Full story and pics from A Factory Night (Once Again) - which sounds like it was very successful and one not to have missed (D'oh! Ed.) - are available at the official site.

In addition Peter Hook has posted some photos (of himself) on his MySpace page and Cerysmatic will have some others up very soon.

Stop press: Section 25 MySpace blog

Labels: Peter_Hook, Section_25

It's that time again; kick out the old and welcome the new. Here's some prime cuts that have been on heavy rotation at Cerysmatic Towers in the past year:

1. Animal Magic (album track) - Adrian Sherwood
2. The Arrival of the Fog - Gnac
3. Because of the Times - Kings of Leon
4. Goodbye - Ulrich Schnauss
5. Grinderman - Grinderman
6. Icky Thump - The White Stripes
7. Idiot Savants - The Durutti Column
8. In Our Nature - Jose Gonzalez
9. In Rainbows - Radiohead
10. Inside In / Inside Out - The Kooks
11. Lady's Bridge - Richard Hawley
12. Part-primitiv - Section 25
13. Proof Of Youth - The Go! Team
14. Soundboy Rock - Groove Armada
15. Uncle Dysfunktional - Happy Mondays
16. We Can Create - maps

p.s. thanks to moist for minding the shop whilst I was on holiday and thanks again for all your seasonal greetings.

Labels: Happy_Mondays, Section_25, The_Durutti_Column

"The Mersey is one of the world’s great rivers. It was fundamental to the industrial revolution, was poisoned by pollution and has recently made a amazing recovery. From the hills of the Peak District, through the urban sprawl of Stockport and Manchester and across rural Cheshire, it flows to the sea from its estuary at Liverpool and Birkenhead."

"Mersey: the river that changed the world is a project that celebrates the River Mersey, and the people whose lives have been entwined with it."

'Westward Ho' by Tony Wilson is one of the specially commissioned essays - probably his last published work - contained therein.

Reviewing the book on Manchester Confidential, Phil Griffen states: "He’s described on the contributors’ page, in the shortest of shorthand, as ‘broadcast journalist and regeneration consultant’. For most of his mouthy career, on and off screen, in and out of Factory Records, Dry bar and the Hacienda, he didn’t know what he was doing. He didn’t know, until the last year or two, that he was a regeneration consultant. Actually, Tony Wilson, like the Mersey in flood, was an entire regenerative force of nature."

Mersey: the river that changed the world was published by, and is available from, Bluecoat Press. An exhibition of photography and audio material will be touring venues in the Northwest from December 2007.

Labels: A_Certain_Ratio, FAC51_The_Hacienda, Factory_Records, Tony_Wilson

As reported by Korova on the cerysmaticFactory message board, BBC Radio 6 Music will broadcast a celebration of the life of Anthony H Wilson on Christmas Day evening, Tuesday 25th December 2200-0000.

In the broadcast, according to their website: "Paul Morley looks back at the life of the music mogul, impresario, North West institution and professional motormouth" and will feature an interview with AHW shortly before his untimely death.

FAC 501: Anthony H Wilson will be available online.

Urbis in Manchester have been approached by a number of galleries, both nationally and internationally, requesting information on the availability of their current Haçienda exhibition to tour.

Urbis Creative Programmes Manager Andy Brydon says Urbis "are extremely excited about the possibility of touring the Haçienda exhibition."

FAC 491 Haçienda 25: The Exhibition runs at Urbis until 17th February 2008.

The same Manchester Evening News piece revealed Hooky's plans to take the Haçienda on tour (again):

'There are plans to take the club nights on a world tour, including South America and Asia, next year. Things will kick off on December 29 at Sankey's in Manchester, when original Haçienda DJs will be leading the Christmas party'

The paper version of the Manchester Evening News last week reported on Peter Hook's plans to 'take the spirit of the Manc club worldwide'.

Says the MEN: 'A worldwide merchandising deal has been signed to produce official Haçienda products like tee-shirts, CDs and posters for the first time. It also means no other club promoters or merchandisers can legally use the name'.

Of 'brand Haçienda' Hooky says: "Rob [Gretton] said it would be hot again one day and, just like he was with Joy Division, he was right. The Haçienda is very important to the people of Manchester and those who went there. I've come to realise what a huge part it played in a generation's life and also in Manchester's development. Now we're going to take the brand anywhere we can."

Be warned. Don't even point!

Labels: Joy_Division, Peter_Hook, poster

JOY DIVISION Q&A at the temporary Rhino Pop-Up store in LA on Friday, December 21st:

http://www.rhino.com/popupstore/events.lasso

Friday, December 21st from 7pm-8pm

Join US Manager of the Joy Division catalog, and New Order's US Manager for 18+ years, Tom Atencio, as he discusses Joy Division and shares excerpts from his upcoming Weinstein Company documentary release, JOY DIVISION.

Labels: Joy_Division, New_Order

Spring 2008 will see the launch of a new joint-branded John Smedley/better thinking Luxury Redefined t-shirt.

Made in Derbyshire from organic, Fairtrade, extra-long staple Peruvian cotton with an exceptionally low water footprint – the Luxury Redefined concept takes sustainable design and communication to a new level. Supported by a product brochure and web site that tell the story through beautiful, evocative photography, the t-shirt combines the ultimate in luxury with the ultimate in sustainability.

Better Thinking Ltd – a sustainable strategy, design and communications consultancy – has considered every aspect of the t-shirt’s environmental and social impacts since initiating the project in October 2005.

Since mid-2005, Mark Holt (founding partner of 8vo) has been a founding partner of Better thinking. To coincide with the launch, Better Thinking is holding a competition for to design a graphic, slogan or logo (around the theme of sustainability) to be printed on a limited edition of 10 of the t-shirts.

The deadline for submissions is 12pm, Friday 15th February 2008.

The winning submission will receive an original 8vo Hacienda Nine poster from 1991, screenprinted in two colours (and also a luxury redefined t-shirt carrying your design). The remainder of the t-shirts will be auctioned globally with all proceeds going to a Peruvian education programme (helping to support the t-shirt cotton farmers).

The Luxury Redefined t-shirt will be available online and from John Smedley stockists in Spring 2008.

Labels: 8vo, FAC51_The_Hacienda, poster, T-Shirt

James return to the fold following successful summer festival dates this year is further confirmed with the announcement of a new album, out 7 April 2008, and a UK tour.

April 2006

10 - Derby Assembly Rooms
11 - Lincoln Engine Shed
12 - Liverpool University
14 - Newcastle Academy
15 - Sheffield Academy
16 - London Shepherds Bush Empire
18 - Norwich UEA
21 - Bristol Colston Hall
22 - Blackpool Empress Ballroom
24 - Edinburgh Corn Exchange
25 - Aberdeen AECC

Tickets for the tour are on sale on today Friday 14 December and selling out fast. More info at www.wearejames.com and www.oneofthethree.co.uk.

Labels: James

Alexis Petridis gives the 2-disc expanded edition of Bummed a 5-star review in The Guardian.

"Almost 20 years on, Bummed sounds extraordinary, but wildly abstruse."

Richard Hector-Jones in the MEN provides more insight into the reopening next year of Paradise Factory (FAC 251). The Warehouse Project will open it for six-month trial period in 2008 starting with a launch night on 24 January 2008 with headliners Mike Pickering and Laurent Garnier.

Labels: FAC251_The_Factory

A very healthy 100+ strong crowd saw an on-form Crispy Ambulance return to the live stage last Saturday "early evening" at Sub Space in Manchester (just under the railway and around the corner from The Ritz). Support act Triclops (not Morganstein as previously announced) turned in an engrossing electronica set about an hour earlier and won the prize for the Most Innovative Use of Ironing Boards in Popular Music. Full(er) review to follow. Traditional Cerysmatic shout-outs to David "David Nolan" Nolan, Sam, Alex Staszko, Cath Aubergine, Cath Berry, Rob and Lee (recovered yet?).

All the best to Crispy Ambulance when they continue the comeback at A Factory Night (Once Again) in Brussels this coming Saturday 15 December 2007.

Labels: Crispy_Ambulance

Friday 14 December 2007 (following the Happy Mondays gig at Manchester Central*)
Happy Mondays Official Aftershow @ Relish
Bez and Gaz Whelan DJ Set
+ DJ Dermo
+ Very Special Guests
300 tickets available

Entry price (public/members/NUS): 7.00 GBP adv from Skiddle
Doors open: 10pm til 4am
Information line: 0844 884 2920

* - Happy Mondays play Manchester Central on Friday 14 December 2007. The Twang, The Sunshine Underground support. Clint Boon DJs. Tickets are GBP 28.50 and are still on sale. Call the Box Office on 0870 060 1768 to book or click here.

Meanwhile, don't forget that expanded editions of classic Happy Mondays albums are now available to buy.

Labels: Happy_Mondays

The MEN reports that Happy Mondays are to guest on a special edition of Ghost Hunting with presenter Yvette Fielding. Following in the footsteps of Girls Aloud (mention one more girl band and you're fired. Ed.) and the Chris Moyles Show team, Shaun, Bez and Gaz will see if anything scares them.

Labels: Happy_Mondays

Cerysmatic never imagined there would ever be a FAC connection to the Spice Girls (well, unless you count Mel B once being in 'Burn It' - written by Matt Greenhalgh - with that bloke who played Bez in 24 Hour Party People) but Laura Barton has concocted one whilst citing the Spice comeback as her "Miss" of the year in The Guardian: "[on 'Headlines'] ... it was decided to let them coast along into a trundling sort of ballad, fuelled only a chugging drumbeat left over from 1996, and a semi-rap from Mel C that sounded dangerously like John Barnes's efforts in New Order's World in Motion."

Labels: New_Order

Control remarkably sits atop The Guardian's Best of 2007 films list.

Critic Xan Brooks said "The first half of Control played like a kitchen-sink Play for Today, while the second offered a tender deconstruction of the myth of the tortured artist."

Barbara Kruger, designer of the OFNY P3 'Perfect Kiss' poster for New Order's release of the same name, designs the last of The Guardian's special gift wrap. Free with today's issue.

Labels: New_Order, poster

Martin Dewey, founder of Square Pie, explains to Guardian Food why their seasonal Christmas Pie owes a debt to Factory Records. He says "We've being making this pie every December since 2002 and it's a customer favourite. It does take fair bit of time and works out our most expensive pie. We like to think of it as the New Order Blue Monday 12-inch of the pie world: doesn't make any money, but puts a smile on a lot of faces."

In the interests of rigorous investigative journalism, Cerysmatic has sampled one of said pies and can indeed verify their excellence!

Labels: Factory_Records, New_Order

The Manchester Evening News reports that Peter Hook has been auditioning Trafford College student musicians for the chance to appear at a college-sponsored gig at Jabez Clegg on 17th December 2007.

"I think Peter Hook has a different agenda to Simon Cowell," said music curriculum leader Mark Acton.

Labels: Peter_Hook

A reminder of a few gigs this weekend:

Big Arm support Ian Brown at Manchester Central (formerly G-MEX) on Friday 7 December.

Crispy Ambulance reunite at The Grindhouse on Saturday afternoon.

And then in Leeds on Saturday evening, Jon Dasilva's new band TVMR play at Trash.

Labels: Crispy_Ambulance

On Thursday 24 January 2008 "The Club" (formerly known as Paradise and FAC 251 The Factory HQ) in Manchester opens its doors with a special launch weekend.

Thursday 24 January features Mike Pickering and Laurent Garnier with support from Krysko and Danny Mac. 10 GBP adv / 12 GBP on the door

Friday 25 January - 'In Session' Hospital Records' High Contrast and Logistics playing the best in Liquid D'n'B. Upstairs in the loft room Dubstep takes over in the shape of Kode 9 and Skream. Also playing on the night will be Ape resident Rich Reason and Ken Evil from Bass Camp.

Saturday 26 January - Steve Angello and Paul Woolford with support from Krysko, Andro and Greg Lord. 12 GBP adv / 15 GBP on the door

Tickets available from usual outlets, 0161 832 1111 or ticketline.co.uk

Doors open 9pm on Thursday 24 January 2007.

--

The Club aka The Paradise Factory
112-116 Princess Street
Manchester

Labels: FAC251_The_Factory, Factory_Records

Lawrence Weiner talks to David Colman of the New York Times in an entertaining article called 'The Discreet Charm of the Gauloisie' (a reference to Weiner's smoking habit).

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