SWERVE: MARK HOYLE in conversation with Stella Grundy

Later@ SWERVE: MARK HOYLE in conversation with Stella Grundy and special guest DJ Martin Coogan  at Horse + Bamboo in Waterfoot, Rossendale on 17 May 2025.

A conversation between friends – Growing up in North Manchester and beyond. The music, the places, the parties, and the people.

In Conversation, film, music, Q&A and book signing.

Dive into the pulsating heart of Manchester music with this spellbinding memoir. Swerve provides intimate, eye-witness access to all the haunts and people associated with its golden era, both the icons and the ones less celebrated, from the early days of punk to the frenzy of Madchester. Mark Hoyle is in the middle of it all.

Open, gripping and powerfully optimistic, Swerve is a portrait of the artist as a young man, Manchester style, where music isn’t just a soundtrack but a lifeline.

Mark Hoyle
Plunged into the UK care system following the death of his mother, Mark escaped aged sixteen to find a surrogate family in the wider musical community that was exploding on his doorstep. Whether as a dedicated member of the Manchester Musicians’ Collective, working at the Haçienda, or living amongst the creative chaos of Hulme’s notorious crescents, we witness an artist developing in the raw. Against this backdrop, Mark’s band Dub Sex emerge, into which everything flows.

Reviews:

‘Mark Hoyle was there for everything. He’s mysterious and fascinating, with great stories and an extraordinary history.’ Jon Ronson

‘Mark Hoyle moved in the orbit of Manchester music at such a crucial time. His ability to write about it in vivid and personal detail is exceptional and constantly surprising.’ Steve Hanley, The Fall

‘Mark has my total respect as an artist and fellow survivor. This insight will be valuable to anyone that shares a passion for the Manchester music scene and its genesis.’ Mark Burgess, The Chameleons

Stella Grundy
Founder of the influential Manchester band “INTASTELLA” (1991-1998), producing three critically acclaimed albums with tracks featured in Love In Paris/9 ½ Weeks Part 2 and The Alcohol Years. Stella later gained acclaim for her multimedia theatre productions, including Nico Icon Play, about Nico from the Velvet Underground and her life in Manchester, and The Rise & Fall of a Northern Star, a semi-autobiographical rock ‘n’ roll tale featuring Stella’s original music.

Reviews:

‘Poetic, funny, and completely immersive, The Rise and Fall of a Northern Star is an absolute triumph.’ Joanna Ing, What’s on Stage

‘The tracks sound f***ing great! Stella’s voice is really great – like Marlene Dietricht or a female Mark Lanegan. Lived-in, sexy and fascinating!’ John Robb, broadcaster, writer, musician

Martin Coogan
Martin Coogan began playing in bands at the age of 16, including Manchester new wave outfit Vibrant Thigh alongside Mark Hoyle. Throughout the 1980s, he was involved in various Manchester bands before forming The Mock Turtles achieving success with hits like Can You Dig It and And Then She Smiles, along with releasing several seminal albums. After the band split, Martin went on to run his own recording studio Vibe Studios Manchester, presented shows on various radio stations, and continues to write music for TV in particular Alan Partridge a creation of his brother, actor Steve Coogan.

This event is organised by Later@  For ticketing enquiries, please contact promoter directly – links below.

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