A landmark photography project
Photography by Lilly Shields
PR creatives Alison Bell and Liam Walsh have been friends and colleagues for well over 30 years. They are well known in the city for helping to shape Manchester's musical identity, particularly during the Madchester and Brit Pop eras. They chose The Boardwalk as their special location - where they first met!
Alison was a regular gig-goer at The Boardwalk (and occasional DJ) - the venue was on the circuit for many UK and international touring bands. Some memorable gigs took place there including The Stone Roses, Big Black, James, Inspiral Carpets, Primal Scream, Manic Street Preachers and Happy Mondays.
The Boardwalk
Madchester heritage plaque
The Sinclair family owned The Boardwalk, and Colin Sinclair managed ACR and The Railway Children. Liam met Colin at a James gig at Devilles in 1984 and working at The Boardwalk in a variety of different roles. This where his music industry career began. Many established and up-and-coming bands rehearsed in the basement of The Boardwalk, including New Order, ACR, James and The Rain (before Oasis), where Liam got to know many of them.
Liam set up a t-shirt printing business (SWAG) around this time, while at art school and printed the famous Inspiral Carpets ‘Cool as f**k’ t-shirts’ which sold all over the world during the Madchester era (88-91).
Alison set up the Music PR company, Red Alert Promotions, with business partner Sue McDermott in 1990. Liam gave up his printing business and joined them the following year. Red Alert was initially started at 23 New Mount Street, another creative hub where many bands (James, The Fall & Inspiral Carpets), artists (inc. Microdot), and even a radio station (Sunset/Kiss) were based.
Red Alert eventually moved to Little Peter Street, almost opposite the Boardwalk. The new building soon became another creative hub, when Tony Wilson and the 'In the City' team moved in.
Red Alert promoted hundreds of hit records and clients included Prince, George Michael, Oasis, Depeche Mode, Bjork, Primal Scream The KLF, Moby, New Order, Elbow, Doves, Pulp, Nick Cave and lots of pop hits too… Liam went on to work with The Killers, Goldfrapp, The Coral, and many more and continues to work with musicians with his Humans & Other Animals Agency.
Alison works under the name Clear as A Bell, freelancing for The Christie Charity, Rule 5 and other organisations including Salford Lads Club, The Edge Theatre & Arts Centre and Art Battle Manchester.
Alison and Liam are still work together on several creative PR projects and events as Red Alert Communications & Events.
The Boardwalk stage
'The Rain'- Liam Gallagher & Bonehead, 1991.
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THE SHOOT: The Boardwalk, Little Peter Street, Manchester
The legendary former music venue, nightclub and rehearsal rooms, where Alison and Liam first met
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Student reflection: Lilly Shields
The shoot with Alison and Liam was my last Greater Mancunians shoot and one of my favourites.
The photography took place outside The Boardwalk in the city centre. Alison and Liam were both very welcoming and immediately told me the history of the building, including their early interaction with Oasis, the cultural impact the venue had in the late 80s and early 90s and its significance as the place where they both first met.
We started the shoot in front of the blue Madchester heritage plaque at the front of the building. The weather was bright but overcast and caused no issues. Next I photographed Alison and Liam against a very Mancunian Victorian red brick wall, asking them both to chat to try to capture the close relationship between the two close friends.
The shoot was very much about the relationship between two creative colleagues and a building which was so influential in the city’s musical cultural history. I am very pleased with my final images and very happy to sign off my final Greater Mancunians shoot by working with two of Manchester's most interesting and influential characters.
Photographing Liam and Alison was an amazing opportunity and being apart of this project was a massive honour. Greater Mancunians has made me so much more confident with my photography and I will always treasure being apart of such an incredible project.
