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07:00 - 16-May-2008
The raucous rock band was the focus for Hallelujah, his book which followed front man Shaun Ryder and his fellow Mancunians on their 1999 tour.
Chapter headings such as “Stoned man sets himself on fire” and “Lobster enters Shaun's pants”, gives some clue to the on-road shenanigans.
“They were getting on a bit by then, so it was not as mad as it would have been in the past,” John says. “But I still have some vivid memories.”
“There were all the tour games, for a start, which I was clueless about.
“When we on the bus one afternoon in Holyhead, I stuck my head out of the skylight to get some fresh air. Someone else popped out of the skylight at the other end of the bus and shouted 'Come here', so I got out and began crawling along the roof. At that point, both skylights slammed shut.”
This was back during John's days as a full-time journalist – he became friends with Shaun when ghost-writing the addled musician's column for the Daily Sport.
“I always knew I wanted to write, but was never sure quite what I wanted to do with it,” John said.
“Eventually, I realised it was comedy and decided to leave newspapers. I was tired of seeing my work ending up as chip paper the next day.”
He quit the Sport two years ago, and quit his presenting slot on a Manchester radio station last September to focus full-time on stand-up.
When I speak with him, John's outside BBC headquarters in London waiting to hear if he's got through to the final stage of Comedy College – a Beeb initiative to pair up and coming writers with established names such as Graham Linehan, co-creator of Father Ted.
But while his old life has been abandoned, John still keeps in touch with Shaun – who is now living a decidedly post rock and roll existence in the North Derbyshire village of Hadfield.
“Shaun called me the other week,” says John.
“He wanted to borrow a drill to put some shelves up,”
John Warburton appears at Where: Durty Nelly's, High Street, Hull on Sunday. Doors open 7.30pm – tickets: £5, call (01482) 225212.
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John Warburton appears at Durty Nelly's, Hull, on Sunday
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