We report with great sadness the death of Larry Cassidy, singer and bassist with cult Factory Records post-punk group Section 25. Larry was found at his home in Blackpool on Saturday 27 February, and though the cause of death has not yet been confirmed there appear to be no suspicious circumstances.
 
Born in Blackpool in April 1953, Lawrence John Cassidy decided against joining his father’s family business (Casdon Toys) and opted instead to study art in London, gaining a first class degree in 1977. Inspired by psychedelia and Krautrock, and by exposure to punk at the Roxy club, Larry decided to form a band back home, recruiting younger brother Vin on drums, and guitarist Paul Wiggin. The name Section 25 referred to a clause in the Mental Health Act allowing for involuntary detention. Thanks to early mentors Joy Division the group joined Factory Records in 1979, recording their first single (Fac 18) with Ian Curtis and Rob Gretton producing.
 
Their debut album Always Now (1981) was recorded with producer Martin Hannett, and came packaged in a costly and elaborate pochette sleeve designed by Peter Saville. "I did get a fascinating brief from Larry," explains Saville on one of his finest works, "I seem to remember he wanted something quite European, but psychedelic - and with some Oriental influences. After that, I was on my own!"
 
Saville also designed the cover of From the Hip, their third album from 1984. Co-produced by Bernard Sumner of New Order, From the Hip saw a successful transition from abrasive post-punk to smooth electronics, best heard on the proto-techno club single Looking From a Hilltop. By now Larry’s glamorous young wife Jenny had joined the band, Tony Wilson having failed to interest a pre-Smiths Johnny Marr from taking over on guitar following the departure of Wiggin.
 
Both Wilson and Gretton found Section 25 frustrating at times, not least their lack of orthodox management. Indeed Gretton joked that the band were unmanageable, and that their sole gimmick was that they had no gimmick. A charismatic curmudgeon, and slightly older than most other musicians on the label, Larry sometimes found it hard to balance the aesthetic satisfaction of being a Factory band with the scant financial rewards. ‘You have to stand there out in the desert, holding on to your own little truth, waiting for the boat to come in.’
 
Section 25 effectively split in 1986, Larry afterwards running a light industrial unit, and retraining as a schoolteacher. Plans to reform the group were upset by the tragic loss of Jenny Cassidy to cancer in November 2004, naturally also a devastating personal event for Larry, but three years later Section 25 released a new album, Part-Primitiv, followed by Nature + Degree in 2009. The Guardian also listed From the Hip as one of ‘1000 albums to hear before you die’. As appreciation of Section 25 and Factory continued to increase, the group again found themselves in demand as a live attraction, visiting Germany, Italy and the United States in 2009, and joined by Larry and Jenny’s daughter Beth Cassidy on vocals and keyboards. Larry played what proved to be his last show with Section 25 at the historic Plan K venue in Brussels on 12 December 2009, along with fellow Factory pioneers A Certain Ratio, Biting Tongues, The Names and The Wake. At the time of his death a remix album, Retrofit, was almost complete.
 
Larry leaves a partner, Lesley, and two children, Nathaniel and Bethany.
 
Peter Hook, the Joy Division/New Order bassist who joined Section 25 for several shared dates in 2008, said: "I am so deeply shocked to hear about Larry, and very upset."
 
Says Vin Cassidy: "My brother Larry wasn’t always the easiest person to be in a band with, but he was the best."
 
John Robb, writer, musician and fellow Blackpool native, writes in his blog: "Section 25 were leagues ahead of everyone else in Blackpool. They were organized and had invented their own sound – a deceptively doomy, powerful, stripped-down, bass driven, dissonant, postpunk that combined the nihilism of the times with Larry’s art school cool. Another great lost genius. Maybe Larry’s death will wake everyone up to how great his band was."

- James Nice, LTM, February 2010

Labels: A_Certain_Ratio, Biting_Tongues, Factory_Records, Joy_Division, Larry_Cassidy, New_Order, Peter_Hook, Section_25, The_Wake, Tony_Wilson

Cerysmatic Factory is shocked and saddened to hear of the passing of Larry Cassidy of Section 25. Our thoughts are with his family at this difficult time.

John Robb, who originally broke this story, has written an obituary.

Labels: Larry_Cassidy, Section_25

Check out out Ike Yard's live recording of Traffikers live at WFMU with John Allen and Bil Bowen, 2007.

Stand by for Nord, the new album via Phisteria, in Spring 2010.

Labels: Ike_Yard

A big welcome to The Official Distractions Website.

Labels: The_Distractions

Over the years, a huge array of T-Shirts were produced for FAC 51 The Hacienda. Various shirts were made for the individual club nights (even those outside of the Hacienda itself) but there was also an impressive side industry in Staff, Security and even Customer T-Shirts. FAC 201 Dry also had its own birthday night, Staff and Security shirts. A selection is presented here, courtesy of Ang Matthews, ex-Hacienda manager, who takes up the story for Cerysmatic Factory:

"I worked at the Haç, behind the bar, '83 to '84 whilst I was a student: then went back as Assistant Manager '89 to'90: then, after the police court case & we re-opened, I became Manager & Licensee from '91 to '96.

"So, the T-Shirt thing. T-shirts had always been a major part of the Factory artefacts since the Hacienda had opened. The first T-Shirts, the Birthday T-Shirts and the Staff / Security T-shirts were always freebies but then we started selling some from the Haç cloakroom and they did OK. It was then decided to do this 'properly' & sell them from FAC 281 The Area. In true Factory fashion we never made a penny on them. This was a constant question of Wilson's - how come we lost money on our T-Shirts, especially the World in Motion ones - a large part of FAC 301 Factory Conference was taken up debating this. And no, we never came up with the answer.

"It was easy to get sponsorship from the drinks companies for the T-shirts - I'd just ask. The staff were always on at me to get new ones for them. I later found out why, they were selling them on the side. I found this out when I saw more than a few holiday-makers in Pasha, Ibiza wearing staff T-shirts - they told me they'd paid £50 for them off various members of the bar staff.

"Anyway, I got all the T-shirts together and decided to sell them. I love that pic of them all stacked up. Why did I sell them? Well, I didn't see any point in just keeping them in boxes - there were far too many to frame, so to eBay they went. There are 3 T-Shirts I've kept - the Black 'Haç '90 Hoodie', 'The Haçienda Must Be Built' and 'Haç Flowers' - these 3 were my favourites and, for me, epitomise a certain time long ago."

Many thanks to Ang for her memories and to Eastie for photography.

Labels: artefacts, FAC201_Dry, FAC51_The_Hacienda, T-Shirt

The release date for the previously-announced new album by The Royal Family and The Poor, The Pope's Daughter has been brought forward to 1 March 2010.

Thanks to Arthur on the Cerysmatic Factory Message Board. Check his posting (and this other one) for full details on how to order and further insights.

Labels: New_Order, The_Royal_Family_And_The_Poor

Bad Lieutenant is partnering with DailyMotion.com for a contest that invites fans and aspiring filmmakers to create what will be the official music video for the band’s new single, Twist of Fate, from their debut album, Never Cry Another Tear.

The competition runs 22 February to 2 April 2010, about a week after the single's 23 March U.S. release date. The winning submission will be personally chosen by the members of Bad Lieutenant. The winner's video will be featured on MySpace, badlieutenant.net, Facebook, etc, as the official video for Twist of Fate.

The winner will also receive a Kodak Zi8 H-D video flip-cam, the Bad Lieutenant Deluxe Vinyl and Artwork Package, and additional band merchandise.

Labels: Bad_Lieutenant

Legendary UK dubmaster (ex-X-O-Dus) Dennis Bovell brings his Dub Band to the Band on the Wall in Manchester on Friday 12 March 2010 as part of a UK mini-tour.

March 2010

5 - The Albany, London
11 - The Butter Market, Shrewsbury
12 - Band on the Wall, Manchester [+ late night reggae party with Tappa Benz til 3am]
13 - Brewery Arts Centre, Kendal, Cumbria
14 - The Cluny, Newcastle-upon-Tyne

"UK reggae maestro Dennis Bovell is producer, composer, re-mixer, bandleader - and the heaviest bassist in town, pumping out the deepest of body-shaking dub grooves. From the days of his seminal band Matumbi and the radical days of punk, Dennis continues to be a massive presence - he's worked with the likes of Marvin Gaye, Fela Kuti, The Slits and Linton Kwesi Johnson - and live, the Dub Band's rock-solid horns and rhythm section never fail to move and groove."

More info Dennis Bovell on MySpace

Labels: X-O-Dus

Hot on the heels of the Hooky Q&A, Graham Massey (808 State, Biting Tongues) is confirmed to appear in another of NOISE Lab's Workshops / Talks / Performances on Sunday 28 February at 3.30pm.

"As part of Flux Magazine’s February residency at the NOISE Lab, the team present Graham Massey (808 State, Homelife, Toolshed) who'll be hosting a workshop, talk and performance based on his colourful musical career."

--

Sunday 28 February 2010
15.30-16.30

Graham Massey Q&A

Noiselab
Market Street
Manchester (formerly Shelly's)

Labels: Biting_Tongues, Graham_Massey

Thanks to Bobby Langley for this pic of the old Hacienda DJ Booth (a product of his over-enthusiasm at the Hacienda Auction back in 2000).

Labels: FAC51_The_Hacienda

As part of Flux Magazine’s 'Guest Editor' slot at the NOISE Free Arts Lab (a Guerrilla 'pop up shop' and creative space in the heart of Manchester), Peter Hook will be offering his words of wisdom at an exclusive Q&A session by Flux Editor Lee Taylor. This free, intimate event is open to all young creatives wanting to pick up unique advice to follow in Hooky's footsteps.

--

Wednesday 24 February 2010
18:00-20:00

Peter Hook Q&A

Noiselab
Market Street
Manchester (formerly Shelly's)

Labels: Peter_Hook

The new single by Bad Lieutenant, Twist of Fate, is released on 22 March 2010 (23 Mar in the US). The single, which has made it onto 6music’s Rebel Playlist shortlist, is taken from the debut album Never Cry Another Tear.

Meanwhile, the previously-announced Sink Or Swim Remix Bundle's release has been pushed back to 22 February (non-US) and 23 Feb (US).

The full tracklisting is:

Sink Or Swim (Original Mix)
Sink Or Swim (Reeder's Rettungsring Remix)
Sink Or Swim (Reeder's Waterwing Remix)
Sink Or Swim (James Bright Remix)
Dynamo (Teenagers Remix)

Labels: Bad_Lieutenant

Unfolk have uploaded a new video to YouTube for the track Someone Is Always Screwing Someone.

Kevin Hewick told Cerysmatic Factory: "The video was made by Bob Brian who also played some of the guitar on Unfolk::Allessandro Monti::Kevin Hewick album The Venetian Book of the Dead. It was filmed on location in Marghera and Mestre just outside Venice it shows the industry in the area, the scene of the tragic events that inspired the album. To me it also looks quite 'Factory' in it's visual style!".

The The Venetian Book of the Dead is out now on iTunes, Burning Shed [UK], CD Baby [USA] and Audioglobe [Italy].

Labels: Kevin_Hewick

Hooky tours intimate UK theatres this April / early May with Howard Marks in a conversational, musical and audience based show that sees the duo open up about their rock and roll shenanigans and pasts.

Hooky will also be playing various bass numbers, be open to a Q&A with audience members and plans to bring along unseen footage of Joy Division, New Order, The Hacienda, various out-takes from Michael Winterbottom’s 24 Hour Party People.

Swapping rock venue for theatre seat, Hooky and Howard will talk candidly about the tragedy, hysteria, debauchery and disaster that have characterized his three decade career - and famously consigned both his bands and his club to history and legend.

Compered by Wales’ own legend of the counter-culture and man of many guises, Mr Nice, An Evening Of Unknown Pleasures with Peter Hook promises to be an exhilarating ride. Telling tales of the sex, drugs and rock’n’roll madness, mayhem and general misadventure behind the Manchester and Madchester scenes, the successfully rehabilitated Hooky will also recount some of the rip-roaring stories featured in his best selling book and lift the lid on events that, for reasons of prudence, weren’t featured on lawyers advice.

“We’ve got some interesting stuff that was left out of the Joy Division documentary and I’ve also decided to play a few instrumentals I like the bass on – The Happy One and Elegia, for example. That gets me out of talking for a few minutes. I’m renowned for my music, not for my talking, so I’ll let some of my music do the talking for me. Howard compering is a dream for me. I’ve known him a long time, and before my partying days were over, so we had some times. He’s such a nice guy and he’s had a very interesting life. Both have had our rocky paths, shall we say, but we’re very down to earth and like a bit of fun so it’ll be interesting." - Peter Hook.

The Peter Hook Unknown Pleasures Tour with Compere Howard Marks - full itinerary:

April

Sun 11 - Birmingham, Glee Club [0871 472 0400]
Mon 12 - Bolton, Albert Hall [01204 334400]
Tue 13 - Worcester, Huntingdon Hall [01905 611 427]
Thu 15 - Milton Keynes, Stables [01908 280800]
Sun 18 - Middlesbrough, Town Hall [01642 729729]
Tue 20 - Gateshead, The Sage [0191 443 4661]
Wed 21 - Durham, Gala [0191 332 4041]
Thu 22 - Burnley, Mechanics [01282 664400]
Sun 25 - Cardiff, Glee Club [0871 472 0400]
Mon 26 - Oxford, Academy [0844 477 2000]
Tue 27 - Wakefield, Theatre Royal [01924 211 311]
Wed 28 - Gloucester, Guild Hall [01452 50 30 50]
Thu 29 - Derby, Assembly Rooms [01332 255800]
Fri 30 - Norwich, UEA [01603 508050]

May

Sat 1 - Salford, The Lowry [0843 208 6000]
Sun 2 - Hull, Truck Theatre [01482 323638]

Labels: FAC51_The_Hacienda, Joy_Division, New_Order, Peter_Hook

LTM reissue A Certain Ratio's classic Factory Records album Force with bonus tracks on Monday 22 February 2010.

The original 8-track vinyl version is augmented with the three bonus tracks from the original FACD 166 Factory CD, namely Nostromo A Go-Go, Inside and Si Firmi O Grido. Plus there's The Runner from the Greetings Four Italian 12" E.P. (also on The Greetings Compact) and Bootsy (Racic Remix) from the Australian-only FAC 16612 remix twelve-inch.

Tracklisting

Only Together
Bootsy
Fever
Naked and White
Mickey Way
And Then She Smiles
Take Me Down
Anthem
Nostromo A Go-Go
Inside
Si Firmi O Grido
The Runner
Bootsy (Racic Remix)

Labels: A_Certain_Ratio, Factory_Records

Given that Factory's venue (mis)management skills were detailed in a book entitled How not to run a club, approaching them for advice on running a record label does not, with the benefit of hindsight, seem like a good idea.

Similarly, using Happy Mondays as an example of good music business would seem almost negligent.

Back in the latter half of 1988, though, the outlook was different.

Factory had reached the ten year mark, business at the Hacienda was picking up (even if the reason for it was played down), New Order and Happy Mondays were busy 'recording albums', Dry was around the corner and Factory were still playing with the imagery of multinational corporations rather than believing - disastrously - they actually were one.

In this context, Factory's contribution to the Granada TV youth educational program - I.T. - recently posted in two parts on a famous video website, makes perfect sense.

Aired in early 1989 and narrated by Bob Greaves, with a youthful cast (in order of appearence) that included: John Pennington, Martin Hannett, Happy Mondays, Tony Wilson, Nathan McGough, Tina Simmonds, Chris Smith, Tony the Greek, Matt and Pat, Keith Jobling, Richard Heslop, Jeff Barrett and Kevin Cummins, and taking in locations such as Strawberry Studios, 86 Palatine Road, 48 Princess Street, CSD in Stevenson Square and Heaven in London, the program follows the recording, production, launch and promotion of the album Bummed.

Do any of the participants look like they know what is about to hit them?

Would Granada TV have produced such a programme - aimed at children of an impressionable age - if they knew?

Labels: FAC51_The_Hacienda, Happy_Mondays, Kevin_Cummins, New_Order, Tony_Wilson

A selection of flyers promoting the opening of FAC 251 The Factory has finally been added.

Hooky ("It's not the Hacienda for fuck's sake"), Ben Kelly ("International Orange still works in 2010") and Mani ("The World is watching - let's get to work") explain what the club means to them.

Labels: Ben_Kelly, FAC251_The_Factory, FAC51_The_Hacienda

If Factory Records had been more serious about dance music (and had lasted a bit longer), perhaps Robs Records would never have existed. By the beginning of the Nineties, Rob Gretton, the manager of Joy Division / New Order, was becoming increasingly frustrated and so decided to take matters into his own hands. Perhaps the straw that broke the camel's back was the cancellation of a 1990 Factory project (FAC 270 Our Dance Days) by Mike Pickering to release a House remixes compilation featuring Marcel King, 52nd Street, Section 25, and Quando Quango.

Robs Records released a diverse selection of underground dance music, much of it from Manchester-based artists like Sub Sub, Mr Scruff, Digital Justice and Strangebrew, plus new music from A Certain Ratio following their A&M stint and the occasional licensed overseas track, most notably the excellent Security by Beat Club.

Auteur Labels: Robs Records [LTMCD 2542] features the No. 3 hit single Ain't No Love (Ain't No Use) by Sub Sub and the Bernard Sumner remix of Beat Club's Security plus 11 other cuts.

The album is out on LTM on 26 April 2010.

Tracklisting

1. Sub Sub - Ain't No Love (Ain't No Use) [2.47]
2. Beat Club - Security (Sumner Remix) [5.54]
3. A Certain Ratio - 27 Forever (Jon Dasilva Fix Mix) [5.57]
4. Spacer IV - Sirocco [7.35]
5. Strangebrew - Sky Life [7.01]
6. Roy Davis Jnr & Jay Juniel - Egyptian Jazz [4.08]
7. J-Walk - Buggin' Becky (Balihu Remix) [5.50]
8. Mr Scruff - Chicken in a Box [8.25]
9. Anambi - Our Love Climbs Higher (Extended Mix) [6.50]
10. Rack-It! - Tarantella Ritual [5.47]
11. Digital Justice - Theme From It's All Gone Pear Shaped [7.01]
12. A Certain Ratio - Listen to the Sound [4.59]
13. Sub Sub - Inside of This [4.58]

The 77 minute remastered CD covers the years 1990-1999 and features a detailed label history and archive images.

Labels: 52nd_Street, A_Certain_Ratio, Auteur_Labels, Factory_Records, Joy_Division, Marcel_King, New_Order, Quando_Quango, Section_25

The Wake have just been confirmed for the final day of the four-day London Popfest 2010 at The Lexington, Islington, London on Sunday 28 February 2010.

The Wake recently broke a long live silence with a stunning set at A Factory Night (And then again) at Plan K in Brussels.

Second-on-the-bill Horse Shoes feature a member of The Drums (who were recently seen taking the stage for an impromptu set at FAC 251 The Factory late on Saturday night). Both The Drums and Horse Shoes cite The Wake as a major influence.

Please note that this is an early show with the doors opening at 3pm.

--

Fortuna Pop!, WIAIWYA and Spiral Scratch presents:

London Popfest

The Wake
Horse Shoes
White Town
Leaving Mornington Crescent

from 3pm on Sunday 28 February 2010
The Lexington
96-98 Pentonville Road
London
N1 9JB

Tickets £8

www.wegottickets.com
www.londonpopfest.com

Labels: FAC251_The_Factory, The_Wake

The second single by Bad Lieutenant, Twist Of Fate, will be released in the UK on 22 March 2010 (23 March in the US). This coincides with a March UK mini-tour and rescheduled dates in the USA in April to replace those previously cancelled in New York and Chicago with the addition of new dates in San Francisco and the Coachella music festival.

March

Mon 15 - Leadmill, Sheffield
Tue 16 - Garage, Glasgow
Thu 18 - Electric Ballroom, London
Sat 20 - 53 Degrees, Preston
Sun 21 - Masque, Liverpool

[Tickets available from SeeTickets, Ticketmaster, and other outlets.

April

Fri 16 - Regency Ballroom, San Francisco, CA [on sale Sun 14 Feb]
Sat 17 - Coachella Valley Music & Arts Festival, Indio, CA [tickets on sale now]
Mon 19 - Park West, Chicago, IL [on sale Sat 13 Feb]
Wed 21 - Webster Hall, New York, NY [on sale Fri 12 Feb]

A short statement from Bernard Sumner on badlieutenant.net (which is now fully launched) reads:

"As promised we are coming to the U.S. to play our re-scheduled dates in Chicago and New York with the addition of the Coachella Festival and a concert in San Francisco. We are really looking forward to playing our songs live for our fans in the U.S. It's been some quite time since I have played in America, and we are all very excited about the prospect."

Labels: Bad_Lieutenant

Manchester has always had its fair share of 'I was there' moments, and Friday night's (re)opening of FAC251 barged its way, ceremoniously, onto the list.

Any sense of Hacienda-vu - the opening was delayed whilst the builders finished building, the upper floors smelled of paint (some of it still wet), the fire alarm went off and that photo of Tony Wilson hangs above the reception desk - was quickly dispelled as Hooky took to the centre of the stage and, proudly wearing his (and Wilson's) heart - We made HISTORY not money - on his t-shirt, announced: "It's my club and i'll do whatever the f*ck I want!".

He then proceeded to do just that.

During an hour long, free and easy set that included Warsaw, Joy Division, New Order, Monaco and Freebass: Howard 'Mr Nice' Marks ranted, Mani played bass, Hooky played bass, Hooky's son played bass, Rowetta sang Atmosphere, Rowetta sang Insight, unfinished Joy Division and New Order tunes were finished, H air-punched, whooped, sang the wrong verses, paused mid-tune to get his breath back, and generally had the time of his life whilst co-lessor (?) Aaron Mellor stood transfixed at the rear of the stage, clearly loving every minute.

But one event - probably lost on all but the very few who were present at the opening night of the original Charles Street folly - confined the ghosts of how not to run a club to history.

Twenty years ago guests were summonsed by an invitation that consisted of a CD case bearing the axionometric diagram of the building on the cover. In true Factory style somebody forgot to hand out the contents - FACD 251 - on the night.

On Friday, though, VIP (or VASTLY INFLATED PERSONA according to their wristbands) guests were treated to a small gift: a CD case with an identical cover, this time complete with an actual CD.

A cheeky wink to the past indeed. But what of the future?

FAC251 The Factory could be a very interesting proposition: name any band in the world that would turn down an invitation to play in Peter Hook's front room. The fully northern alt-Ronnie Scott's.

Labels: FAC251_The_Factory, FAC51_The_Hacienda, Joy_Division, Monaco, New_Order, Peter_Hook, T-Shirt, Tony_Wilson

Ceremony, a double album of New Order covers, will be released on 20 February 2010 to celebrate what would have been Tony Wilson's 60th Birthday.

A portion of the proceeds from album sales will benefit the Salford Foundation Trust's Tony Wilson Awards, established in his memory. The trust benefits children and young people who can demonstrate a special talent or ambition in the arts or creative skills. Since Ceremony will benefit talented young people, a special version of Ceremony on the album is performed by children to show an example of those who have the opportunity of music in their life.

The deluxe 2CD album has 32 tracks from artists across the musical spectrum and from around the USA and Europe, all of whom have been influenced by New Order including Detachments, Rabbit In The Moon, John Ralston, Sunbears!, The Cloud Room, GD Luxxe, The Dark Romantics, Pocket, Light Yourself On Fire, XOXO, Kites With Lights and many more! Peter Hook also contributes a lead-off dedication to AHW.

The package is rounded off with photos of New Order by Kevin Cummins and a rare image of Tony Wilson taken just before he announced his illness, taken by Katja Ruge.

For more info and to purchase the 2CD edition go to NewOrderTribute.com.

Tracklisting

Disc One

1. Strangely Enough Impact - Peter Hook (A Dedication to Tony Wilson)
2. Ceremony - Yes But No
3. Dream Attack - Kites With Lights
4. Blue Monday - Rabbit In The Moon
5. Crystal - The Dark Romantics
6. Sub-culture - Pocket feat. Shaun Robinson & Tracy Shedd
7. World - Solo Gigolos UK
8. Turn - Lone Wolf feat. Geri X
9. Mr Disco - Detachments
10. Paradise - The Beauvilles
11. Run - Christian Webb & Adam Knowles
12. Thieves Like Us - Sunbears!
13. 60 Miles An Hour - GD Luxxe
14. Love Vigilantes - Jimmy Oakes
15. All Day Long - John Ralston
16. Temptation - The Dark Esquire
17. The Him - Johnny Parry

Disc Two

1. As It Is When It Was - The Bedford Incident
2. Round & Round - Sibling
3. The Perfect Kiss - Detachments
4. Your Silent Face - Flight
5. This Time Of Night - Kingsbury
6. Blue Monday - The Cloud Room
7. Ceremony - The Sheaks
8. Sunrise - History
9. Chosen Time - Light Yourself On Fire
10. Leave Me Alone - Allegra Gellar
11. Every Little Counts - XOXO
12. Bizarre Love Triangle - Jimmy Oakes
13. Regret - Win Win Winter
14. 1963 - The Milling Gowns
15. Ceremony (Kites With Lights Remix) - Yes But No

Two additional collections of songs will be available as digital download albums released in support of this package: Ceremony - The Digital Album - 16 additional covers which do not appear on the CD set, and Twelve Versions of Ceremony - comprised entirely of versions of New Order's first single Ceremony.

The digital download version of this release and the two additional collections will be available at iTunes, Emusic, Amazon, Rhapsody & all other digital outlets to commemorate Tony Wilson's Birthday.

The CD version will be available from MVD Distribution and other good music retailers from 9 March 2010.

Labels: A_Certain_Ratio, Kevin_Cummins, New_Order, Peter_Hook, Tony_Wilson

Ben Kelly will give a talk in Glasgow on 5 March alongside a revival (with added Rural Studies) of the International Orange exhibition shown in Kingston in 2008.

Whilst it seems the talk will concentrate the output of Ben Kelly Design, the exhibition, as before, will show off his solo work and collaborations.

--

Architecture Friday Lecture Series - Ben Kelly
Hosted by Glasgow School of Art's School of Design
5 March 2010
11am
Glasgow Film Theatre

International Orange & Rural Studies
Mackintosh Gallery
The Glasgow School of Art

6 March – 3 April 2010

Labels: Ben_Kelly

Cath Carroll discusses the long-lost Factory Records album by Miaow in the Padcast #18.

Cath talks about Miaow and the release of Priceless Restoration, a cassette containing the 1987 demos of "Priceless Innuendo" in 1987, on Lilypad Records this Valentine's Day.

Miaow released two singles on Factory, FAC 179 When It All Comes Down and FAC 189 Break The Code, but split before they could record the album which had got to the stage of being assigned a FAC number (210) and the working title Priceless Innuendos. A further single, Marry Me Dusty (Springfield) was also slated to come out as FAC 209. Cath explains that this track dates from an even earlier session than the bulk of the Priceless tracks. Of course, FACT 210 eventually came out as the Cath Carroll solo album, England Made Me.

Labels: Factory_Records, Miaow

Two of Mark Reeder's remixes for the Bad Lieutenant single Sink or Swim will be released digitally via iTunes and other download outlets on Monday 22 February 2010.

In addition, Mark has made a special 5.1 video mix of his Rettungsring remix to accompany a new video cut by director Robert Kind. This will also be out for download soon.

Mark has been invited to exhibit a selection of his photos of Ian Curtis at the forthcoming Macclesfield Ian Curtis exhibition (we await further details on that one).

Finally, and away from the FAC world this time, Mr Reeder is currently remixing Underpass for John Foxx and you can expect a 5.1 mix of that too.

Labels: Bad_Lieutenant, Macclesfield, Mark_Reeder

The NME reports on the reformation of Black Grape for a gig at The Coronet in London on 1 April 2010 (as part of Get Loaded in The Dark).

According to Shaun Ryder "It's great, it's interesting, it's part two. I've had a break and now I'm back to do it. Danny Saber and I have a great working relationship and the time is right." Rapper Kermit is also on board.

Labels: Black_Grape

The Royal Family and The Poor's new album The Pope's Daughter will be available in May 2010 from New Art Editions.

The album contains a live version of Art on 45 (Liverpool 1982) and recent tracks New Babylon, War Film, Classicism and Beneath A Gothic Moon. The price is 10.00 GBP.

Fans can go to Saatchi Online magazine to Put Downs and Suck Ups by Matthew Collings for recent thinking at readers comments from October 2009 to - January 2010.

New Art Editions
PO Box 1111
Newcastle upon Tyne
NE99 4YU
UK

With thanks to Arthur on the Cerysmatic Factory Message Board.

Labels: The_Royal_Family_And_The_Poor

News in from our friends at section25.com:

Addition of new technology to an older system

The band are currently working at West Orange Studios and are about 75% through recording and mixing Retrofit. Like Ridley Scott’s transformation of the Warners backlot for Blade Runner, Retrofit signposts a glittering if slightly grubby neon techno future for Section 25. The band plan to have the project, a collection of 10 re-recorded, re-mixed, re-nourished and re-imagined songs, finished in March. To be released by LTM in May and coinciding with some selected live appearances.

Labels: Section_25

A Certain Ratio play a special benefit gig for the Children's Burns Trust on Sunday 7 March 2010 at the Concorde 2 in Brighton. The full line-up with approx stage times is as follows:

17:00-19:00: Phil Speller and Ash Huntington
19:00-19:30: Transformer (live)
19:30-21:00: Justin Robertson
21:00-22:15: A Certain Ratio
22:15-00:00: Danny Rampling
00:00-02:00: Steve Mac and Kenny Hawkes

As a special treat for those of a certain age, all the DJs will be playing old school house sets, circa 86-91.

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Concorde 2
Madeira Drive
Brighton
East Sussex

Labels: A_Certain_Ratio

Check out Shug Sludden's new FAC 383v video blog which he describes in his own inimitable fashion as "a tribute to Joy Division / New Order and the idea is to let fans who haven't seen any of this stuff or have long lost their videos to finally see the stuff which is a bastard to track down."

For more in this vein check out the recent New Order live video page which Cerysmatic produced in collaboration with Shug.

Labels: Joy_Division, New_Order

Whereas the opening night of FAC 251 The Factory features Manchester's Old Guard, night two opens the platform to New Mancunia with three of the hottest bands right here right now:

FAC 251 presents

The Whip LIVE
with support from Lonelady / MAY68

Sat 6 Feb
7:30pm

Tickets on sale at www.FactoryManchester.com from 12 Noon Monday 1 Feb 2010

Advance tickets 9.00 GBP +booking fee (includes free entry into clubnight after featuring Stonelove vs Hacienda Presents with DJ sets from Hooky & Shaun Ryder)

Remember to register online at www.FactoryManchester.com for all the latest info on more secret gigs like these.

Labels: FAC251_The_Factory, FAC51_The_Hacienda

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