Basics first: who are you?

Stephen Morris and Cressa. Some twat out of Northside probably. That guy with dreads who used to do ‘Wonderwall’ outside Boots on Market Street.

You set up FUC51 back in January. Was there a particularly terrible experience that prompted you to do so?

Nope. People tend to assume we emerged intentionally at the same time as Hooky re-opened the doors of the old Factory offices, but really, that was just a fluke on our part and proved incredibly useful in terms of interest around Manchester and music.

And why the blog format?

As opposed to what? A newspaper? A fanzine given away in Piccadilly Records? Blogs are cheap and direct and easily allow everyone to chip in with their views immediately in the comments. When people need to call you names, they need a platform that encourages their urgency and rudeness. There’s nothing nicer than someone logging on anonymously to give us lot a bloody nose. The collective readership is always smarter and funnier than the collective ‘we’.

You get a lot of feedback, both positive and negative, through comments and tip-offs. Are you pleased with the response?

I think what we’re most pleased with is some of the ‘names people know’ who’ve got in touch and said they’re right behind what we’re doing. There’s almost a culture of ‘omerta’ among the old guard, ‘you’ve paid your dues’, and all that. It was refreshing to know not everyone necessarily wants to continue the whole revival industry.

You don’t seem short of things to write about. Is FUC51, in one for or another, something you’ve had in mind for a while?

It doesn’t really matter what we want. Fact is, it didn’t take very long for FUC51 to get noticed by other people. It is obviously something that has been playing on people’s minds for a while as everyone was ready and primed with opinions on Manchester and its culture. A lot of people surrounding Factory, members of Tony Wilson’s family and people Who Were There, Maaan…. have all been in touch both in public and in secret. We didn’t expect it as such, but we were aware of people complaining to each other about the things we’ve touched upon.

You seem very knowledgeable about everything Madchester. Are/were you an active participant or just a concerned onlooker?

We’re fans of music and we vary in age. We’ve participated and complained, we’ve watched with furrowed brows… we might have even enjoyed some of it at the time. But that was a long time ago.

In your very first post you compared Manchester to Liverpool – ‘a Beatle-museum’. Surely it’s not that bad here?

Look at the press coverage of Manchester. It is that bad. At least in Liverpool they’ve got the decency to fawn over the most famous pop group in history.

Saying that, what’s the single most embarrassing Factory-related incident/event/item you’ve encountered?

Again. Read the press. The Guardian are particular offenders. They’ll crowbar Factory or the Hacienda into an article about Manchester’s folk scene. That’s toe-curling and utterly pointless. As for things that have amused us, rather than angered us, was Hooky’s book giving away pieces of the Hacienda bar like it was a bit of the Berlin Wall. That was hilarious!

Has FUC51 itself got a shelf-life, or will it continue for the foreseeable future?

We’re the last people you should ask. Maybe we’ll end up becoming a parody of ourselves and rehashing old articles and jokes and thereby inciting someone else to start a blog going on about how woeful we are. We’re not going to break through some kind of wall and ‘go to phase 2′ or anything like that – the blog’s purpose has always been as a mirror more than anything else. Anyway, blogs are tomorrow’s chip wrappers made digital, aren’t they?

Various commenter have said that they ‘KNOW WHO YOU ARE’. Scared?

People certainly keep guessing there’s all manner of people behind it. For some reason, Hooky keeps emailing us and calling us ‘Phil’. We can categorically say that there is no ‘Phil’ at FUC51. The most surprising thing was how many people have got in touch and offered to contribute or have contributed. It was reassuring to know it wasn’t just us, and there’s always been an email address on the blog if you want to get involved. Some of our ‘tipsters’ have found themselves sat at pub garden tables with a few of the ‘professional Manc’ crowd, stifling smirks as it’s mentioned that ‘someone had better batter those fuckers’ – but it’d be like catching smoke.

Hey! Manchester has found that it’s actually possible to be involved in music in Manchester without having to engage with Madchester. Are you encouraged by this, or do you believe that this city will be stuck in its musical past forever?

Of course it’s possible! Everyone in Manchester knows that. The only people who haven’t twigged are those who write about the music of Manchester who, despite what people think, are our targets. There’s a whole scene going in and around Chorlton that hasn’t leaned on Madchester at all. There’s nights all over town that play music from all over the world without once thinking of Tony Wilson or Bez.

One of these days, a music critic will talk about a Manchester band without resorting to Joy Division comments. Imagine if every London band was likened to The Kinks or every Welsh group compared to Tom Jones! The press need to catch on to the fact that people in Manchester might just sit around listening to The Stooges or Heino or fuckin’ Glee. Manchester isn’t solely soundtracked by people gasping at how much Ian Curtis meant it.

If anything those ties are more of an albatross than anything – people come here with preconceptions, and Mancs have to fight to prove them wrong.

What are some of your favourite Manchester things, musical or otherwise?

We love it all – we were all here pre-bomb and afterwards, and it’s good that Manchester continues to evolve, new things continue to emerge, old things die back and all the rest of it. Mainly we love that there’s always been a great DIY culture in Manchester, people deciding they could do better and making something their own.

And finally, who’s your favourite Manchester band?

The Clone Roses. The Purple Gang. Wait, they were from Stockport weren’t they?

Visit FUC251 here.

Hi Steve, how are you?

It’s been an uppin’ downer week here, cold as Big Ben’s hour hand.

Obvious question first: where does the name Marble Valley come from?

My mother’s father grew up on a farm with 12 siblings in Marble Valley, located in the blue ridge mountains of Virginia.

Why did you decide to record the latest album, Slash and Laugh, in Amsterdam?

Remko Schouten, our Sampler guy, owns a fabulous studio named Island Studios there, and he graciously offered to record us.

The songs are incredibly fun and quirky. How do you go about getting these elements into the music?

When we are together it comes out naturally like a burp or hick up. Alone, I just think about these guys playing the songs and go with it.

Do you have reels of out-takes where you’re all laughing or is the recording process quite serious?

It seems there is always laughter at the beginning and end of songs. There is always another clown around the corner in the Valley. However, we do take the final schmeel seriously.

Is there a dog in someone’s house called Duche Dog E Dog, or is it a surreal joke?

The Dog is Remko Schouten, our sampler/percussion/singing wizard. He is Pavement’s sound man and is famous for his manly exploits. He is a husband now and father of two, and has a leash and a collar on.

I read somewhere that you’re a stone mason. What kind of stuff do you like to make?

Beating on rocks is loads of fun. Sometimes I pretend there is a crowd of Pavement fans waiting for me to sign autographs at lunch time. Seriously though, I make stone fireplaces, retaining walls and patios for Virginians.

How does the experience of playing Marble Valley differ from playing in Pavement?

In the valley, I am the frontman, no place to hide. It is fun but very bright. In Pavement, I can hide behind the drums. I enjoy both positions. Drumming is easier though, I can be a Neanderthal. Front men have to wear a tie and a bowler like John Steed.

How did the Pavement reunion come about and are you excited about it?

The fans and the press brought it about by keeping the idea out there. It’s going to be a blast off. I am very excited to play these old Pavement songs and participate in a lot of male bonding.

You must have been to Manchester before, right? How well do you get on with the place?

Me and Manchester get along just fine. However, this country bumpkin sticks out like a old beat up Ford truck under the Manchester city nightlights.

Marble Valley play on Thursday 28 January, 8pm, at Dulcimer in Chorlton.

Questions by Chris Gilliver of CityLifers.co.uk

What inspired you to start a label now – and why 10-inch gatefold?

I have been involved in the Manchester music scene for a few years now, and I think the idea for the label comes from the fact that I have seen a recent and distinctive lack of cohesiveness in the new Manchester representing itself to the outside world. People say this every year but I genuinely do believe that it is Manchester’s time to be at the forefront of the UK music scene again, with a collection of amazing new bands whose sights are set only towards the future.

I would like to think that our first record is how we mean to go on, and is hopefully more than the sum of its parts. The bands are all at different stages of their careers but it was a mutual respect and friendship that pulled them together. The decision for who was on the record fell to the bands as much as me. Hopefully this EP puts the spotlight on these artists as well as the city and for the right reasons, not falling into the usual Manchester cliches. Most of these guys were too young to go to the Hacienda anyway so they don’t even feel the need to try and ‘swear they were there’ – they were busy watching Blue Peter or something.

I wanted to release physically on vinyl because Love & Disaster is new and I felt it is important to launch with something that people can put there hands on. Also, one of the biggest ideas for the EP was the sense of ‘unity’ so I wanted the tracks to sit together on the same piece of plastic.

I felt the group photo was also very important and a key part to the ethos. If I’m honest, we were so rushed taking the photo we later worked out that it wouldn’t fit into a square so had to pay extra for the gatefold to fit in the picture. Am really glad I did this because I wanted to make the record as special as possible – although I have set an expensive precedence for future releases.

You were involved in Channel M television. How helpful was your role there in setting this up?

Channel M gave me a great and unique opportunity. Budgets were always small but success was due to the wealth of talent, support and trust we built with the acts that contributed. It was a shame that it had to end but am really excited about the future and hopefully this may serve as a logical and natural progression. From my time at Channel M Music I built up a great network of contacts and made some close friends. Being honest, the bands on this EP are the ones we embraced the most and wanted to help them in return for their support of the channel. In a way the inclusion of these bands is kind of cathartic for me – they need to go off and do great things for themselves and Manchester now, and I look forward to working with the next generation.

How do you decide which of Manchester’s many talented bands make it on to the EPs?

I’m not going to pretend that this isn’t down to personal musical taste but I am not close minded and can embrace anything as long as when scratching the service their is talent, ideas and the right attitude beneath. Another word I would like to add to that list is ‘longevity’ – I think this is really important. I think these bands could have a great career and not simply be a ‘fad’.

Is there any theme per release other than being from the same city?

If there is any theme at all it’s temporal. I think these bands represent the new Manchester scene in 2009 very well and they are going on to be some of our biggest hopes for 2010. Saying that, there are loads of great manchester bands who don’t appear on the first record and am looking forward to working with them for future releases. On this particular compilation I tried to get a balance on the way you might put together an album. Airships ‘Kids’ is an amazing sub-three-minute anthem opener, Dutch Uncles is a weird winding progressive track full of depth and interest, Jo’s track provides the downbeat brooding ballad and it ends on an upbeat Delphic/Everything Everything dance track. The next one I think is going to be very dancey most of the way through.

How often are new releases going to come out, and can you name anyone you’re talking to for future EPs?

Originally I was thinking about three in total over the period of a year and then taking stock. I also have other projects on the go, involving video and a new website that all ties in. I have so far approached my ideal four bands (maybe five this time around). I don’t want to jinx it by naming names as it is very early days, but can confirm we will be taking May68 into the studio for another exclusive track in January to kick it all off.

Who are the newest band that you think Manchester music fans should be listening to?

Thats a difficult one. In terms of Manchester bands on the record, they aren’t necessarily new but they are in terms of the UK. I’ve already talked about my favourites but really very new Manchester at the moment are Driver, Drive Faster and Techniques.

Love & Disaster EP1 is available from Piccadilly Records.