts after 1996 but no-one managed it.

And that’s because it is the best football anthem of all time.

I know I shouldn’t say that, but I’m pretty sure it is. It has been voted that several times.

But I think that’s a shame. It’s a shame it’s been killed off.”

We will leave it for music fans to decide on their favourite England football anthem of all time. Let’s hope ‘We are England’ inspires a future anthem for the 2018 World Cup.