“DON'T talk to me about heroes, most of these men sink like subs” goes the Black Grape hit Kelly’s Heroes.

So, it was with some trepidation that I set off to see the group’s frontman who has been a hero of mine for many decades.

For the last 35 years to be precise, Shaun Ryder’s music has been the soundtrack of my life.

From the platinum smash hit albums Happy Mondays’ Pills, Thrills & Bellyaches and Black Grape’s It’s Great When You’re Straight… Yeah, to collaborations like Dare with Gorillaz, and more recently his new supergroup Mantra of the Cosmos.

After hearing his music at college in the 80s, I’ve since followed Ryder and his bands around the UK, from festivals like Glastonbury and venues like Brixton Academy and just this summer at Bournemouth’s 02. Along the way I’ve witnessed his epic musical journey, as well as his personal journey, from former hell raiser to 62-year-old national treasure.

But tonight was something different. I was going to be getting “up close and personal” with the man himself during his “an audience with…” style event and book tour of the country.

I only hoped his prophecy about heroes wasn’t going to turn out to be true.

At the Poole Lighthouse event on September 28, Ryder was introduced onstage to a rapturous welcome by fans from all ages.

But as young as some of these fans were, the event was certainly “not for kids”.

For the next two hours, Ryder took us through expletive-ridden tales of debauchery from the last four decades, starting with his days at the helm of the Madchester scene.

From his splits with his bands - and subsequent reunions, his fall-out with his late brother, his struggles with ADHD – a condition also affecting his children, his “marriage without sex” to his best friend ‘Bez-wick’ and how he finally quit drugs for cycling, a move which no doubt saved his life, nothing was off limits.

Like the time he jokingly told a Brazilian tabloid journalist on the eve of the Happy Monday’s appearance at the Rock in Rio concert that he was planning to bring “thousands of drugs” with him. A faux pas which resulted in the Mondays being met by the armed cops as they landed.

Then after welcoming questions from the audience in the second half, it was over – but not without a chance to meet the great man if you bought his book.

As I queued with the rest of the fans, there was much banter with the down-to-earth, Mancunian star as his friendly laid-back demeanour shone through with each book signing and photo.

And when the moment came to at last meet after 35 years, I wasn’t disappointed.

The reformed wildman was open and humble, keen to know what I thought of the show, and we talked for a while about his music’s impact on my life and what’s next for him – which I was pleased to hear was another Happy Mondays tour in 2025.

I left having finally met my hero, in awe of the man who, as he admits, should be dead by now, but is far from sinking just yet.

The Shaun Ryder Happy Mondays, Fridays, and Saturdays, and Sundays book tour kicked off on September 2 and runs until May 4, 2025 at numerous venues across the UK. For tickets visit https://www.awaywithmedia.com/tours/shaun-ryder