New podcast hears musician Paul Ryder tell his life story
Before he passed away, Paul Ryder recorded a podcast about his life and the true, inside story of Happy Mondays.
Paul recorded the podcast in the months leading up to his death, a year ago to the day. Throughout the recording he was determined to tell the whole truth, to correct the lies and reveal secrets and insight never heard before about the band.
He also reveals highly personal details of his own life struggles and finished recording his story 12 days before he passed away.
Questions in The Paul Ryder Tapes: Sex, Drugs, the Mondays and Me are asked by Paul’s ex-wife and mother to two of his children, Angela Smith, who is also a journalist.
Angela lived with Paul for 17 years and directly witnessed the ups and downs of his existence. She prompts him to talk with an openness that ensures this podcast goes far deeper than a regular rock and roll memoire.
Paul opens up about the volatile relationship he had with his brother, Mondays frontman Shaun Ryder, and speaks openly for the first time about the drug addictions that led him to the brink of death.
He also reveals details of his family’s fight to save his then 10-year-old son’s life after a devastating cancer diagnosis, the mental health breakdowns that resulted in him being sectioned, and the infidelities that led to the break- up of his marriage to Angela.
The 20-part series includes solo tracks chosen from the large volume of work he created outside of the Mondays, including songs written just before his untimely death.
Talking about the making of the series, journalist and producer Angela Smith of Glistening Productions says: “This was always going to be an explosive series with Paul speaking out – often for the very first time – about some intensely personal issues and revealing secrets about his beloved Mondays that only a true insider could know – but the fact that he passed away just 12 days after finishing recording it makes it all the more poignant.
“I’m still staggered by his level of honesty and that he was relaxed enough that his infectious sense of humour was able to shine through in the storytelling.
The guests too are incredible and it’s especially fun to hear from Paul and Shaun’s mum Linda with her wicked sense of humour. It’s an incredible legacy for Paul and one that I’m really honoured to be a part of – even though he did drive me a little bit insane at times when we were together!”
Also talking throughout the series are a range of guests who were a key to Paul’s life and story, including:
- Bez (Happy Mondays dancer/percussionist)
- Rowetta (Happy Mondays vocalist)
- Mark Day (Happy Mondays guitarist)
- Gaz Whelan (Happy Mondays drummer)
- Paul Davis (former Happy Mondays keyboard player)
- Mani (Stone Roses)
- Clint Boon (Inspiral Carpets and radio DJ)
- Paul Oakenfold (Record Producer)
- Linda Ryder (Paul and Shaun’s mother)
- Peter Hook (Joy Division and New Order)
- Phil Saxe (Happy Mondays former manager)
- Rosemary Barratt (Music journalist)
- Lea Mullin (percussionist for Happy Mondays, George Michael, Kate Bush)
From Glistening Productions, The Paul Ryder Tapes: Sex, Drugs, the Mondays and Me is available from today, 15 July.