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In the last 30 days the archive has grown by 44 new artefacts, 20 new members, 5 new people and places.
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1 Jul 2025

Artefact of the day

Demo Tape
Ambitious Beggars
1990
Added 9th April 2020
by Dale Jowett
Demo Tape from 1990 (I think??)

This week's video

An Interview With Mike Pickering, Manchester, 2nd May 2004

Michael Pickering (born 24 February 1958, Accrington, Lancashire, England) has DJed at The Haçienda's infamous "Nude" and "Hot" nights and later "Shine". He worked for Factory Records where he signed Happy Mondays, To Hell With Burgundy and James amongst others. He was the founder, writer and producer of Quando Quango and later M People, playing the saxophone, and as backing singer.

Projects

SFTOC Audio Map

Help celebrate the 20th anniversary of Sounds From The Other City festival by recording your memories and stories.

RNCM50 - Throwing Open The Concert Doors

A Golden Anniversary celebration project marking 50 years of RNCM

Connecting Manchester's Music Archives

This is the digital space where archival repositories and projects containing Manchester’s music heritage can connect up, share stories and promote their collections.

MDMArchive Research Lab

MDMArchive member and hardcore data-fiend Kate Mullen has been working on plugging our database into electronic frogspawn. Stick your hands in and have a swirl.

Telling Stories Conference

17-19 November 2022
Registration, Speakers and Schedule

Lapsed Clubber Audio Map

Recording the memories of Greater Manchester's rave community, 1985-1995

Online Exhibitions

The World Of Twist Scrapbook

Created by Ian Rainford 1990-1994

My Life Through Ticket Stubs

A personal journey through music gigs in Manchester

Electric circus

An exhibition of artefacts from the Electric Circus, music venue now no longer around

Doodlebug Nuggets ALL FM 96.9 radio archive

Maxwell Hall Archive

An exhibition of the musical heritage of Maxwell Hall, University of Salford

Don't Mention The Hacienda - In Search Of Alan Wise

We Are Dynamite! Northern Carnival 1978

The Northern Carnival against the Nazis, a rally and concert held on 15 July 1978 in Moss Side.

RNCM50: Throwing Open the Concert Doors

Queer Noise

Exploring the hidden history of Manchester’s LGBT+ music culture and club life.

The Roadhouse closes its doors

Huge exhibition of photos and memories from the Manchester music institution.

Moss Side Stories

Inspired in part by MDMArchive’s hugely prolific member, ‘Dubwise-er’, who uploaded almost 1000 artefacts to our website.

Mole Express - A Magazine for Manchester's Counter Culture

A truly alternative, grass-roots publication first issued in 1970 which ran for seven years.

Andrew Weatherall A Herbal Tea Party Celebration

A celebration of the dearly missed Andrew Weatherall.

In celebration of the life of CP Lee

A place to collect all the wonderful stories, memories and images of our founder member.

Record Shops of Greater Manchester

An ongoing project aiming to document every record shop of Greater Manchester, past and present.

City Fun: The Hidden History of Manchester's Favourite Fanzine

Comprehensive fully transcribed archive of City Fun.

Suffragette City - women in Manchester music

Exhibition celebrating women in Manchester music developed in tandem with our physical Suffragette City exhibition at The Refuge.

Manchester Academy Memories

Concerts & Club Life at the University of Manchester - full of great stories from true music fans 1954-2016

A 20/20 Legacy: the centenary of the Northern School of Music

Founded in 1920 by Hilda Collens, the school specialised in training music teachers until it merged with the Royal Manchester College of Music to form the RNCM.

Kate O'Donnell (Trans Creative)

A personal archive of Kate's flyers, posters and press articles.

Electric 50: Bob Dylan at the Free Trade Hall Redux

Manchester Digital Music Archive celebrated this outstanding event with a fundraising concert to mark its 50th anniversary.

Square Peg, Round Hole: decades of (gay) involvement in Manchester.

Huge personal collection of flyers, photos and articles from designer / promoter duo Glenn & Brendon.

Paradise Factory, January 1998

A photo diary of a night out in Paradise Factory.

Rave in Greater Manchester, 1985-1995

To celebrate the launch of the Lapsed Clubber Audio Map, we've started an exhibition about rave in Greater Manchester.

25 Years Of Paper Recordings: 1994 - 2019

A quarter of a century of music, parties, good times & many memories of Paper Recordings.

RNCM Archives

Welcome to the Royal Northern College of Music Archives

Making Music in Manchester during WW1

This exhibition showcases some of the archives of the Royal Northern College of Music, the Hallé Concerts Society and the Henry Watson Music Library.

Defining Me: A Musical Adventure in Manchester #1

Michael Barnes-Wynters (aka Barney Doodlebug, and MDMArchive trustee) snapshot of a musical journey.

Fanzine: Ghast Up

How to make a fanzine. Behind the scenes photos and letters including all issues of seminal fanzine.

Fanzine: God Is A Newt

Another great punk fanzine.

Fanzine: Out There

Paul Morley's self-published fanzine 'Out There'.

Fanzine: Manchester Rains

Another great DIY fanzine.

The Mancunian Gay Magazine

Uncovering Manchester's LGBT music history within the pages of the Mancunian Gay magazine.

Oh Manchester, so much to answer for

M20 Festival, Withington 2018

Celebrating the 40th Anniversary of the Founding of Factory Records

Melanie Smith - Mudkiss Photography

Manchester-based music photographer Melanie Smith shares some random photographic memories.

King Kayak: 2006 to 2009

Manchester Postcards

A collection of early 20th Century postcards illustrating brass bands and old venue spaces.

Manchester, North of England

Cherry Red Records box set as selected by members of MDMArchive.

Licktronica : a design aesthetic and an electronic music night

A collection of Rob Bailey's iconic poster designs from Licktronica.

Manchester Musicians Collective

Late 1970s Manchester musicians-led grass-roots movement.

Cry Wolf 1975-1980

Lifting the lid on late 70s gig scene of Poynton, Cheadle and beyond.

Fictitious Names

A treasure trove of images of this Radcliffe-based band.

Manchester, Punk and Beyond...

OT's punk nuggets - it is good to own a Shy Talk and a Ghast Up, a John Cooper Clarke poster and the Electric Circus flyers.

Happy Mondays 'Rave On' 1989

My Smiths and Morrissey collection

Since stumbling across The Smiths on the Old Grey Whistle Test I've never looked back.

Latest Artefacts

Latest Discussion

“That's amazing! I’ve been searching for a ticket for ages — would you ever consider selling or know where I might find one?”
Written by yaramelki, view artefact
27 Jun
“No, sadly before my time! But a big fan - I’ve been searching for a ticket for ages — would you ever consider selling or know where I might find one?”
Written by yaramelki, view artefact
27 Jun
“Hi, Yes I still have all my ticket stubs and memorabilia in my collection.”
Written by Sully67, view artefact
27 Jun
“Hi, yes still got the ticket, happy memories ! Were you there too? Nick”
Written by nickjc, view artefact
26 Jun
“hi, do you still have this ticket stub by any chance?”
Written by yaramelki, view artefact
25 Jun
“Sadly no, I passed all 65 of my Manchester gig tickets to the John Rylands Research Institute”
Written by Pete Miners, view artefact
25 Jun
“do you still have the new order ticket stub?”
Written by yaramelki, view artefact
24 Jun
“Did that shopping trolley have a Factory catalogue number?”
Written by Mystical Kenny, view artefact
21 Jun
“I would like to use this as well as some of your other images for an exhibition at the RNCM. Please could you let me know if this is possible. Thank you”
Written by Silversocks, view artefact
20 Jun
“I was part of the fashion PA, pushing a shopping trolley of Sapporo's around the stage. Is that why you left ?”
Written by mgm, view artefact
19 Jun

Latest People & Places

Club X - Place MDMAshley 26 Jun
Umberto - DJ drwgovier 18 Jun
I-Beats - Band / Artist Roger B 13 Jun
David Crellin - Band / Artist Helen Walker / Everyday Records 13 Jun
Martin Prendergast - DJ Mcrscenestories 11 Jun
Engine Boogie Rock Band - Band / Artist drummerdave 20 May
Tony Hawkins - Person archivesplus 20 May
Philip Birch - Person archivesplus 20 May
Roger Finnigan - DJ archivesplus 20 May
Phil Griffin - DJ archivesplus 19 May
Tony Emmerson - DJ archivesplus 19 May
Tom Tyrell - Person archivesplus 19 May
Timmy Mallett - DJ archivesplus 19 May
Brian Beech - DJ archivesplus 19 May
Tim Grundy - DJ archivesplus 19 May

News
19 Jun 25
Neither Factory Records, Nor Madchester
15 Aug 24
Blue Plaques for Black Music in Manchester
10 Jun 24
Louder than Words - Black Women in Music / 50 Years of Hip-Hop
05 Apr 24
Re-Membering Music Worlds: Exhibiting the Rebel Women of Manchester’s Suffragette City
14 Oct 23
Beyond the Music - October
05 Sep 23
Echo Salford interactive music trail launches
Hulme Jubilee Weekender - A fun filled Celebration of Our Culture & Diversity 26 May 22
Manchester Histories Festival 11 May 22
Help Shape Our Future-Complete our Survey 05 Jan 21
MDMArchive in city-wide 50 Windows of Creativity exhibition 26 Oct 20
Abigail Ward steps down 10 Sep 20
CP Lee 1950-2020 26 Jul 20
1 Jul 2025

On this day in history

Blue OrchidsThe Fall
The Durutti ColumnVini Reilly
Sweet SensationMarcel KingPersian (Mr. Soul Persian)
Reno ClubWhitworth Art Gallery
New Order
Stackwaddy
New Order
808 StateMC TunesHoward Walmsley
All FM 96.9
3
ToolshedGraham Massey
Michael Holland
Common
Fear Of MusicNarcissusNorthern AmbitionBlowoutIan Britt
Sub SpacePure Space
RogerDanny WebbMusic Is Better
Silverstones
Palace Nightclub
New Order
New Order
New Order
New Order
Rob Fletcher
The New Ardri
1
The Fall
808 StateA Guy Called GeraldHappy MondaysInspiral CarpetsJamesThe Stone RosesThe CharlatansNorthside
The Fall
The Fall
In The City
1
John McCreadyJustin RobertsonAdrian Luvdup
Paradise Factory
New Order
Dean Johnson
The Hacienda
Lemn SissaySecret Society
The Hacienda
Nobody's HeroesBedlam Shake
Jilly's Rockworld
Nobody's HeroesBedlam ShakeSmashed
Jilly's Rockworld
3
Machine Gun Feedback
Club 57
James
Rig
Man From DelmonteNew Fast Automatic DaffodilsParis AngelsRevengeRigRowettaRuthless Rap AssassinsKrispy 3
New Fast Automatic DaffodilsRig
The HighLemn SissayNew Fast Automatic DaffodilsThe Stone RosesWorld of TwistBop CassettesPeter WalshJon RonsonGina MorrisSteve Redhead
A Certain RatioHappy MondaysPaul ConsJohn PeelCentral Station DesignStephen Kingston
The Hacienda
Lemn Sissay
Platt Fields (Festival)
Lemn Sissay
Platt Fields (Festival)
New Order
The Stone Roses
Simply Red
Swing Out Sister
A Guy Called Gerald
The Fall
Morrissey
Morrissey
James
The Ritz
Swing Out Sister
Mike PickeringGraeme ParkDynesty Of Two
Mike PickeringGraeme Park
Frank Sidebottom
The BodinesKing of the Slums
The Boardwalk
The Boardwalk
International 1
Frank Sidebottom
Platt Fields (Festival)
Band On The WallInternational 2The RitzGreen RoomThe ApolloThe BoardwalkInternational 1The GalleryThe Swinging SporranMonroe's NightclubThe HaciendaManchester University Students Union
James
The Apollo
Free Trade Hall
New Order
The Fall
Free Trade Hall
New Order
International 1
Happy MondaysKalimaNew OrderThe Railway ChildrenSection 25Vini Reilly
Eastern Bloc
A Guy Called GeraldInspiral CarpetsJamesThe Stone Roses
Happy MondaysJamesKing of the SlumsNew OrderThe Stone Roses
The Stone Roses
New Order
Dry BarThe Hacienda
New OrderKevin Cummins
1
Harlem SpiritJohn Cooper ClarkeFoot Patrol
Band On The Wall
1
John Cooper ClarkeNorman Beaker
Band On The Wall
New Order
Les Cokell
Hero's
New OrderKevin Cummins
New OrderKevin Cummins
Slaughter and the Dogs
48 ChairsBet Lynch’s LegsCairoThe FreshiesGerry and the HologramsJilted JohnJohn Cooper ClarkeThe OutSlaughter and the DogsTosh Ryan
The FreshiesChris Sievey
A Certain Ratio
The Fall
The Fall
Royal Manchester College Of Music (RMCM)
Our archive currently contains 4059 Bands / Artists, 802 DJs, 1565 Places, 418 People and 33161 artefacts contributed by 4683 members.
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