Manchester Unspun: How a City Got High on Music

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Description

At the end of the 1970s, Manchester seemed to be sliding into the dustbin of history. Today the city is an international destination for culture and sport, and one of the fastest-growing urban regions in Europe. This book offers a first-hand account of what happened in between.

Arriving in Manchester as a wide-eyed student in 1979, Andy Spinoza went on to establish the arts magazine City Life before working for the Manchester Evening News and creating his own PR firm. In a forty-year career he has encountered a whos who of Manchester personalities, from cultural icons such as Tony Wilson to Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson and influential council leaders Sir Richard Leese and Sir Howard Bernstein.

His remarkable account traces Manchesters gradual emergence from its post-industrial malaise, centring on the legendary nightclub the Haienda and the cultural renaissance it inspired.

Reviews

Every great city needs a great chronicler. We are lucky to have Andy. Read on.
Lemn Sissay

This is a fabulous, compelling book with a cast of larger-than-life characters. First as observer, then as participant, Andy has enjoyed a ring-side seat in the renaissance and development of Britain's most exciting city.
Michael Crick

Andy Spinoza knows the real story.
Jon Savage

'The strength of the book is its immediacy. I think he also considers it a book not just about Mancunians but for them too. It is a love letter to his adopted city.'
Jon Talbot, Literary Review

'A flamboyant hybrid, conveying the nitty-gritty of municipal politics and private-public property deals with the zest and wit of the best journalism. [...] it is likely to become a touchstone for all chroniclers of modern Manchester.'
Andrew Martin, Times Literary Supplement

Beautifully written a great read that feels important. The musical thread through the different eras is persuasive without feeling forced. This is an inspiring personal story, in which the power of Manchester rises from the page.
Paul Unger, Editor, Place North West

'A compelling retelling of the origin story of the original modern city.'
Thom Hetherington, Manchester Art Fair

'Its a fantastic book.'
Ian King, Sky News

'Youve got to buy a copy of this book, its a great read... It really embraces the Manchester we see out of our windows today. The stories in it are just fantastic.'
Phil Trow, BBC Radio Manchester

'As books about Manchester go, there are plenty to choose from, but there are few as well sourced, well written and expansive as this one.'
Michael Taylor, The Business Desk NW

'Andy Spinoza has had a front row seat to the transformation of this city, and it really comes across in his magnificent book.'
Dr Vikas Shah MBE, author of Thought Economics

'What a great read! At last someone who was there and knows, telling a fascinating story of a citys rebirth. Wonderfully written too. I couldnt put it down once Id started.'
Michael Pickering, musician and DJ

Author Bio

Andy Spinoza moved to Manchester from London at eighteen and never looked back. An early member of the Haienda, he reported on the citys music scene for the NME and The Face. He founded alternative magazine City Life in 1983 and spent ten years as a gossip columnist for the Manchester Evening News. As boss of his own PR company, he promoted the dynamic post-industrial Manchester throughout the 2000s and 2010s. Married with three grown-up children, Andy lives in Stockport with his wife, Lynne.