27 Sept 2013
Section 25 live @ Islington Mill 19 October 
Machination Nation @ Islington Mill 19 Oct

A reminder that Section 25 play at an aural / visual / post-punk / electronic / dance event at Islington Mill in Salford on 19 October (8pm to 2am). Support comes from As Able As Kane, MC Tunes and Mouseybrown.

If you're in Manchester, tickets are available from Vinyl Revival on Hilton Street and also via Skiddle priced from 7.00 GBP.

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26 Sept 2013
Facs In The Attic Part 2 
And so we continue with our trawl through the Factory rarities in order to dig out some valuables, some to be found in the unlikeliest of places. All prices are extracted from the 2014 Record Collector Guide, some eager Discogs listings and my own experiences.

Wim Mertens

Educes Me

Take one Belgian neo-classical composer and two simultaneously issued albums (on Les Disques Du Crepuscule), switch the logos and alter the labels and what happens? Er, very little. By the time Factory got its act together and added them to its catalogue, both Educes Me (FACT 190) and the soundtrack to the heavy Peter Greenaway art-house film Belly Of An Architect (FACT 195) had already sold as many copies as they could muster a few months earlier. To be fair, Belly did fairly well and shifted a few units off the back of the film's VHS release (on Palace, sigh) and via continued interest in Greenaway's work. Educes Me, on the other hand, didn't exactly benefit from being on Factory but it did get a curious re-release as a boxed-cassette. If you happen to have such an item - smartly packaged in a bright yellow hue with a colourful inlay booklet - then have a seat. Record Collector valuations clock in at an eye-watering £200. For a tape. No, really. Check out our Wim Mertens discography to feast your eyes on his other work (much of which fetches serious money - see Part 3 of our Facs In The Attic series).

Various Artists

A Factory Sample

Inevitably, that most frequent purveyor of releases comes up trumps when it comes to Factory valuables. Various Artists releases include the A Factory Quartet double-album (FACT 24 - £20), the Palatine box-set (FACT 400 - £40 to £100), particularly the vinyl and CD sets and two curios that don't feature in the RC book of dreams. The first is the 4 x 12" promo pack which has no number but comes loosely-housed in a PVC sleeve with each track's BPMs helpfully printed on it, plus four white-label copies of Pleasure Crew's I Could Be So Good For You (FAC 169), Fadela's N'Sel Fik (FAC 197 - worth a tenner on its own), The Hood's Salvation (FAC 182) and Meatmouth's Meatmouth Is Murder (FAC 196). I'd estimate a £15 price-tag, partly for at least two of the enclosed records but also for the attractive Johnson Panas sleeve. The second is Martin (FACD 325), a collection of Hannett's finest production work including Joy Division, U2 and A Certain Ratio etc.. I'd pitch this at £15 to £20 all day long for the CD and vinyl.

All of which is peanuts when compared to A Factory Sample. FAC 2 was the first release on the label, came packaged in expensive polythene outers, bolstered by some natty stickers and four sides of music. No wonder it's valued from around the £200 mark. Without the stickers, it's probably worth £100 - £125 and with a scruffy sleeve minus the polythene, around half that again.

The Wake

Harmony

Before jumping the sinking Factory ferry and high-tailing it to the Sarah label, Glasgow's The Wake released some of the most beautiful songs to ever grace the label. Vinyl copies of debut-album Harmony (FACT 60) and gorgeous (and delayed) follow-up Here Comes Everybody (FACT 130) command around £20 - £25 each, although the former has just been exquisitely reissued as a double-vinyl version on Factory Benelux which may or may not have an effect on prices. The band's singles aren't too hard to come by although the 7" of Talk About The Past (FAC 88) is trickier to track down (£8).

Stockholm Monsters

Happy Ever After

This under-rated outfit feature in this article due to their two earlier singles, Fairy Tales (FAC 41) and Happy Ever After (FAC 58), both capable of reaching £15 in top condition. There are two different-coloured sleeves for Fairy Tales, a burgundy and a green one, both as easy (or as hard) to find as each other. The band's only album, Alma Mater (FACT 80) is worth £10 of anyone's money, while their superb Partyline 12" (FAC 146) might scrape a few quid less (a travesty) with 7" test pressings doubling the price.

The best of the rest

Electricity

Dolphin's Spurt

Loved It

In no particular order are just some of the other least likely (and most probable) rarities worth seeking out.
The braille sleeved Electricity (FAC 6) by OMD - £60
The only Distractions single on Factory (FAC 12) - £15
The first (and only) reggae 12" by X-O-Dus (FAC 11) - £15
That infamous Sex Pistols cassette (with gold tape, pouch and card) (FACT 30) - £20 - £50
The one and only ESG 7" (FAC 34) - £30
The majestic Nightshift by The Names (FAC 29) - £15
The white vinyl John Dowie 7" with feather (!) (FAC 19) - £15
The two Dutch masters by Minnypops, Secret Story (FAC 57) and Dolphin's Spurt (FAC 31) - £12
The cassette version of Pigs and Battleships by Quando Quango (FAC 110c) - £18
The rare as hen's teeth CD promo and invite of The Other Two's Loved It (FACD 251) - £25 to £40
The first James single Jimone (FAC 78) - £12
The stand-alone Thick Pigeon album (FACT 85) - £40
The sleazy Crawling Chaos 7" Sex Machine (FAC 17) - £20
and the under-rated Chicken Rhythms by Northside on vinyl (FACT 310) - £12

Thanks to Record Collector and Discogs for prices.

Part 3 will feature rarities recorded by Factory artists and issued on Factory Benelux and Les Disques du Crepuscule.

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25 Sept 2013
Peter Hook prepares for autumn 2013 UK Tour 
Peter Hook tour flyer

The ever-busy bassist has been busy touring the U.S. with complete renditions of the first two New Order albums, Movement and Power, Corruption and Lies. On his return to these shores in the autumn, much to the delight of those who missed his earlier gigs featuring these two classics, Peter Hook and the Light will embark on a UK tour performing the very same albums, as well as b-sides and singles from the era.

Liverpool will be the first stop on 24th October, followed by Leeds, Colchester and several more before finishing up in Belfast on 23rd November.

Tickets are on sale now from usual outlets including Allgigs here

You can read the (enthusiastic) review of Peter Hook's January show at Manchester Cathedral here 

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Facs In The Attic Part 1 
Interest in antiques and collectables is currently experiencing something of a renaissance - blame the TV all you want but the Bargain Hunts, Flog Its and Antiques Roadshows of this world have all inspired many of us to reassess our prized possessions with a little more confidence, as opposed to slinging our 'tat' out with the week's rubbish.

Yet to appear on any of these shows are Factory Records collectables, although the nearest related item recently presented for valuation was on the ubiquitous Antiques Roadshow - a copy of Sex Pistols' God Save The Queen included in a 'guess the value' spot that garnered a nervous cough from Fiona Bruce when it was revealed that the rare 7" was worth over £10,000.

Sadly (or perhaps, happily), nothing on Factory commands such sums but there are a few treasures to be found. Here's our guide to the most valuable items to be found christened with a FAC or FACT number. We haven't included any posters, videos, egg-timers, bits of the Hacienda floor, Peter Hook's plectrums or anything else non-audio. Most of the items mentioned are worth more than £10 in mint or near-mint condition (that's minus fingerprints and without half the sleeve being used for illicit drug use), according to Record Collector and the Discogs* website.

Factory Benelux and Les Disques du Crepuscule rarities by Factory artists will be looked at a later date. So, without further ado and in no particular order...

Joy Division

Joy Division's Still

Arguably the label's most revered band, JD may have sold thousands of records over the years but many are worth a decent amount. The big hitters include the first vinyl pressings of Unknown Pleasures (FACT 10) with its textured inner and outer sleeves (£50), the original hessian double-vinyl edition of Still (FACT 40) at £70 and all three of the band's albums in those lovely purple cassette boxes, valued at approximately £35 a pop. Not surprisingly, Love Will Tear Us Apart doesn't represent a rare item since it's sold shed-loads in numerous formats since its 1980 release. However, there's a respectable £8-£10 price tag on the original 12" (FAC23-12).

New Order

New Order's Xmas Flexi

As with Joy Division, New Order's catalogue has been immensely popular over the years and isn't as rare as you may think. But dig deep and you'll unearth a few pricey gems. CD video collectors will be aware of the band's foray into this maligned format, namely Blue Monday '88 (FACDV 73R) and True Faith (FACDV 183), both of which command £50 or £30 respectively, the metallic CD edition of the Brotherhood album (FACD150SP) comes in at £25 and the rare 7" version of Thieves Like Us (in a turquoise generic bag - FAC 103) warrants a spend of £15. Vinyl editions of all of their Factory albums pitch in at around the £15 - £25 with Substance (FACT 200) worth around £30. The aforementioned boxed-cassette albums are also worth in excess of £15. Our image above depicts the hard-to-find Christmas flexi-disc (FAC51b) - provided you haven't sat on it or played it more than once, you'll be hard-pressed to find one for less than £20 these days. Blue Monday on vinyl is a priceless record that will fetch you a tenner if you've a copy in mint condition with the die-cut sleeve and silver inner, otherwise it's a fiver at most.

Durutti Column

The Durutti Column's Vini Reilly

Vini Reilly's elegiac history is also worth collecting, especially earlier vinyl releases. The infamous Return of the Durutti Column album (FACT 14) was initially housed in a collection-wrecking sandpaper sleeve and came with a flexi-disc featuring producer Martin Hannett instrumentals. Complete and original pressings can be worth anything from £200 a go, such is their rarity value. A proposed replica re-issue by Factory Benelux in the coming months will do little to bring this price down but it should make availability of an incredible piece of art all the more easier. DC's other money-spinners include all of the boxed-cassette albums at around £35 each and the super Vini Reilly album (FACT 244) with the bonus Steven and Vini 7" (or CD, depending on format), priced at a healthy £45 complete.

Section 25

Section 25's rare Girls Don't Count 7

Blackpool's finest are no strangers to expensive valuations either. Their debut-single Girls Don't Count (FAC 18), produced by Ian Curtis, is a great place to start - the easier-to-find 12" (with three different sleeves) can fetch £15 upwards while the tracing-paper housed 7" edition is worth around £25 in a downwind. But it's the band's albums that strike gold. Always Now (FACT 45, with the poster) and From The Hip (FACT 90, with orange inner sleeve) can raise over £25 each, while both boxed-cassette album versions are a heady £80 - £100! Section 25's last Factory album Love and Hate (FACT 160) is keenly priced from £18 by Record Collector, although the same magazine has omitted the band's landmark 12" Looking From a Hilltop (FAC 108) - I've seen copies on sale from £10 upwards.

A Certain Ratio

A Certain Ratio's Graveyard tape

The first outfit to release a single on Factory, A Certain Ratio's rarities a little more modest in price than most but there are plenty of them. A sticker bearing the legend 'pressed on poor quality vinyl' is enough to have purchasers running for the hills but ACR's All Night Party 7" (FAC 5) bears the very same wording on its sleeve, making it something of a collectable at £25. The band's next release is also worth a few quid, namely The Graveyard and the Ballroom (FACT 16C). The original came packaged in a PVC style wallet with a card insert and fetches anything from £20 upwards. Rather rarer is the boxed-cassette version that appeared a few years later, along with reissues of The Old and the New (FAC 135c) and Force (FAC 166c), all of which can earn you £25 each. Finally, absent from Record Collector's latest guide, due to them being overseas pressings, are The Double Twelve Inch (FAC 42 - contains Flight and Do The Du 12" together in a gatefold sleeve) and the Australian 12" release of Bootsy (FAC 166-12). Both are currently on sale at around £12.

Happy Mondays

Happy Mondays' Delightful debut

And finally in our first instalment of Facs In The Attic, Happy Mondays. As with New Order and Joy Division, the Mondays shipped a fair few units in their time but were initially an unknown force, hence the decent earners from the first half of their career. Debut single Delightful (FAC 129) is understandably collectable and fairly difficult to find in decent condition (or in any quantity outside of the North West). Expect to fork out £10 upwards for a decent copy (RC keenly aims for a £40 price-tag!). Their first album Squirrel and G-Man (FACT 170) is collectable on both vinyl and cassette formats - the former should come in a PVC outer-sleeve with the album's title printed on it and the Beatles-sampling (and withdrawn) track Desmond included (£25). The boxed-cassette version, with or without Desmond, can command over £30. If you own a UK copy of the Pills Thrills and Bellyaches album (FACT 320) with its withdrawn 'sweets' sleeve, you'll be justified in flogging it for £20.

Next time, in part 2 of Facs In The Attic, we study the acts with smaller catalogues, the one-offs and the unlikeliest of rarities.

(* Discogs is a catalogue listing site with an active marketplace for music formats - prices can be, er, ambitious. Cerysmatic holds no responsibility for anyone paying £500 for an Adventure Babies white label).

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23 Sept 2013
ESG plan bedtime KOKO for 2014 
ESG

One of the first acts to ever grace the stage at the legendary Hacienda and the first American act to 'sign' for Factory Records have announced a European exclusive!

ESG, who regrouped a few years back, will return with a special one-off show at London's KOKO venue on Friday 17th January 2014. The band is currently celebrating its 35th anniversary since forming in 1978.

A tightly-knit family unit of minimalist new-wave funk and bass-heavy party-soul, Emerald, Sapphire and Gold initially hooked up with Factory producer Martin Hannett during his short spell in New York producing A Certain Ratio's To Each in 1980. Despite not being surrounded by his usual technology and 'toys', Hannett helped the sisters create one of hip-hop's most sampled EPs, You're No Good, and in particular the flipside of FAC 34 UFO, which remains a key component of many a homeboy's crate to this day.

Tickets for this rare show are on sale now and you can pick them up via Allgigs here, priced from £22.50. You can expect You're No Good, UFO, Moody and other classics from the past and the present to lift the roof off Camden's KOKO in typical South Bronx party style.

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22 Sept 2013
K-Klass 25 Club Anthems album out now 
K Klass

Originally from North Wales and one of the key acts associated with the heady days (daze) of the Hacienda, K-Klass turn 25 years old this year and to celebrate New State Music have commissioned 31 of their most renowned tracks for a career-spanning double-CD and download compilation.

Entitled K-Klass 25 - 25 Years Of K-Klass Club Anthems, the two discs gather self-penned classics such as Rhythm Is A Mystery, Let Me Show You and Pianone, as well as their revered remixes of Rays Of The Rising Sun by A Certain Ratio's Denise Johnson, Two Can Play That Game by Bobby Brown, Apparently Nothin' by Carleen Anderson and many more.

To experience that glorious feeling of throwing shapes and raising your hands to the lazers, try heading to your nearest music shop (or Amazon).

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21 Sept 2013
ACR to headline Blackpool Alfresco 2014 
A Certain Ratio

As mentioned briefly in our recent Always New Section 25 article, Blackpool's Cricket Club in Stanley Park will host the fourth instalment of the family-orientated Alfresco festival on Sunday 25 May 2014. As the name suggests, it's an outdoor event with plenty of activities to keep all ages happy including music (lots of it) via acts and DJs and various activities for the kids.

"This year there will be more stages including an all day disco marquee, more acts and more entertainment for children. We are hoping to attract 4000 people inc children and that will be a cut off for this event. We really want this to be the main event on the Fylde summer calendar showcasing music and art.."

Headlining will be A Certain Ratio with Factory chums Section 25 also performing live as well as Mr Scruff and Andrew Weatherall, who will perform an 'anything goes DJ set'. More entertainment will be announced in due course.

Tickets are available from Cowbell Radio priced from £10 upwards, various options available, including a £20 Access All Areas that entitles you to admission to the exclusive afterparty (limited to 300).

Back in July, Factory Benelux reissued the 1982 A Certain Ratio album I'd Like To See You Again (FBN 17 CD) with extra tracks that included the epic 12" version of Knife Slits Water as well as the original owner of the FBN 17 catalogue number, the single Guess Who.

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20 Sept 2013
Always New - Section 25's latest activities 
Following on from our recent piece on Section 25's prolific spell of activity, we take a more detailed look at the band's most recent releases, re-releases and remixes from the past year or so, as well as a quick glance at their upcoming gigs, one of which might be of interest to Factory fans next year!

Section 25's Dark Light

Dark Light CD/download

Released early 2013, Dark Light is the band's seventh studio album 'proper' and their first since 2009's Nature and Degree (also their first without founder Larry Cassidy). By turns forward-thinking with its electronics and feminine vocals, courtesy of Bethany and Jo, yet still harbouring attitude and awareness reminiscent of earlier material, DL comes decorated in a fresh new Peter Saville sleeve and heralds something of a new chapter in the band's history. For a full review, head to Flipside here

My Outrage 7"

Perhaps the focal point of the band's pristine new album Dark Light was this sprightly pop nugget, selected for a Record Store Day release, back in April. Coupled with an otherwise unreleased instrumental called Hinterland, My Outrage came dressed in a variant of the smart Peter Saville sleeve designed for its bigger brother/sister. There may be a few copies left for a fiver - more details here

From The Hip vinyl

Summer 2012 saw a double vinyl issue appear on the resurrected Factory Records, dressed smartly in its original Peter Saville sleeve and sporting a sticker declaring the inclusion of a bonus 12". This extra slab of plastic includes the original Megamix version of Looking From a Hilltop from Fac 108 and a much-fancied remix of the same tune (re-titled as Another Hilltop) by New Order's Stephen Morris. A worthy reissue and well worth seeking out.

Love and Hate CD

Love and Hate CD

Previously issued on CD by LTM, its newly refurbished cousin Factory Benelux dusted down this under-rated set by sprucing it up with some natty extras. As well as the main album re-assembled back into its original running order, you get both sides of Bad News Week (FAC 157), 'retro' mixes of Warhead and the previously unrecorded Boogie Beat and two tracks from the Factory Benelux EP, Crazy Wisdom. Buy it from FBN direct and you get an exclusive slipcase sleeve.

Split 12" with Stereograph

American electro stalwarts met Blackpool, er,  electro stalwarts for this split coloured-vinyl 12" single, housed in a die-cut sleeve in a limited run of just 500 copies. Section 25's offerings were hard-to-find dubs of Colour Movement Sex and Violence and Inner Drive - you also get a download code to preserve your precious wax. There are still copies left at Phaneron Records direct for 10 bucks plus postage.

Invicta Max 10"

Expanding on the earlier 2011 download release on Hacienda Records, this clear-vinyl 10" on Minimal Maximal took the Invicta EP to the Max by adding two more titles to the running order, namely a double-whammy of remixes of the previously unrecorded Microgroove. Absolute Body Control lent their industrial chops for one version and very good it is too. Even rarer than the split Stereograph single, only 400 copies were pressed up. If you want a copy of MM011, you should try Daft Records in the first instance.

Eigengrau CD

Eigengrau remix album

Following on from the band's own collection of reinterpreted favourites, this collection from Austria's Klanggalerie imprint featured third-party remixes of classics such as Dirty Disco, Beating Heart, Girls Don't Count and The Process, as well as adding another reworking of Looking From a Hilltop. A stellar cast of mainly electro or industrial remixers includes Cabaret Voltaire's Stephen Mallinder, Zoviet France, 23 Skidoo, Renaldo and the Loaf and Absolute Body Control. After reading the Flipside review, you should nip over to LTM to grab a copy - it's rather good.

The Post Romantic Empire album

Now this IS a grand project and no mistake. Both Vincent and Larry Cassidy can be heard on two atmospheric versions of Love Will Tear Us Apart - the former contributes drums to the first version while Larry's last ever recording, a spoken word recital of Ian Curtis' lyrics, has been interwoven with music provided by Peter Hook, Nat Wason (Haven, The Light) and Eliot Bates. The rest of the limited hand-produced vinyl-album includes equally expressive contributions by David Tibet, Annabella Lwin, Little Annie and several others. More details can be found on the PRE website.

And that's not all - a 2 x CD deluxe reissue of From The Hip has been earmarked for a 2014 release on Factory Benelux - more on this new exciting release of FBN33 to follow...

Gigs:

Section 25 have announced a veritable smorgasbord of shows during 2013 and 2014. Here's our handy guide - tickets subject to availability.

Machinenation Nation

Islington Mill, Salford on 19 October

First up is the much-anticipated Machination Nation event at Islington Mill on 19 October. On the bill with S25 are AAAK, otherwise known as As Able As Kane, plus DJ slots from MC Tunes, Chewdisco and Mouseybrown. Head to Allgigs for tickets (Early Birds have all gone, still a few standard entry tickets left though).

Germany - Cologne at the Blue Shell, Luxemburger Strasse 32 on 6 December

Austria - Vienna at the Fluc, Praterstern 5 on 8th December

Blackpool County Cricket Ground, Blackpool on 25th May 2014

The band will play at the fourth instalment of Alfresco alongside Factory label-mates A Certain Ratio, plus a nifty line-up that includes Mr Scruff, Andrew Weatherall and more. Tickets from Cowbell Radio direct, priced from £10 upwards.

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18 Sept 2013
The flipside of Cerysmatic 
Cerysmatic is off on holiday but Paul Pledger who you may know from the excellent Flipside Reviews is going to mind the shop for a while. Paul is a long-time associate of ours and has contributed in the past, most recently on the Wim Mertens discography. He also wrote some of the band profiles for the Factory Records Catalogue.

Over to you Paul.

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7 Sept 2013
Stephen Wright: The Smiths and Friends 
Stephen Wright: The Smiths and Friends

An exhibition of the photographs of Stephen Wright who is famed for his iconic images of The Smiths, New Order, Tony Wilson and Vini Reilly and many others has a solo exhibition at Norden Farm Centre for the Arts in Maidenhead from 9-29 September 2013.

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2 Sept 2013
The Record Peddler's Factory Video Guide Pt 3 
The final part of our guide to Factory Records promo videos with Mark @ The Record Peddler concludes with Fac numbers from 300 to the end plus a few bonus items.

Fac 302: Happy Mondays – Kinky Afro

This tape comes in a blue plastic box with a Factory TM black and white promotional cover which has Artist: Happy Mondays, Title: Kinky Afro, Release:8/10/90, Fac No: Fac 302 partly printed and partly handwritten A Signal Vision Typed label is on the tape. The full video starts from a black screen and features the band miming to the track in a TV studio setting with a group of female models dancing top of the pops style. The picture fades to black before the outro ends and the legend 'C Factory Communications Ltd 1990 appears at the bottom of the screen and fades to black. The full video lasts for 4mins 10secs.

Fac 306: Steve Martland - The World Is In Heaven

This tape comes in a blue plastic box with a Factory TM black and white promotional cover which has Artist: Steve Martland, Title: The world is in heaven, Planned Release: Is left blank, Fac No: Fac 306 partly printed and partly handwritten. A Signal Vision Typed label is on the tape.

The full video starts from a black screen and features a montage of scenes of the artist singing and posing, a ranting and raving man, street scenes, a scrap yard and an area of demolition etc. etc.

The video fades to black at the end and the legend 'C Factory Communications Ltd 1990' appears across the centre of the screen and fades to black. The full video lasts 4 mins 19 secs.

Fac 307: Cath Carroll – Moves Like You

This tape comes in a black plastic box with a Factory TM black and white promotional cover which has Artist: Cath Carroll, Title: Moves Like You, Planned Release: 5/8/91, Fac No: Fac 307 partly printed and partly handwritten A Signal Vision Typed label is on the tape.

The full video starts from a black screen and features a montage of scenes with Cath lip synching on a bed, in a canteen, on the streets. This is interspersed with flashing images of Cath dancing, fingers with flames coming from the fingertips etc.

The video fades to black at the end and the legend 'c Factory Records 1991' appears across the bottom of the screen accompanied by a flashing animated image. The full video lasts 4mins 20 secs.

Fac 308: Northside – Take Five

This tape comes in a black plastic box with a Factory TM black and white promotional cover which has Artist: Northside, Title: Take 5, Planned Release: 25th May1991, Fac No: Fac 308 partly printed and partly handwritten A Signal Vision Typed label is on the tape, which states that this is a 'C Format' version. The full video starts from a black screen and features the band miming to the track on a stage like setting, with newsreel footage projected onto the wall behind the band as a backdrop. The video fades to black before the legend 'C Factory Communications Ltd 1991', the full video lasts 3mins 17secs.

Fac 312: Happy Mondays – Loose Fit

This tape comes in a blue plastic box with a Factory TM black and white promotional cover which has Artist: Happy Mondays, Title: Loose Fit, Planned Release: 25 Feb '91, Fac No: Fac 312 partly printed and partly handwritten A Signal Vision Typed label is on the tape.

The video starts from a black screen and is an amalgamation of three different versions of the band miming to the backing track. The first is the band in a studio under electric white light, the second with more subdued red lighting and a naked flame backdrop. The flame occasionally flares up. The third scenario of the band miming sees the band members wearing long haired wigs ranging from Shaun as a Blonde (possibly with pink lipstick) and others in pony tails!!

The video footage continues for a few seconds after the music track finishes. This fades to black and is replaced by the legend 'C Factory Records 1991' across the bottom of the screen. The whole video lasts 4mins 8 secs.

Fac 313/400: Joy Division – Transmission Film

This tape comes in a black plastic box with a Factory TM black and white promotional cover which has Artist: Joy Division, Title: Transmission, Planned Release: Nov 91, Fac No: Fac 400 partly printed and partly handwritten. There is no label on the tape itself. NOTE that Fac313 was the number allocated to the clip, but 400 was used when released as a promo only tape to the TV stations. The footage starts, from a black screen, with a brief glimpse of people on an escalator whilst the soundtrack to the footage begins. This is due to the production of the original TV show footage. The track fades to black at the end before the music finishes, again, this is due to the following footage on the original show. This is the iconic footage of the band at Granada TV Studio's which was shown on the Television programme 'Something Else', a weekly programme giving viewers an insight into forthcoming events in the Manchester Area. It was fronted by Anthony Wilson. The full length of this video is 3mins 24secs.

Fac 327: Revenge – Deadbeat (From Gun World Porn EP)

This tape comes in a black plastic box with a Factory TM black and white promotional cover which has Artist: Revenge, Title: Deadbeat, Planned Release: 20-1-92, Fac No: Fac 327 partly printed and partly handwritten. A Signal Vision Typed label is on the tape.

The full video starts from a black screen and features footage of the band in black and white and in colour miming to the backing track. There is footage which looks to have been shot in a derelict, crumbling building. This has a female and a female child who play with numerous objects such as a grasshopper on a string, flowers, cakes, dolls etc. There are falling leaves also.

At the end, the video fades to a white screen and then black with the legend 'C Revenge Ltd. The full video lasts 5mins 8secs.

Fac 328: Electronic – Feel Every Beat

This tape comes in a black plastic box with a Factory TM black and white promotional cover which has Artist: Electronic, Title: Feel Every Beat, Planned Release: Sept 9.91, Fac No: Fac 328 partly printed and partly handwritten. A Signal Vision Typed label is on the tape.

The full video starts from a black screen and features a mixture of images in black and white, colour and negative. Bernard and Johnny Marr miming to the soundtrack, running along a corridor, on a rooftop etc. There is footage of people dancing on a dance floor, a person having water poured over their head (made red to look like blood?) images of Rooftops and Buildings, and many flashing images. The video ends and fades to a black screen before the legend 'Copyright 1991 Factory Communications Ltd.' Appears across the bottom. The whole video lasts 4mins 7secs.

Fac 332: Happy Mondays – Judge Fudge

This tape comes in a black plastic box with a Factory TM black and white promotional cover which has Artist: Happy Mondays, Title: Judge Fudge, Planned Release: 18.11.91, Fac No: Fac 332 partly printed and partly handwritten A Signal Vision Typed label is on the tape.

The video starts from a black screen and tells the story of a diamond heist. A truck on a highway has the legend 'Enter Access code... Judge Fudge' in computerised imagery imposed scrolling across the screen. The truck, in the rain, enters a secured area by Shaun cutting the padlock on a gate. The band are shown using torches to enter the building and with acetylene cutting gear to cut into something. Some of the band are wearing masks. This is interspersed with the band on a rooftop miming to the backing track in driving rain. There is a rare sight of Bez miming with a guitar! At times, the Co-operative Bank headquarters 'Pyramid' building can be seen in the background behind the band, suggesting that the outdoor footage was on the roof of a building adjacent to both this building in Stockport and the M60 Motorway. The footage then shows the band in more relaxed surroundings laughing and joking, popping the champagne corks and shows a tray of diamonds. The video is a mixture of black and white and colour.

At the end, the video fades to black and the legend 'C Factory Records 1991' appears across the bottom of the screen. The whole video lasts 4mins 7 secs.

Fac 362: Happy Mondays – Stinkin' Thinkin'

This tape comes in a black plastic box with a Factory TM black and white promotional cover which has Artist: Happy Mondays, Title: Stinkin Thinkin, Planned Release: 7.9.92, Fac No: Fac 362 partly printed and partly handwritten. There is a Signal Vision label on the videotape.

The full video starts from a black screen with a small leaflet floating along a rain filled gutter with the words 'Stinkin Thinkin' in black on green paper. A title 'Your Town' appears across the bottom of the screen. The subject of the video is the band miming to the track in a hotel room with some females dancing. Interspersed are several different scenes, from Bez and Shaun having breakfast in a café, In front of a refuse wagon, with Bez handling a white rat; In phone booths and even Bez dressed in a clowns mask dancing in front of school children and in front of a crowd of people whilst the full band steal a gentleman's document pouch! Bez and Shaun, and Rowetta, in the back of police cars handcuffed, etc. Throughout the video, there are cuts to black and white flashed messages with the words: Your town, Father, Home, God, Me, Mother, Happiness, Love, and Enemy. There are also shots of Photo fit pictures of the band members. The video ends with the rat in the gutter with a green leaflet by a grid; this one says 'Kinky Afro.

This fades to black and the words 'Stinkin' and then 'Thinkin' appear across the screen separately. This then becomes an animated credit s screen with the legends 'A wiz music film, C1992 Factory Communications Limited & Electra Entertainment, A division of Warner Communications Inc, which fades to black. The whole video lasts 4mins 50secs.

Fac 372: Happy Mondays – Sunshine & Love

This tape comes in a black plastic box with no details on the cover. A handwritten label has the legend 'Happy Mondays, Sunshine & Love, Fac 372, 9/11/92 written in black felt-tip pen on a white label. Note that this is as it was delivered to me when first released. This is 100% guaranteed genuine.

The full video starts from a black screen and features live footage of the band on stage with the studio soundtrack overdubbed. The footage is subjected to a number of different treatments, including a graining effect, black and white and colour. There is also footage of the crowd singing along. The video fades to a black screen at the end and the legend 'C Factory Records 1992' appears in pink lettering across the bottom of the screen. The full video lasts 3mins 32secs. However, if the tape is forwarded to around 11 minutes, there is a very brief section of footage from the video followed by a countdown clock with the legend 'happy mondays, "sunshine & love", duration 3min 20sec, date 31.10.92, 3DTV 101, Portland Mews London W1V 3FH Tel 071 439 1119. The whole thing looks like someone in an editing suite has recorded the above running backwards at a high speed as the countdown clock is running in reverse. At around 11mins 23secs, this goes to a black screen and then some standard colour bars appear and are present until about 19.30 seconds of this 20 minute tape. I had several copies of this tape at the time and all had this anomaly.

The Adventure Babies: Winter Plume / Adventure Baby

This is a promo video issued by the band. The tape comes in a black plastic box with a 'Tape to Tape' promotions company black and white cover which has ** The Adventure Babies** "Winter Plume", "Adventure Baby", Management Danny Macintosh 061-953-4088, Video Production Sparky and Chums 081-348-9003, VHS PAL 625 LINE, 139.91. The video tape has a typed label with the legend: The Adventure Babies, "Winter Plume", "Adventure Baby", VHS PAL 625 LINE. The label also has Tape to Tape, 0713710978/9 Fax 071371 9360 printed down the left and right hand sides.

The full video starts from a black screen with Winter Plume first. This is black and white footage of the band, mainly Maxine, miming to the soundtrack. Dry Ice is used and shots of the rest of the band are spliced into the footage, although they are out of synch and probably not playing the same track! There are also occasional shots of the sea on rocks. This track lasts 3mins 7 secs and fades to a black screen. Adventure baby is next. This again is footage of the band, in colour this time. The band are miming to the soundtrack in what could be a studio location. The track is interspersed with historical footage of what I assume is members of the band from 16mm home movies. This shows a baby in a pram, at the seaside on the sand and paddling in the sea, with what could be ice-cream all over its face, and toddling around a garden. This video lasts approximately 2mins 46 secs. The full video runs for from 6mins 33secs from start to end.

New Order: True Faith – Live in Paris 1987

This is from an unknown source and I don't know anything about its legitimacy. The footage seems to be professionally produced, with multi-camera angles, and comes from a gig in Paris on 8th December 1987. The typed insert in the black plastic box lists production as 'Structure Moderne' (which was a video production collective which also produced videos of The Durutti Column live in rehearsal at the Hacienda and Section 25 live in Minneapolis). This is also shown at the end of the track before it fades to black. The tape has a hand-written label on a Fuji tape sticker. At the start, there is a split screen and titles. The full video runs for 5mins 3secs.

New Order: Regret (London Promotions Label, NOT Factory)

This tape comes in a black plastic box with no cover details. The label on the spine of the tape is branded 'Tele Cine' with a company logo and the phone number 071 916 3711. The title details are New Order, "Regret", 17.04.93, VPL no: GB-F09-93-0010-0 VHS PAL STEREO, London Promotions. At the start of the tape, there is a countdown clock with the legend: New Order, Regret, GB F09 93 0010 0, R/T 4.06, Tele Cine (and logo), Telecine Mcr: 071-916-3720. The clock fades to a black screen.

The full video starts from a black screen. It is a montage of many images. The band members in separate rooms with their instruments and Steve putting together his drum kit and then the band miming to the soundtrack in isolation. This is interspersed with views of the city (Rome?)and statues, Steve as a tourist with a video camera and a multitude of split screen shots of Bernard, Peter, Steve and Gillian, a bride in a wedding dress, motor vehicles, Motel signage, movie theatres, the coliseum?, telephone booths etc. Throughout the video, there are some scripts in Italian and the video ends with a fire with smoke rising into the atmosphere.

The video fades to a black screen and the legend 'C 1993 Qwest Records' appears across the bottom of the screen. The whole video runs for 4mins 31secs from start to end.

New Order: Ruined in a Day (London Promotions Label, NOT Factory)

This tape comes in a blue plastic box with no cover details. The label on the spine of the tape is branded 'Tele Cine' with a company logo and the phone number 071 916 3711. The title details are New Order, "Ruined in a Day", 15.06.93, VHS PAL STEREO, London Promotions, GB-F09-0019-0. At the start of the tape, there is a countdown clock with the legend: 'Wiseman Digital Editing, New Order, Ruined in a Day, English Version, Dur: 3mins 53secs, GB F09 930 0190, London Records, Prod: Nira, Dir: Keith Allen, 9 June 1993, Stereo, Tel 071 439 8901, Fax 071 437 2481, MCR. 071 734 3200. The clock goes to a black screen.

The full video starts from a black screen and is set in a temple in the Far East. The band are in various guises with Bernard sat negotiating with a Monk, whilst Steven looks like a film producer with a video camera, Gillian is dressed in a white and black dress suit and Peter dressed as an explorer with a still camera. A group of Monks are playing 'Charades'. Bernard mimes to the music and Steven, Peter and Gillian join in the game with the monks, miming playing bass drums and violins. Bernard joins them to mime the last chorus. Throughout, the monks are guessing the title and their words are conveyed via sub-titles at the bottom of the screen. Eventually, the monks are called away by their leader and leave the scene, in conger like fashion, dancing to the music.

At the end, the video fades to black and the legend 'C 1993 London Records 90 Limited, The copyright on this film is owned by London Records Limited appears across the bottom of the screen and fades to black. The full video lasts 4 mins 25secs

New Order: World (London Promotions Label, NOT Factory)

This tape comes in a blue plastic box with no cover details. The label on the spine of the tape is branded 'Tele Cine' with a company logo and the phone number 071 916 3711.

The title details are New Order, "World", 15.06.93, VHS PAL STEREO, London Promotions, GB-F09-0019-0.

At the start of the tape, there is a countdown clock with the legend: Edit Suite One, 23/07/93, New Order, World, Dir: Baillie Walsh, Prod: Howie Nichol Anita Staines, Limelight Productions, ISRC: GBF099300240, Intro Dur 20 secs, Track Dur: 4mins 3 secs, Soho601, Digital Productions, Tel: 071-439 2730, Dol: 071-287 0813. Stereo. The clock goes to a black screen.

The full video starts from a black screen with black and white footage of the sea front at Cannes in the South of France. The camera follows an elderly female as she strolls along a pier to a seat at a restaurant table. She passes Peter sat at a table on the way. The camera pans to a gentleman getting up from a table and Bernard can be seen miming to the track as he approaches steps and ascends to the promenade and crosses the road passing a fire brigade putting hoses away. The next subject is a female entering a hotel lobby and the camera goes down a corridor filled with people including a couple who climb stairs and go into a room. Along another corridor, a male walks out of a room and passes the camera. The camera goes into the same room and shows a female wringing her hands and looking worried. She looks out to a view of the bay and the camera follows.

The video ends by fading to black and the legend 'C 1993 London Records 90 Ltd' appears across the bottom of the screen and fades to black. The full video lasts 4mins 48secs.

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