Shaun Ryder || The Ecstasy & The Agony || 3*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!"

[@clovites]

Dr Vites was my dad! Died two years ago. Love watching this video to see his face again xxx

[@squirrelandgman71]

"all drugs give me was a scrambled ead" ha ha fucking love you shaun, glad your doing much better now fella.

[@Hum0ng0us]

How the HELL did he manage to land HER!? She's fookin' DYNAMITE!!

[@PengPengBoateng2]

Cheers.....well blended....

[@Metatron141]

I used to listen to the Mondays when I was studying for my A-Levels. I still got respect for Ryder and the Mondays. They blazed a trail and did more drugs than Keith Richards ten times over. Their music is timeless. Ride on.

[@BrandenBrazil]

Cheers! Well blended. ....Classic!

[@DieMenschMaschine85]

Cheers buddy. Nice to see another fan!

[@kanthakathewhite1012]

Shaun Ryder Live Forever

[@MaghoxFr]

This documentary is great!

[@Harbetman]

This truly is Shaun Ryder, warts and all!

[@taffysaur]

haha, the 'exstacy' tattoo story's great! he shouldn't be embarrassed, it's hilarious!

[@peacefrog1916]

I'd love to hear/see Shaun Ryder and Shane MacGowan doing a duet...

[@freeseedfilms]

"All the goodness you can get down yer" Vodka! I LOVE you Shaun Ryder

[@DieMenschMaschine85]

His girlfriend is gorgeous and it's nice to see her care for him. Nice to see the two of them laugh together. Hope they stay happy together.

[@HarpurheyHooligan]

jeez dr vites is my cousins dad died last christmas eve god love him

[@OrlyHanlon]

The 1st time i saw Shaun was on Im a celeb, and i never thought he could ever have been in this state

[@1vmgl6ma]

here he seems okay.. but the improvement from here and now is amazin

[@shaunclutt5047]

YOU'RE TELLIN ME YOU WOULDENT LOVE TO HAVE A HOMEMADE RYDER SMOOTHIE ;)!

[@DJCarlParker]

I'm gonna stick a bit of vodka in it Richard hahaha love it!

[@MrAtifz]

respect these guys for all they have been through

[@amherstguitar]

The similarity to Shane Macgowen is startling.

[@WhenWorldsCollide91]

"So what is it you like about smoothies?" "EEEEEEH" :D

[@discodelirio]

Tart Tart! He's DA ONE and will always be.

[@chumkui999]

all ive come out with is a scrambled head..........brilliant!

[@garygarybeers]

Shaun reminds me of a slimmer version Moz from Ideal :) Still, Shaun is a freaking legend!

[@pineapplepineapple4921]

I am from Australia but am actually moving to the UK, and by saying that i didn't mean i would actually be with him, he is like 30 years older than me. I was just being light hearted as i admire his music alot. I don't know him personally and neither do you so how can we both possibly comment on him as a person? You and i only know what we have read or heard.

[@Georgie2500]

you can tell by his eyes he's on some kind of opiate, esp him nodding off, itching, eyes randomly closing and looking like he fell asleep for a second

[@MrFreshpot]

Im sorry to here that he seems like a great man

[@revol148]

having Shuan as a patient must have been a challenge!

[@TJG31301]

he's well lucky there...his missis is lovely

[@TheGodParticle]

Your not filming me with me top off, Too funny

[@hufclufc]

WELL BLENDED!!! LOL!!

[@karengozra5092]

Blummin heck the Doctor looks like Steven Fry

[@osully75]

i think the drugs aew wering off at last .. he sounds alot better these days what a legend tho

[@TeriDrayton]

how did a woman like that, catholic, pretty, caring- end up with shaun ryder - druggy, rude, dumb...i love it

[@revenger700]

I need a stiff drink after watching this!

[@WilliamMosier145]

"Please don't put anymore in..." that's what she said

[@theselector4733]

That wouldn't have been too long after this program was filmed. I wonder if she's as caring as his GF here in the video.

[@sYnerGyZniGmA]

i love happy mondays' music and shaun is a funny spirit but ya , the drugged out sloppyness is a bummer ...

[@dkopf]

What do you like about smoothies? All the goodness you can get in you, in a drink. Cue the vodka.

[@pineapplepineapple4921]

I'm interested to know what you've read...

[@plumbc007]

doh camera man caught him avin a line through the window lol

[@C-Stanz]

what year is this doc from?

[@gromitpesley]

F Stanz 2001

[@geoffdoor]

EX STACEY PURE BRILLIANT - LOVE RYDER I SAW RYDER AT WIDNES QUEENS HALL NO ANNOYING SCOUSERS THAT NIGHT NONE WHAT SO EVER -

[@neilam6]

he seems alot more with it these days dont you think?

[@kelabz111]

cool

[@beatles61]

You know he only put more in because she said don't put more in

[@mashupkid]

@gogalevus Rennies are pretty much sweets you can get in any shop for heart burn.

[@zippadeedooooda]

"The secret of Shaun's new healthy lifestyle is smoothies!" - with alcohol?? What a crock!! Most of the time it's obvious he's off his face... whether it's prescriptions... alcohol or his joints!!

[@bradfordlad9999]

al ave a line classic

[@danielfearon5188]

Scrambled head n toast

[@crazykawafool]

haha this is funny

[@pineapplepineapple4921]

well i haven't read that so i can't comment, i've only seen the movie.

[@dermot51]

A vodka smoothie... i like it

[@pineapplepineapple4921]

because hes a fucking genius? i am a 17 year old girl and ide get with him

[@dermot51]

vodka smoothies ...i like it

[@72megasnoopy]

Fucking brilliant love Shaun Ryder i do .Top Banana :-)

[@jedibasschoke]

i love Shaun but he shouldnt swear on his kids lives all the time.

[@muttilo]

@PDeffinP this is 2003-4

[@Aidy8310]

All i came out with was a scrambled 'ead!!!!!

[@joeg19]

I will have, a line of coke...sometimes!!!

[@kanthakathewhite1012]

Steven Frys his doctor

[@NB_NB_NB]

vodka smoothies lol

[@ac1dP1nk]

lol shaun ryder vs. the suspicious mole

[@CharlstonNode]

haha u beauty

[@gogalevus]

130 ml of methadone and he still claims that is off drugs, plus weed, valium, renny or whatever... I bet that during this documentary he was still on smack-100% Anyway, he is trying to showhimself in a good light

[@paraffinpete]

"concerned about the world" not "will"

[@MrDoremouse]

Temazies and valium will have screwed his memory imho.

[@revenger700]

@andytoka1 I put rum or vodka in my smooties as well...all the goodness you can get down ya!

[@DClean]

LOL - 3/4's vodka, 1/4 fruit.

[@BillyJango]

Love Shaun Ryder, he's great. But I hate hearin people sayin 'fuckin this and fuckin that' in front of their young children.

[@gromitpesley]

Billy Jango 😂

[@alibabakus]

"You was on your period..."

[@muttilo]

@Hum0ng0us She since left him and he remarried just fyi

[@ChadHesdon]

Alls thats come out it is a scrambled head, Better than Ozzy

[@johnnyXsniper]

hahaha RUDEBOY! healthy fruit smoothy....thats 37% proof

[@pineapplepineapple4921]

no?

[@zippadeedooooda]

He can't even keep his eyes open most of the time!! No way he's drug free! (prescriptions drugs are still drugs!!)

[@muttilo]

@BetoSurvivorMax U believe he since married someone else ! Pity..

[@2007samsmith]

@zombiekicker half ounce of speed a day? Yea yea, sure.

[@TheGoddisco]

all ive come out with is a scrambled head.... ha ha nothing serious then shaun

[@markchristopher2signal2]

posh

[@blackiecat4984]

He is an alcoholic

[@Masychefx2]

he looks drugged 24/7