AN INTIMATE gig took place underneath Bolton’s streets as fans of Mansun flocked to X-Records to watch Paul Draper perform.

The 90s rocker is promoting the reissue of the iconic album Six and fans packed into the basement of X-Records like sardines to hear him perform.

Paul told the audience: “It’s genuinely brilliant to be here.”

He said: "It's great to support independent record stores. 95 per cent of our sales are physical records from independent stores.

"So, we have to support them for them to support us. It's how we survive now. It's my lifeblood as an independent musician."

After the set fans queued to have their memorabilia signed by Paul chatting and swapping stories while they waited.

Fans had come from far afield to see Paul perform with supporting guitarist Ben Sink, 28, with his battery-powered amp.

Matt Strong, 38, from Manchester travelled to see Paul today. Mr Strong was a big fan of Mansun in his teenage years.

He said: “I saw Mansun loads when I was growing 17, 18, 19. They were probably my favourite band at one point. I have all their records.”

Mr Strong said his favourite song from Six was its lead single Legacy, which he got to hear Paul perform as the final act of his four-song set.

Paul dedicated the song to Scott Walker who he remembered from his days recording in Acton, West London and died earlier today.

He said: “I’d like to say we know him but I don’t know that anyone really knew him.

“We loved the music that he did.”

Paul and Ben also did acoustic renditions of Friends Make The Worst Enemies, Negative and The Silence is Deafening, which he challenged fans to name, joking it was a "deep cut" from a solo album.

Fan Chris Newton, 28, from Blackpool, had brought most of his Mansun collection to be signed by Paul.

He said he discovered Mansun's album Six at Thornton Library when he was 13 and it became the soundtrack to his life in 1998.

He credited Mansun's music with a lifelong friendship, the forming of his own band and even to his marriage.

Mr Newton said: "It changed my life."

He brought the cassette he first listened to Six on to be signed by Paul.