The Haçienda Page 19
We could have made a fortune – and made the bands a fortune – from selling albums that replicated the sound of a night spent at the Haçienda, but the big names all turned us down. In fact, the Haçienda Classics CD I did in 2005 has gone on to sell more than 175,000 copies and it’s a triple CD; I was very flattered when Noel Gallagher voted it his favourite record of all time.
The closest we came to exporting the Haçienda experience was by hosting theme nights around Europe and America. Rob saw them as a way of promoting the brand further, which now is a very common thing to do but was difficult then. For a while, Ang co-ordinated them. She booked the talent, the idea being that that the promoters subsidized the tour. But the events all lost money, so what we hoped might be a source of revenue turned into a burden and had to be underwritten by us.You’ve got to be very,very clever to book a tour,because of the expenses. They proved to be demanding, and as soon as anything or anyone became demanding, Rob would always mutter, ‘Oh, fucking pay them off.’ He hated arguing about details. If a promoter argued about the hundred dollars it cost to take the DJs from an airport to a hotel, Rob would say, ‘Oh, fuck it. Don’t argue, we’ll just pay it.’ And that was it for the tours. However revolutionary the concept may have been, we never broke even.
At least people were still pouring through the doors. We still had that. And the club only got more and more popular as the year wore on. Madchester was in full swing and it felt like everybody was into it. The music had changed the way people dressed. Baggy trousers, T-shirts and Kickers, a floppy, summery fashion. Funnily enough, kids still wear it today. It’s like dressing as a punk. At the time I first dressed as a punk, nobody had ever done it before – we made up our style as we went along. Now, each generation has its own punks, its Goths, its ravers,little sub-tribes that start in school.
The bands of that time sounded fantastic; it’s one of my favourite eras of music. So many rock groups absorbed acid house and the result was a wonderful combination of styles, even though the two genres were completely different. If you listen to a lot of the Mondays’ stuff, my God, they were fucking sloppy, whereas acts like James, the Stone Roses and the Farm were more mainstream. Primal Scream sounded very much like the Rolling Stones up until 1988, when their songs changed completely, becoming more like New Order’s, a mixture of rock and dance music.
Our acid-house nights drew people from all over England – and soon even the world – because we offered a unique experience. The bands that performed at the Haçienda played around the country: fans wouldn’t travel to Manchester to see them, because the groups would be coming their way – to Sheffield or Leeds – that same week.
But our club nights, such as Zumbar (where we had performers and acrobats, a real show), weren’t happening in other cities, so we’d get coach-loads of people from everywhere,dying to see what our imaginations could come up with. That was unusual and a great compliment.
With the success of the Haçienda came the excess. And with it came dark times. We had a lot of drug overdoses, to the point where we’d have a ridiculous number of ambulances arriving at the club each night. Dealing with them took up a lot of time, as we’d bring people outside to wait for medical assistance. Eventually we employed somebody from LifeLine,a drug charity,to try to handle the problems.
I wasn’t there on 14 July, the night that Claire Leighton died. Claire was a sixteen-year-old girl who took ecstasy in Stockport prior to travelling to the club. Once inside, she suffered an allergic reaction to the drug.She collapsed on the dance floor;the staff tried to help and called an ambulance. She was taken to hospital and died there after a prolonged fight for her life. Paul Mason found out when he received a call from a reporter the next day asking for a comment,then he phoned me to say that the media might contact me as well. I couldn’t have done anything – I wish I could – but he believed I should be warned.
I felt sick when I heard. When I hung up, I went and checked on my kids. As a father it felt awful. I know how precious children are. I can only imagine what her poor parents and family went through. I could-n’t understand how the scene had mutated from something so wonderful into something so hellish.
From then on, if something happened inside the Haçienda, we’d always get the nocturnal phone calls. I suppose Paul Mason felt we should know immediately.
And those panicked calls weren’t unusual. Around this time I’d be home most weekends,single-parenting,and every time the phone rang after eleven p.m. I’d flinch, knowing something awful had happened. It really wore me down.
People collapsed in the Haçienda from heat, exhaustion, drugs and drinks all the time. They turned white non-stop – throwing a whitey, we used to call it. I hate to say it, but if the bouncers found somebody even looking wobbly or throwing up, sometimes they would just open the door and throw them out. People at raves are generally off their monkey. I remember seeing a kid at a Tribal Sessions rave in the Academy stagger up to a St John’s Ambulance man and doorman who stood nearby, talking to each other. The kid wailed, ‘Help. Help. I’ve had eight Es and I’m losing my mind.’
The bouncer and the St John’s ambulance man looked at each other, then the bouncer kicked open the exit door, grabbed the kid, threw him out and shut the door behind him. Then the two of them carried on talking like nothing had happened. In the early days nobody thought they needed to worry.Ecstasy overdoses were infrequent.People came to view them as an occupational hazard.
A death, however, was unprecedented. Nothing like that had ever happened before in England, or even the world. We all lived life to the full, but the thing about ecstasy is that it’s a bit like Russian Roulette. If you take it, you don’t know what your reaction’s going to be. If you’re allergic to E it causes severe dehydration, which can kill you by itself. On the other hand, if you drink too much water to fight it, you can die of over-hydration; you flood your body with water, which puts pressure on the brain. Runners and athletes in general have to be careful when training for the same reasons.
The drugs started to sour everything around that time.
Later that year, in September, the Halluçienda night was launched for Monday nights. Music was indie-dance and the line-ups featured a mix of bands and guest DJs. That December, Sasha played at the Haçienda for the first time.
I spent the evening hanging out in the DJ booth with Sasha the first time he played, a sell-out. One of the best nights I’ve ever spent there; he caught the crest of the ecstasy-fuelled wave. He got paid £2000 for that night – which was back then the highest fee ever paid for a DJ. Once again we were ahead of our time.
The second time I saw him it was nowhere near as good – hardly anybody came.
I look at photos of the Haçienda in the 1980s and even though the crowds are small,and everyone is dressed strangely,the club looks fantastic. Very bright colours. Yet, funnily enough, I don’t remember it being like that in the acid-house years.I remember it being dirty.Black. Dark.It’s weird.I suppose a lot of the parties were in my head.
Or maybe it was because all the lights had been stolen.
JANUARY
Wednesday 4th HOUSE NATION, RIP Evil Eddie Richards; Mr C
Thursday 5th TEMPERANCE CLUB Dave Haslam
Friday 6th NUDE Mike Pickering and Graeme Park; Hedd-Dave Haslam
Wednesday 11th HOUSE NATION High on Hope; Norman Jay;Frankie
Thursday 12th TEMPERANCE CLUB Dave Haslam
Friday 13th NUDE Mike Pickering and Graeme Park; Hedd-Dave Haslam
Wednesday 18th THE HITMAN & HER EXPERIENCES THE HAÇIENDA Mike Pickering; Jon DaSilva (music-programme taping: ‘Late-night TV will neverbe the same again’)
Thursday 19th TEMPERANCE CLUB Dave Haslam
Friday 20th NUDE Mike Pickering and Graeme Park; Hedd-Dave Haslam
Wednesday 25th HOUSE NATION
Thursday 26th TEMPERANCE CLUB Dave Haslam
Friday 27th NUDE Mike Pickering and Graeme Park; Hedd-Dave Haslam
Monday 30th The Stone Ro
ses
FEBRUARY
Friday 3rd NUDE Mike Pickering
Wednesday 8th VOID Mike Pickering; Jon DaSilva
Friday 10th NUDE Mike Pickering
Tuesday 14th MID-CHESHIRE COLLEGE PARTY
Thursday 16th THE HOUSE ON MARS Mike Pickering; Graeme Park
Friday 17th NUDE Mike Pickering
Monday 20th THE MONDAY CLUB the Train Set
Friday 24th NUDE Mike Pickering
Monday 27th THE MONDAY CLUB the Stone Roses; King of the Slums
Set-list (the Stone Roses): ‘I Wanna Be Adored’, ‘Here It Comes’, ‘Made of Stone’, ‘Waterfall’, ‘Sugar Spun Sister’, ‘Mersey Paradise’, ‘Elephant Stone’, ‘Where Angels Play’, ‘Shoot You Down’, ‘She Bangs the Drum’, ‘Sally Cinnamon’, ‘I am the Resurrection’
MARCH
Friday 3rd NUDE Mike Pickering
Monday 6th THE MONDAY CLUB Spacemen 3
Friday 10th NUDE Mike Pickering
Monday 13th THE MONDAY CLUB McCarthy
Friday 17th NUDE Mike Pickering
Monday 20th THE MONDAY CLUB the Pastels
Friday 24th NUDE Mike Pickering
Monday 27th NUDE Bank-Holiday Special Kym Mazelle; Ten City; Mike Pickering; Graeme Park
Friday 31st NUDE Mike Pickering
APRIL
Monday 3rd Dub Sex; Slab
Friday 7th NUDE Mike Pickering
Friday 14th NUDE Mike Pickering
Monday 17th Great Leap Forward; 1000 Violins
Wednesday 19th VOID Mike Pickering; Jon DaSilva; Vanilla Sound Corp
Friday 21st NUDE Mike Pickering
Friday 28th NUDE Mike Pickering
MAY
Friday 5th NUDE Mike Pickering
Monday 8th The Happy Mondays
Tuesday 9th The Happy Mondays
Wednesday 10th VOID Free Dexters & Hypotonic
Friday 12th NUDE Mike Pickering
Wednesday 17th VOID
Friday 19th NUDE Mike Pickering
Saturday 20th WIDE
Saturday 20th SEVENTH ANNIVERSARY PARTY
Wednesday 24th VOID
Friday 26th NUDE Mike Pickering
Wednesday 31st VOID
JUNE
Friday 2nd NUDE Mike Pickering
Wednesday 7th Kraze
Friday 9th NUDE Mike Pickering
Thursday 15th Kazuko’s Karaoke Klub; Janice Long; John Cooper-Clarke; Frank Sidebottom (chat-show taping)
Friday 16th NUDE Mike Pickering
Saturday 17th LAST SMILEY-FREE ZONE Jon DaSilva; Hedd-Dave Halsam
Friday 23rd NUDE Mike Pickering
Saturday 24th WIDE Nick Arrojo; Laurent Garnier
Friday 30th NUDE Mike Pickering
JULY
Monday 3rd Pere Ubu
Wednesday 5th VOID
Friday 7th NUDE Mike Pickering
Wednesday 12th VOID
Friday 14th NUDE Mike Pickering
Friday 21st NUDE Mike Pickering
Sunday 23rd DRY LAUNCH
Monday 24th Primal Scream; Telescopes
Tuesday 25th Dry 201 opens in Manchester as a place to go to prior to clubbing at the Haçienda
Wednesday 26th VOID
Friday 28th NUDE Mike Pickering
AUGUST
Wednesday 2nd VOID
Friday 4th NUDE Mike Pickering
Saturday 5th WIDE
Tuesday 8th NUDE Colin Favor
Wednesday 9th VOID
Friday 11th NUDE Mike Pickering
Saturday 12th WIDE
Wednesday 16th VOID
Friday 18th NUDE Mike Pickering
Saturday 19th WIDE
Wednesday 23rd VOID
Friday 25th NUDE Mike Pickering
Set-list: Gino Latino – ‘No Sorry’, Kaos – ‘Definition of Love’, Inner City – ‘Do You Love What You Feel’ (Power 41 Remix), Royal House – ‘Get Funky’, Raven Maize – ‘Forever Together’, White Knight – ‘Keep it Movin’ (’Cause the Crowd Says So)’ (Insane Mix), Sound Factory – ‘Cuban Gigolo’, Dionne – ‘Come Get My Loving’, 28th Street Crew – ‘I Need a Rhythm’, Adeva – ‘Warning’, the Bass Boyz – ‘Lost in the Bass’ (Mike ‘Hitman’ Wilson Mix), Julian Jumpin’ Perez & Kool Rock Steady – ‘Ain’t We Funky Now’, Monie Love – ‘Grandpa’s Party’,Toni Scott – ‘That’s How I’m Living’, Chubb Rock with Howie Tee – ‘Yo Bad Chubbs’ (Crib Mix), Akasa – ‘One Night in My Life’, Kid ’n’ Play – ‘2 Hype’ (Instrumental), Kenny Jammin’ Jason & DJ Fast Eddie – ‘Can U Dance’,Jungle Crew– ‘Elektric Dance’,NWA – ‘Express Yourself’, Big Daddy Kane – ‘Warm it Up’, Queen Latifah – ‘Dance for Me’, MCs Logik – ‘Get Involved’ (In it to Win it Mix), Reese – ‘Rock to the Beat’ (Vocal Mix), Da Posse – ‘Strings’, R Tyme – ‘R Theme’, Doug Lazy – ‘Let it Roll’ (Dub), Frankie Bones – ‘We Call it Techno’, Seduction – ‘You’re My One & Only (True Love)’ (C&C New York House Mix), Sandee – ‘Notice Me’ (Notice the House Mix), the Forgemasters – ‘Track with no Name’, Diskonexion – ‘Love Rush’ (Put On Mix), Black Box – ‘Ride On Time’, Sterling Void – ‘Runaway Girl’, Annette – ‘Dream 17’, Phase II – ‘Reachinv’, Orange Lemon – ‘Dreams of Santa Anna’, Shannon – ‘Let the Music Play’, Carly Simon – ‘Why?’, Imagination – ‘Just an Illusion’ (Pickering & Park Mix),Company 2– ‘Tell It as It Is’,Roberta Flack – ‘Uhh Uhh Ohh Ohh (Here It Comes)’, 2 in a Room – ‘Somebody in the House Say Yeah’, Richie Rich – ‘Salsa House’, Redhead Kingpin & the FBI – ‘Do the Right Thing’, Digital Underground – ‘Doowutchalike’, Kariya – ‘Let Me Love You for Tonight’,Nocera– ‘Summertime,Summertime’,Lil Louie – ‘French Kiss’, Sylvester – ‘You Make Me Feel (Mighty Real)’ (Acapella), 808 State – ‘Pacific State’, Sueno Latino – ‘Sueno Latino’, Dynamic Duo – ‘In the Pocket’, Da Posse – ‘It’s My Life’, Technotronic – ‘Pump Up the Jam’,Mix N’Tel– ‘Feel the Beat’(Pierre’s Mix),Gary Jackmaster Wallace – ‘House Every Night’ (Oh Yeah Mix)
Saturday 26th WIDE
Wednesday 30th VOID
SEPTEMBER
Friday 1st NUDE Mike Pickering
Monday 4th Inspiral Carpets
Friday 8th NUDE Mike Pickering
Monday 11th HALLUÇIENDA
Friday 15th NUDE Colin Favor
Set-list: Kariya – ‘Let Me Love You for Tonight’, Dionne – ‘Come Get My Loving’ (EZ Mix), Afro Erotica – ‘French Kiss’, Liasons D – ‘Future FJP’, Snowboy – ‘Snowboy’s House of Latin’, Baby Ford – ‘Beach Bump’ (Wildflower Mix), Rhythim is Rhythim – ‘Strings of Life’,Blow– ‘Think Love’,Quartz – ‘Meltdown’,Kid ’n’Play – ‘2 Hype’, Da Posse – ‘It’s My Life’, Annette – ‘Dream 17’, Sterling Void – ‘Runnaway Girl’, Kenny Jammin’ Jason & Fast Eddie – ‘Can U Dance’, 808 State – ‘Pacific State’, LA Mix – ‘Love Together’, Kechia Jenkins – ‘I Need Somebody’, Ce Ce Rogers – ‘Someday’
Wednesday 20th VOID Mike Pickering; Jon DaSilva; PA by K. C. Flight
Friday 22nd NUDE Mike Pickering
Friday 29th NUDE Mike Pickering
OCTOBER
Friday 6th NUDE Mike Pickering
Friday 13th NUDE Mike Pickering
Friday 20th NUDE Mike Pickering
Friday 27th NUDE Mike Pickering
NOVEMBER
Friday 3rd NUDE Mike Pickering
Friday 10th NUDE Mike Pickering
Monday 13th The Shamen
Friday 17th NUDE Mike Pickering; Graeme Park; Frankie Knuckles
Monday 20th King of the Slums
Friday 24th NUDE Mike Pickering
Tuesday 28th Mega City Four
Thursday 30th TEMPERANCE CLUB PARIS
DECEMBER
Friday 1st NUDE Mike Pickering
Friday 8th NUDE Mike Pickering
Wednesday 13th Sasha
Set-list: Doug Lazy – ‘Let the Rhythm Pump’, MC Buzz B – ‘How Sleep the
Brave’, KC Flight – ‘Planet E’, Toni Scott – ‘That’s How I’m Living’, Armando – ‘100% of Dissin’ You’, Wood Allen – ‘Airport 89’, Renegade Soundwave – ‘The Phantom’, Bizz-Nizz – ‘Don’t Miss the Party Line’, DJ Atomico Herbie – ‘Amour Suave’ (Remix), Young MC – ‘Know How’, Phuture Pfantasy Club – ‘Slam’, Concrete Beat – ‘That’s Not the Way to Do It’, KLF – ‘What Time is Love’, Rhythm Device – ‘Acid Rock’, FPI Project – ‘Rich in Paradise’, Jazz & the Brothers Grimm – ‘Casanova’, Musto & Bones – ‘Just as Long as I Got You I Got Love’, the Stone Roses – ‘Fool’s Gold’, Guru Josh – ‘Infinity’, 49ers – ‘Touch Me’, the Machenzie – ‘Party People’, Reese – ‘Rock to the Beat’, Kid ’n’ Play – ‘2 Hype’, Gino Latino – ‘Welcome’, Raul Orellana – ‘The Real Wild House’, Julian Jumpin’ Perez – ‘Stand by Me’, Sueno Latino – ‘Sueno Latino’ (Cutmaster G Mix)
Friday 15th Jon DaSilva
Monday 18th The Fall
Friday 22nd NUDE CHRISTMAS Mike Pickering; Graeme Park
Saturday 23rd WIDE CHRISTMAS EVE Nick Arrojo
Sunday 24th SUNSET RADIO OPENING PARTY
Sunday 31st NEW YEAR’S EVE Mike Pickering; Graeme Park
FAC 51 Limited
Trading as: the Haçienda
Fac 201 Dry
28-30 Oldham Street, Manchester, England
Function: bar
Proprietors: the people who brought you the Haçienda
Telephone: 061-236-5051
Public Opening: 25 July 1989
Capacity: 500
Area: 450 square metres
Bar length: 24 metres
Specifications: bead-blasted stainless steel, Delabole blue-grey slate, acid-etched coarse-stippled glass, Douglas fir, Japanese oak, utile, Junkers beech, black American walnut, telephone poles, mirror mosaic, blue-glazed bricks, Pantone 2685C Purple, International Orange, BS 10C33 Pollen, galvanized steel, Lapistone Marbo tiles, Turquoise MG35 glazed tiles, PVF2 Silver, polished stainless steel, linen-finish stainless steel