Peter Hook has confirmed that he will be performing a DJ set in Aberdeen, Scotland on Friday 9 December at Lo Down in Carnegie Brae.

Also on the bill for that evening is former Hacienda resident DJ Jon Dasilva.

Tickets are available now from One Up in Belmont Street, Aberdeen

Labels: FAC51_The_Hacienda, Peter_Hook

To coincide with Happy Mondays' select series of shows across the country (Birmingham last night, Newcastle the night before), here's a couple of interviews. In the Manchester Evening News, Shaun Ryder talks to Ben Rooth (for a long time) whilst in the free newspaper the Metro, Mondays drummer Gaz Whelan talks to Conrad Astley.

Happy Mondays play the MEN Arena, Manchester tomorrow. Tickets still available (seats only).

www.seetickets.com

Labels: A_Certain_Ratio, Happy_Mondays

Though Manchester's contribution to the history of British music is well documented, many of the defining events actually happened in the outlying towns and cities that make up the urban conurbation sprawl that is modern Manchester.

Rockin' Rochdale, an exhibition in the excellent new Touchstones Gallery in Rochdale's centre, highlights the variety of ways the Dale has itself contributed to Manchester's rich musical heritage - from the brass and big band eras through Gracie Fields and Deeply Vale to Tractor and Cargo Studios.

Several hundred guests, including members of Tractor, Wilful Damage and Fast Cars, an appearance by local producer / engineer John Brierley and guitar maker extraordinaire Brian Eastwood, attended the preview last week (20 October 2005) at which the Lord Mayor of Rochdale formally opened the exhibition - assisted by Milnrow resident rocker Clint Boon with a plea that the hallowed ground of nearby Cargo Studios (vacant for several years) be purchased by Rochdale Council as a permenant space. Well, somebody should.

Photo gallery.

The exhibition continues until 23 April 2006
www.rochdale.gov.uk/touchstones

Rochdale bands Tractor, Pie and Wilful Damage play a one-off celebration at the Gracie Fields Theatre on Friday 2 December 2005.

--

Thanks to OMMCR and Chris Hewitt.

John Kertland is launching a record label called Caroline True Records. The first release is 'In The Good Old Country Way' by the Nightingales featuring vocalist Rob Lloyd, who was once mooted as a member of Joy Division. It is released on Monday 31 October and distributed by Shellshock. The album, originally released in 1986, is remastered and comes in a fine 8 page digipack with extra tracks and sleevenotes.

Release number two is a limited edition live recording from 1978 by cult punkers The Prefects who were part of the Electric Circus scene in the heyday of the legendary Manchester venue.

The third release is a post-punk compilation album selected by the acclaimed writer and author Jon Savage and this will have Factory Records element to it.

The launch party for the record label is at C21 in Shrewsbury this Friday. If anyone feels like coming along please drop John a line at: info@carolinetruerecords.co.uk

Thanks to JK and good luck!

Labels: Factory_Records, Joy_Division

From areyouthevoice.com: "Anthony H Wilson has created a Panel of Music Professionals who will, under his guidance and leadership, evaluate each and every vocal audition. This Panel will take his brief and Judge your audition accordingly. This ensures that your success is dependent on the only thing that matters... Are You The Voice?"

Thanks to C.

The international appeal of Factory Records and Manchester music:

Anyone living in Malmo, Sweden, or in the vicinity, e.g. Copenhagen and Lund, should definitely check out the indie venue Panora on Saturday 19 November. The club is called Decades and they will try to capture the Manchester / Factory sound from the early 80s (and a couple of years in the late 70s), via the early 90s Madchester to present time with bands like Interpol, Editors and Kasabian.

Previous Manchester-themed nights have included Hallelujah.

Check out www.panora.nu for more info.

PANORA
S:t Gertrudsgatan 4
211 25 Malmo
Sweden
tel/fax: 040-6112707
Map

Thanks to Mattias.

Labels: Factory_Records

Larry Cassidy of Section 25 has posted an open letter on the band's official website, section25.com. He talks very openly and with great candour about the early history of the band, their relationship with Factory Records and the new Section 25 album mentioned here previously. Vin Cassidy has also written a letter and is joining Larry in the new line-up of the band which also includes Ian Butterworth of fellow Blackpool band Tunnelvision.

Thanks to OMNY for spotting.

Labels: Factory_Records, Larry_Cassidy, Tunnelvision

Tunnelvision's official website is reporting the following:

"Ian (Butterworth) is currently working on new material for a new Section 25 album. Chris (Anderton) will be recording and producing the album."

Labels: Tunnelvision

From johndowie.com, the official John Dowie site:

History (September 2005 update): "... Record DOGMAN CD with assistance of NEIL INNES (music and songs) and PHILL JUPITUS (narration). Released by Laughing Stock records, September 26, 2005. Decide that DOGMAN and JOSEPH aside, all show business aspirations have been met (see above). Off on cyling tour of Europe with a tent, some bags and a Dogman doll. Things going splendidly."

Dogman! a Comedy Musical Drama for Children
Release date: 3 October 2005
Tracklisting: 1. Dogman, 2. D.O.G.M.A.N, 3. All Alone, 4. Dogmanland

Labels: John_Dowie

Silent Partners, the Manchester band featuring Dermo who used to be the lead singer of Northside (whose Chicken Rhythms has just been re-released on LTM), have a new free mp3 of the track 'Breathe' on their official website, www.silent-partners.info.

Labels: Northside

A quick reminder that The Durutti Column play The Met in Bury tomorrow and A Certain Ratio play the Carling Academy Liverpool on Monday.

Labels: A_Certain_Ratio, The_Durutti_Column

New Order has announced a date at the Manchester Apollo on Monday 14 November 2005. Tickets now on sale priced 32.50 GBP via seetickets.com

Labels: New_Order

Last night the ten piece Swing Out Sister touring band made a return visit to the Jazz Cafe in Camden, London for the first of a trio of shows. Swing Out, the "internationally renowned jazz-pop duo of 'Breakout' fame" according to the blurb is essentially singer Corinne Drewery and Andy Connell (ex-ACR). These days, Andy prefers to sit out the show itself but he does provide musical entertainment in the form of his DJ set which he runs from his laptop. Corinne herself occasionally DJs, most recently at the Bethnal Green Working Men's Club (according to Corinne on the official website this is "sometimes like a Fellini film, sometimes like a crazy 60's art school party"), but she prefers vinyl to computers.

The Factory connection doesn't stop there either. Corinne sang on ACR's 'Bootsy' from 'Force', around the time when Swing Out was just starting. Percussionist Chris Manis and drummer Mikey Wilson were both in The Jazz Defektors. Derek Johnson (aka Juneroy), brother of Donald (ACR) and Barry (Sweet Sensation), plays bass and also, on one track drums and furthermore toasts like an old pro on another. A three-man brass section (Noel Langley - trumpet, Pete Beachill - trombone, Gary Plumley - saxophone), Dan Swana (keyboards), Tim Cansfield (guitar) and additional vocalists Sylvia Mason-James and Derek Green complete the live line-up.

The setlist combined material from their debut album 'It's Better To Travel' ('Surrender', 'Twilight World' and a gloriously slowed down version of 'Breakout' as the last encore) with selections from their many other studio albums. Several tracks become extended freeform jazz-funk workouts showing off the skills of what Corinne rightly calls her "badass band".

Swing Out Sister play The Jazz Cafe tonight and tomorrow and are then at venues around the UK.

www.jazzcafe.co.uk
www.swingoutsister.com

Labels: A_Certain_Ratio, Derek_Johnson, Jazz_Defektors, Swing_Out_Sister

To coincide with the new Colorcalm ambient dvd, there's an interview with Peter Saville on MoCoLoCo, the "Modern Contemporary Design" site (rechristened "MoCo Ambient" in this instance). He reveals that one of his main interests is "popular culture's advance towards contemporary fine art".

After 13 years, Happy Mondays today release their long-awaited new tune, 'Playground Superstar'. It is the lead single from new film Goal! and has been given a full UK release.

The band also play three live dates at the end of October with support from The Farm and Stereo MCs.

October

Wed 26 - Newcastle (Carling Academy)
Thurs 27 - Birmingham (Carling Academy)
Sat 29 - Manchester (Manchester Evening News Arena)

Buy tickets

Labels: Happy_Mondays

The Durutti Column's new LP 'Keep Breathing' is set to be released soon on a major label. And on Saturday 22 October the band, featuring guitarist Vini Reilly, drummer Bruce Mitchell and multi-instrumentalist Keir Stewart, will be playing their first gig including new material from the album. The gig is a "near home" performance at Bury Met Arts Centre. More tour dates are listed below.

The album features 12 brand new tracks, recorded and written by Vini Reilly and arranged by Ben Roberts.

Reilly famously, has criticised his previous recordings, claiming, "It's all rubbish". This album though has received his own critical acclaim. "It's a great album", he says "For the first time in 25 years, I'm pleased with my own album, I want it to succeed, and feel its good enough to do that".

Whilst 'Keep Breathing' will be released on a major label, The Durutti Column also release their own material on Kooky Discs. Most recently the classic Amigos Em Portugal Live album, was re-released on CD for the first time. The 2004 album Tempus Fugit has sold out its initial pressing of 2,500, Both albums and more Durutti Column rarities are available through the band's own website www.thedurutticolumn.com.

Tour dates

22 Oct - Metro Arts, Bury [0161 761 2216, www.themet.biz]
26 Nov - Cabaret Voltaire, Edinburgh [0131 220 6176, www.thecabaretvoltaire.com]
27 Nov - Arches, Glasgow [+ support, 8pm, 13.50/9.00 GBP, 0870 240 7528, www.thearches.co.uk]
28 Nov - Lemon Tree, Aberdeen [01224 642230, www.lemontree.org]
02 Dec - Cluny, Newcastle [0191 230 4474, www.theheadofsteam.co.uk]
04 Dec - Ronnie Scotts, London [08700 600100, www.ticketweb.co.uk]
05 Dec - Komedia, Brighton [01273 647100, www.komedia.co.uk]

Thanks to Phil Jones.

Labels: Cabaret_Voltaire, The_Durutti_Column

Joy Division won the Q Legend award at the recent Q Awards. The statuette was bestowed upon Peter Hook, Steve Morris and Natalie Curtis by Guy Garvey of Elbow.

Q's Exchange of the Day was as follows:

Peter Hook: "I remember Paul Weller saying to us one time: 'Are you the support band?' And we said, 'No we're Joy Division'."
Steve Morris: "That's very abstract, Hooky. True, but abstract."
Hooky: "Bernard would be here, but he thinks Q are a bunch of two-faced cunts who have always given us bad reviews."

Quite.

Later in the week, New Order played a highly-charged 6-song set at the Queen Elizabeth Hall on London's South Bank as part of a special gig to commemorate the first anniversary of the death of John Peel. The setlist included Joy Division's 'Warsaw'.

Labels: Joy_Division, New_Order, Peter_Hook

Peter Hook is to play another of his increasingly frequent DJ sets at the Elysee Montmartre in Paris on 4 November 2005. The event, titled 'Panik' is part of "Festival des Inrockuptibles" (named after the famous French magazine). Hooky and Arthur Baker will play alongside Isolee and Sylvie Marks (B-Pitch control).

Thanks to Alexandre.

Labels: Arthur_Baker, Peter_Hook

Heart and Soul Recordings is the new label by Martin Moscrop of A Certain Ratio.

Adrian Flanegan, better known as Kings Have Long Arms, is known to the righteous few through a series of brilliant singles, such as 'Pigeons Carry My News' and 'Rock & Roll Is Dead'

The KHLA live show is a whole other beast - an electro-pop carnival, which could well feature a Mexican wrestler in a gimp mask, Sherlock Holmes on the stylophone, a lion playing keyboards, and a massive all-in Adrian Flanegan, a man with a plan conga dance to the outrageous new single 'All Hail Satan'.

Seeing is still not quite believing...

On tour in October

13 - London, Madame Jojo's, Brewer Street, Soho. On Stage 11pm.
14 - Manchester, Bierkeller, Piccadilly, Manchester.
15 - Kings Have Long Arms Soundsystem, Leeds, Joseph Well, Johnny Gogogo event. Doors 8pm.
17 - Kings Have Long Arms Soundsystem, playing records as specially invited guest to Ladytron at their Sheffield Show at Plug. Doors 8pm.

The new single, 'All Hail Satan' gets its official release on 17 October 2005. Out on CD and 7" the EP includes the tracks 'All Hail Satan' (produced by Ross Orton M.I.A / Fat Truckers), 'Redneck in a Loop' (produced by Joe Robinson - Badly Drawn Boy, I Am Kloot, Chicks on Speed), and 'Crackermatic' (Another Ross Orton production - actually 2 tracks - 'Assomatic' and 'Who Stole My Crackerjack Pencil' - skillfully joined together to avoid the 'only 3 tracks qualify as a single' rule!)

This single is Electro fun pop music, but not as you know it, this is Northern Electro at its finest, now ALL HAIL THE KING WITH THE LONG ARMS.

Labels: Martin_Moscrop

Congratulations to Mike Mitchell whose awesome Gigographies for both The Durutti Column and A Certain Ratio have been given the accolade of "Official" status by both the bands.

Labels: A_Certain_Ratio, The_Durutti_Column

Colorcalm, the innovative ambient video specialists, will next week launch a new dvd through Conran Shops worldwide featuring ambient designs by Peter Saville set to New Order's Elegia and Terranova's remix of the track.

Copies will also be available from colorcalm.com and Amazon.

Labels: New_Order

Greg Wilson was the first DJ to host a specialist dance night at Fac 51 The Hacienda, in late 1983. He also later played at Legend, to a mainly black audience. He also nearly made it onto the Factory catalogue at FAC 95 with a dance 12" single but this never happened. In a slight change of direction, the number FACT 95 is allocated to an album by The Royal Family and the Poor.

Greg takes up the story: "I only realised I'd actually been given a Factory catalogue number, when somebody mentioned it to me last year - I think they'd come across it as a Factory trivia question. It was for a mix that I was going to do of stuff that had come out on the label. For one reason or another it never happened - most of the stuff I'd been given to work from was definitely not suitable for the type of mixes I was doing (I was a black music specialist), so, from my perspective it would have been trying to fit square pegs into round holes (only New Order, Quando Quango and 52nd Street had released dance singles on the label). Nowadays, with the assistance of computer programs, I'd have taken a completely different approach and could have put together something pretty interesting, but back then it was to have been a more straightforward one track into the next type mix."

Greg stopped DJing in 1984 but recently has been back on the decks, most notably when he supported A Certain Ratio at their Cargo gig back in August. Also, check out the new album 'No Sell Out', a Legend / Wigan Pier Electro Retrospective (May '82 - Dec '83) mixed by Greg Wilson for A Guy Called Gerald / Samurai FM. An mp3 is now available to download: www.samurai.fm/electrofunkroots

More info at: electrofunkroots.co.uk. Many thanks to Greg.

--

It's good to be back.

Labels: 52nd_Street, A_Certain_Ratio, FAC51_The_Hacienda, New_Order, Quando_Quango, The_Royal_Family_And_The_Poor

Manchester Academy 1
Saturday 3 December
10pm - 3am
www.hacienda-hot.com

Labels: FAC471, FAC51_The_Hacienda

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