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Getting Moor for your Mani
by Conrad Astley11/ 8/2005
NOT everyone's lucky enough to have a friendly local rock star
they can call up to play at their do.
But then, not everyone is trying to organise a party on the scale
of the Moorfest.
The one-day festival has been organised by a group of friends who
live in Heaton Moor and wanted to set up an event for the Stockport
suburb.
Former Stone Roses member Mani, who now divides his time between
DJing and playing bass in Primal Scream, has agreed to lend a hand
spinning a few tunes on Saturday, but chose to do it for free out
of a sense of local pride.
He has lived in the suburb since 1991 and knows the organisers, but
although they tried to get him during the past two years, he was
unable to offer the time because of more pressing concerns - such
as going on tour with the Rolling Stones.
He said: "I wouldn't ever dream of calling myself a DJ but I love
to go out, play music and have a laugh - getting paid to play
someone else's tunes is alright in my book.
"I'm just doing this one for free though. I wouldn't dream of
diddling the lads out of money. They're good kids, I know them from
around the Moor and I think it's great what they're doing."
Now in its third year, Moorfest has moved to a bigger venue and has
a line-up including Badly Drawn Boy, A Certain Ratio, and DJ Mr
Scruff.
But despite the presence of drug smuggler turned author Howard
Marks, who will be celebrating his 60th birthday when he comperes
the festival, the organisers say it will remain a child-friendly
community event.
Mani said: "They don't make any money out of this, and they're
taking a big risk by doing it - it could snooker them completely.
It's great to see young kids having the initiative and it's getting
better and better.
"Hopefully this year will be even bigger and they'll be able to use
it as a springboard to greater things.
"It should be a great day out for all the family, and a mad night
out for anyone who isn't that family orientated."
Mani says he has just finished recording a new album with Primal
Scream, the band he has been in since The Stones Roses split in
1996 - saying they were one of just three bands he would consider
joining.
The as-yet-unnamed album, expected to be released early next year,
was written in three months and recorded in just over three weeks,
and he described it as a bit of a departure from anything they had
done before.
But despite being a full-time member of the band, he remains in
Manchester while they are based in London.
He said: "I just turn up and work with them when they need me. It's
a pretty healthy way of doing things. When they say they want to do
some writing I go down there and stay in a hotel for a few days of
the week.
"It's a great relationship and it's very democratic. Everyone gets
the chance to put their ideas forward. You can't have a band where
one person calls all the shots."
While Mani seems happy with his present arrangement, interest in
his past continues to grow, with rumours of a Stone Roses reunion
circulating constantly.
The bass player did not exactly try to quash these rumours by
appearing on stage with the band's former frontman Ian Brown at the
Blackpool Empress Ballroom to play their classic I Wanna Be
Adored.
And he remains close friends with the other former members, even
becoming godfather to guitarist John Squire's children.
However, he said: "My official line is we'll reform the day after
Man City win the European Championship."
The die-hard United fan went on: "I'll never say never. Ian's king
of his own castle at the moment. He's carved a good solo career for
himself, so maybe when he's got his greatest hits out of the way
we'll get something happening. We just need to get him and John
talking again.
"I'm sure he wants to - why have a tribute band working for him
when he could have the real thing?
"I'd love to do it and do it right. It all ended quite messily so
it needs putting to bed and tucking up properly."
Moorfest, in aid of the Prostate Cancer Support charity,
takes place on Saturday at the Heaton Mersey Bowl off Station Road.
Call 832 1111 for tickets.
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