Mancunian folksters The Travelling Band have recently shown their support for Manchester City by putting together a playlist of their favourite footy-related tunes, but they’ve also gone one step further by recording the club’s anthem for charity. The band have done their own version of Blue Moon as part of a project to raise money for charity, what do you think of the Travelling Band’s effort?
The cover is part of the project called The Phil Daniels Team XI, where eleven bands have rerecorded their football club’s anthems to create a full squad of classy cover versions – click here to listen to the whole collection. The Travelling Band are currently on a mammoth tour around Europe before returning to the UK, take a look at their tour dates here. And here’s a video of The Travelling Band from when they popped into our Dale Street studio last year…
Our latest look at Mancunian musical memories has been created by a man who played an integral part in the city’s musical heritage – Mike Joyce. As the drummer in The Smiths, Mike provided the rhythm to some of the most memorable tunes to come out of Manchester, and he remains a strong supporter of the city’s new music scene through his DJ sets and radio show on East Village Radio.
Ahead of Manchester City’s game against Aston Villa tomorrow, Mike has chosen a few of his favourite tunes that bring back particular memories of supporting MCFC. Here’s his choices…
Al Capone – Prince Buster
After the slum clearance in the 60’s of Chorlton-on-Medlock, my family moved to Fallowfield where you could hear the crowd from Maine Road. I must have been about 9 years of age when my sister Anne took me to my first game. She was a Suedehead and dressed me up in my Crombie, two-tone suit, button-down shirt and brogues bought from the Undergound Market on Market St …not forgetting my all important red socks! This tune was always blastin’ out in our house with the scooter boys outside.
Heroes – David Bowie
In the 70’s I used to go to the match with a mate of mine from School called Foxy. Him and his brothers were all mad Bowie fans and used to really dress the part. We used to say that City fans were mainly into great music and fashion like Bowie and Roxy Music and we’d always have a laugh at the Red’s being into Status Quo and RUSH with their leather jackets and cut off denim!
Champagne Supernova – Oasis
Any Oasis tune has to be a part of Man City’s modern day heritage, but remembering looking across the city of Manchester at Old Trafford from the top level of The Kippax during their gig in 1996 while they were playing Champagne Supernova is the one for me.
Tender – Blur
Wembley 1999. I travelled down with a mate of mine and his son. We got a great deal on some cheap flights (plus a free bar in the executive lounge for £10!) We were on the way out when we heard that cheer, turned around and went back up the steps to be part of probably the most emotional experience I’ve ever had at a football match. The rest is history and when we got to Heathrow to fly back to Manchester a rep’ from the airline came into the Executive lounge (free bar for a tenner folks!) to inform us that unfortunately the flight was delayed…he got a cheer! This Blur tune released in 1999 heralded a new era for the band…Exactly how I felt for The Blues.
Pounding – Doves
I was lucky enough to be in the Umbro box at the F.A Cup final at Wembley 2011 with Andy Williams the drummer from Doves amongst other great Manc luminaries, Kevin Cummins and Mike Pickering. This tune still gets me going every time I hear it at the start of the game.
Thanks to Mike for taking the time to pick out this top selection – you can listen to his radio show over on the East Village Radio site.
They might be playing away in the Champions League tonight, but Manchester City will be wearing their blue home kit for the match against Bayern Munich tonight, due to a clash with the German club’s home kit. That means that the club’s fans will be able to belt out their Blue Moon anthem before, during and after the game, wherever they’re watching it. Liam Gallagher, one of the club’s top fans, shows the way in our video above…
Ahead of Manchester City’s league game against Everton tomorrow, we caught up with another gang of Manchester musicians who follow MCFC home and away. Adam (right) and Mugger (middle) from The Travelling Band are both massive City fans, and have put together this list of songs that have soundtracked some of their favourite MCFC moments. Take it away chaps…
Good Riddance (Time Of Your Life) – Green Day
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CnQ8N1KacJc
This was played at at the end of Sky Sports coverage of the 1999 playoff final against Gillingham when we got promoted back up to the 1st Division.. It accompanied scenes of Nicky Weaver running the entire length of the pitch after his penalty save which sealed the deal.. He looked like he was gonna collapse after that.. I remember being at the game and when Paul Dickov scored the goal to equalise in the 95th minute I remember celebrating and then realised I was about 5 row from where i started! A historic day for us…
Sit Down – James
When City played Derby in the 1990-91 season, Tony Coton was sent off for a professional foul in the area.. It being before the days of substitute keepers, Niall Quinn went between the sticks for the following penalty. To the delight of everyone in the ground it was saved by the big man and this song was sung by the City fans in the Kippax at the Derby County supporters.. Another special moment, made even more so by the fact big Niall had already scored a penalty for us at the other end..
Boy for Sale – Lionel Bart (from Oliver!) – James H Reeve, Niall Quinn, David White
I’ve included this as I was lucky enough to play a part in the Junior Blues pantomime at the old social club at Maine Road which was the blue version of Lionel Bart’s Oliver.. James H Reeve played Fagin.. and it Niall Quinn and David White played a part in the pantomime.. Happy memories being in this with the players of the day!
The Masterplan – Oasis
I’ve included this as i was at the a legendary Maine Road concerts that Oasis did at the height of their powers.. A good memory of the old ground for me when it wasn’t being used for City’s games and of course, the Gallagher’s are synonymous with MCFC..
Boys in Blue
Always been played at the end of the game for as long as i can remember.. Cracking cheesy 70s number with the players all singing along.. Listen out for the little guitar lick in it.. 70s genius.. I believe it was written and sung by Godley and Creme from 10cc, although i reckon it’s Mike Summerbee moonlighting on guitar (just a theory)..
Go West – Pet Shop Boys
Two words! UWE ROSLER!!
Thanks to Adam and Mugger for picking their playlist, a fine selection of tracks! The Travelling Band are on tour later this year, check out the dates over at their website – where you can also get a free download of their new single!
Tonight’s a special evening for two Umbro clubs, as their latest shirts make their debuts in the Champions League. For Manchester City, it’s a really special occasion, the first time the club have appeared in Europe’s most prestigious competition. Taking on Napoli at the Etihad Stadium, City will be looking forward to showing their talents on the biggest stage, and the club’s fans in Manchester and beyond are looking forward to hearing that famous Champions League music before kick off! Of course, they’ll also get to hear this…
Tonight will be the first time the Manchester City home shirt will be seen on such a stage – you can grab it from Umbro.com now to show your support for the team as they look to advance in Europe.
French champions Lille OSC have been in the Champions League before – they’ve had some famous battles with City’s Manchester neighbours – but tonight is the first time their latest Umbro home shirt will be seen in Europe as the club takes on CSKA Moscow. We’ll be cheering on both tonight, and you never know, they might end up playing each other if they both qualify from the group stage!
Music often soundtracks special moments on the football field, so who better to talk about their favourite musical memories than some of Manchester City‘s biggest fans? Over the course of the season, we’re going to be marking the club’s home league games by asking some famous MCFC supporters to pick out a playlist featuring some of their favourite songs, and the football-related reasons why they’ve been chosen.
To kick us off, we’ve got someone from one of Manchester’s finest young bands. Sped Spedding, guitarist in Dutch Uncles, is a MCFC nut, and was only too pleased to pull together some favourite musical moments from his time supporting the club. Here’s what he picked out:
Roll With It – Oasis
“I remember this blasting out of the PA in the late 90s. Everyone shouting their heart out for our City boys!”
Don’t Stop Believing – Journey
“January 2010. We beat United 2-1 at home in the Carling Cup 1st leg. The half time whistle blew and we were winning and this came on. It was a special moment because it was also the song that was playing when we found out we had won the tickets to be there on New Years Eve!”
Singing In The Rain – Gene Kelly
“Maine Road – That’s all you need to know.”
Manchester City Medley – Frank Sidebottom
“From the 1997 album entitled Blue Moon. Amazing. Love Frank, sadly missed. ‘In 66, Joe Mercer came and we went to Rotherham. And erm, we won 1-0 actually, and then back we came back into Division 1. Since then, we’ve won the league, and we’ve won the cup, and we’ve been to Europe too. (that’s abroad!)’ Hahaha! Brilliant.”
Bitter Sweet Symphony – Ther Verve
“May 1999. I was a wee 11 year old boy. I remember listening to this band a lot at the time with learning guitar. Every time I hear this song I always put the two together. Amazing day. I have been Blue since birth, but I think my real passion for the game began that day!”
Thanks to Sped for putting together his playlist, what do you reckon? We’ll be compiling a Spotify playlist throughout the season, check out Umbro’s Sounds Of The City to give it a listen. Dutch Uncles are on tour throughout the rest of the year, check out Dutchuncles.co.uk for details.
If you’ve got any musical suggestions to add, we’d love to hear them. And check back with us ahead of City’s next home game for another playlist from the club’s biggest fans.
With a Manchester City home shirt signed by Liam Gallagher up for grabs, our latest Spot The Ball competition was bound to be popular, and sure enough we had hundreds of people trying to guess where the ball was before we made it vanish.
There can be only one winner though, despite the fact that plenty of people were close. Using our special Spot The Ball technology, we managed to pick out the person who was closest to the original picture that you can see above. Congratulations must go to Andrew Smyth from County Durham, who wins the signed City shirt.
If you were unlucky on this occasion, don’t worry. We’ll have another Spot The Ball for you very soon, with another great prize up for grabs…
While he was launching the new Manchester City home shirt recently, we asked Beady Eye singer Liam Gallagher to sign a couple of the terrific new tops for us. Feeling generous, we thought one of these shirts would be the perfect prize for the latest round of Spot The Ball. The picture above, taken from City’s pre-season tour of the States, has had a football surgically removed. If you want to be in with a chance of winning that signed shirt, all you have to do is guess where the ball was before we took it away, and enter your guess over on the Spot The Ball prize. Once the competition closes on August 10th, we’ll then see who was closest to the actual spot where the ball was and award them the prize.
As a passionate Manchester City fan, Liam Gallagher has got plenty to say about his club. After launching the club’s new home shirt last Friday alongside his band Beady Eye, Liam sat down with us to give his opinions on the club, their fans and everything else Manchester City. To celebrate the new home shirt going on sale today, we’ve got this this terrific video in which the always-opinionated singer talks passionately about the club:
Manchester is famous for football, music and the weather, and they all came together on Friday night! We’ve already shared with you the very special video that we’d created with Beady Eye to celebrate the launch of the new Manchester City home shirt, and today we’ve got some more great pictures to share with you. On Friday night, we wanted to bring Beady Eye singer Liam Gallagher and his club together even more, so we projected the iconic images of Liam in the new City shirt onto the Etihad Stadium.
As you can see from these pictures, it was a pretty special moment, despite the weather! For more on the new Manchester City home shirt, take a look at Umbro.com
Reference to specific teams, players or organisations within this blog - or links from it to external team, Player, individual, media, community or organisational websites - does not constitute or imply endorsement or recommendation of umbro or the umbro brand. The views and opinions of authors expressed herein do not necessarily state or reflect those of umbro.
