Durutti Column news update:

ManchesterMusic.co.uk, a newish site devoted to all things in the Manchester music world, has a review of the Bridgewater Hall show. Thanks to Phil Jones for the link.

A session for BBC Radio is in the offing. It will probably be for Tom Robinson's show on 6Music according to Bruce Mitchell after the Tunbridge Wells show. Thanks to Sunil on the Durutti Column mailing list for info.

Labels: The_Durutti_Column

The Magnetic Fields have added two new shows to their US tour, both in the south east, with the promise of more to come. Candle Records recording artist Darren Hanlon opens for the band during this run.

Details on the confirmed shows are below (courtesy of the House of Tomorrow newsletter):

2/3 December 2004
The Birchmere (Bandstand)
3701 Mt. Vernon Ave, Alexandria, VA
Admission: $22.50 adv ($25.00 on the night)
Tel: (703) 549-7500

A limited number of pre-sale tickets, with a $3.50 surcharge, are available through MusicToday from this Friday, 1 October 1 until 7 October. Tickets will be available from the venue's box office and through Ticketmaster starting 8 October. The venue surcharge is $2. Note: The Birchmere does not take phone sales at its box office.

6 December 2004
The Variety Playhouse
1099 Euclid Avenue, Atlanta, GA
Admission: $20.00
(404) 524-7354

Pre-sale tickets from MusicToday run from October 8 to October 14, and sales after that will be handled by the venue's box office and Ticketmaster. Tip: There is no surcharge for tickets purchased in cash at the venue.

Labels: Magnetic_Fields

Ex-Factory Classical artists The Duke String Quartet (featuring John Metcalfe on viola and fresh from playing with The Durutti Column at Ronnie Scott's on Sunday) and Rolf Hind will play at a 3-day Bartok Festival at the Spadesbourne Hall in Bromsgrove this weekend. A packed programme sees a total six concerts from Friday evening. Full details are available on the Bromsgrove Concerts site but here are the highlights:

Friday 1 October

8pm
Duke String Quartet and Rolf Hind (piano)
Bartók Quartets nos. 1 and 3 and the Schnittke Piano Quintet

Saturday 2 October

10.45am
Duke String Quartet and Rolf Hind (piano)
Rolf Hind Eye of Fire [Rolf's new commission for string quartet and piano]
Shostakovitch Viola Sonata [John Metcalfe says: "very good for those who want to hear the Ceruti on its own!"]
Schnittke No.2

3pm
Rolf Hind solo recital
Featuring works by Bartók, Pál Kadosa, Ligeti, Liszt and Kurtág

8pm
Duke String Quartet
Kodaly Quartet no. 2 and Bartok Quartets nos. 5 and 6

Sunday 3 October

10.45am
Duke String Quartet and Rolf Hind (piano)
Featuring pieces by Bartók, Bloch, Messiaen and the Schnittke Quartet no.3

3pm
Duke String Quartet and Rolf Hind (piano)
Bartok Quartets nos. 2 and 4 followed by the Shostakovitch Piano Quintet

Venue: Spadesbourne Hall, Burcot lane, Bromsgrove
Tickets: £12 (£11/£4)
Tel: 01527 874163
Web: www.bromsgrove-concerts.org.uk

Thanks to John Metcalfe for info.

Labels: Factory_Classical, John_Metcalfe, labels, The_Durutti_Column

Aidan O'Rourke, the noted Manchester photographer, has just completed documenting how various people who bought items at the Hacienda Auction have deployed their assets for the ongoing Shrinking Cities project. Here is a selection of photos that didn't make it into the exhibition.

Labels: FAC51_The_Hacienda

Those Durutti Column at Ronnie Scott's pics in full including Bruce Mitchell's masterclass in how to sign a black lacquered drumstick. Thanks to Andrea and Federico for imagery.

Labels: The_Durutti_Column

Don't forget The Nightingales (formerly the Prefects) are playing the Star and Garter In Manchester on Tuesday 5 October 2004. Support comes from Dead Jim and a Factory/Indie disco.

For further info contact (07947) 389116. Thanks to John K.

Labels: The_Nightingales

Ronnie Scott's setlist by The Durutti Column tonight:

1. Sketch for Summer [Vini Reilly, Bruce Mitchell, Keir Stewart]
2. Otis [VR, BM, KS] [with a trace of Blind Elevator Girl at the end. Vini: "Thanks for coming. We don't know what we're doing. Some have you have come a long way. Thanks for listening to our funny little tunes."]
3. Jacqueline [VR, BM] [a shorter version than of late, without extended piano end]
4. Spasmic Fairy [VR, BM, KS] [Keir Stewart on harmonica]
5. Never Known (?) [VR, BM, KS, John Metcalfe on viola]; track sounded like Never Known with some local variations; [Vini: "That's John Metcalfe, he does it every time!" (as John plugged in a squall of feedback ensued); then after: "John Metcalfe! No rehearsal!!"]
6. Somebody's Party [Vini solo]
7. The Missing Boy [VR, BM] ["I don't believe in stardom, machinery in action"]
8. The Beggar
9. Woman [VR, BM, KS]
10. Requiem for Mother [VR, BM, KS] [Vini making prodigious amounts of feedback as Keir and Bruce laid down the groove; Amy: "I thought I saw fire coming out of his guitar"]
- -
11. Revolver [VR, BM, KS] ["Shopkeepers keep a gun under the counter..."]

Thanks to Vini, Bruce, Keir, John, Phil, Andrea, Federico, Alexandre and his mates, Alex Kooky, and love to Amy for putting up with me.

Labels: John_Metcalfe, The_Durutti_Column

Avid fans of The Durutti Column will recognise the aforementioned description of the band's musical style coined by Vini himself at Canadian customs and recorded for posterity at the end of The Sporadic Recordings.

Now Time Out magazine describes tonight's Durutti Column show at Ronnie Scott's as follows: "Former Factory stalwart Vini Reilly plays from his album Tempus Fugit where his astonishing flamenco/minimalist cum ragtime/jazz guitar style occasionally makes way for ethereal, vocal-led ballads."

That's one way of describing it...

Labels: Factory_Classical, labels, poster, The_Durutti_Column

The War of the Roses is the last part in BBC3's Blood on the Turntable series and analyses the hugely influential career of The Stone Roses. This is billed as "the story of how business deals destroyed the most influential guitar band for 20 years." The Factory connection is that Shaun Ryder pops up alongside other notable Mancunians such as Noel Gallagher to add to the discussion.

Labels: A_Certain_Ratio, The_Stone_Roses

New photo galleries just launched of the MDMA Seminar at Urbis and The Durutti Column live at the Bridgewater Hall.

Labels: The_Durutti_Column

City Life #553 [16-22 September 2004] features an interview with The Durutti Column.

Vini Reilly explains how he developed his style: "My father wouldn't let us have a television and we weren't allowed to listen to pop music on the radio, so I didn't actually hear anything until I'd left home, by which time I'd already developed my own approach to writing tunes. So it's just evolved into a strange, peculiar style".

On his relationship with Morrissey: "Viva Hate is now on sale in the shops and my name doesn't appear anywhere on it - that's very impolite. If there's been an injustice then Morrissey knows about it and he's got the rest of his life to live with it. I've behaved correctly. I was never credited or paid - it's not the money, it's the morality.

On playing The Bridgewater Hall: "I'm a bit scared because it's such an auspicious place for this serious classical music - I'm not sure we warrant that. I'm very comfortable playing sweaty, beer-swilled venues. As soon as you move into a formal concert atmosphere it all becomes a bit more difficult." He continues: "And we're not gonna rehearse. It's just whatever happens."

Keir Stewart chips in at the end: "When I started playing I was getting a bit worried because there appeared to be absolutely no arrangements. But once you get over [this] you can get on with it and enjoy it."

Bruce concludes with: "Actually, there's too many secrets being revealed here".

Labels: The_Durutti_Column

Check out the photo gallery of Silent Partners @ Po Na Na on Monday.

Labels: Silent_Partners

Factory's boxed cassette series has attained legendary status. But what of the planned issues that never saw the light of day? An edition of Fact 130 The Wake 'Here Comes Everybody') was scheduled for release but was not issued in a light brown/gold box.

An Of Factory New York mail-order leaflet and a Factory/Ikon advertisement from 1986 both list a boxed cassette release for Fact 24 'A Factory Quartet' but this too went unissued. The colour coding for this edition was planned to be light green.

Labels: The_Wake

Mark Farrow has been voted the best graphic designer working today by Creative Review in its annual Peer Poll. The October 2004 special issue features an extensive interview with Mark at his Bloomsbury studio. Peter Saville, the winner of this award for the last two years, once famously called him 'the apprentice', a tag that he laughs off with the quip "Besides, I'm a lot more successful than he is".

Labels: design, graphic_design, Mark_Farrow, Peter_Saville

A cast of thousands attended the MDMA Seminar last night at Urbis in Manchester including:

Edward Barton
Rebecca Boulton (New Order management)
Sarah Champion
Hewan Clarke (original Haç DJ)
Simon Crompton (Digital Justice)
Natalie Curtis (taking loads of photos)
Guy Garvey (Elbow)
Jimi Goodwin (Doves)
Larry Gott (ex-James)
Lesley Gretton
Stella Grundy (Intastella)
Jan Hargreaves (Museum of Science and Industry Manchester)
Dave Haslam
Chris Hewitt (Deeply Vale organiser)
Phil Jones (Durutti Column's manager)
C.P. Lee (keynote speaker)
Graham Massey (Biting Tongues / 808 State / Tool Shed)
Bruce Mitchell
Gary McCausland (ex-Factory)
Moist (moist)
Rick Myers (artist)
Mat Norman (Seminar organiser)
Aidan O'Rourke (Manchester photographer)
John Pennington (Moby)
Mark Radcliffe (Seminar host and Radio 2 DJ)
Lindsay Reade
Vini Reilly
Dave Rofe (Doves manager)
Tosh Ryan (Rabid Records)
Jon Savage
Mike Shaft (DJ)
Andy Spinoza (City Life, SpinMedia)
Howard Walmsley (Biting Tongues)
... plus loads of others

Mark Radcliffe started proceedings by introducing the panel:

C.P. Lee (Manchester music historian and former frontman of Alberto Y Lost Trios Paranoias)
Jon Savage (celebrated author of England's Dreaming and other works)
Guy Garvey (lead singer of Manchester band Elbow)
Jan Hargreaves (Senior Archivist at MSIM)

A brief run through of the speakers:

C.P. Lee set the scene by detailing excerpt from Manchester's glorious musical history including the tragedy which led to the construction of the Free Trade Hall (which is sadly now a hotel).

Jon Savage described how in the mid-Seventies Manchester was "like a dead zone" under James Anderton, the infamous Chief of Police. He pointed out that the difference between London and Manchester is that the city of Manchester has always had a strong relationship with it music. He warned that the pitfalls of the Sheffield museum of pop music should be avoided. That project failed miserably and one of the main reasons was that it was too widely focussed, concentrating as it did on all pop music. He cited the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in Cleveland, Ohio as a successful model of a music museum. Access to Manchester music archive material has always been a problem. Jon said that the project will mean that all different genres of music will be opened up to all including black music, women's music, Factory Records, Madchester and so on. It would also present an excellent opportunity for research. He concluded that whilst once upon a time there would be those who would resist the establishment of a museum as old hat. This was no longer the case and now was time to see "history reflected".

Guy Garvey, who maintained that his late arrival was symbolic of the wait for a museum such as the one everyone was gathered together to discuss, gave the point of view of a member of an active band. He championed Manchester's students and other young people's involvement in the Manchester music scene. He mentioned how Elbow career had been helped no end by some of the people in the room. He also argued that if the project could result in the commissioning of a bronze of Mark Radcliffe's head that it would a very good thing!

Finally, Jan Hargreaves explained how MSIM is working with the Manchester District Music Archive to establish the museum and how people could help. They are not interested in duplicating material provided elsewhere but they do want to hear from people who are willing to donate material. Manchester's music should be celebrated, studied and preserved.

Afterwards there were drinks and refreshments followed by one of Elliott Eastwick's legendary pop quizzes at Bar Centro on Tib Street. Cerysmatic's team featuring Larry Gott out of James, Ed "I've got no chicken but I've got five wooden chairs" Barton and Sarah Champion eventually won on a tie-breaker [* "He only played guitar in the Smiths for eight months - who is he?"] with splendid prizes being dished out all round. OK, it did help that the bonus round was "Name all of the albums by James"!

Thanks to everyone who turned up last night and especially Mat Norman for doing a splendid job organising. Cheers to everyone who said hi and who willingly or otherwise posed for photos.

Labels: Biting_Tongues, Dave_Haslam, Factory_Records, Graham_Massey, New_Order, The_Durutti_Column

Tony Wilson ["The iconic Manchester Channel 4 broadcaster and Factory Records founder" in case you didn't know] appears as part of the Orange Word, a "series of conversations with writers and thinkers at The Criterion Theatre, Piccadilly." All events are sixty-minute face to face conversations, with audience Q&A, followed by booksignings.

Tony Wilson
5 October 2004 at 18:00
Criterion Theatre, London W1
£7

Thanks and a Happy Birthday to AJ.

Labels: Factory_Records, Tony_Wilson

With a promise that 'No story will be left untold', the Manchester District Music Archive is launched tonight with a seminar at Urbis. This promises to be a great event with several luminaries in attendances, and, who knows, maybe the odd loony!

Transcript of invitation

You are invited to the seminar and public launch of the Manchester District Music Archive. Tuesday 21st September 2004 at Urbis, 5.30pm. Speakers include Jon Savage, Guy Garvey, CP Lee and Mark Radcliffe. Refreshments will be served. To reserve a place go to www.mdmarchive.co.uk or call Matthew Norman on 0161 877 5132. [On paper with 'Photomontage 1977' by Linder.]

Labels: Manchester_District_Music_Archive, Urbis

The intimate Po Na Na club on Charles Street in Manchester (just along from the Lass O' Gowrie) played host to an In The City event headlined by Silent Partners last night. The other bands included Young Offenders (who lived up to their name after the show), Franc and Evanfly. And then there was Flipron, the band on immediately before SP, who featured a vocalist who sat down the entire show, played guitar, harmonica and accordion (not at the same time) and sang 8-minute long drinking songs!

Coming on late due to the plethora of aforementioned talent, Silent Partners oozed with confidence with Dermo showing a cool swagger on the tiny stage. Their sound is soulful and the songs, like Killer and News of the World, are instant classics. The falsetto backing vocals complemented Dermo's singing which is a downright revelation in its assured quality. It was all over too soon as the gig drew to a close with the refrain "You gotta give a little love and it all comes back to you" ringing over and over.

It was great to meet Dermo, Iain and everyone before and after. Watch this space for a photo gallery.

Labels: Silent_Partners

More DC news (as Cerysmatic catches up after a 5-day road trip) with the tracklisting from the 2-CD 'The Best of The Durutti Column'. The album was planned to go on sale at that gig but in true Factory style a last minute glitch meant that this was not possible. Amazon.co.uk is selling it for a very respectable £10.99 and their site shows the artwork which is similar to the recent flyer for the Bridgewater Hall gig, featuring as it does, Rachel McFarlane's photo of the bare-torsoed Vini Reilly. Here are the tracks that made it to the final listing:

Disc one

1. Sketch For Summer
2. Conduct
3. Sketch For Winter
4. Lips That Would Kiss
5. For Belgian Friends
6. Danny
7. Never Known
8. Jacqueline
9. The Missing Boy
10. Prayer
11. Spent Time
12. Without Mercy 1
13. Without Mercy 2
14. The Room
15. Tomorrow
16. LFO Mod

Disc two

1. What Is It To Me (Woman)
2. Otis
3. Requiem Again
4. Home
5. Contra Indications
6. People's Pleasure Park
7. My Irascible Friend
8. Fado
9. Sing To Me
10. Pigeon
11. Mello (Part 1)
12. Falling
13. Woman
14. Requiem For Mother

Title: The Best of The Durutti Column
Label: Warner
Catalogue number: 5046753932
Release date: 11 October 2004

Thanks to Phil Jones and Gavin.

Labels: The_Durutti_Column

Unfortunately, The Durutti Column's planned gig at The Glee Club in Cardiff on 4 October has been cancelled.

Labels: The_Durutti_Column

A rough setlist from The Durutti Column's Bridgewater Hall setlist on Thursday 16 September:

Sketch for Summer [with Keir Stewart and Bruce Mitchell]
Otis [with Rachel McFarlane]
Jacqueline
Spasmic Fairy
Unknown new track [largely improvised with John Metcalfe on viola and Eley Rudge on vocals]
Woman [aka Sea Line, Sealine Woman, Sea Lion Woman, etc]
Somebody's Party [Vini solo]
The Missing Boy
The Beggar
Requiem For My Mother (aka Mother, My Mum)
- -
Revolver

Review and pics to follow. There is already a review on the Manchester Evening News site.

Labels: John_Metcalfe, The_Durutti_Column

Tonight sees The Durutti Column start their UK tour at Manchester's Bridgewater Hall, an event which doubles up as the launch the 2-CD set 'The Best of The Durutti Column.

thedurutticolumn.com

Labels: The_Durutti_Column

Anthony H Wilson guested on Mark Radcliffe's Radio 2 show on Monday 13 September and you can listen to it online until next Monday. Topics of conversation included:

- In The City: costs £700 bands in 70 venues; costs 0.5m to put on and once they've paid everyone, including Bruce Mitchell's light and sound company, they don't make anything, honest.

- <24 Hour Party People - Tony was pleased because he came over as "a relatively nice person" whereas anybody who knows him knows he is "a complete asshole"!

- The music industry: "To really be in the music industry you have to be born in 1950."

- The Keith Barret Show: Yvette, his partner, still hasn't forgiven him for it apparently.

- The Perfect Kiss video (Fac 321); directed by Jonathan Demme, cost £140,000 and no-one has ever seen it!

- oh, and the 'H' is for Howard...

Labels: Tony_Wilson

Dispatches from the 80s Underground is a new 4-CD boxed set on Rhino Records available 5 October 2004.

"The 1980s: musically, it was the best of times; it was the worst of times. While Air Supply, .38 Special, Starship, and New Kids on the Block were topping the charts, influential, timeless music was being made in small clubs by bands who were traveling in vans and sleeping on people's floors after the gigs. To tell their story, Rhino now releases LEFT OF THE DIAL: DISPATCHES FROM THE '80s UNDERGROUND, the first boxed set ever to survey this important era in rock, available October 5." Read full press release.

The set features tracks from Joy Division, New Order, OMD, Happy Mondays, The Smiths and The Stone Roses. The extensive sleevenotes include personal reminiscences by Tony Wilson.

Left of the Dial: Dispatches From the '80s Underground
Release date: 5 October 2004
Number of discs: 4
Label: Rhino Records

Disc one

Radio Free Europe R.E.M. (Athens, GA.)
Going Underground The Jam (Woking, England)
A Forest The Cure (Crawley, England)
Holiday in Cambodia Dead Kennedys (San Francisco)
I'm in Love With a German Film Star Passions (London)
I Will Dare The Replacements (Minneapolis)
That's When I Reach for My Revolver Mission Of Burma (Boston)
Johnny Hit and Run Pauline X (Los Angeles)
Just Like Honey The Jesus And Mary Chain (Glasgow, Scotland)
Black Celebration Depeche Mode (Basildon, England)
Tell Me When It's Over The Dream Syndicate (Los Angeles)
Hollywood (Africa) The Red Hot Chili Peppers (Los Angeles)
Temptation New Order (Manchester, England)
Ghosts Japan (London)
A Song From Under The Floorboards Magazine (Manchester, England)
Oblivious Aztec Camera (Glasgow, Scotland)
Don't Want To Know if You Are Lonely Hüsker Dü (St. Paul, Minn.)
Rise Above Black Flag (Hermosa Beach, Calif.)
Back in Flesh Wall Of Voodoo (Los Angeles)
Cattle and Cane The Go-Betweens (Brisbane, Australia)

Disc two:

Message of Love The Pretenders (London)
Vienna Ultravox (London)
Freak Scene Dinosaur Jr. (Amherst, Mass.)
This Charming Man The Smiths (Manchester, England)
Stigmata Ministry (Chicago)
Ways To Be Wicked Lone Justice (Los Angeles)
Wardance Killing Joke (Notting Hill, England)
Enola Gay Orchestral Manoeuvres In The Dark (Liverpool)
Mirror in the Bathroom The English Beat (Birmingham, England)
Fairytale in the Supermarket The Raincoats (London)
Behind the Wall of Sleep The Smithereens (Carteret, N.J.)
Political Song for Michael Jackson To Sing Minutemen (San Pedro, Calif.)
Punk Rock Girl The Dead Milkmen (Philadelphia)
Still in Hollywood Concrete Blonde (Los Angeles)
Love Will Tear Us Apart Joy Division (Manchester, England)
Blister in the Sun Violent Femmes (Milwaukee)
Lake of Fire Meat Puppets (Tucson, Ariz.)
Amplifier The dB's (Winston-Salem, N.C.)
When Love Breaks Down Prefab Sprout (Newcastle, England)
Goo Goo Muck The Cramps (New York)
This Corrosion Sisters Of Mercy (Leeds, England)
Senses Working Overtime XTC (Swindon, England)

Disc three:

The Cutter Echo & The Bunnymen (Liverpool)
Pay To Cum! Bad Brains (Washington, D.C.)
Birthday The Sugarcubes (Reykjavik)
Madonna of the Wasps Robyn Hitchcock 'n' The Egyptians (London)
We Care a Lot Faith No More (San Francisco)
Teenage Riot Sonic Youth (New York)
To Hell With Poverty Gang Of Four (Leeds, England)
Fa Cé-La The Feelies (Hoboken, N.J.)
Ana Ng They Might Be Giants (Brooklyn, N.Y.)
Swamp Thing The Chameleons UK (Middleton, England)
The Mercy Seat Nick Cave & the Bad Seeds (London)
I Look Around The Rain Parade (Los Angeles)
All That Money Wants Psychedelic Furs (London)
Under the Milky Way The Church (Sydney)
Rise Public Image Ltd. (London)
Kundalini Express Love And Rockets (London)
Gravity Talks Green On Red (Los Angeles)
Adrenalin Throbbing Gristle (Manchester, England)
She Bangs The Drums The Stone Roses (Manchester, England)

Disc four:

Monkey Gone to Heaven Pixies (Boston)
Uncertain Smile (original 7 version) The The (Swadlincote, England)
Bela Lugosi's Dead Bauhaus (Northampton, England)
Christine Siouxsie And The Banshees (Bromley, England)
Straight Edge Minor Threat (Washington, D.C.)
I Want To Help You Ann The Lyres (Boston)
Our Secret Beat Happening (Olympia, Wash.)
Jane Says Jane's Addiction (Los Angeles)
World Shut Your Mouth Julian Cope (Liverpool)
Running up That Hill Kate Bush (Bexleyheath, England)
Sex Beat Gun Club (Los Angeles)
Take the Skinheads Bowling Camper Van Beethoven (Santa Cruz, Calif.)
Institutionalized Suicidal Tendencies (Venice, Calif.)
Pearly-Dewdrops' Drops Cocteau Twins (Grangemouth, Scotland)
24 Hour Party People Happy Mondays (Manchester, England)
I Want You Back Hoodoo Gurus (Sydney)
Suburban Home Descendents (Los Angeles)
A Pair of Brown Eyes The Pogues (Kings Cross, Ireland)
Jet Fighter The Three O'Clock (Los Angeles)
Moving To Florida Butthole Surfers (San Antonio, Texas)
A New England Billy Bragg (Barking, England)

Labels: A_Certain_Ratio, Happy_Mondays, Joy_Division, Meat_Mouth, New_Order, Oliver_Wilson, Tony_Wilson

On Saturday 11 September, Shaun Ryder took the helm of Marc Riley's Rocket Science show on BBC 6Music. The show featured a "crack (geddit? Ed.) BBC Session of The Happy Mondays picked by Shaun's fair hands as well as some of his favourite music and musings."

The show will be available via the BBC's streaming service until next Saturday.

Labels: Happy_Mondays

Thanks to Steve Lima for pointing out that it was him pairing up with Karl Denver as Indambinigi on the Fac 278 Zimba single and not Graeme Park as previously stated here. Steve went on to add that: "We were actually meant to be called Indamaningi for this record but the someone at Factory mispelt it!"

stevelima.com

Labels: Graeme_Park, Karl_Denver

Listen to samples of two recently recorded demo tracks by Silent Partners the new unsigned band featuring Dermo, latterly of Northside. The titles are Killer and News of the World.

Those of you who fondly remember Northside during the heady days of Manchester may have wondered what happened to the second album. Dermo, talking recently on the SP Messageboard, takes up the story: "We recorded a 2nd LP (DEMO) - it sounds fuckin' great mate. Never got released cos Factory went under just after we made it. It's a bit rawer and dirtier than Chicken Rhythms. Top tracks like Mr. Brown, Cool Idea, Pleasuredome, Lights Out, etc, etc. Ah, it's all coming back to me now ha ha. To be honest, I think it's absolutely criminal that this LP was never released or even heard. Maybe one day , ay?"

Labels: Northside

The Durutti Column's live session on the Radio 2 Mark Radcliffe Show on Wednesday 8 September 2004 featured the following tracks:

Otis
Sealine / Woman
My Mum / Requiem for my Mother

Mark introduced Vini Reilly who in turn introduces the band: "Bruce Mitchell as always on drums. He is the superhero who saves other planets." He went on to explain that he and Bruce have played together for "23 years, man and boy". Completing the line-up, Vini introduced Keir Stewart as the producer, bassist and harmonica player and Rachel McFarlane on "keyboards and samples and smiling winsomely at me."

After the last track which features an especially stupendous guitar solo by Vini, host Mark Radcliffe thanks him for his "guitar heroics" which were promised earlier in the evening. The live tracks are available in a streaming playback service until next Wednesday [RealPlayer required].

Labels: The_Durutti_Column

The Second Annual Creativity Now Conference runs from 2-3 October 2004 at the The Great Hall of The Cooper Union in New York's East Village. Speakers include Brian Eno, Penny Martin/SHOWstudio, Raymond Pettibon and Ed Templeton, the former designer for Factory Too band Hopper. Templeton features in a lecture entitled 'Skateboarding’s Influence on Popular Culture' alongside Jeff Tremaine, Thomas Campbell and Damon Way.

Labels: Ed_Templeton, Factory_Too, labels

Check out the following extract from Starter for Ten by David Nicholls:

"So what are you listening to at the moment, then?"

"Lots of things. Durutti Column, Marvin Gaye, the Cocteau Twins, some early blues, Muddy Waters, The Cramps, Bessie Smith, Joy Division, the New York Dolls, Sly and the Family Stone, some dub. I'll make you a compilation tape, see if I can wean you off all this fanny-music."

Thanks to the Missus.

Labels: Joy_Division, The_Durutti_Column

Sky TV's new series 'Tim Lovejoy and the All Stars' starting on 22 September features Happy Mondays together with Ian Brown and guest star Noel Gallagher.

Labels: Happy_Mondays

The Nightingales (formerly the Prefects) are playing the Star and Garter In Manchester on Tuesday 5 October 2004. Support comes from Dead Jim and there will be a Factory/Indie disco.

As the Prefects the band played with Joy Division on the Last Night Of The Electric Circus, later a 10" album on Virgin. Joy Division (Warsaw), John Cooper-Clarke and The Fall amongst others were included on the album but inexplicably the Prefects were left off the final cut.

Lyricist and vocalist Rob Lloyd had previously been asked at an earlier Prefects gig in Manchester if he fancied being the vocalist in a new band 'Warsaw'. If he had taken up the offer then history may have been rather different!

The Nightingales appeared from the ashes of The Prefects, who in retrospect were well ahead of their time. The 'Gales had a hatful of hits in the eighties and played countless Peel sessions.

Two new singles are currently out and the band have lost nothing of their edge; Lloyd once being described as an English Captain Beefheart.

The Nightingales are playing Alan McGhees Death Disco night in December-and both Prefects and Nightingales reissue material will appear in the next couple of months.

For further info contact (07947) 389116. Thanks to John K.

Labels: Joy_Division

The following extract from The Manual: The who, the where, the why of clubland examines Fac 51 The Hacienda: "It's the early eighties in Manchester and a reporter from London buttonholes a pair of Mancunian goths as they emerge from one of the Hacienda's rival clubs. He asks them why they didn't go to the Hac. They reply: "Because they try and educate you with the music they play." No-one could have come closer to trying to explain what the Hacienda is and, moreover, what it represented that that simple, one-line damnation.

Although the Hacienda will be remembered as the fulcrum around which 'Madchester' revolved, it was much more than that. It was a brave and largely successful experiment in punk-inspired Situationism; it was a haven from the violence and sullen stares of Manchester's less hospitable nightspots. The Hacienda single-handedly (and through sheer bloody-mindedness) gradually drew black America and twisted British electronica. Opened in 1982 by Factory Records honcho Tony Wilson, maverick popsters New Order and their manager Rob Gretton (who is credited with being its driving force) everything about the Hacienda was different.

Its decor was a significant departure from the normal club. Designers Ben Kelly and Sandra Douglas had drawn on the graphic work of Peter Saville, whose sleeves for various post-punk acts had been highly influential. In Douglas's words they deliberately stayed away from, "some sort of disco extravaganza", opting instead for a quasi-industrial look that incorporated bollards on the edge of the dancefloor. Even before it opened, the Architectural Review described it as, "a significant milestone in British interior design." Heck, it was even given a Factory Records catalogue number: Haç (sic) 51."

The Manual: The who, the where, the why of clubland
Written by Frank Broughton and Bill Brewster
First published in 1998 by Headline Book Publishing
ISBN 0 7472 7636 6

Labels: Ben_Kelly, FAC51_The_Hacienda, Factory_Records, New_Order, Tony_Wilson

Todd Eckert, the producer of the Ian Curtis / Joy Division movie which is in pre-production answers the Poptones Questions of Doom. Notably, he quashes two rumours about the film: Jude Law will not be playing Ian Curtis (he's too old) and Moby will not be the musical director (he was going to be involved in a rival production which will now not be made).

Labels: Joy_Division

The book to accompany the ongoing exhibition Beautiful Losers: Contemporary Art and Street Culture features the work of Ed Templeton and many other artists.

Iconoclast Editions
'Beautiful Losers'
USD 39.95 each
First Edition, Hardback
272 Pages, full colour, 11.5" x 9"
Published on the occasion of the exhibit "Beautiful Losers: Contemporary Art and Street Culture", 2004

Labels: Ed_Templeton

According to their official website, Tunnelvision, who recently made their live comeback, will be playing live again in Blackpool soon are looking for:

a) anyone with a short film to show [up to 20 mins]
b) any bands interested in participating
c) an original short piece of theatre
d) suggestions for an interesting venue

Comments and suggestions to Tunnelvision.

Labels: Tunnelvision

Silent Partners now have 3 (count 'em) gigs confirmed in September / October:

Monday 20/9 - Po Na Na, 42 Charles St, Manchester [as part of In The City]
Saturday 25/9 - The Mill, Aqueduct St, Preston [Tel: 01772 883 617]
Thursday 7/10 - Get Loaded at Turnmills, 63B Clerkenwell Rd, London EC1 [Tube - Farringdon, Tel: 020 7250 3409]

Labels: Silent_Partners

It's all go on the Durutti Column front as the band prepares for their UK tour and the release of the new Best Of album. Here's all the latest news courtesy of Phil Jones, DC Manager.

Vini Reilly will be interviewed on All Fm 96.9, a new local radio station in for the Manchester area, tomorrow Tuesday 7 September at 2pm.

As previously announced, The Durutti Column will play live on Mark Radcliffe's Radio 2 show this Wedsnesday 8 September.

The band will also be featured in the 15 September issue of the Manchester listings magazine City Life.

The 2-CD compilation on Warners, The Best Of The Durutti Column is on target for a 27 September release and is listed on Amazon.co.uk. No sleeve artwork details so far, other than that it is very classy.

And finally, there is a tour poster which will be on sale at all forthcoming shows.

Labels: poster, The_Durutti_Column

VODKA: BLACK RUSSIAN; Vodka, Tia Maria, Coke HARVEY WALLBANGER; Vodka, Orange Juice, Galliano BLUE LAGOON; Vodka, Blue Curacao, Lemonade. GIN SINGAPORE SLING; Gin, Cherry Brandy, Lemon & Sugar SLOE COMFORTABLE SCREW; Sloe Gin, Southern Comfort, Orange. WHISKY: SCARLET O'HARA; Southern Comfort, Apricot Brandy, Lime. MANHATTAN; Rye, Sweet/Dry Martini & Bitters. TOM COLLINS; 2 Whisky, and B/lemon. TEQUILA: Marguerita; Tequila, Cointreau, Lemon, Salted Rim. TEQUILA SUNRISE; Tequila, Orange Juice, Grenadine. MEXICAN RED; Tequila, Vodka, Red Wine. BRANDY BOSOM CARESSER; Brandy, Grand Marnier, Grenadine. KNOCKOUT DROP; Brandy, Drambuie, Lemonade. RUM JAMAICA INN; Bacardi, Creme-de-Banane, Orange Juice. RUM PUNCH; Rum, Brandy, Lemon and Soda. PASTIS CLOCKWORK ORANGE; Ricard, Cointreau, Orange Juice, Grenadine LIQUEUR GOLDEN CADILLAC; Cointreau, Creme-de-Cacao, Galliano, Orange Juice. OLD FASHIONED; Benedictine, Cointreau, Lemon Juice, Bitters SOUTHERN DAZE; Southern Comfort, Cointreau, Orange Juice. SNOWBALL; Advocaat, Lime, Lemonade. FRESH CREAM ALEXANDRE; Cream, Brandy, Creme-de-Cacao GRASSHOPPER; Cream, Brandy, Creme-de-Menthe SATIN SLIPPER; Cream, Blue Curacao, Vodka, Cointreau PINA COLADA; Cream, Bacardi, Pineapple, Coco-Ribe AMERICAN PIE; Cream, Cherry Brandy, Vodka WINE: Red and White Wine, Lime and Lemonade. BUCKS FIZZLE; Orange Juice and Sparkling Wine. KILLER COCKTAILS KILLER ZOMBIE; Rum, Vodka, Apricot Brandy, Lemon, Pineapple. ZERO HOUR; Brandy, Apricot Brandy, Creme-de-Menthe, Pernod. DEATH IN THE AFTERNOON; Pernod, Jim Beam, Sparkling Wine MOLOTOV; Petrol, Rag, Milk Bottle. JUMPING JACK FLASH; Amphetamines & Barbiturates

The Gay Traitor for Cocktails. Perfect for a late summer afternoon.

Labels: cocktails, FAC51_The_Hacienda

Kevin Hewick is playing another set at The Doghouse in Loughborough on 16 September. It starts at 8.30pm and Kevin will be on fairly early.

Sooner than that, on this Sunday, Kevin is playing a 30 minute set of original material at the YMCA in Leicester as part of the regular Farside music session.

Don't forget you can still download free Kevin Hewick tracks including Bad Samantha at Amazon.com.

More info on the Kevin Hewick Messageboard

Labels: Kevin_Hewick

Silent Partners (featuring Dermo (ex-Northside) on lead vocals will be playing In The City in Manchester on 20 September 2004. The gig's at Po Na Na and comes the day before the Manchester District Music Archive Seminar at Urbis.

Po Na Na
Charles Street (off Oxford Road)
Manchester M1 7DB
Tickets: £3
Silent Partners on stage at 10:30pm
Support: Flipran and Frank

Labels: Northside

The supporting programme for the forthcoming Communicate exhibition at the Barbican includes a screening of 24 Hour Party People ("Michael Winterbottom’s cult film about the dawn of punk to the death of acid house") on 20 October 2004 at 6pm. In addition, exhibition curator Rick Poynor will give a talk entitled 'Communicate: Spirit of Independence' on 27 October at 6.30pm.

The full programme of talks is on the Barbican website.

Labels: 24_Hour_Party_People, design, graphic_design, Rick_Poynor

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