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28 October 2014
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The Great Unheard


The Young Offenders Institute
The Young Offenders Institute

The Young Offenders Institute

in their own words...
The Young Offenders Institute are putting the working class rebellion back into rock 'n' roll music.

The Young Offenders Institute
Description:"This is far more likely to fester in depths of underground madness before it actually sells some records. Purely for the fact that it could just be stupid or it could just be genius." - Drowned in Sound
Address:Collyhurst
E-mail:[email protected]

What we think:

"Standing proud with the hunger and drive of Blaggers ITA, calling in the revolutionary spirit of Manchester and the rough and tumble of grime, and pasting it all together with the soul of the Faces, The Young Offenders Institute are a thrilling proposition, if only because they could turn out to be the shambolicly wonderful offspring of the Mondays. Jump in, get pogoing and burn to the heart of the revolution."
Chris Long

They grew up together in the Manchester suburb of Collyhurst, dodging the long arm of the law and the toad work. They are still there today. Singer and rapper JP was the first to plot their escape route: The Young Offenders Institute.

A filmmaker (Steve Price, Revelator Films) started following him and has been there ever since. A drummer joined and quit out of fear. A guitarist joined, moved to Manchester, quit, and won't be returning to Manchester. One by one, JP's friends joined up: first, brothers Chris Rigg (lead guitar/vocals) and John Rigg (bass); drummer Steve Basher and, finally, rhythm guitarist Alan Lamb, cementing the definitive line-up in June 2004.

Flying in the face of conventional music business wisdom (not for the first or last time), they played their first ever gig at a packed Cellar Vie during the In The City industry convention in September 2004. The entire music industry was there.

Most of them walked out in disgust after two songs. Those who stayed behind witnessed a seminal moment in rock 'n' roll history. Local heroes Puressence were singing along, as were London cognoscenti punk bands Thee Unstrung and The Paddingtons. Producer Owen Morris (Oasis, The Verve, Ash, Electronic - and he's more rock 'n' roll than any of these bands) was pogoing down the front and, days later, cancelled all other engagements to produce three tracks for them. Then he cancelled some more engagements while he recovered.

Now, The Young Offenders Institute are ready. Is the world ready for them?

last updated: 09/12/04
Have Your Say
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Jon
All been done B4 but sooo much better , how much do they want to be the Mondays ?? bunch of tools , bad musicians ! they sing about poll tax , get with the times lads there is no such thing anymore xx

Cheryl
they played at the dry bar, really good gig and they gave us a laugh too!

Spaz in the hills
CONFIRMED: Inspiral Carpets are now no longer the worst band from Manchester

ash
skin up for the acid man!!! What a song and what an entertaining band

Gheko
Did they cover 99 'luft' balloons?

wiggah
there is nothing intelligent or of worth invested in their awful dirge at all!!!

Shaun
Although you can tell where their influences lie, this could be the band to revive the dormant MADchester scene. Then again, they could embarrass the most important and influencial musical city in the world. Hopefully, that wont be the case though...

James
Not even so bad as to be entertainingly awful. Just 'NO!'.

Leila
YOI have to be one of the most laughable bands to jump on the Eminem bandwagon. Atrocious lyrics, a total inability to sing, and ugly to boot! Were it not for the financial backing of "connections" these boys would be behind bars for attempting to incite bad music.

jade from KOREA
sound's cool. they rock.

sarah lamb
i think that they have tryed so hard for so long to get this far i think that they deserve to make sum fin ov there selves i think they sound brilliant its a style ov music that u havent heard so its unusual but sounds gud you wouldnt think ov puttin the 2 2gether but like i said they sound brill

mi july
dont give up youre day jobs

ROb
Status Quo with swear words.

annie!
u pure rock man aye ur one and only scottish fan that is a non relative thank you and good nite mon the young offenders man mon the rigg man!!!!!!!!!!!!

Smythy
Top band. Mancs for the throne! Get in, you all rule.

mags/ blackley
rocking you were brilliant no doubt this band will hit the big time

simon
i was at the gig in london and this band had the place rocking,top band keep up the good work lads

Phil
I saw YOI last night in Nottingham and can honestly say they were the most cringingly awful band I have ever seen. Far from the pogoing suggested by the above review most of the audience were losing the will to live whilst staring at their shoes. Cack.

ian
need's a bit of work.But at lest this band keep in it real.

si
Heard o lot about this band, and when i finally heard them i burst out laughing, ha,ha, rubbish

SHUGGY ov collyhurst
good stuff

dan
like a bad idea gone horribly wrong.

daddy manc
at last, the worst manchester band in history have arrived! luckily, this nonsense is destined to be ignored...

jimbo
THIS BAND ARE THE ABSOLUTE LIMIT

Jamesy
Awful. One of the worse new bands at the moment.

jacqueline
i think this band rocks cant wait for them to come out. drummer ace you go dude keep at the good wrk lots of love jack. surrey.

spooner
heard we're the young offenders on lamacq on radio 1 last night and i am loving it loving it loving it

smurf
i fink we should all shave our eyebrows like jp , cos he`s a buzz.

Richard Hatton, Manchester
From what I've heard these kids are trying to do for Man Utd what Oasis did for the real Manchester team. Unfortunately their aggressive attitude reminds me of a bunch of students playing at being hard rather than the real thing. Leave the aggro to Oasis and concentrate on the music lads.

mike
heard alot about this band on the grape vine,things are lookin good

matt
they played my gig at Star&Garter on Thurs they play Night&Day in Feb.

morgan
sounds good !!! where can we see them next ?????

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