JOHN & ROSEMARY BARRATT

The Stockport Music Story is the brainchild of John Barratt and Rosemary Barratt, who both have a varied and extensive background of working in the music industry since the 1980s.

JOHN BARRATT

In 1980, John opened the vinyl record shop The Record Peddler on Swan Street in Manchester. He started his own record label Facsimile Liasons and in 1982 released ‘Marking Time’ by Manchester band Syncopation which was recorded at Stockport’s Cavalier Studios. John also worked at Strawberry Recording Studios managing bands alongside Ric Dixon, one of the co-managers of 10cc.

John managed Manchester band Easterhouse who signed to Rough Trade Records in the UK and Columbia in America. Their 1985 single ‘Whistling In The Dark’ went to No.1 in the Independent music charts and featured in Noel Gallagher’s ‘Best of Manchester’ Spotify playlist. Easterhouse filmed three music videos with film director Derek Jarman and went on tour with The Smiths

In the 1990’s John worked on ‘The Hit Man and Her’ music show and was the manager of Pete Waterman’s PWL North studios at The Church on Deansgate where he ran 380 Records. John signed dance acts The Family Foundation, Ultracynic and N-Trance who he worked with on the rave anthem ‘Set You Free’ which was recorded in Revolution Studios, Stockport. John’s proudest achievement is working with maverick genius Mark E Smith on the Dose EP ‘Plug Myself In’.

ROSEMARY BARRATT

Rosemary started her broadcasting career at Manchester’s Piccadilly Radio in the 1980s, working as a researcher on ‘The Last Radio Programme’ presented by Tony Michaelides. She worked as a freelance journalist for the music press interviewing Manchester bands including James and Simply Red, and wrote the first ever live review of The Stone Roses for Melody Maker in 1985. She also wrote features for pop magazines Smash Hits and Just 17 and was a music columnist for the Daily Mirror and the Manchester Evening News.

In 1985 Rosemary was a presenter and interviewer on BBC Radio One and a co-presenter of the BBC2 live music show Whistle Test interviewing bands including Echo and the Bunnymen, Spandau Ballet and Depeche Mode.

She has produced music programmes for Granada Television where she gave Zoe Ball and Take That their on-screen TV debuts in the BSB programme ‘Cool Cube’. She also produced and co-directed the controversial pop video for Take That’s debut single ‘Do What U Like’ at Vector Television in Heaton Mersey.