Madchester, n. and adj.

Pronunciation: Brit. /ˈmadtʃᵻstə/, /ˈmadtʃɛstə/, U.S. /ˈmædtʃəstər/

Etymology: < mad adj. + -chester (in Manchester: see Manchester n.).

A. n.

Manchester, with reference to the city as a centre of popular music and club subculture in Britain in the late 1980s and early 1990s; the music characteristic of Manchester at this time. Cf. baggy adj. and n. Additions.

1989 S. W. Ryder et al. (title of record) Madchester rave on E.P.

1993 Face Sept. 84/1 For these nine years, Pickering has earned his place in British club history. From rap and funk to Italia house, Chicago house to Madchester, he was there—and often in the vanguard.

1997 M. Collin & J. Godfrey Altered State v. 157 The idea of Madchester, however, provided a backdrop over which people, both in and outside the city, could project their own fantasies and aspirations.

1999 Independent 6 Feb. 9/1 The Mondays‥were the epicentre of the Madchester or ‘baggy’ scene. A fusion of ecstasy, Acid House beats, rock music and some of the worst haircuts‥since the Plantagenets, the Madchester phenomenon peaked between 1989 and 1992.

B. adj.

Designating or characteristic of the clubs, music, pop groups, etc., that proliferated in Manchester at this time.

1990 Vox Oct. 19/1 Call the cops! Shaun, Bez and the Madchester crew are back in the double mega New York groove to prove that Armani makes the world go round.

1994 Guardian 18 Mar. ii. 12/3 These purveyors of the late ‘Madchester’ sound were most recently in the news when keyboardist Rob Collins was imprisoned for his part in an armed robbery.

1998 Rec. Collector Apr. 132/3 Fontana's interest in the group was, in part, geographical—‘Madchester’ was in the ascendant,‥though James didn't fit in with the prevailing mood of 60s revivalism and club-land hedonism.