You’re Twisting my Melon: Celebrating 61 years of Shaun Ryder

The face of both Happy Mondays and Black Grape, Shaun Ryder’s success as the potty-mouthed, northern lad has earned him Singles of the Year, and even a biopic. Now, on his 61st birthday, let’s look back at the life of one of Little Hulton’s finest.

Born in the town on 23 August 1962, Ryder was born to a nurse, Linda, and postman, Derek, who would go on to be Happy Mondays’ tour manager. A troublesome child, Ryder left school at age 13 to work on a building site, after struggling with what was later diagnosed with ADHD and Dyslexia.

In 1980, at age 18, Shaun and his brother Paul, along with friend Gary Whelan, and later Bez joined to create the first iteration of what would be known as the Happy Mondays.

Only a year later, Shaun was fired from his job at the Post Office for stealing parcels, which coincided with the band being spotted by Tony Wilson at a battle of the bands event at Hacienda.

After backing by the mogul, the band spent the following years perfecting their 60s/70s psychedelic pop aesthetic, releasing their debut album, Squirrel and G-Man Twenty Four Hour Party People Plastic Face Carnt Smile (White Out), in 1987, and Pills ‘n’ Thrills and Bellyaches three years later.

12 years after forming, the Happy Mondays disbanded, with Ryder forming Black Grape ex-Paris Angels guitarist, Paul Wagstaff a.k.a.”Wags” and ex-Ruthless Rap Assassins star, Paul “Kermit” Leveridge.

Since their disbandment, the Happy Mondays has seen three further incarnations, with fellow Salford star Rowetta featuring and performing with the band regularly.

Over recent years, Shaun has spoken about his drug experimentations throughout the 80s/90s, confessing to taking LSD everyday for a year, and being highly addicted to herion for twenty years, in a 2021 interview with The Guardian. Ryder has also spoken about how his drug issues impacted his relationship as a father to his six children.

Following his drug-fuelled, party-lifestyle music career, Shaun began starring in reality TV, earning the runner-up position in his 2010 appearance on I’m A Celebrity, and becoming close friends with fellow Salfordian, Andy Whyment, in the 2023 Finalists series. He also appeared on Celebrity Juice, and Shaun Ryder on UFOs.

More recently, Ryder has revealed his struggles with health issues, including his Alopecia diagnosis after undergoing hip surgery in 2019.