Man Bez is passionate. We know this because he has spent his life onstage expressing that enthusiasm. Describing what he does for the Happy Mondays is tough, but those who have seen them perform know that the band wouldn’t be the same without him. He’s the owner of good times, showing that the band is having as much fun as the crowd. The poorly informed term him a dancer.
Bez is passionate about music and more. His other hobby is cider drinking. When asked about his favorite drink, Bez sonnet-like described cider as unearthly.
“Apple cider has been my love for years. I adore apples. I think fruit is unbeatable,” he said. “From Eden’s garden. You may experience spirituality in cider. The apple is fantastic food, gets you intoxicated, and is good medicine.
He values music and cider, therefore it makes sense that he would like the place that united them. After opening in 1982, Manchester’s Haçienda became a battleground for teenage ravers. The venue hosted many Manchester-based bands.
I’ll never forget my first Haçienda visit. Imagine entering a large butcher’s fridge with the plastic curtains down. “It was everything we had ever dreamed of in a nightclub,” Bez said of his first visit. “There were no dress codes or rules. It was like entering a heaven where you could do whatever and nobody cared.”
These bands included The Happy Mondays, who performed frequently at The Haçienda. Bez made his stage debut with them. His dancing got the crowd excited, and he formed an unbreakable bond with the band.
Before I met Shaun Ryder, which was when I returned from traveling, so many people told me I needed to meet him because they thought we would have a wonderful relationship. When we initially met, we were a little aloof, but we grew closer at the Haçienda. In support of New Order, I made my Happy Mondays stage debut there.
Finally, Bez said, “The Haçienda made me the man I am today; it’s given me such a great life.” It was a hub of activity, not just music.”