In this episode of Manchester Scene Stories, I sit down with George, a Salford lad who lived Manchester’s 1960s music scene first-hand — not just as a fan, but from the inside.
This interview is part of my 1960s Manchester playlist, where people who were there share their memories of the city’s clubs, music and youth culture.
George takes us back to a time when Salford had its own thriving circuit of clubs — places like The Academy Club, The Gaytime, His Excellences, The Gainsborough, The Condon, The Cumberland and more — most of them now wiped out by redevelopment. He remembers the era when live music was everywhere, when names like Duane Eddy, Del Shannon and even Burt Weedon played locally, and when young people had a hunger for something new.
A big part of George’s story is his job at EMI Records in Manchester from 1963–1966. George worked in stock control — handling the records of the very artists he was going out to see at night. Imagine that: he’s dealing with releases by The Who, The Kinks, Screaming Lord Sutch and more in the daytime… then standing just feet away from them in the Oasis Club at night. That kind of proximity to the music — the sweat rolling off the band, the crowd right on top of the stage — is hard to picture today.
We also talk about the changing landscape of the city: coffee bars, the early jazz and skiffle scenes, and how Manchester’s venues evolved as new youth culture arrived. George explains how places like the Oasis and the Twisted Wheel became magnets for young people travelling in from all over the North and Midlands — drawn in by the music, the atmosphere, and the sense that Manchester was briefly the centre of the universe.
There’s an honest discussion about the darker side too — the “purple hearts” and how drug culture contributed to the Wheel’s closure, contrasting with George’s view of the Oasis as a cleaner, different crowd. Along the way, he shares brilliant detail about the business behind the scenes: how managers marketed bands, why so many groups had to move to London to record, and the lesser-known stories of local talent who deserved to make it but never quite broke through.
To close, George gives me a proper bus-home playlist: “Some Other Guy” (The Big Three), “My Generation” (The Who), “Bus Stop” (The Hollies) and “For Your Love” (The Yardbirds) — plus a fascinating detour into Graham Gouldman, Strawberry Studios, and the long thread connecting Manchester to pop history.
If you love Manchester history, forgotten venues, and the real stories behind the city’s music culture — this one’s for you.
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