Happy Mondays’ Shaun Ryder on being ‘too grumpy’ for Love Island and why his new album is 10 years in the making

Shaun Ryder has finally released a new solo album, Visits From Future Technology (Picture: WireImage)

Shaun Ryder has opened up about being ‘too grumpy’ for Love Island and why his new music took a decade to release.

The Happy Mondays star, who dropped solo album Visits From Future Technology today, has been delighting viewers with his take on TV, joining bandmate Bez for a stint on Celebrity Gogglebox.

However, despite watching the small screen for fun on the Channel 4 series, there is one thing he probably won’t be tuning into off his own back, and that’s Love Island.

‘I’m just a grumpy old b******d,’ he told Metro.co.uk on why he has avoided keeping up with villa life. 

‘I mean, I don’t think I was even like that when I was their age. They’re like aliens. I just find it really funny because they are big, grown up bodies but they’re babies inside. 

‘I can’t even laugh at it, it just shows what a grumpy old t**t I am. It’s just like listening to teenagers.’

Shaun branded himself ‘too grumpy’ for Love Island (Picture: Rex)

Petition to get Shaun to do the next surprise Spotify gig in the villa, anyone?

We can forgive the Step On musician for not being an avid viewer of the show of late as he has been majorly busy putting the finishing touches to his new album – which has been gathering dust for around 10 years.

Yes, seriously.

Spilling the beans on Visits From Future Technology, he laughed: ‘I know what I’m doing this time, because I didn’t last time. I didn’t even know I’d done it! 

‘The first album was really experimental and I wasn’t even on this planet when I did it. This is 10-years-old now. We did this way back in 2010, and I went straight into the [I’m A Celebrity… Get Me Out Of Here] jungle. 

‘Then when I came out, I had different management and they decided that I should go and build a profile on television, and it got forgotten about.

‘I’m just made up that I’ve finally got it out. I really am. [It’s a] really great album, so I’m just glad it’s out. It’s getting a really good reaction.’

Shaun, if you’re reading this, please don’t keep us waiting a decade for new music next time.

But, while we’re living for the album, he confirmed that we won’t be getting any Happy Mondays sounds for a while, as the group is on the back burner for the next few years.

‘We should have put the Mondays back to bed, but then Covid-19 hit,’ he said.

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‘So all the commitments I had have got to do with the Mondays. But I want to put the Mondays to sleep for about four to five years, and then go out and do more Black Grape, and do another Black Grape album, and then another solo album.’

So basically, Shaun is hugely booked for a long time to come.

‘Just like how the wife likes it, so I’m not in the house,’ he added. ‘She’s had enough of me now!’ 

Well, we certainly haven’t!

Visits From Future Technology is out now.

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