We caught up with Happy Mondays icon Bez ahead of group's South Yorkshire show

The Madchester legends, led by Shaun Ryder, will be performing the album’s highlights, including the massive hit singles Step On, Kinky Afro and Loose Fit, in addition to other hits and fan favourites, such as ‘24 Hour Party People’, ‘Hallelujah’, ‘Judge Fudge’ and ‘W.F.L.’ when they appear at Sheffield Octagon on March 22.

Music writer Alexei Burke-Lejeune put his questions to everyone’s favourite freaky dancer...

Well, my first question for you about the upcoming tour, which lands on the 35th anniversary of the classic “Pills” album. I wasn’t alive when it came out - but it is still an all-time favourite of mine. Tell me about your previous visits to Sheffield

“Well, you know what, the woman in my life who brought me my first kids is from Sheffield, so it has been a big factor in me life has Sheffield.

"So yeah, it’s great to get back there and to get back on stage again and play and hopefully to new audiences who have never seen us before or who weren’t even alive when we were about then.

"And what’s done us a massive favour in recent times, bringing back all things Manchester to the forefront again is the Oasis thing – they’ve done us all a great service and all the bands from that era.

The Mondays have played Sheffield many times - what has been your favourite venue to perform at in Sheffield?

"What’s the most famous venue in Sheffield called? I’m sure it must be still open?

"Ah yeah, The Leadmill (which closed last summer). I have memories of the Leadmill – I’ve been there on many different occasions either as a DJ or playing.

"I’m glad it’s still going – it must be an institution now.”

Sadly, it has closed...

“Ah no way that’s sad news.”

With you and the Mondays’ involvement in the Manchester music scene making it as influential as it is, how does the Sheffield music scene fare in comparison?

“Well, you had Pulp who were up there in their day doing their thing - every area has its great bands at the moment.

"But yeah Jarvis at his time was flying the flag for Sheffield.

"They have done some belting tunes, they are one of my favourites.

“I’ve actually got a history with Jarvis because I got caught cheating on Bargain Hunt trying to beat him. You can imagine when you are up against Jarvis, he looks like a professional rummager.”

Have you ever done a night out in Sheffield? How was it?

“Well, I’ve had loads of nights out in Sheffield and do you know what, most of them I can’t remember - so they must have been really good. And you only ever remember the rubbish nights, but the good ones always slip out into distant memory.”

Celebrating the release of 35th anniversary of Pills, what is your favourite song off the album?

“God’s Cop is my favourite tune at the moment. But I do like when we play something we haven’t played for a long time, just because we ain’ been out on the road for that long.

“Every tune is gonna sound good, and when you do it live, it sounds so different from the album - it sounds so much better and because the band is really enjoying themselves”

Which song is the best to perform in ront of a crowd?

“They are all me favourites really to perform live – I normally like the pacier ones but when they go slow, it means I gotta work extra hard to be in time and keep me self interested.”

With support from The Farm and Northside, was it important for you bring bands from the same era on the road with the Happy Mondays? To make it feel like the early 90s again?

“They are nice singers there, the Northside lot used to be on Factory Records with us.

“And The Farm – we’ve got a great history with doing so many gigs all around the world with them, so it’s great to be there knocking about with old friends again.”

Any new music in the horizon for the Happy Mondays after the tour has finished? If so what can we expect?

“There could be definitely. I’m not really supposed to talk about it, but I can tell you there is a hint of it. There might be hint of new tunes so yeah, can’t wait.”

With you appearing on both Celebrity Master Chef and Dancing On Ice, can we expect to see you on the likes of The Traitors or I’m A Celebrity….” like Shaun did afew years back?

“Well I don’t know but what I always say is ‘you can never look a gift horse in the mouth.

"I’ve lived my life by that so who knows?”

Frontman Shaun Ryder, Bez (freaky dancing and percussion), Mark Day (guitar), Gary Whelan (drums), Dan Broad (MD/guitar/keys) and Firouzeh Berry (backing vocals) will begin the tour in Newcastle on March 13, ending in Belfast on April 24.

Joining the tour as very special guests at all dates are The Farm and Northside, who were both on the bill for the Happy Mondays’ legendary 1991 concert at Elland Road in Leeds.

Tickets are available from www.alttickets.com and www.happymondaysofficial.co.uk.

Shaun Ryder said, “I’m really looking forward to getting back on tour with the Mondays in 2026, especially with our old mates The Farm who are touring with us.”

Happy Mondays became the pioneers of the Madchester sound after signing to Tony Wilson’s Factory Records in the late ‘80s, blending their love of funk, rock, psychedelia and house with the sounds of the UK’s emerging rave scene.

The full list of tour dates is as follows:

13 March - Newcastle, O2 City Hall

14 March - Leeds, O2 Academy

15 March - Nottingham, Rock City

20 March - Cardiff, DEPOT

21 March - Liverpool, Mountford Hall

22 March - Sheffield, The Octagon

26 March - Cambridge, Corn Exchange

27 March - London, Roundhouse

28 March - Southend, Cliffs Pavilion

29 March - Norwich, The LCR

02 April - Brighton, Dome

03 April - Bristol, Beacon Hall

04 April - Birmingham, O2 Academy

05 April - Bournemouth, O2 Academy

09 April - Margate, Dreamland

10 April - Guildford, G Live

11 April - Manchester, O2 Victoria Warehouse

16 April - Glasgow, Barrowland

17 April - Glasgow, Barrowland

18 April - Glasgow, Barrowland

22 April - Dublin, Vicar Street

24 April - Belfast, Mandela Hall