8/14/2008

Manchester Ranked Rock 'N' Roll Capitol Of Britain.


Music legends from the Hollies to Morrissey to Oasis have already put Manchester on the map.

Now the city has been ranked rock 'n' roll capital of Britain, according to a new survey.

It revealed that Manchester has produced more rock stars per head than any other British city.

The survey, by guitar website guitarrockstar.co.uk, checked where 500 of the most successful rock stars and bands from the 1950s to the modern day were born and brought up.

Manchester finished top at producing rock stars, above Liverpool, Sheffield, Glasgow, Coventry and Oxford.

West London suburb Shepherd's Bush was named the rock 'n' roll hotspot with one rock star to every 1,222 people.

Manchester has one rock star per 17,855, followed by Oxford, with one in 24,100, and north west rival Liverpool, with just one per 29,073.

Mike Sweeney, a DJ at M.E.N. Media's new Rock Radio station and lead singer of the Salford Jets, said: "I think Manchester's success has been down to the attitude.

"Since the 1960s with the Hollies, every generation has influenced the next and produced band after band, writing hit after hit. Tony Wilson helped bring credibility to it, and people began to be proud to be from Manchester. It's happening again with some brilliant young bands playing all types of music. I predict there will be even more big names coming out of the city soon."

Manchester has enjoyed a renaissance recently with a new breed of bands coming through, with artists like the Ting Tings, the Courteeners and the Whip all enjoying success.

Material: Lanre Bakare via manchestereveningnews.co.uk