Modern English: The Manc agency building digital stages for the world’s biggest stars
Since setting up over a decade ago, Andy Hirst’s business has blossomed into the go-to brand for digital work in the music sphere - amassing an envious collection of star-studded case studies.
Manchester’s reputation as a musical ‘oasis’ was cemented long before the city bred the superstars of the same name. This was the city that spearheaded a music scene so stirring, it transcended the charts and became a cultural movement.
Of course, that was a long time ago, now. Even the most ardent ravers still clinging to their bucket hats for dear life will surely confess that the heady days of Madchester and 90s rock ‘n’ roll are behind us and are never coming back.
But that doesn’t mean the planet’s greatest musicians have stopped turning to the city for inspiration. Sure, they might not look over to The Hacienda or Dry Bar for ideas anymore. But they do keep consulting a little office space in St John’s.
You might not know it, but down an unassuming side street in Manchester’s city centre, a small team of digital creatives are quietly spending their days assembling digital platforms for the biggest stars in music today.
It’s a place called Modern English.
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The Modern English team
Since setting up over a decade ago, Andy Hirst’s business has blossomed into the go-to brand for digital work in the music sphere – amassing an envious collection of star-studded case studies.
Modern English began in creative technology and digital production through music and ended up working for media agencies. The team fine-tuned their processes in line with the music industry boom and ultimately hit a groove.
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Previous work includes Facebook apps for Elbow, Kylie Minogue and a host of others, e-commerce stores for The Smiths and New Order, and an app for The Charlatans (who played a gig in the Modern English office to launch it), as well as playing a pivotal role for local businesses during the pandemic.
The agency hosted United We Stream alongside Mayor Andy Burnham and Warehouse Project founder Sacha Lord (raising funds for Nordoff Robbins charity in the process), whilst helping fresh brands get off the ground mid-pandemic; supporting The Blues Kitchen with a brand spanking new website.
Modern English founder Andrew Hirst
Proudly Mancunian the brand may be, but Modern English’s work goes far beyond the borders of the M60. Much business has spanned the Atlantic, incorporating a wide variety of digital production work for an ever-growing list of glitzy clients.
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Projects have ranged from working on facial recognition technology for pop star Dua Lipa, to live streaming gigs for Black Eyed Peas and Lil Simz, various Spotify and Apple Music connected apps for the likes of Britney Spears and The Beatles, to building a playlist discovery tool for Warner Music in NYC called Topsify.
The team steered an award winning virtual campaign to announce Foo Fighters’ world-stopping headline slot at Glasto in 2017, and last year collaborated with Capitol Music in LA and NASA to launch an award winning AI experience set to the music of Beck’s latest album ‘Hyperspace’.
More recently, Modern English launched the website for legendary group The Rolling Stones and their new flagship store on Carnaby Street. This was before collaborating with Sony Music on behalf of legendary singer-songwriter Alicia Keys, creating a bespoke URL to mark the 20th anniversary of the Grammy Award winner’s iconic debut album, Songs in A Minor.
The agency has also worked alongside Warner to launch the site for Use Hearing Protection – an exhibition which pays tribute to the early days of Factory Records and the era during which Manchester took on a new, iconic form.
Modern English have become one of Manchester’s best-known digital agencies
It isn’t just the work that’s continued flooding in, though. The accolades have kept coming, too. Modern English is pretty much a permanent fixture at the Prolific North awards every year nowadays, with Andy himself being listed in the 42 under 42 by Insider Media in 2019.
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Yet, despite all the big names and coveted trophies, Modern English has done “next to no PR” during its first decade in business. The brand’s reputation of delivering high-end projects at speed has spread mostly via word of mouth, snowballing with every passing week.
In the space of just a few years, the team have gone from getting “dribs and drabs of website and film work” to sharing office space with Pixies manager, doing work for Mick Jagger, and becoming mates with Mark Lanegan.
Quite the transition.
Naturally, the pandemic has presented a tough period for Modern English, as it has for almost every local business. But the future remains bright – with a number of secretive but “very exciting” projects apparently in the pipeline for 2021 and beyond.
These include a physical box set for a major artist, a 30th anniversary campaign for a world-renowned group, and a big AR project that could potentially be worth a staggering £1 million.
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“Moving ahead, we’ll be leaning more on the creative side of the business,” owner Andy explains.
“Modern English has always been about creating new firsts and never resting on your laurels. It’s that attitude that got us through the pandemic.
“We’re looking to do more groundbreaking creative work like we’ve done in the past, being as innovative and future-thinking as we can.”
It seems the agency is only destined to get bigger: both in structure and reputation.
When our little company started 10 years ago, one of the goals was to see Modern English’s name in Rolling Stone. That dream came true this week ⚡️
— Modern English Digital (@ModernEnglish) June 3, 2021
Madchester might always be recognised as the apex of music in the city. As a region, we may never be looked at in quite that way again.
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But to suggest Manchester is no longer the influence it once was is naive. Indeed, the city is still setting up soapboxes for the top talent just like it was 30 years ago. Sometimes in a digital way.
A little Mancunian agency called Modern English is rolling out an online red carpet for the planet’s creatives every single year. And millions are watching.
Manchester and music. There must be something in the water…
A Manchester barbershop is offering a ‘pay what you can’ service this month
Danny Jones
Amidst the tidal wave of January deals on food and drink in Manchester, a local barbers is championing their own ‘pay what you can’ offer to help people along this month.
Jefe’s Barbershop, located in the heart of Manchester’s Northern Quarter, is one of the best barbers in the city centre, offering a wide variety of cuts and facial hair grooming services – they even offer a subscription service that helps people save money on regular trims.
That being said, they are well aware of those January blues and the mounting obstacles and anxieties that come with weeks of penny-pinching to make it to month’s end, as well as the general toll it can take on people’s mental health.
So this January, Jefe and his team are doing something different – as he puts it, “something special”: the barbershop is allowing customers to simply pay what they feel comfortable handing over and, in the case of those struggling, whatever they can afford.
It’s a simple gesture with a big purpose which helps ensure no one has to miss out on a feel-good moment or the confidence that comes from a fresh trim.
“All we do is laugh and joke about life—that’s why people come here,” Jefe explains. “I don’t want anyone to lose the chance to be present, to feel good, and to laugh with us.
“Men often need more help than they’re willing to let on and we want to be a helping hand they can rely on.” Now that’s a cause all of us can and should get behind.
Community support has remained at the core of Jefe’s Barbershop since the beginning when he swapped a basketball career for providing a much-needed service to Mancunian men.
From partnering with Manc sandwich shops and offering free haircuts for the homeless, to hosting street parties with local events companies and providing £5 trims to promote men’s mental health in 2023 when the cost of living crisis really kicked in – Jefe’s is always trying to make a difference in the area.
You’ve got to love businesses that go the extra mile.
If you want to make the most of this wholesome deal or just feel like you’re in need of a trim, you can book HERE or call them directly on 0161 818 7659.
The ‘pay what you can’ offer runs Monday to Thursday, 9am-7pm, subject to availability. You’ll find Jefe’s Barbershop on Stevenson Square
Because as the man himself puts it, “Everyone deserves to feel their best”.
Century-old Didsbury Sports Ground left devastated after Greater Manchester flooding
Danny Jones
As residents and local businesses in various parts of the region continue to pick up the pieces after recent flooding, one of the venues worst affected is Didsbury Sports Ground, which sadly suffered “catastrophic” levels of damage.
Having stood in South Manchester for over 100 years, Didsbury Sports Ground (DSG) has been a key community institution for generations, home to rugby, cricket and football clubs, as well as the weekly parkrun, just to name a few of its regular leisure activities.
Unfortunately, following the recent floods which hit several of the 10 boroughs hard, as well as many parts of Cheshire from New Year’s Eve onwards, the pitches, car park, clubhouse, storage and changing rooms have all rendered unusable or completely ruined following the major incident.
And when we say unusable, we mean a lot of it is still underwater.
Credit: Didsbury Sports Ground (supplied)
After banks burst up and down the River Mersey and the North West downpour continued, not only were the various playing fields left heavily waterlogged, but the club’s central building also suffered significant structural damage.
In addition to a large hole being knocked through the main clubhouse wall, with collapsed fencing and tree limbs littering the perimeter, the constant flow of water has seeped right down to the foundations.
Speaking on the damage,DSG‘s director Ian Bailey said: “The devastation caused by the flooding is nothing short of heart-wrenching. The Grounds have been a landmark and local hub within the village for over a century. The damage is catastrophic and the impact on the community is immense.
“Our Ground is far more than just a sports facility, it is a place where people connect, grow, and thrive, and embrace the community spirit. To lose such an iconic and central community resource would be unthinkable and such a travesty, which is why we’re calling on local and central government support.”
“Every week, DSG brings together over 800 people from the local area for Manchester sports, fitness, social activities, recreation and community events, creating a place for well-being, a fantastic social circle and helping to build an all-round happier and healthier community.”
As a result of the damage and loss to the community, the team behind DSG are now frantically trying to raise enough funds to carry out a raft of remedial repairs and some serious groundwork.
Setting themselves a total target of £50,000 for the entire clean-up operation, every penny of which will go towards getting the sports ground back in a usable state.
Thus far, thanks to nearly 500 donations by loving locals and kindhearted Mancunians who know the value of leisure centres and clubs like this, they have already more than 30% of the amount needed in just over a week (just over £17k). Legends, every single one of them.
Bailey went on to add: “We are so grateful for the immediate help of our volunteers and the fantastic people at this club […] We will, however, need more than time, we will require the funds to bring the Grounds and Clubhouse back into full use and to safeguard from future flooding, which is why we have launched our ‘Repair & Rescue’ Fund.
As Ian reiterated, “Every contribution will make a huge difference”; you can see more proof of just how much work needs to be done and donate if you wish HERE.
The Manc -
7th July 2021 
