David Nolan (British author)

Last updated

David Nolan is a British television producer and author, specialising in music and popular culture biographies, covering subjects from the Sex Pistols to Simon Cowell. He is a former lecturer at Salford University. [1]

Based in Manchester, Nolan is known for investigating and proving/disproving myths in popular music. He tracked down the audience for the famous 1976 gig by the Sex Pistols at Manchester's Lesser Free Trade Hall, [2] and discovered the reasons for the secrecy surrounding the family history of New Order frontman Bernard Sumner. [3] He also incurred the wrath of Morrissey by turning him into a cartoon character for the Granada Television documentary These Things Take Time in 2002, after the former The Smiths singer refused to appear in the programme. [4]

In 2008, he produced the Salford Music Map for Salford City Council, showing many of the city's music landmarks and artists, including Bernard Sumner, Ewan MacColl and Tim Burgess of the Charlatans. [1] [5] His biography of Tony Wilson was published in 2009. In it he revealed details of the late music entrepreneur's early years, his careers in music and television, his personal relationships as well his battle with the NHS for the cancer drug Sutent. [6] The book was written with the co-operation of Wilson's partner.

After writing books on Ed Sheeran and Emeli Sandé, his biography of Nottingham singer Jake Bugg was published in 2014. It was reviewed by Bugg's father for the Nottingham Post, who said it contained, "Information I didn't know... Reading it was quite emotional for me at times." [7]

Nolan's first non-entertainment book to date was Tell The Truth And Shame The Devil in 2015, his account of the trial and imprisonment of Alan Morris - a teacher at his former school St Ambrose College - for historic abuse crimes. The book was the basis for the BBC Radio Four documentary 'The Abuse Trial' broadcast in 2016. [8] The programme won Gold at the New York International Festival [9] and also won a Rose d'Or. [10]

In 2018 his first novel Black Moss was published, a crime fiction story set during the Strangeways prison riot in Manchester in 1990. [11] It was followed in 2020 by The Mermaid’s Pool and in 2022 by The Ballad of Hanging Lees - all three books are classed as ‘Manc Noir’ and named after bodies of water in and around Manchester. [12]

Books
Television music documentaries

Related Research Articles

Joy Division English rock band

Joy Division were an English rock band formed in Salford in 1976. The group consisted of vocalist Ian Curtis, guitarist/keyboardist Bernard Sumner, bassist Peter Hook and drummer Stephen Morris.

Sex Pistols English punk rock band

The Sex Pistols were an English punk rock band that was formed in London in 1975. Although their initial career lasted just two and a half years, they are one of the most groundbreaking acts in the history of popular music. They were responsible for initiating the punk movement in the United Kingdom and inspiring many later punk and alternative rock musicians. Their fashion and hairstyles were a significant influence on punk image, and they are often associated with anarchism within music.

Buzzcocks British punk rock band

Buzzcocks are an English punk rock band formed in Bolton, England in 1976 by singer-songwriter-guitarist Pete Shelley and singer-songwriter Howard Devoto. They are regarded as a seminal influence on the Manchester music scene, the independent record label movement, punk rock, power pop, and pop punk. They achieved commercial success with singles that fused pop craftsmanship with rapid-fire punk energy. These singles were collected on Singles Going Steady, an acclaimed compilation album described by music journalist and critic, Ned Raggett, as a "punk masterpiece".

Ian Curtis English musician (1956–1980)

Ian Kevin Curtis was an English musician. He was the lead singer and lyricist of the post-punk band Joy Division and recorded two albums with the group: Unknown Pleasures (1979) and Closer (1980). Curtis was known for his bass-baritone voice, dance style and songwriting typically filled with imagery of desolation, emptiness, and alienation.

Bernard Sumner English singer, songwriter, musician

Bernard Sumner is an English singer, musician, songwriter, and record producer. He is a founding member of the bands Joy Division, New Order, and Electronic. Sumner was an early force in several areas, including the post-punk, synthpop, and techno music scenes, as well as their various related genres, and was an early influence on the Manchester music scene that presaged the "Madchester" movement of the late 1980s centered on Factory Records and The Haçienda club in Manchester.

Tony Wilson British record producer, record owner and television presenter (1950-2007)

Anthony Howard Wilson was a British record label owner, radio and television presenter, nightclub manager, impresario and a journalist for Granada Television and the BBC.

Julien Temple British film and music video director

Julien Temple is a British film, documentary and music video director. He began his career with short films featuring the Sex Pistols, and has continued with various off-beat projects, including The Great Rock 'n' Roll Swindle, Absolute Beginners and a documentary film about Glastonbury.

Free Trade Hall Historic building in Manchester, England

The Free Trade Hall on Peter Street, Manchester, England, was constructed in 1853–56 on St Peter's Fields, the site of the Peterloo Massacre. It is now a Radisson hotel.

Stephen Morris (musician) Musical artist

Stephen Paul David Morris is an English drummer who is best known for his work with the rock band New Order and, previously, Joy Division. He also wrote and performed in The Other Two, a band consisting of Morris and his girlfriend and later wife, Gillian Gilbert. Morris also participated in the New Order spin-off band Bad Lieutenant.

Manchester's music scene produced successful bands in the 1960s including the Hollies, the Bee Gees and Herman's Hermits. After the punk rock era, Manchester produced popular bands including Joy Division, New Order, The Smiths and Simply Red. In the late 1980s, the ecstasy-fuelled dance club scene played a part in the rise of Madchester with bands like the Stone Roses, Inspiral Carpets and Happy Mondays. In the 1990s, Manchester saw the rise of Britpop bands, notably Oasis.

Marion (band) English rock band

Marion are an English Britpop band, formed in 1993 in Macclesfield, Cheshire. The band's classic lineup featured frontman Jaime Harding, guitarist Phil Cunningham, guitarist Tony Grantham, bassist Julian Phillips and drummer Murad Mousa.

Michael Thomas Sweeney is a broadcaster and radio DJ.

St Bede's College is an independent Roman Catholic co-educational day school for children from 3–18 years on Alexandra Road South in Whalley Range, Manchester, England. It is a member of the Headmasters' and Headmistresses' Conference. Mrs María Kemp became Headmistress of the College in Summer 2022.

The Nosebleeds are a punk band formed in Wythenshawe, Manchester, England in 1976. The band is well known in modern rock history for the later successes of its individual members, notably Morrissey, Billy Duffy, and Vini Reilly. During their early days, they were known as Ed Banger and the Nosebleeds, until the departure of singer Ed Banger.

Kevin Cummins is a British photographer known for photographs of rock bands and musicians including Mick Jagger, Ian Curtis, Joy Division, Morrissey, Courtney Love, Patti Smith, George Clinton, Thomas Dolby, and David Bowie.

Manchester dialect Northern English accent and dialect

Mancunian is the accent and dialect spoken in the majority of Manchester, North West England, and some of its environs. It is also given to the name of the people who live in the city of Manchester. It has been described as 'twangy' whilst also being labelled 'euphonic' and has been voted as sexiest accent in England. Additionally it has been claimed Mancunian is one of the most desirable and friendliest accents in the UK.

This is a summary of the year 2013 in British music.

Skiddle is a primary ticket outlet and online events guide based in the UK, with offices in Manchester, Liverpool, London and Preston dealing with event bookings, registrations, promotion and online ticket sales.

The Detectives is a British television documentary series that first aired in 2015. The first series was broadcast on BBC Two as a three-part documentary series airing over three consecutive nights from 17 May 2015. The first series followed investigators at Greater Manchester Police's sex crimes unit, focusing on the investigation into historical sex crimes committed by disc jockey Ray Teret, and his subsequent trial and conviction for those offences.

This is a timeline of music in Greater Manchester

References

  1. 1 2 Landmarks of notes on city's musical map, Manchester Evening News, 30 September 2008
  2. 1 2 3 Sex Pistols Gig – The Truth, BBC, 27 June 2006
  3. 1 2 Filling The Gaps – By Order, Manchester Evening News , 13 September 2007
  4. 1 2 Toons Hit Wrong Note With Morrissey, Manchester Evening News, 31 October 2002
  5. ↑ Salford – Music City, BBC, 29 October 2008.
  6. ↑ Diary: Two lives of Tony Wilson, Manchester Evening News, 27 January 2009
  7. ↑ "What does Jake Bugg's dad think of the new biography | Nottingham Post". Archived from the original on 14 July 2014. Retrieved 9 June 2014.
  8. ↑ The Abuse Trial, review: Heartening tale of a man who refused to suffer in silence | Reviews | Culture | The Independent
  9. ↑ "BBC Radio 4 documentary on Greater Manchester abuse trial wins Gold at New York Festival". 22 June 2016.
  10. ↑ "BBC documentary about Altrincham abuse trial wins Rose d'Or Award". 14 September 2016.
  11. ↑ ""This is Manc Noir." Black Moss author David Nolan talks to Northern Soul". 3 October 2018.
  12. ↑ ""Come for the machetes, stay for the political insights." Author David Nolan talks to Northern Soul about his new book". 26 November 2020.
  13. ↑ How Simon Cowell changed the world Archived 2010-10-30 at the Wayback Machine , The Natter, Manchester. Retrieved 31 January 2012.
  14. ↑ Rock 'n' Roll Rochdale, Manchester Evening News, 19 November 2004
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.