I've watched the first ten minutes of "24 Hour Party People" and unlike some weenies at local alt-weeklies, I can say this is one of the best music movies made because it is about the Happy Mondays.

A large part of what made punk appealing was that it connected music and people at a personal level. In this case I've met Tony Wilson (Durutti Column live in Montreal), New Order (twice), Happy Mondays (Shaun greeted us by saying "So, you got any coke?" and then fell off his bar stool), Pete Shelly (watched James Brown perform in a tent).

Manchester played a great role in the life of punk. Indie records, Factory, DIY, mope rock, sad bastards, snotty rock stars, baggy, all of this comes from Manchester. I don't like The Smiths, but I do have the tshirt. Not to mention The Fall.

24 Hour Party People is the story of Factory Records, where every success (like "Blue Monday") paid for numerous failures.