Today, the band’s backing singer Rowetta, also an X Factor finalist, announced on Twitter the “full original line-up” would reform to tour in May.

She tweeted: ” Yes! We’re back… We’ve been talking for a while, but only met on Thursday… Hopefully tour dates announced tomorrow.”

Rumours circulated that the Madchester band were considering “big money” offers to reunite, following an earlier announcement that The Stone Roses were to get back together.

The rumours intensified this week when the band’s hell-raising indie rocker Shaun Ryder was seen meeting his former bandmates at the Lowry Hotel in Salford.

Although the Happy Mondays have reformed previously, this will be the first time the original line-up has played together since 1992.

“We want to put on a really good show,” Rowetta told BBC Radio Manchester.

All seven of the original line-up met last week to “see if they could sit in a room together”, Rowetta said, referring to the band’s acrimonous past.

The original line-up featured Shaun, his bassist brother Paul Ryder, drummer Gaz Whelan, freaky dancer Bez, guitarist Mark Day, keyboard player Paul Davies and Rowetta.

Rowetta said the drive to bring the original Happy Mondays members back together had come from lead singer Shaun Ryder and his manager.

“We decided it would only be special and work if it was the total, original line-up,” she said.

“We’re all really excited. They are my family, these boys; I’ve really missed them… and I’m sure they’ve missed each other.”

The Happy Mondays were one of the biggest bands of the Madchester era. They released three hit albums on Tony Wilson’s Factory Records label, including Pills ‘n’ Thrills and Bellyaches, which featured their chart topping single Step On.

They split in 1994 after their fourth album, Yes Please!, left Factory Records bankrupt. They reformed briefly in 1999 with both Ryder brothers in the band, while a third incarnation in 2007 for the Manchester International Festival only featured Shaun, Gaz and Bez.

Rowetta said the band would be rehearsing throughout April, but denied there were currently any plans for them to support the reunited Stone Roses at Heaton Park.

“It’s up to the Roses. As long as we’ve not killed each other by then, we’d be up for it.”

 

Pictured: Shaun Ryder

Picture: Getty Images