A musical tour of Manchester: from the Hallé to the Happy Mondays
Every genre of music has made its mark on Manchester, including dialect ballads, classical, TV theme tunes and all the strands of post-punk. Welcome to the north-west sound
September 2023
Goth: A History by Lol Tolhurst review – the dark is rising
The former Cure drummer traces the genre from its 18th-century literary roots to its flourishing as a music subculture
July 2023
This much I know
Peter Hook: ‘I never get sick of hearing World in Motion’
The Joy Division bassist, 67, looks back on breakdowns and addictions, losing Ian Curtis, his precious friends and the early rave scene
June 2023
Brief letters
The joys of autocorrect: Handel’s Dixit Dominus
Must we hate Noel Gallagher’s version of Love Will Tear Us Apart? I’m loving it
Rich Pelley
January 2023
Factory flaw: hunt for stolen 1977 sign that put Manchester on pop music map
The very first Factory club night was advertised with this poster. Now its designer wants it back to complete a major archive
October 2022
How we made
‘People were panicking over whether I could do the Ian Curtis dance’: how we made Control
Ranked
The 100 greatest BBC music performances – ranked!
August 2022
‘It was sacrilegious’: why the destruction of Manchester’s Ian Curtis mural struck a nerve
Mural of Joy Division frontman Ian Curtis painted over with advert
July 2022
Other lives
Dave Baguley obituary
Other lives: Audiology specialist who carried out research into hearing loss and tinnitus
May 2022
New Order singer criticises ‘ludicrous’ NHS mental health waiting lists
People in crisis can’t wait 18 months, says Bernard Sumner at suicide prevention event in parliament
April 2022
From Shakespeare to Ian Curtis: British pop archive to open in Manchester
Exclusive: John Rylands Research Institute and Library to house collection that will also include Granada TV treasures
June 2021
From Factory Records to Oasis: a musical tour of Manchester
A new exhibition on the seminal Manchester label is the start of a musical homage taking in the roots of Joy Division, the Smiths et al
February 2021
'You could call the show Love Will Tear Us Apart': Russell T Davies on the music of It's a Sin
The series creator and director Peter Hoar on the uncoolest anthems of the 80s, being given the nod by Kate Bush and how a soundtrack can make or break a story
September 2020
Being invited into my son’s music appreciation group was the best Father’s Day present
Paul Mitchell
We started chatting about deep stuff, things we normally wouldn’t find a way to discuss
July 2020
Ranked
Joy Division: all of their songs, ranked!
It’s 40 years since the release of their final album, Closer. From flexidiscs to French magazine giveaways, which tracks match up to the Manchester band’s beautiful, brutal best?
March 2020
Brief letters
Joy Division is perfect for the Covid-19 crisis
Brief letters: JD Wetherspoon | Joy Division | Simon and Garfunkel | Shy and socially distant | Baby boom
August 2019
Stone stolen from grave of Joy Division's Ian Curtis
This is the second time the singer’s grave has been vandalised, after an inscription stone was stolen in 2008
July 2019
Anatomy of an artwork
Peter Saville’s Blue Monday: a design prophecy
The English graphic designer began to explore computer-led design in the early 80s
