With Andy Burnham on his throne in Albert Square, the Age of Manchester has officially begun. For the definitive guide to this new era, who better than Shaun Ryder, the city's original High Priest? Well, there is a catch: as Ryder is quick to stress, his band are actually from Salford, not Manchester.
'I'm actually Salford,' he says. 'We're Salfordians, our band. Back when we first started in the early 80s, it had to be Manchester because most people didn't know Salford. But now we've got MediaCity you can say 'we're Salford' and people know now.'
Asked about Andy Burnham, Ryder's first response is a joke so outrageous it is absolutely unprintable – one that nearly gave the Daily Star Sunday's legal department a heart attack. 'I'm joking! I'm joking,' he laughs. 'I like Andy, Andy's great. He's a nice bloke. As far as politicians go, I think you get a pretty straight answer out of him.'
What exactly he said remains off the record, though it may have implied the new Prime Minister owed him money following a transaction – something Ryder later confirmed Mr Burnham most certainly does not. Despite the cheek, Ryder has been a vocal supporter of the Labour leader for years, even if they don't come from the same city.
The Salford difference
Ryder's mention of MediaCity is telling. The broadcasting hub, opened in 2011, is home to the BBC and ITV's northern operations. It's an interesting thought in the wake of the launch of No.10 North in central Manchester. But Ryder doesn't spend much time pondering local politics. When he answers the phone at 2pm on a Tuesday, he admits he has only just got out of bed.
'Sorry, I'm still waking up,' he says. 'I've just got back from Ireland. We had a Black Grape show – it was great, really good.'
Still busy at 64
Far from slowing down, the 64-year-old seems busier than ever. This year he's flitting from Happy Mondays gigs to shows with Black Grape, their dancier side project, and even a speaking tour coming up next month. On Saturday (August 1), he was performing with the Happy Mondays in front of tens of thousands of fans at the Y Not Festival in Pikehall, Derbyshire.
It sounds like a fairly rock 'n' roll lifestyle, even though his days of drug-fuelled excess are long gone. 'Really?' he scoffs. 'My girls wouldn't say that! Bleeding hell, I'm just boring Dad.'
20 years clean
Famously a former crack, heroin and methamphetamine addict, Ryder also had a taste for booze, cocaine, ecstasy and weed at the height of his Madchester fame. He has now been clean since the early 2000s. He has previously credited his recovery to the support of wife Joanne – mother of daughters Pearl and Lulu – and a hardcore fitness regime.
'I've been off drugs for over 20 years, you know what I mean?' he says. 'I'm 64, so life is better now and more interesting. I would not want to go back to being in my 20s or teens or even 30. I'm happy where I am.'
ADHD, autism and a new outlook
His new lifestyle has come with some wholesome hobbies, he adds: 'I go canoeing with my girls.' In recent years, he has also been diagnosed with ADHD and autism, which may go some way to explaining his relentless creativity. 'I suppose so,' he says. 'I mean, people say it's a superpower. Anyway, I'm just me mate. You know what I mean? At least now I know why I've been so f***ed up all my life.'
Memories for another book
That's not to say there isn't still interest in his wilder stories, many of which are included in his latest memoir, 24 Hour Party Person, released in March. It covers everything from 'dodging bullets in Jamaica' to watching Watership Down on acid with bandmate Bez. As for whether he's holding anything back for a sequel, Ryder says: 'These books that come out, it's through me talking to people who were there. When we did the Gorillaz the other week, Johnny Marr and my dressing rooms were next door to each other. And Johnny keeps telling me all this s*** that I didn't even have a f***ing clue about. I went to bed and then I woke up in the middle of the night and suddenly remembered all this stuff he'd been talking about. Like, I didn't even know that happened, but I did when I thought about it.'
So what happened? 'Oh, I'm not telling you,' he laughs. 'You'll have to wait for the book.' And with that, Ryder heads back to bed for another hour of kip.
Super Early Bird tickets for the Y Not Festival 2027 go on sale on Friday, August 7. Head to ynotfestival.com for details.
