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Manchester must dance: A life of music, madness and moving on up
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.
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.
- GenresMusic
416 pages, Hardcover
Published April 28, 2026
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Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews
June 12, 2026
Really enjoyed Mike’s writing. Factory/hacienda stuff felt like a fresh new angle on quite a well trodden path
May 16, 2026
Wonderful insight into the beginning of the hacienda, including it’s transition from rock to dance, factory records, and being a Sony A&R before the tik tok of it all. All followed with the strong voice that is Mike Pickering.
Thank you to the publisher for gifting me an Arc!
Thank you to the publisher for gifting me an Arc!
July 19, 2026
This one would have had the missing 3.5 stars had it existed. I personally found it a good listen and I was in music, used to go the Hacienda and Mike was my favourite DJ for many years.
It’s refreshing to hear about Factory and Hacienda with the layers of mythology removed.
It’s refreshing to hear about Factory and Hacienda with the layers of mythology removed.
August 15, 2026
Love this stage setting of manchester and its music
Some of the story I knew, some I didn't. This s a great story of what happened in the manchester music scene from Mike's eyes.
You also get a flavour of life as a city fan before I the the money arrived.
Very compelling
Some of the story I knew, some I didn't. This s a great story of what happened in the manchester music scene from Mike's eyes.
You also get a flavour of life as a city fan before I the the money arrived.
Very compelling
Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews