Over the generations, the North-West and Manchester area in particular has nurtured thousands of musical acts, ranging in styles as diverse as music hall and Madchester.

But it was the sixties that was the first to bring the music to the people. There were groups in almost every street, kids playing their music without thought of fame - just fun.

Although many were adopted on a national scale, others were content to stir only local interest before their eventual demise. Despite their lack of national commercial success, they were part of the tremendous North-West area music scene that continues to play such a major part in many lives.  That is the basis of the site.

Proudly based in the sixties, these pages salute the groups, agents, disc jockeys, shops and venues in the Manchester and North-West area that gave us all such a great time! Memories that have lasted a lifetime! 

"No one can erase the days we left behind" - Paul McCartney 2026

Enjoy the site ... Add to it ... Revisit!

Regular visitors will know that we continue to spend many hours per week on developing the site for you. It's not just a "now and then" thing, so please add to the site whenever you can!  

Enjoy!

Biography of John Mayall now out in Paperback

The paperback edition of John Mayall’s biography “Blues From Laurel Canyon - My Life As A Bluesman” by John Mayall with Joel McIver is now available.

Originally published in 2019 in hard back, the paperback is essentially a reprint of the hard back with a short and affectionate end note by Samson Mayall (one of John’s sons), John Mayall died in 2024 aged 90.

He was born in Macclesfield in 1933 and grew up in Cheadle Hulme. His father had a decent jazz and blues record collection and John collected blues records himself from Manchester shops and record auctions. One veteran blues afficiando told me Mayall came with car load of other blues collectors to his house to see a recently purchased John Lee Hooker album.

After national service in Korea he went to the Royal College of Art in Manchester, worked as a graphic designer and window dresser in Manchester and fronted The Powerhouse Four playing gigs in Manchester and the North West. He moved to London on the advice of Alexis Korner in 1962.

Thus was born a legend - Mayall became the Godfather of The British Blues.

Joel McIver an experienced music writer edited Mayall’s manuscript and knocked it into shape. The book tells his life story from his birth in Macclesfield, his family life in Cheadle Hulme, national service and working and studying in Manchester, forming his first bands before establishing The Bluesbreakers and moving to London and engaging an array of rock giants in his bands

Mayall had over 70 official album releases and an eventful life - he was still touring into his 80s and only stopped on his doctors advice. Reviews will appear in the press. In addition a new 4 vinyl/CD set is being released which feature his first four Decca albums.   

Info courtesy Tony Burke

Can you assist?

Dylan's 1966 Free Trade Hall gig
A request from the M.E.N.

We're trying to track down someone who was in the audience at Dylan's 1966 Free Trade Hall gig for a story we're hoping to do. The fella (pictured on the right) was filmed as part of Martin Scorsese's Dylan doc No Way Home.

Does anyone recognise him?

If so please contact:  Damon Wilkinson - Reporter Manchester Evening News
This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Interesting sections of the site you may have missed

My Story

We all have a story to tell  - no matter what part we played in this great period in Manchester music.   Add your personal story or contribute to the many tributes for Manchester musos who have now passed.

Visit ...

Clubland Beat

A small section on the site that gets lots of interest.  Not all of us worked the beat/pop scene, many of us made a good living working the hundreds of local Working Men' Clubs.  Can you add anything in this section?

Visit ...

Stuff!

You may not have noticed a new menu option - Stuff.
Click on it and there's lots of extra information and reading for you on a huge variety of ... err, stuff! 
Enjoy!

Popular pages

Pages added/modified

Manchesterbeat music - the tracks of our years

Use the "hamburger" menu (bottom left) to choose tracks ... more to come :-)