I was late to discover Joy Division. I'd heard 'Love Will Tear Us Apart' on the radio and vaguely remember hearing 'Transmission' but it wasn't until a slightly older friend, learning that I had liked New Order's then recent output leant me a copy of the 'Ideal For Living' book, sometime in late 1984, did I join the dots between the 2 bands.

The book was extremely detailed regarding gigs and releases and built up a mystique around the band and 'the myth' which has been somewhat dismantled over more recent years with the number of biographies and autobiographies produced that cover the lifespan of the band

One of the most interesting discoveries being that a video existed with footage of the band... although I had no way of knowing how or where to get it. This was 1984, however, and to a 14-year-old living in the West Midlands surrounded by Duran Duran and Frankie Goes To Hollywood fans just knowing the name Joy Division and a little of their legacy felt like being a member of a secret club.

The following year I moved back to Manchester, albeit the suburbs, and enjoyed trips into the city centre with friends. Although initially venturing into the likes of HMV or Virgin at the bottom of Market Street, or Our Price at the top. After buying what official releases I could find I was quickly turned on to the bootleg stalls in the Underground Market and the Corn Exchange.

I was amazed at the hundreds of tapes available of gigs (this was slightly before CDs were a thing) from around the world, but was dumbstruck when I saw the massive lists held by the traders of Joy Division and New Order recordings. It was when looking through these that I remembered this VHS release.

I asked around and eventually got an address to order it from, from memory it was less than £20 including postage, which was a lot, but worth it for what would be my first 'view' of Joy Division (other than a rare sighting of 'Love Will Tear Us Apart'.

When the video arrived the first thing that struck me was the lack of detail (other than band name and song titles) but the same stylish design of other Factory Releases, this time a simple gold lettering on black. It wasn't for many years I learnt that the Fractured Music logo was the band's publishing company and not a Factory Records logo. Pouring over the song titles I recognised some but not all and eagerly put it into the bulky top-loader for the first viewing...

Hopefully I'm not speaking out of turn but my first impression was that I'd been sold a dud, at worse a bootleg. The quality of sound and vision was not what I had naively expected. These were the days before the Internet so other than being able to speak to someone who had heard or seen something there was no way of googling through online customer reviews or just searching YouTube.

Inside the box (the plastic one and not the original flip top) there was a piece of paper with the name of 'IKON Video' on... and a phone number... 061 928 7387.

I'll never know who answered the phone the day I called, possibly it was Malcolm Whitehead* who was responsible for much of Factory's video output... whoever it was, when I questioned the quality of the tape I'd received initially laughed. I guess they must have sensed some disappointment in my voice, and for the next few minutes explained the background to the material and how it'd had been shot "amateurishly" and in all honesty I should be grateful for what footage existed (in hindsight that may have been more of a "fuck off and leave us alone" than the way I took it).

Watching it occasionally now (albeit from a copy I have transferred onto DVD) I am indeed extremely grateful that an hour of Joy Division performing live does exist alongside the few TV appearances.

I wish they were clearer, I wish the sound was better, I wish there were more...

No matter what has been written by band members or associates over last 20 years or so, for me 'Here Are The Young Men' returns some of the initial mystique that surrounded Joy Division through the shadowy, blurred footage, and for the majority of us who weren't old or fortunate enough it's one of our only opportunities to see Ian Curtis in action.

We should all be extremely grateful.

- Iain Key for Cerysmatic Factory

* - Brian Nicholson (ex-Ikon) comments: "I've heard similar tales of woe before. There was a return VHS marked up "poor quality" with a covering letter from Harrods that was displayed proudly on the office wall (sadly I can't find it). It wasn't Malcolm on the phone and it wasn't me either. In 1984 Ikon still occupied the large middle room at Palatine Road, the room with all the boxes of vinyl! (That's another story) It may have been Tim Chambers but more likely Mike Scott who did all the office work. There's a great NME review, referring to it as FAC 23 Here Come the Young Men, "...they're (Factory) still marketing the sort of stuff that most people would throw in the bin."

--

Catalogue entry details via factoryrecords.org [->]

VHS: UK 1982 (Factory FACT 37) [PAL/NTSC]
BETA: UK 1982 (Factory FACT 37)

3:10 Decades
6:12 Dead Souls
3:37 Love Will Tear Us Apart
3:33 Shadowplay
4:28 Day of the Lords
2:25 Digital
2:24 Colony
2:23 New Dawn Fades
3:00 Auto-Suggestion
3:07 Transmission
4:46 Sound of Music
3:42 She's Lost Control
2:28 Walked in Line
8:30 I Remember Nothing
3:26 Love Will Tear Us Apart *

* Official promo video



Many thanks to Iain and Brian.

Labels: Brian_Nicholson, First_50_Cerysmatic, Ikon, Joy_Division, New_Order, Tim_Chambers

Saturday 9 November 2019
A Question of Wave
Post-Punk Festival

3 concerts
3 interviews
1 dispute
1 bar

Schedule

17:30 concert * Mouvement Perpetuel
18:30 interview * Mouvement Perpetuel
19:30 concert * The Names
21:00 interview * The Names
21:20 dispute * No future en 1977, et pourtant...
22:00 concert * Frakture
23:45 interview * Frakture

Venue

Foyer socioculturel d'Antoing
Rue du Burg, 23
7640 Antoing
Belgium

Misc

Facebook Event | Buy Tickets

Labels: gig, gigs, The_Names

Originally released in May 1979 as Fac 6 on Factory Records, Electricity was OMD's debut single and featured production by Martin Hannett [->]. To celebrate the single's 40th anniversary, this new limited edition version will be pressed on ultra-clear vinyl and contains the original Hannett version of Electricity, as well as a brand new remix of Almost by Vince Clarke (Depeche Mode, Yazoo, Erasure). Both tracks have been remastered by Miles Showell at Abbey Road and the sleeve is an adaptation of the original black-on-black Peter Saville design. We hope that there were less problems at the printing works this time round.

The reissue is in addition to the other reproduction of Fac 6 contained in the Use Hearing Protection - Factory Records 1978-1979 box set.

Tracklisting

Electricity (Factory Records Version)
Almost (Vince Clarke Remix)

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Buy it Now [->]

Labels: Martin_Hannett, OMD, Peter Saville, single, Vince_Clarke

Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark present a very special 40th anniversary career-spanning box set and comprehensive singles collections.

'Souvenir – The Singles 1979-2019' will be released on 4 October 2019 in 2CD and 3LP formats featuring all the singles from Electricity (originally released as Fac 6) to What Have We Done plus the brand new 'Don't Go'.

A limited edition 5CD / 2DVD career-spanning box set will also be released:

CD1/CD2 - The Singles Collection as per the regular release

CD3 - 22 unheard / unreleased tracks from the OMD archive, newly mixed by Paul Humphreys. Some of these are unfinished ideas, others are full unreleased songs.
CD4 - live recording from the Mermaid Theatre in London, February 2011 recorded for BBC Radio 2 in support of the 'History of Modern' album.

CD5 - newly-discovered full live recording from the Hammersmith Odeon in May 1983 in support of the Dazzle Ships album.

DVD1 - DVD featuring 23 OMD performances on the BBC

DVD2 - DVD featuring i) a live recording from the Theatre Royal, Drury Lane in December 1981 in support of the Architecture & Morality album.; ii) a live recording from Sheffield City Hall, June 1985 in support of the Crush album; and iii) the DVD debut of Crush – The Movie.

The box set contains a book with unseen photos, single sleeve artwork, an introduction by Paul Morley and sleeve notes to accompany the archive material by Andy McCluskey and artwork prints.

'Souvenir - The Singles 1979-2019' is available to pre-order now but please note the box set already shows as sold out on the OMD website.

Tracklisting

CD1 – The Singles 1979 – 1987

Electricity
Red Frame/White Light
Messages
Enola Gay
Souvenir
Joan of Arc
Maid of Orleans
Genetic Engineering
Telegraph
Locomotion
Talking Loud and Clear
Tesla Girls
Never Turn Away
So in Love
Secret
La Femme Accident
If You Leave
(Forever) Live and Die
We Love You
Shame

CD2 – The Singles 1988 – 2019

Dreaming
Sailing on the Seven Seas
Pandora's Box (It's a Long, Long Way)
Then You Turn Away
Call My Name
Stand Above Me
Dream of Me
Everyday
Walking on the Milky Way
Universal
If You Want It
Sister Marie Says
History of Modern (part 1)
Metroland
Dresden
Night Café
Isotype
The Punishment Of Luxury
What Have We Done
Don't Go

CD3 – Unreleased Archive Vol I.

Brand New Science (06.1981)
Dumbomb (01.1986)
Violin Piece (09.1982)
Untitled 2 (06.1981)
Cut Me Down (03.1986)
Radio Swiss International (09.1982)
Untitled 3 (09.1982)
Weekend (04.1985)
Organ Ditty (05.1980)
Unreleased Idea (06.1981)
Cajun Moon (05.1986)
Guitar Thrash (09.1982)
SMPTE (12.1982)
American Venus (04.1990)
Liberator (02.1985)
Ambient 1 (04.1980)
Unused 1 (12.1980)
Flamenco (04.1990)
Andy's Song (04.1985)
Dynamo Children (01.1985)
Flutey (03.1984)
Nice Ending (06.1981)

CD4 – Live at the Mermaid Theatre, London (03/02/2011)

Messages
Tesla Girls
New Babies New Toys
History of Modern (Part 1)
(Forever) Live and Die
Souvenir
Joan of Arc
Maid of Orleans
New Holy Ground
Green
Walking on the Milky Way
Sister Marie Says
Locomotion
Sailing on the Seven Seas
Enola Gay
Electricity

CD5 – Live at the Hammersmith Odeon (10/05/1983)

Dazzle Ships – Parts II,III & VII
ABC Auto Industry
Messages
She's Leaving
Georgia
Almost
Julia's Song
Joan of Arc
Maid of Orleans
Statues
The Romance of the Telescope
Souvenir
Telegraph
Radio Waves
Bunker Soldiers
Enola Gay
Silent Running
Electricity
Pretending to See the Future
Stanlow

DVD1 – BBC TV Performances

Messages (The Old Grey Whistle Test 15/04/1980)
Messages (Top Of The Pops 08/05/1980)
Messages (Top Of The Pops 29/05/1980)
Enola Gay (Top Of The Pops 09/10/1980)
Souvenir (Top Of The Pops 03/09/1981)
Joan of Arc (Top Of The Pops 29/10/1981)
Maid Of Orleans (Top Of The Pops 14/01/1982)
Genetic Engineering (Top Of The Pops 03/03/1983)
Locomotion (Top Of The Pops 19/04/1984)
Locomotion (Top Of The Pops 03/05/1984)
Talking Loud and Clear (Top Of The Pops 05/07/1984)
Tesla Girls (Top Of The Pops 13/09/1984)
So in Love (Top Of The Pops 30/05/1985)
La Femme Accident (The Old Grey Whistle Test 22/10/1985)
(Forever) Live and Die (Top Of The Pops 18/09/1986)
Dreaming (Wogan 27/06/1988)
Sailing on the Seven Seas (Top Of The Pops 02/05/1991)
Pandora's Box (It's a Long, Long Way) (Top Of The Pops 11/07/1991)
Pandora's Box (It's a Long, Long Way) (Top Of The Pops 25/07/1991)
Call My Name (Pebble Mill 11/12/1991)
Stand Above Me (Top Of The Pops 13/05/1993)
Walking on the Milky Way (Top Of The Pops 16/08/1996)
Enola Gay (Later With Jools Holland 31/05/2013)

DVD2 – Live at Theatre Royal, Drury Lane (04/12/1981), Live at Sheffield City Hall (14/06/1985) and Crush – The Movie

Live at Theatre Royal, Drury Lane (04/12/1981)

Almost
Mystereality
Joan Of Arc
Motion and Heart
Maid Of Orleans
Statues
Souvenir
New Stone Age
Enola Gay
Bunker Soldiers
Electricity
She's Leaving
Julia's Song
Stanlow

Live at Sheffield City Hall (14/06/1985)

The Romance Of The Telescope (intro)
Crush
Messages
Secret
Tesla Girls
White Trash
Talking Loud and Clear
Maid Of Orleans
Telegraph
Enola Gay
Electricity
The Romance Of The Telescope

Crush – The Movie

Bloc Bloc Bloc
The Native Daughters Of The Golden West
So In Love
88 Seconds In Greensboro
Hold You
Women III
Crush
La Femme Accident
Secret
The Lights Are Going Out

Labels: OMD

Cabaret Voltaire will make their soundtrack, 'Chance Versus Causality', available officially for the first time since the film's release in 1979. The album is out via Mute [->] on limited edition transparent green vinyl, CD and digitally on 30 August 2019 via Mute.

'Chance Versus Causality' was recorded in 1979 as the soundtrack for director Babeth Mondini's film of the same name. The band originally met Mondini at a Brussels Plan K show which featured Joy Division, Cabaret Voltaire and William S Burroughs, following which she asked them to create the soundtrack for her film. Chance Versus Causality was improvised and recorded live by the original Cabs line-up of Richard H. Kirk, Stephen Mallinder and Chris Watson.

On the same day '1974-76', a selection of early years material recorded in Chris Watson's attic, will get its first vinyl release. The album, originally released on cassette via Industrial Records in 1980, was reissued on CD by Mute's The Grey Area in 1992 and will be re-released on limited edition transparent orange 2LP and on digital download.

--

External links: YouTube preview | Pre-order | Cabaret Voltaire Official Facebook

Labels: album, Cabaret_Voltaire, Chris_Watson, Joy_Division, Mute, Richard_H_Kirk, Stephen_Mallinder, William_S_Burroughs

Happy Mondays get back on the road following a summer of festival-filled live action with an autumn UK and Ireland tour which runs from late October until nearly Christmas. Tickets are on sale now and a few dates are already sold out. Jon Dasilva provides support on selected dates.

October

Wed 23, 19:00 - Ironworks Venue, Inverness
Thu 24, 19:00 - Music Hall, Aberdeen
Fri 25, 19:00 - Alhambra Theatre, Dunfermline
Sat 26, 19:00 - O2 Academy Glasgow
Thu 31, 19:00 - Roundhouse, London

November

Fri 1, 19:00 - Cliffs Pavilion, Southend-on-Sea
Sat 2, 19:30 - Corn Exchange, Cambridge
Thu 7, 19:30 - Brighton Dome Concert Hall, Brighton
Fri 8, 19:00 - Leas Cliff Hall, Folkestone
Sat 9, 19:30 - BH Live Active, Pyramids, Portsmouth
Fri 15, 18:30 - O2 Academy, Newcastle upon Tyne
Sat 16, 19:00 - The Baths Hall, Scunthorpe
Thu 21, 19:00 - Manchester Academy, Manchester
Fri 22, 18:30 - O2 Academy, Sheffield
Sat 23, 19:00 - O2 Academy, Bristol
Sat 23, 19:00 - O2 Academy, Bristol
Thu 28, 19:00 - O2 Academy, Oxford
Fri 29, 19:00 - The Great Hall, Cardiff SU, Cardiff
Sat 30, 18:30 - Rock City, Nottingham

December

Tue 3, 20:00 - Cyprus Avenue, Cork, Ireland
5 Thu, 20:00 - Vicar Street, Dublin, Ireland
Fri 6, 19:00 - Mountford Hall, Liverpool
Sat 7, 18:00 - O2 Academy, Leeds
Thu 12, 19:30 - UEA LCR, Norwich
Fri 13, 19:00 - Roadmender, Northampton
Sat 14, 19:00 - O2 Institute, Birmingham
Wed 18, 19:30 - The Cheese and Grain, Frome
Thu 19, 19:00 - O2 Academy, Bournemouth
Fri 20, 19:00 - G Live, Guildford
Sat 21, 18:30 - The Engine Shed, Lincoln

Buy Tickets: seetickets.com | alttickets.com

Labels: gig, gigs, Happy_Mondays, Jon_Dasilva, Scunthorpe

On stage 8.30
The Stockholm Monsters
The Library Theatre
Wednesday 15 June
7.30 - 10.30

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Original flyer for 1983 gig by Stockholm Monsters from the AHW Collection at the Science and Industry Museum, Manchester. See Instagram highlight on main News page for more artefacts from the Collection.

Labels: back_in_the_cellar, gig, Manchester, Stockholm_Monsters

Whilst Cerysmatic was on hiatus (again), I couldn't totally stop myself from working on Fac-related projects. The Durutti Column and A Certain Ratio Gigographies are two examples where, in both cases, I converted and enhanced the existing gig listings created and curated by Mike Mitchell over the years and turned them into a new section of the Durutti website and a wholly new Gigography site for ACR. Any and all contributions to the Gigographies are gratefully accepted by the way.

Another project was building a completely new Minny Pops website at minnypops.com. Wally van Middendorp handed over the keys to the Minny Pops vaults and I went in there digging for gold. The most impressive aspect of Wally's record-keeping was his creation (and retention) of a complete set of gig records for the band going all the way back to late 1978, initially ending in 1981 and then jumping forward in time to the band's 2012 reunion and subsequent reinvention as artpop conceptualists. With photos also archived for many of these dates it lent itself to the creation of a complete list of every gig played by Minny Pops replete with the band line-up at the time and the setlist.

Hopefully more Minny Pops projects are in the pipeline. Watch this space (and that space) for more info.

Labels: A_Certain_Ratio, gigography, Minny_Pops, The_Durutti_Column

It came as a shock to hear that Tim Walsh, lead guitarist of Manchester band Northside had passed away suddenly on the evening of 19 August 2019.

Most people will have heard of Tim due to his time during the early 90's as a member of Northside.

The band signed to Factory Records, released 3 successful singles and a Top 20 Album, 'Chicken Rhythms' and, for those of a certain age in the North West, provided the music for 'Granada Soccer Night'.

The band toured extensively across the UK, Europe, America and the Far East building a loyal fanbase who rapturously welcomed the band back to the live circuit in 2014.

I met Tim on a number of occasions and always found him to be friendly with a great sense of humour, very humble and almost unaware of the natural talent he had.

As well as being a accomplished guitarist he was also a highly skilled sound engineer, working for over 25 years for Mersey TV, initially on 'Brookside' before moving onto 'Hollyoaks'.

There have been many tributes over the last 24 hours on Social Media, from the band, musicians, and fans. This one from a member of the Hollyoaks cast says it all...

"So shocked and sad, we lost and amazing, gentle generous, cool great guy today. So many people will truly miss you."

RIP Tim, gone too soon.

- Iain Key, for Cerysmatic Factory

Labels: Iain_Key, Northside, obituary, Tim_Walsh

The Warehouse Project returns to Manchester in the autumn of 2019 and there's a special FAC 51 The Hacienda evening on Saturday 12 October. Live on stage there's Hacienda Classical, Soul II Soul and, returning to their home city, A Certain Ratio. Plus, there's a huge line-up of Hacienda alumni on the DJ roster including Pickering & Park,

SATURDAY 12 OCTOBER 2019
FAC 51 - THE HAÇIENDA

LIVE:

Haçienda Classical
Soul II Soul
A Certain Ratio

DJ:

Louie Vega
David Morales
Marshall Jefferson
Mike Pickering
Graeme Park
Greg Wilson
Arthur Baker
Justin Robertson
K Klass
Tom Wainwright

Plus very special guests, the return of Sub Sub (DJ set)

18:00 – 03:00 | DEPOT (MAYFIELD)

GBP 35.00 + Booking fee [Buy Tickets]

Labels: A_Certain_Ratio, Arthur_Baker, gig, gigs, Graeme_Park, Greg_Wilson, Hacienda_Classical, Justin_Robertson, K_Klass, Manchester, Marshall_Jefferson, Mike_Pickering, Tom_Wainwright, Warehouse _Project

A Certain Ratio continued one of their busiest gigging years for a long time with a 3-festival burst at We Out Here, Green Man and Hardwick Live. All of these are documented in the A Certain Ratio Gigography which was a development project during the Cerysmatic hiatus.

ACR 2019 live - the story so far

Labels: A_Certain_Ratio, gig, gigography, gigs

Factory Benelux has produced a t-shirt for The Durutti Column based on the very first "Drifting Cowboys" (or "Two Crazy Cowboys") promotional poster, produced early in 1978 prior to the opening of the Factory Club and also reissued by Factory Too as Fac 3.11.

The design features a black and white screenprint on a charcoal grey cotton Gildan shirt.

The English translation text on the reverse reads:

"What's your scene, man?"
"Reification."
"Yeah? I guess that means pretty hard work with big books and piles of paper on a big table."
"Nope. I drift. Mostly I just drift."

The shirt is 17.00 GBP plus shipping and handling and is available direct from Factory Benelux mailorder.

Labels: Factory_Benelux, T-Shirt, The_Durutti_Column

Factory Benelux presents a limited edition vinyl album by Tunnelvision, the youthful Blackpool band who released cult single Fac 39 Watching the Hydroplanes on Factory Records in 1981. Just 500 copies have been pressed on clear vinyl, matching the original Factory release.

Formed in 1980, the sombre post-punk quartet were mentored by Section 25 before impressing Rob Gretton and Tony Wilson at an early New Order gig in Blackpool in September 1980. Two songs from their first demo were mixed by Martin Hannett at Britannia Row and released as a 7-inch single (Fac 39) in June 1981, sleeved by Martyn Atkins in an opulent sleeve referencing dictionaries and leather-bound books. After several more gigs with New Order and other Factory artists Tunnelvision taped a second strong demo, mixed for release by Peter Hook. However, the turbulent teenage band disintegrated before a second single emerged.

Newly remastered from the original analogue reels, Watching the Hydroplanes features includes all 8 tracks from their two Cargo demos, including the Hannett mixes of the title track and Morbid Fear. The set also features Emotionless, recorded live at Bristol Trinity Hall in March 1981.

The outer sleeve is printed using silver PMS with a matt varnish. The printed inner bag features new liner notes and an attractive facsimile flyer for a gig with New Order at the Forum, London, in May 1981.

Tracklisting

A1. Watching the Hydroplanes
A2. Morbid Fear
A3. Old Comrades
A4. Glenn Miller
A5. Emotionless

B1. The Man Who Would Be King
B2. 100 Men
B3. Guessing the Way
B4. Whitened Sepulchre

Labels: album, Factory_Benelux, Martin_Hannett, Martyn_Atkins, New_Order, Peter_Hook, Section_25, Tunnelvision, vinyl

Lee McFadden (Alternative TV) interviewed Paul Slattery to commemorate the 40th anniversary of his photoshoot with Joy Division in Stockport, the Stuff The Superstars gig, and later on that year at the Electric Ballroom. The complete interview is on Soundcloud (embedded above) courtesy of Steve Worralll's Retrosonic Podcast and Retro-Man blog [->].

Paul Slattery's book 'Joy Division at Strawberry Studios' is published by Legends Publishing [->] priced GBP 20.00.

Labels: book, interview, Joy_Division, Lee_McFadden, Paul_Slattery, photography, RetroMan_blog, Retrosonic_Podcast

Steve Stringer and Vin Cassidy are preparing a live duo project running alongside Section 25, aptly named the S25 Industrial Unit.

Vin Cassidy said, "The two of us are working in an Industrial and Dance vein and inspired by the original band's back catalogue. We experiment with electronic and percussion/effects, non-rock guitar/keyboards etc."

Itinerary

Blackburn - 21 September 2019, Electric Church, 79 Northgate, Blackburn BB2 1AA [Buy tickets]

Vienna - 25 October 2019, Replugged/Klang 50 [Buy tickets)

London - 21 November 2019, The Barrel Store, Wildcard Brewery, Shernhall Street, E17 9HQ London [Tickets]

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See also Facebook page: facebook.com/s25industrialunit.

Labels: gig, S25_Industrial_Unit, Section_25, Steve_Stringer, Vin_Cassidy

'Out of Order: Curating the Factory Catalogue', the new podcast series by Pete Mitchell, will be launching soon.

It will feature extensive interviews with a wide range of Factory acts including A Certain Ratio, Section 25, Rolf Hind, The Railway Children, John Dowie, The Distractions, Minny Pops and The Names.

Labels: Factory_Records, history, Out_of_Order, Pete_Mitchell, podcast

Rhino/WMG presents, for the first time on long-playing record, an 8LP silver vinyl box set reissue of the 'FACTORY: Communications 1978-1992' compilation album which surveys the label's entire 15-year history, with a grand total 63 tracks spread over 16 sides of newly remastered vinyl albums. As well as classic cuts from New Order, Joy Division, The Durutti Column, Happy Mondays, Electronic, A Certain Ratio and Section 25, this definitive overview delves deep into Factory's rich and occasionally wayward recorded catalogue, with X-O-Dus, Marcel King, 52nd Street, Quando Quango, Northside, James, The Railway Children, Crawling Chaos and not forgetting Minny Pops all included.

Originally issued as a 4CD box set in 2009, Communications 1978-92 is curated by Jon Savage, with booklet notes by Paul Morley and James Nice.

Everything comes in a lift lid box with 8 x 180gram silver heavyweight vinyl and 40 -age booklet. This is released on 8 November 2019 in a limited edition of 500 units.

More info available including how to pre-order: rhino.co.uk

Tracklisting

Side 1 (1978-79)
Joy Division - Digital
Cabaret Voltaire - Baader Meinhof
A Certain Ratio - All Night Party
OMD - Electricity
Joy Division - She's Lost Control
The Distractions - Time Goes By So Slow

Side 2 (1979-80)
Joy Division - Transmission
The Durutti Column - Sketch For Summer
X-O-Dus - English Black Boys
Joy Division - Love Will Tear Us Apart
A Certain Ratio - Shack Up

Side 3 (1980-81)
Section 25 - Girls Don't Count
Crawling Chaos - Sex Machine
A Certain Ratio - Flight
The Names – Nightshift

Side 4 (1981)
New Order - Ceremony (original version)
Minny Pops - Dolphin's Spurt
John Dowie - It's Hard To Be An Egg
Crispy Ambulance - Deaf
Section 25 - Dirty Disco

Side 5 (1981)
New Order - Everything's Gone Green
Tunnelvision - Watching The Hydroplanes
The Durutti Column - Messidor
A Certain Ratio - Knife Slits Water (LP version)

Side 6 (1982)
Royal Family and the Poor - Art on 45
Swamp Children - Taste What's Rhythm
New Order – Temptation

Side 7 (1982-83)
52nd Street - Cool As Ice
New Order - Blue Monday

Side 8 (1982-84)
Cabaret Voltaire - Yashar (John Robie remix)
Quando Quango - Love Tempo
The Wake - Talk About the Past

Side 9 (1983-84)
New Order - Confusion
Marcel King - Reach For Love
Section 25 - Looking From A Hilltop (Megamix)

Side 10 (1984-85)
Stockholm Monsters - All At Once
Life - Tell Me
The Durutti Column - Without Mercy (Duet)
James - Hymn From A Village
Kalima – Trickery

Side 11 (1985-87)
A Certain Ratio - Sounds Like Something Dirty
Quando Quango - Genius
Happy Mondays - Freaky Dancin'
Miaow - When It All Comes Down

Side 12 (1987)
The Railway Children - Brighter
Biting Tongues - Compressor
New Order - True Faith
Happy Mondays - 24 Hour Party People

Side 13 (1988-89)
New Order - Fine Time
Happy Mondays - W.F.L. (Think About the Future)
Revenge - Seven Reasons

Side 14 (1989-90)
Happy Mondays - Hallelujah (Club mix)
Electronic - Getting Away With It
Happy Mondays - Step On
Northside - Shall We Take A Trip

Side 15 (1990-91)
England New Order - World In Motion
Happy Mondays - Kinky Afro
The Durutti Column - Home
Electronic - Get The Message (DNA remix)

Side 16 (1991-92)
Northside - Take 5
Cath Carroll - Moves Like You (remix)
The Other Two - Tasty Fish
Happy Mondays - Sunshine and Love (Lionrock remix)

Labels: album, Communications_1978_92, compilation, Factory40, Rhino

4th June 1976. Four young men took to the stage of the Lesser Free Trade Hall in Manchester. The noise they made changed everything...

Forty-three years ago the Sex Pistols performed on television for the very first time - on TV's So It Goes show. To mark the anniversary, author and TV producer David Nolan will be here to talk about his documentary and book 'I Swear I Was There'. It tells the tale of the Pistols' two legendary performances at Manchester's Lesser Free Trade in 1976, plus their notorious Granada appearance. GQ Magazine called David's subsequent book version of I Swear "one of the greatest rock stories ever told".

The 2001 Granada TV documentary will be shown in full at the Walthamstow Rock 'n' Roll Book Club in London on Thursday 19 September 2019. This will be its first airing in nearly 20 years. David will also be talking about the documentary and book (and he might also slip in a mention his recent Manc noir novel 'Black Moss').

Venue information: Bank Job, 151-155 Hoe St, Walthamstow, London E17 3AN

More info: Facebook Event

Labels: David_Nolan, documentary, Joy_Division, London, So_It_Goes, talk, Tony_Wilson

A deluxe 5LP vinyl box set edition of Always Now, the debut album by Section 25, produced by legendary producer Martin Hannett and sleeved by Peter Saville is released on 6 September 2019 on Factory Benelux.

Recorded as a trio at Pink Floyd's Britannia Row studio in London in January 1981, Always Now combined austere post-punk rhythm and noise with elements of Can, Krautrock and modern psychedelia. Key tracks include Friendly Fires, Dirty Disco and New Horizon, along with C.P. (a collaboration with Hannett) and Hit (extensively sampled by Kanye West for the track F.M.L. on his 2016 album The Life of Pablo).

The first 1000 copies of this lavish new edition feature vinyl platters pressed in black, clear, yellow, red and silver. The outer case in printed in PMS 123 with spot varnish.

The accompanying 16-page booklet features unseen images by noted photographer Philippe Carly and texts by founder SXXV members Larry and Vin Cassidy. Also included is the first ever interview with guitarist Paul Wiggin, whose sudden departure in late 1981 saw Tony Wilson try (and fail) to recruit pre-Smiths teenager Johnny Marr as replacement.

The album is available to pre-order now via Factory Benelux Mailorder [->].

Tracklisting

LP1 [the original Always Now album - black vinyl]

A1. Friendly Fires
A2. Dirty Disco
A3. C.P.
A4. Loose Talk (Costs Lives)
A5. Inside Out
A6. Melt Close

B1. Hit
B2. Babies in the Bardo
B3. Be Brave
B4. New Horizon

LP2 [non-album singles from the period 1980-81 including 'Je Veux Ton Amour' and 'Girls Don't Count' - clear vinyl]

A1. Knew Noise
A2. Up To You
A3. Girls Don’t Count
A4. After Image
A5. Human Puppets

B1. Charnel Ground
B2. Haunted
B3. Je Veux Ton Amour
B4. One True Path

LP3 [complete live show recorded at Groningen, NL on 26 October 1980 - yellow vinyl]

A1. Loose Talk (Costs Lives) (live)
A2. Human Puppets (live)
A3. Knew Noise (live)
A4. Friendly Fires (live)
A5. Girls Don’t Count (live)

B1. New Horizon (live)
B2. Haunted (live)
B3. You’re On Your Own (live)
B4. One Step Backward (live)

LP4 [second studio album 'The Key of Dreams' - red vinyl]

A1. Always Now
A2. Visitation
A3. Regions
A4. The Wheel
A5. No Abiding Place
A6. Once Before

B1. There Was a Time
B2. Wretch
B3. Sutra

LP5 [further experimental material recorded in 1981 and self-released on 'Illuminus Illumina' cassette plus live encore jam recorded with all four members of New Order at Reading University on 8 May 1981 - silver vinyl]

A1. Fallen Monument
A2. Are You There?
A3. Virtually Everything
A4. Tape Loop
A5. Subferior
A6. In the Garden of Eden
A7. Cry

B1. Red Voice
B2. Floating
B3. Reading Uni Jam with New Order 1981

Labels: album, Factory_Benelux, Section_25

Use Hearing Protection: Factory Records 1978-1979 contains facsimile editions of the first 10 numbered Factory items: 4 vinyl records, 3 posters, a short film, Factory stationery and an egg-timer design. The early history of the label is traced in a 60-page book with text by James Nice, photos by Kevin Cummins and archival interviews with Tony Wilson, Rob Gretton, Joy Division and more. Oli and Isobel Wilson (Tony's children) are executive producers.

Contents:

Fac 1 poster
Fac 2 A Factory Sample - 2 x 7" single
Fac 3 poster
Fac 4 poster
Fac 5 All Night Party - A Certain Ratio
Fac 6 Electricity - OMD
Fac 7 1st Generation Stationery
Fac 8 Factory Egg-Timer conceptual design by Linder
Fac 9 The Factory Flick including No City Fun
Fact 10 Unknown Pleasures - Joy Division

Bonus items:

A white label 12" single by The Tiller Boys (originally intended as Fac 3 but ultimately not released)
A lengthy audio interview with Joy Division, Tony Wilson and Rob Gretton, conducted in August 1979 by journalist Mary Harron, never before heard and now restored across two CDs
A newly restored, and seldom seen since 1979, evocative 8mm short No City Fun (Fac 9), featuring music by Joy Division.

The Use Hearing Protection box is strictly limited to 4000 units worldwide, is priced at 180.00 GBP and will be released on 11 October 2019.

See rhino.co.uk [->] for information on how to order.

Labels: A_Certain_Ratio, Cabaret_Voltaire, Factory40, John_Dowie, Joy_Division, Linder, Malcolm_Whitehead, OMD, Peter Saville, The_Durutti_Column

Pete Mitchell presents a 2-part radio documentary on the Story of Factory Records on Virgin Radio.

Listen to Part One [->] and stand by for Pete's Out of Order: Curating the Factory Catalogue [->] - a companion piece which will get up close and personal with the great and the good from the Factory world in a forthcoming podcast series.

Labels: documentary, Factory_Records, history, Pete_Mitchell, podcast, radio

To commemorate the early works and ongoing influence of Factory Records there will be an exhibition: Use Hearing Protection FAC 1-50 / 40 [->], taking place at Chelsea Space in London, SW1.

The exhibition will tell the story of its formative years from 1978 to 1982 through the first 50 numbered Factory artefacts, including works by Peter Saville, Joy Division, John Dowie, Cabaret Voltaire, New Order, A Certain Ratio, OMD, Linder Sterling, The Distractions, The Durutti Column, Section 25, The Names, Minny Pops, Kevin Hewick and many more.

Of course, this is not the first time the First 50 concept has arisen in Factory folklore. FAC 301 was assigned to Tim Chambers's First 50 [->] project. A while ago, Tim told Cerysmatic that Tony Wilson wrote him a cheque for £75 to do a Filofax-type Fac historical document but it never happened and FAC 301 became the Think About The Future [->] international congress.

Use Hearing Protection FAC 1-50 / 40 is supported by rare and unseen materials from personal archives, as well as non-Factory period items of influence. These combine to describe a period from which Factory Records was proposed and realised, underpinning its revolutionary cultural impact on the music, art, design and ideas of our times.

Curated by Jon Savage and Mat Bancroft, the exhibition is featured in this year's London Design Festival (although it continues for longer than the Festival) and will be free entry, running from 13 September until Friday 25 October.

As if a whole exhibition devoted to the early history of Factory Records was not enough, an expanded exhibition, with the Use Hearing Protection, FAC 1-50 objects at its core is being developed by the Science and Industry Museum [->] in Manchester. This exhibition will build on the Chelsea Space display and is due to open July 2020, telling the story of Joy Division and the founding of Factory Records in the city. More on that as we have it...

p.s. if you own the Fact 10+4 posters [->] (mega-rare Saville-designed promo posters for Unknown Pleasures plus 4 other then upcoming Factory releases) and are willing to loan them for this exhibition please do get in touch.

Labels: A_Certain_Ratio, exhibition, Factory_Records, Factory40, graphic_design, Joy_Division, Linder, London, Minny_Pops, New_Order, OMD, Peter Saville, Section_25, The_Distractions, The_Durutti_Column, The_Names

Time Goes By So Slow
I Get Along Without You Very Well
I'd Like To See You Again
Back To Wonder
Talk About The Past
Deep Sleep
Bad News Week
Something That No One Else Could Bring
Reunion Wilderness
More Than Enough

Labels: Cerysmatic_Factory

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