Now that's what I call music

The Enterprise Allowance Scheme started in 1981 courtesy of Thatcher's Conservative government. If you were of a working age and wanted to start a business, provided you could prove temporary existence of £1,000 in savings you could pick up an allowance of £40 a week for a year and any additional income from your business was yours to keep. A musician's dream.

Rig, 1990 Photo: Peter J Walsh

The scheme provided a springboard for struggling artists such as Darren Jones, guitarist in Rig to legitimately work in the industry with some financial support. It also was a huge help to fledgling record labels and was a contributing factor in the proliferation of independent record labels during this period, the most high profile being Alan McGee and his Creation label.

Providing a much needed incentive to the independent music industry was probably the last thing on the dear Iron Lady's radar when trying to come up with a scam to get the shocking unemployment figures down.

Rig, 1990 Photo: Peter J Walsh

In the spring of 1990 Rig had just released their debut single 'Dig' on Cut Deep Records and were in the studio recording a mini-album with Manchester legend Stuart James. They were busy touring, enjoying headline slots up and down the country and starting to justify the anticipation and expectations heaped upon them by the Madchester press feeding frenzy.

City Life April 1990

Several new local record labels were popping up, probably courtesy of her majesty's government. A couple of them were looking to put out some Manchester focused compilation albums so they contacted Rig asking for a contribution. The band had a couple of tracks recorded the previous year that had yet to be see the light of day, so it was a good fit all round.

 

The first of these albums was called 'Home' and was the debut release on Sheer Joy records, the label of the Paris Angels who also featured on the album. It was a who's who of the Manchester second wave of bands with Peter Hook and Mark.E.Smith bringing up the rear guard for the elder statesmen. 

NME review of 'Home' 21st April 1990

With contributions from the New Fads, World of Twist and Rainkings it captured an exciting period  when Manchester was riding high - Anything and everything seemed possible. Rig contributed the track 'Thud' which was recorded at Strawberry studios, as were the majority of the tracks released on 'Home'.

Sounds review of 'Home' 28th April 1990

The compilation was well received, and the music press had just enough time to review it before another Manchester compilation landed.

NME review of 'Home' 19th May 1990

'Hit the North' was released in May 1990 on Bop. There were contributions from some of the bands that appeared on the 'Home' album but there were distinct indie and dance sides to the record which offered a more balanced reflection of what was happening across the city at the time.

So once again there were contributions from the New Fads, The Rainkings and the Paris angels, with a cameo from the wonderful The Man from Delmonte. The 'dance' side featured the Ruthless Rap Assassins and Rowetta with Revenge also making an appearance.

Melody Maker review of 'Hit the North' 2nd June 1990 

B.R.O. was recorded by Rig the previous year, again at Strawberry Studios. It was a short, frantic burst of  Mancunian attitude. It was well received by the press and was a formidable part of the band's set as this live version from Norwich Arts Centre on 18th June 1990 illustrates. The band had actually been in the recording studio all night in Manchester before heading straight to Norwich for the gig. They had been working on a song called 'Moody' but more of that at a later date.

Sounds review of 'Hit the North' May 26th 1990

City Life review of 'Hit the North' May 1990. Mike Noon.

'Hit the North' was sponsored in part by the clothes company Joe Bloggs and Rig certainly weren't the only band to be invited to their north Manchester warehouse to get kitted out in their branded Mancunian regalia. Quite handy when you are only on forty quid a week.

Rig in full Joe Bloggs kit out. April 1990. Photo: Darren Jones 

Rig appeared on one more compilation album, the double vinyl Indie Top 20 Volume 11. It was released in 1991 and Rig were in fine company joining Teenage Fanclub, The Charlatans and the Pixies. Rig's contribution was a a cover of the ESG classic 'Moody'.

The story of that single is coming up soon.....but next time Manchester goes truly global.