Happy Mondays are working on a new album.
The ‘Step On’ band’s maracas-shaking dancer Bez has revealed that the group are set to release their first new record in 18 years after being persuaded to get back into the studio by their manager – the former Oasis supremo Alan McGee.
Bez told The Sun newspaper’s Bizarre column: “There’s talk of a new album to come, which I’m really f****** looking forward to.
“It’s going to be visionary. It’s going to be massive.
“It’s an idea and Alan normally gets what he wants. With all my heart and soul, I want it more than anyone.
“I want to hear the most magic s*** you’ve ever heard. And I’m sure we can deliver it.”
The Madchester band, fronted by Shaun Ryder, haven’t released an album since 2007’s ‘Uncle Dysfunktional’ but Bez – whose real name is Mark Berry – believes that the group are finally getting on with new music now that they are in their 60s.
The 60-year-old star said: “We actually know what we’re doing now. We were f****** green when we started.
“We didn’t even know what ‘one, two, three, four’, was. That’s how naive we’ve always been. We’re still maturing and the best is yet to come.
“Shaun never stops being creative, it’s in his f****** blood. It always amazes me the s*** he comes out with. It’s f****** genius.”
Bez and Shaun are also members of the supergroup Mantra of the Cosmos and credit bandmate Zak Starkey – the son of Beatles drummer Sir Ringo Starr – for getting their creative juices flowing again.
He said: “Zak is the driving force behind the creativity. It’s ignited us all and got us all excited again.
“What more can you ask for than to be excited about the s*** you do?”