Shaun Ryder || The Ecstasy & The Agony || 2*6 || HQ

If you've seen Shaun Ryder on TV of late, you'll have noticed that the former Happy Mondays and Black Grape frontman does not look in the best of health. However, it's not all the result of Shaun's infamously hedonistic lifestyle and legendary substance abuse, as this fascinating fly-on-the-wall documentary, made by Richard Macer, reveals.
Filmed over eight months, we follow the singer-songwriter as life hits a depressing low during his time in Australia around 18 months ago. Having been locked in a messy legal battle with his former Black Grape management team for the past six years, all Ryder's assets were frozen. Facing a life ahead being totally skint while battling with ongoing drug problems, his family feared for his life. Any self-respecting Mondays fan should not miss this chance to see the legend that is Shaun Ryder piecing his life back together.
Because of their notoriety, it's easy to forget that both Ryder and the Happy Mondays are rightly acclaimed as musical innovators. Formed in 1981 in Salford's Little Hulton by Ryder, they were signed by Factory Records legend Tony Wilson in 1984 and with the release of their second album, Bummed, in 1988, the public were finally tuning into a band whose glorious mix of shambolic punk, funk and dance, combined with a rock and roll attitude that reeked of hedonism of the highest order, would see them being feted as working class heroes and a cultural phenomenon.
Despite continuing to look like scally car thieves, by 1990, The Mondays were bona fide stars. Their indie-dance anthem, Step On, and musical masterpiece, third album Pills, Thrills & Bellyaches, saw them playing Wembley Arena with Ryder the mouthpiece of a generation. Who will ever forget the era defining moment when the Roses and the Mondays shared the stage of Top of the Pops- Mancunian magic at it's best. Sadly, the dream couldn't last. Self-combusting amidst inter-band feuds and escalating drug abuse during the recording of ill-feted fourth album, Yes Please, the eventually split acrimoniously in 1993.
Ryder's main post-Mondays highlight was his glorious 1995 return with Black Grape and their superb debut album, It's Great When You're Straight... Yeah! - which makes it ironic that the management of Black Grape have been the very ones causing Ryder, and his accountant, so much grief. But now, thanks to the success of his Get Loaded DJ tour, Ryder is back: The Happy Mondays are playing live once more and Get Loaded has mutated into a fully-fledged festival of all things musically Madchester.
Thankfully, Shaun William Ryder's long legal battle has finally been resolved. Having reached a settlement with Black Grape's former management team, he is now free to resume his musical career and keep his earnings, once he's paid back his debt to them. Even though Shaun lost a lot of cash during the prolonged legalities,
we're sure he's merely relieved it's all over - not least because, at one point during the court case, Lord Justice Thorpe observed that Shaun had "said he was freaked out by paperwork and that it 'did his nut in'". Brilliant.
"The Dude Abides!"

[@jamesbruce9607]

I just love how these are still best pals.

[@db0800]

the best anti-drugs video ever made.

[@antonhaq3503]

Sean and Bez may be a couple of scally wags but there's something very loveable about them.

[@snack4458]

Good people make bad decisions on drugs.

[@Jaunt1able]

@@snack4458 true as fuk

[@simonpringle6599]

What a absolute Legend 💯

[@scottlebrun6782]

Man.... amazing he's still around.

[@neilus]

i used to have chronic heartburn, but i was living on scotch and chicken vindaloo at the time...thanks for posting, been wanting to see this for ages,nice one, fookin tops!

[@mattroberts3331]

Definitely geared up bless him

[@mattroberts3331]

I hope so fingers crossed 🤞

[@GW._.]

Bez is the designated driver 😂 ill walk thanks

[@MysterMysteryHunter]

I can see exactly where he's coming from. Someone's eating well and having fun from the proceeds. Just not the artists.

[@randomhumanoidblob4506]

"...friends longer than they can remember..." Awww, sweet. Except....neither can remember further back than about an hour!

[@InfiniteRhombus]

really great he got that shit sorted out

[@tomf4087]

I bet if he was checked out, his heartburn is because of a hiatus hernia. The valve from oesophagus to stomach doesn't work so acid easily goes up. I got it diagnosed by accident when they shoved camera down my throat. My theory is all the doobs, hot knives, buckets, etc which would sometimes cause a little coughing, possibly blew the valve. Maybe some of u need to research what i am talking about. Some of u 90s casualties know exactly what im talking about. Rip. horse. One hell of a base player.

[@fdantheman]

we love how you say farkin

[@herefordmsv]

Nobody gets more publicly mashed than Shaun Ryder!!

[@creepycraig73]

Amazing still that Bez ended up better off than the lot of the Mondays. The guinea pig did OK for himself.

[@StatusOfABum]

Im the biggest Shaun fan. But this is like Bowie in Cracked Actor. Just seen them lately and he's a lot better. Keep truckin dude

[@Edward1312]

Sean mums classic, so nice, hard to believe he is her son.

[@freeseedfilms]

I love the way they both disagree about the big gigs they did. It's like they were in different bands :)

[@Hruundi]

This is the best! Can someone clarify for me what Sean says at the end about handbags, not being proud of, etc.? I could not quite make it out, thanks.

[@jemima216]

He dipped the girls handbags.

[@chuffer76]

Ryder and Bez make Jagger and Richards look like a couple of choir boys.

[@paulEG8]

sir shaun ryder and sir bez. legends

[@jameshardy6277]

Haahahaha "Dip a few handbags wi mi toes".

[@basedsouljah]

Haha Bez is smacked off his head on some opioids - Meanwhile Shaun is on Methadone and Valium acting like he's totally sober half the time haha

[@geoffdoor]

THIS IS A GREAT FILM - THE MOST IMPORTANT THING ABOUT MAKING DOCUMENTARIES IS GETTING THE INTERVIEW - TOO MANY KID FILM MAKERS WANNA JUST SHOOT ON CANON 5 D'S AND FLASHY SHOTS WHEN THEIR MISSING THE POINT

[@r0guetr00pa]

Jesus what an existence!

[@Deasbe]

Dint realise his life was like this :O only know him from I'm a Celeb. He's awesome!

[@jimrussels1275]

I was shocked to see that Shaun could still sing, not that I'm ripping on him, he's a fucking legend, but the amount of shit that was flowing through his veins it's a wonder he's still alive!

[@DLux437]

ive me smoked crack with shaun, and smoked dmt with bez when they've come to cardiff, top, top, top, lads, great storys, and legends from my yoof!!!

[@marcp3788]

Crack head

[@ragnar5203]

Legendary Status Issued

[@EmptyGlass99]

Love the bit with Bez moaning about the car. Pair of legends. Totally fucked but still pearls of wisdom fall from their mouths.

[@awesomo-wl9kd]

it was! it wasn't! IT WAS! IT WASNT! we did! we didn't!WE DID! WE DIDNT!! lol

[@marianamantuano7745]

I am Maccer fan

[@jamienutclark1296]

RESPECT THE MAN TO THE MAX. BUT HE WAS BLADDERD THERE! JUST ONE OF THE LADS MAN

[@naj70]

What is the song/mix that starts at 8:47? yhx

[@emmanuelshort3435]

Bob’s yer Uncle

[@chronicom420]

Who's shaun Ryder. Never heard of him here in the states.

[@bromley86]

good old little hulton :)

[@P_owie]

Definitely on the ian Brown.

[@petre.w.487]

Bez, at 8-45ish sounds out of his head, wouldn't trust his memory!!!!

[@boo66]

Brilliant! Shaun and Bez are the funniest comedy couple ever, and it's unscripted real life!!!

[@roebrown]

I love how they can never agree on anything. Shows how MDMA fucks up your memory

[@lordgodkingbufu2158]

and Shaun ended up being correct too

[@Cashback13]

@chronicom420 A Key Figure in the MADchester Music Scene in the late 80s/early 90s!

[@dukeferrara6490]

Shaunoooo!!!!!!!!!!!

[@TheMagmagoblin]

Pigs in a wallow enjoy their youth to the fullest, have had better times than the most of us. They are a part of bacon history.

[@shaunmaguire6912]

shaun n bez make mick n keith look like choirboys

[@morrossey]

mick and keith were way more talented though

[@klausrain111]

Comparing these guys to Mick and Keith? Gimme a break! You know why Shaun's a legend? Because people are constantly saying: He's a legend! Aren't these guys what they call yobs in England? I don't know what a yob is, but I bet that's what these guys are. So, Shaun is, Mick or Keith? And Bez is: who, exactly?

[@Deasbe]

From a distance Bez looks a bit like Craig Bellamy

[@mariavassiliou67]

They seriously played with A-HA?? I cant seem to visualise that one. LOL

[@morrossey]

Naaah they played with George Michael!

[@LPtitoLP]

maccer!!!

[@raymartin10]

the chelsea hotel...all historical...whatever kinda gaff it is !!! classic !

[@TINFOIL67]

That's not rennie that makes the corners of his mouth white, it Coke or crack

[@workingclasshero5311]

Paaartyyys ovvve-- ohh... Never more truth spoken....

[@PaulButtrill]

I actually think they're decent guys. Yes they over indulged. I would have done so in their position. Many pop/ rock or whatever genre of music did and still do.

[@Babania1]

@stormchasers25 yep i agree, Bez comes across has havin a bit of an attitude on here!

[@naj70]

@blindbeggar thank you

[@Babania1]

@stormchasers25 yeah it definately takes its toll, id did pills and speed EVERY weekend for most of 7 years and when i stopped the first year i was a moody cunt, then i moved on to harder shit fir the next 10 years!! so i can relate to these guys!

[@taffysaur]

didn't sid stab nancy at the chelsea?

[@robertjamesselbyMTV]

what ever happened to the teenage dream ,, fucking r8 guys

[@DClean]

Shaun's mom looks 10 years younger then him.

[@sstanley987]

track at min 3.15

[@bonelessUnion]

fuckin legend!

[@mkultra2300]

@chronicom420 the guy on the screen up there

[@ban7270]

Melons are mellow as normal wayyyyhayhayhay

[@nedsrubiquitous]

@mistaben2k "Drugs."

[@TheMagmagoblin]

Father of all chavs!

[@JOEJ92]

legends turned into numpteys they cant remember anything

[@BoogieKnight1976]

That dude at 1:40 E'ing his fuckin face off !!

[@ChrisRymerUK]

[Bez] Er Chelsea hotel er yeah er really important er. EH, WHAT! Love em but what a set of nuggets

[@DeagláinÓCathail]

"FUCKIN' RENNIES!!!"

[@Deasbe]

@seivad9 ahhh fair enough mate :)

[@Deasbe]

@seivad9 don't get ya lol?

[@fortheloveoftunes]

6:06 What shall we with the drunken driver early in the morning? .-)

[@PengPengBoateng2]

He should have teamed up with dicky curtis, it would have made a godlike partnership, in the spirit of macca/lennon....

[@bez3042]

MANCHESTER POET 🐝🐝🐝🐝🐝🐝🐝🐝🐝🐝🐝🐝🐝❤️

[@randomcheesecake555]

100% comedy

[@cph2004]

He didn't play with george michael!!

[@paulyoldmac]

i got kicked out of the choir for groaning too and look at us now,bastards!

[@earinsound]

8:19 the poor fella can't even form a sentence. kids don't do drugs.

[@nooneleavesorwill]

how can they take money off u if u get paid cash in hand lol

[@jamescarr5818]

micro dots and globes, fuck me

[@cuf53]

a brain is a terrible thing to waste

[@08mikeyb]

we played with R-HAR, nah it was George Michael.

[@fortheloveoftunes]

9:26 AHAAAA 9:37 AHAAAA 9:49 AHAAAA :-)))

[@ty3165]

its the fucking rennies

[@bongambassador]

collyhurst manny

[@mistaben2k]

Bez has been bankrupt loadsa times,he aint got a clue how to spend money.

[@karmastar06]

@preston5aside loose fit

[@jimsibob]

ive seen shaun dj before and he was awful

[@panagiotischaralampopoulos7152]

PATHETIC

[@gromitpesley]

Panagiotis Charalampopoulos 😂 and who are you

[@austinraftery9304]

@@gromitpesley he's a bloke with a very long name