The Smiths, Identity & God Created Manchester – Leo B. Stanley Story

In this interview, Leo B. Stanley — the man behind the iconic “And On the Sixth Day God Created Manchester” T-shirt — tells the story of how a late-night spark of inspiration led to one of the most recognisable slogans in Manchester’s cultural history.

Leo reflects on that moment back in the 1980s after a night out with his friend Tina Street. They were talking about how Manchester needed a T-shirt that truly represented the city. When he got home, the phrase hit him out of nowhere. By the next morning, it was sketched into his Filofax. He had the shirts printed, stocked them in his shop in Afflecks Palace — and within hours, they sold out. The shirt became a staple across the city and beyond, eventually reaching expats around the world. Leo still feels a sense of pride seeing tourists photograph the mosaic of his slogan at the back of Afflecks.

Beyond fashion, Leo was deeply involved in Manchester’s club scene. He gives credit to the early High Energy movement at clubs like Heroes, where DJs like Les Cockell pioneered beatmatching and mixing, well before it became the standard. He recalls how the gay scene in the early ’80s was underground, vibrant, and musically ahead of the curve — with imported 12-inch records from Italy and New York lighting up the dancefloor.

We also talk about his time at The Venue, a club that developed its own loyal following even as the Haçienda took centre stage. Leo’s sets were legendary for their eclecticism — one night, mixing “Black Betty” into Stakker Humanoid and blowing DJ Tin Tin’s mind. While some saw The Venue as a second option if they couldn’t get into the Haçienda, Leo says they made it their own — with later licenses, diverse crowds, and music that spanned from ZZ Top to The Smiths.

Leo also championed emerging talent. He supported the Ruthless Rap Assassins, funding their photo shoot and designing early T-shirts with a strong political message. He fondly recalls being in the crowd for huge moments — seeing Public Enemy and Beastie Boys at the Apollo, or David Bowie at the Free Trade Hall in 1972 — calling them life-changers.

Today, Leo is still DJing under the banner “Back in the Day – From The Supremes to The Stone Roses”, playing to a crowd that grew up with him. His nights are now monthly, often wrapping by 10pm, with a policy that gently discourages anyone under 40 — or anyone needing more than one night to recover.

At the end, when asked to pick one track that takes him back to The Venue, Leo chooses “This Charming Man” by The Smiths — a white-label that he played three times in a row the night he first heard it.



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