The Stockport Music Story In Conversation with Mick Middles

A fascinating insight into rock music journalism from legendary Stockport music journalist Mick Middles who was a leading figure in the Manchester music scene.

Join him as he reveals the inside story on the city's most iconic bands.

Mick Middles saw the birth of the punk explosion in Manchester in the mid 1970's and as a freelance writer for Sounds music paper, wrote the first early reviews of Joy Division at the Electric Circus and Band on the Wall. 

As one of the North's leading commentators on music for the national music press alongside the NME's Paul Morley, Mick has charted the rise of many Manchester bands step by step from their embryonic beginnings to global super stardom including New Order, The Smiths, The Stone Roses, Simply Red and Elbow.

Mick has a fascinating insight into the Manchester music scene. He was the first music journalist to write a book on The Smiths and ended up almost going to court! He was famously sent to New York to interview New Order by Sounds and is full of anecdotes of the trials and tribulations of getting the story or not as the case may be!

Mick had a longstanding friendship with Mark E Smith from attending Manchester punk clubs and wrote his biography on The Fall together with Mark at a getaway in the Lake District, something he's still recovering from! Mark had a penchant for perpetually baiting his interviewers and once attempted to put his cigarette out on the face of the journalist from Loaded magazine.

With 33+ biographies under his belt, Mick has written about a diverse range of musical artists including Oasis, George Michael, The Manic Street Preachers, Mansun, Shaun Ryder, Ian McCulloch, Dodgy and Arcade Fire. He even has entertainers Frank Sidebottom (Chris Sievey), Les Dawson and Frankie Howerd in his arsenal!

One of the subjects closest to his heart is his fascination for Ian Curtis, Joy Division and Factory Records. Mick was a close friend of Rob Gretton, manager of New Order and this is a great opportunity to find out the inside story on those heady Factory years.