That Monday feeling

The full story of Happy Mondays' disastrous Witnness 2000 appearance has finally been told by band member Rowetta.

Talking exclusively to hotpress.com, the singer says: "The worst thing that ever happened to me was when we reformed and we were at Witnness and Shaun punched me in front of everybody. And the papers were saying it was a fight or something – but he called me a nigger.

"He was on crack and smack and he had just woken up and was like – 'Yo nigger, get me a drink' and I just said 'Get it yourself, you big nosed bastard'. And I think he then said 'You fucking fat nigger', but I don't really remember much at that point, 'cos I just remember being punched.

"I was out cold on the floor and he was saying 'Get up, you got a gig'. I mean I had a black eye, I was going home.

"Bez was really good, though. He really stuck up for me 'cos all the others were just worried about the money. Bez just said 'I'm not going on stage. That's it. You can hit me like you hit Row'. That's crack cocaine for you."

Rowetta – who plays herself in the new Factory Records biopic, 24-Hour Party People – is still waiting for an apology.

"Bez thinks maybe I should ring him, but he hit me really hard. Then when he was going to Australia, I was asked would I go with him and I said no. I wasn't getting onstage with him. I wasn't getting on a tour bus with him – and that's the way it is until he apologises to me."

You can read the full triple X-rated story of the Mondays' demise in the latest edition of Hot Press, on newsstands today (Thurs March 28th).