FELIX ROWE
From left to right: ‘Shovell’, Paul Heard, Heather Small and Mike Pickering
In the early 90s, a band exploded out of Manchester with attitude, anthems and a voice that defined a generation. Building on the city’s rich musical heritage, from the Buzzcocks to the Roses, they would reign over the decade, notching up a string of hits that were screamed back at them at arenas, stadiums and even a Glastonbury headline slot. If the act that first springs to mind begins with an ‘O’, think again. M People’s résumé includes 11 million sales, two BRITs and the Mercury Prize. A permanent fixture in the UK charts throughout the 90s, they even topped the US Billboard Dance Chart.