MADCHESTER misfits The Happy Mondays will be looking to step on stage at the O2 Academy Bournemouth on May 9.

The original members are back together for the first time in over 19 years to embark on an 11-date UK tour.

During the 80s and early 90s, Manchester was the heart of the UK’s music scene, nurturing bands like New Order, Happy Mondays, The Stone Roses and The Smiths.

The reunion comes three months after fellow Mancunians Ian Brown and John Squire buried their differences resulting in The Stone Roses selling-out a string of arena dates this summer.

The reformed Happy Mondays line-up will include Shaun Ryder, Bez, Gary Whelan, Mark Day, Paul Davies, Paul Ryder and Rowetta. Front man Shaun Ryder says: “We all met up last week and some of the lads haven’t seen each other in 10 or 15 years.

“It’s as if we’ve never been apart, it’s so good to all be in the same room again.

“We can’t wait now to get on tour and play the songs that made us famous.”

The Happy Mondays were first discovered by broadcaster and Factory Records boss Tony Wilson in legendary nightclub The Hacienda and has become synonymous with the Manchester music scene.

Their first album in 1987 was Squirrel and G-Man Twenty Four Hour Party People Plastic Face Carnt Smile (White Out).

The band followed up with two classic albums, Bummed in 1988, then Pills ‘n’ Thrills and Bellyaches which went on to achieve platinum status in the UK.

The hedonistic excesses finally caught up with the band and they split in 1993, with band members Shaun Ryder and Bez forming Black Grape.

The pair have since found unlikely fame as contestants on reality TV shows such as Celebrity Big Brother and I’m a Celebrity...Get Me Out Of Here.

The Bournemouth show will see them doing what they do best, expect to hear melon-twisting classic songs such as Step On, Kinky Afro, Hallelujah, 24 Hour Party People and many more.

The Happy Mondays will be joined by the newly-reformed Inspiral Carpets as special guests.