In this episode of Manchester Scene Stories, I sit down with Manchester artist Danny Cawley for a conversation that moves between memories of the city’s past, the early graffiti scene, the Manchester club culture explosion, and the loss of our mutual friend Andy Burns, who sadly passed away this week.
Danny and I both knew Andy through different circles in Manchester, and we begin by remembering him — a big Manchester City fan, a funny and unpredictable character who meant a lot to many people in the city. Danny talks about visiting Andy in hospital before he passed away and the kind of friend he was to people during difficult times.
From there the conversation moves into Danny’s own story growing up in Chorlton and how he first got into graffiti as a teenager after discovering the classic book Subway Art by Henry Chalfant. Like many young people in the 1980s, graffiti, hip-hop and electro were an entry point into a whole new culture. Danny talks about tagging buses across Manchester, the thrill and danger of that era, and how those early experiences still influence his art today.
We also discuss the wider Manchester music scene of the late 1980s and early 1990s, including clubs like The Venue, where Danny used to go every Saturday night during the early rave era. He shares stories about the atmosphere of Manchester club culture at the time — the sense of community, the excitement of discovering house music, and the way the city felt connected through music and nightlife.
Danny also remembers meeting Mani from The Stone Roses, and reflects on how accessible musicians often were in Manchester. One of the things that makes the city unique is how musicians, artists and fans all move in the same spaces — the same bars, clubs and venues.
The conversation also touches on Danny’s personal journey with alcohol. After years of heavy drinking, he stopped drinking at the age of 29 and eventually found a new direction through painting. What started as something experimental eventually grew into a career as an artist.
Danny’s work has since been collected by musicians and sports figures, and he has collaborated with artists including The Charlatans. One of his paintings even travelled the world on a Charlatans drum kit while they toured with The Rolling Stones.
Throughout the interview, we return to a theme that often comes up when talking about Manchester: the feeling that everyone is somehow connected. Whether through music, art, clubs or football, the city has a way of bringing people together.
This conversation is also a tribute to Andy Burns, someone who loved Manchester life and who would have enjoyed hearing these stories.
At the end of the interview, Danny recommends a track for listeners — “Psychedelic Warlords (Disappear in Smoke)” by Hawkwind, a perfect piece of classic space rock to soundtrack the journey home.
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