Hallelujah!

The Mondays were the band who had it all. Credited with a range of achievements, from creating Madchester and introducing indie kids to dance music, they were the rock'n'roll story that beggared belief. In Shaun Ryder they had an inspired gutter poet; in his sidekick Bez they had a cultural icon. This is the story fo how this hapless group of ruffians, thieves, thugs and dealers - prompted by boredom, drugs and an impromptu visit from the taxman - got their act back together after six long years and played a sell-out world tour. Along the way a man was set on fire, an orgy was staged, someone nearly drowned and every single band member got lost in Europe. There were guns, writs, jellyfish, fights, copious amounts of class As and a skull on a stick. Journalist John Warburton, Shaun's friend and confidant, went along for the ride, including contributions from others who've witnessed the madness first-hand, including Jo Whiley, Chris Moyles, Steve Lamacq and Fatboy Slim.