VERY INTERESTING: HAPPY MONDAYS

 Hello ladies and gents this is the Viking telling you that today we are talking about

HAPPY MONDAYS

The band have been announced today as one of the headliners for next year's Sunniside Live festival, taking place in the city in July.

So if you've already bought your tickets and are getting ready to 'ave it large, here are some things we think you should know about the Happy Mondays.

1. Their third studio album, Pills 'n' Thrills and Bellyaches, went platinum in the UK. It sold more than 350,000 copies. Famous track Step On is on this album.

2. The group were discovered at Manchester's Haçienda nightclub. This year, Bez and Rowetta appeared at Haçienda Classical, held in Herrington Country Park.

3. Paul McCartney once reportedly said in NME that The Happy Mondays "reminded him of the Beatles in their 'Strawberry Fields' phase".

4. Lead singer Shaun Ryder used to write a column for the Daily Sport newspaper.

5. The band disbanded for the first time in 1993. They have reformed with a variety of line-ups since that time.

6. According to Shaun Ryder, the first instruments used by The Happy Mondays were stolen from a school.

And as always have a chilled day from the Viking