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There is a special anniversary show at The Kentish Town Forum on 22nd November, so how have the band been preparing for it? Well, learning the songs for one thing - 25 years is a long time after all.
Ryder explains "There's a lot of those songs that haven't been played for 25 years. There's a couple of tracks on that album that we do still do in the live shows but there's a lot of them that I don't think we've ever done live."
Bummed caused a huge splash on its release in 1988, and was credited with dragging the Madchester sound out of the North West and into the mainstream. Legendary producer Martin Hannett's work on the record is often cited as one of the main reasons for its success, however this isn't quite how Ryder remembers it.
Throwing the original version of events into doubt, he reveals "Apart from me writing the songs, more than any other album it was the band. It was Mark Day, Paul Ryder and Gaz Whelan".
Seemingly playing down Hannett's role in the recording, he continues "Hannett really didn't, I mean of course he produced it but it's pretty much how the band made those tunes."
It's interesting to hear someone at the centre of that record's production give an opinion that differs so wildly from the accepted version of events. Clearly he thinks the band deserve a lot more credit than they received for the success of Bummed, and who can blame him?
Listen to Happy Mondays' Bummed album in full below
Success is certainly one thing Bummed has brought the band over the last 25 years, and that was recognised at the 2013 Q Awards, where it won the Classic Album award. Ryder and Bez represented the band at the ceremony, but it seems Ryder's days of raising hell at these events is over. He reveals: "I was only there for about an hour, I had to leave to go and do press. So I sort of got there, picked up the award and then left."
Not every member of The Happy Mondays is growing up so gracefully, however. And there's no prize for guessing who's still represeting the band in the partying stakes. "I left Bez there", Ryder goes on, "For Bez things haven't changed at all. Still exactly the same, likes to party, likes to stay at the awards until they kick him out"
It's good to know that some things will never change, but for Ryder it's not only award ceremonies that are distinctly more sedate these days. Sounding like a sort of puritanical rock and roll guru, he claims "Now it really is no sex, no drugs just rock and roll. That might sounds boring but there's no hassle, there's no drama, It's great!"
"For years you're on a treadmill, making your career, you're going out, it's all going on. You don't really have time to enjoy it. Now it's great."
Despite his new monk-like attitude, Ryder has had his share of battles with his vices in the past, as have countless other famous music musicians. Does he think there's any reason for this? Well, no. Not anything specific anyway. He replies emphatically "It's being going on since, what's he called, Mozart and everybody else. It's just how it is." Although we're not quite sure what Mozart's legal team would make of this, we certainly accept the point Ryder is making.
Having been through the dark times himself, does Shaun have any advice for the younder generation navigation the choppy waters of fame? Well, kind of. "Me giving advice to young musicians? Fucking hell, who'd want to listen to my advice?" he says. "Just be yourself, listen to yourself. Take it easy"
Other members of the band who have made their troubles public have been given less sympathy. Discussing bandmate Rowetta, Ryder says that she didn't get a stick over her infamous X Factor appearance but did get a hard time over another TV appearance. Talking of the singer, Shaun says, laughing heartily "No she doesn't get any stick from it (X Factor). She gets stick for doing celebrity rehab!"
Talking of X Factor, it's something that Ryder's been involved in fairly heavily in recent times. Since 2010, he has apppeared on sister show Xtra Factor with the finalists. It's certainly not something we would have expected from the star, but he has nothing but praise for the show, revealing "I really enjoy going and doing it. The family and the kids we all sit watching that show, laughing at it, calling it, enjoying it"
There are those of course who see X Factor and the like as a scourge on modern music, killing creativity for money making, lowest common denominator pop. However, Ryder sees it somewhat differently. "When I was a kid you had Opportunity Knocks and New Faces, it's just a different avenue," he says. "The music business now is more than ever the entertainment business... there's certain things that come through that way. It's just how it is".
So how would the Happy Mondays star rate his chances as a contestant? Perhaps like the rest of us, not too highly, saying "If I went on the X Factor I'd get booted off straight away, I'm sure a lot of other good bands, if they tried they'd never be able to get on."
So there we have it. Shaun Ryder seems to be in a good place, and why not? A new Q Award on his mantelpiece and a series of shows lined up across the country. In 2013, what comes across more than anything else is the importance of the music in Shaun's life now, which was not always perceived to be the case. On a final note, he explains "It's as simple as going out, going on stage, playing the stuff, having a good time doing it and then fuck off home."
It's certainly hard to argue with.
The Happy Mondays kick off their UK tour on 21 November 2013. Full dates below. Tickets are on sale now. For more information visit Gigwise Gig Tickets.
