17 Jun 2017
Factory Records founded here 1978 
Factory was founded here 1978 - blue plaque on 86 Palatine Road, Manchester

A special blue plaque to celebrate BBC Music Day was unveiled by original partner and in-house designer Peter Saville at 86 Palatine Road, the old Factory Records HQ on Thursday 15 June. Bearing the inscription "Factory Records Founded Here (1978-1992) it is affixed just below a first floor window.

There were plenty of Factory Records folk present to honour the occasion including Shaun Ryder, Bez, Mark Day and Rowetta from Happy Mondays, Bruce Mitchell (the Gonzo Drum Master himself from The Durutti Column), Jez Kerr out of ACR, Hacienda designer Ben Kelly, DJ Graeme Park and the Mayor of Manchester Andy Burnham was there too plus media coverage from BBC Manchester and North-West.

See the more pictures courtesy of Lawrence Cassidy at 86 Palatine Road Blue Plaque.

Listen to Alison Butterworth and Phil Trow talk about Factory Records and the blue plaque preparations on BBC iPlayer (geographical restrictions may apply).

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29 Jan 2015
FAC 51 The Hacienda Postcard Box Set 
FAC 51 The Hacienda Postcard Box Set

A box set of 24 full colour A6 size postcard images of local artist Nick Hardy's stunning 1:50 scale reconstruction model of FAC 51 The Hacienda.

The set features quotes from the people who owned it, designed it, ran it, DJ'd in it, worked in it and went to it as customers over the 15 years the club was open.

It's available to buy now from musicglue.com priced 20.00 GBP.

Meanwhile, Nick's original model will be on display at Manchester Central Library until May 2015.

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27 Aug 2014
A Certain Ratio - Sextet [FBN 11 / FBN 11 CD] 
A Certain Ratio - Sextet [FBN 11 / FBN 11 CD]

Factory Benelux releases a special new edition of A Certain Ratio's classic 1982 Factory Records album Sextet on double vinyl and compact disc on 3 November 2014.

The latin, samba and jazz-tinged album features (and was produced by) the then core quintet of Donald Johnson, Jez Kerr, Martin Moscrop, Simon Topping and Peter Terrell joined on vocals by Martha Tilson.

"It all came together for us on Sextet really," confirms bassist (and latterly vocalist) Jez Kerr. "We were all working together - more involved in the recording, and what went down onto tape. It's definitely got something that the other albums haven't."

The newly-remastered set comes replete with bonus tracks on both the CD and vinyl formats including non-album single Waterline plus alter ego excursion Abracadubra and the June 1981 Peel Session. The 2CD version adds further bonus content includes the November 1982 Peel Session, 12" mixes of Knife Slits Water, and an early demo of now-traditional live set closer Si Firmir O Grido.

All this packaged with original cover painting by Denis King and Ben Kelly design.

Sextet (FBN 11 / FBN 11 CD) is available to pre-order now via Factory Benelux mail order.

2LP tracklisting (FBN 11)

-LP1-

Lucinda
Crystal
Gum
Knife Slits Water

Skipscada
Day One
Rub Down
Rialto
Below the Canal

-LP2-

Waterline
Funaezekea
Sommadub

Skipscada (Peel Session)
Day One (Peel Session)
Knife Slits Water (Peel Session)
Abracadubra

2CD tracklisting (FBN 11 CD)

-CD1-

Lucinda
Crystal
Gum
Knife Slits Water
Skipscada
Day One
Rub Down
Rialto
Below the Canal
Waterline
Funaezekea
Abracadubra
Sommadub

-CD2-

Skipscada (Peel 1981)
Day One (Peel 1981)
Knife Slits Water (Peel 1981)
Who's To Say? (Peel 1982)
Piu Lento (Peel 1982)
Touch (Peel 1982)
Si Firmir O Grido (Touch version)
Knife Slits Water (12")
Kether Hot Knives (12")

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16 Jan 2014
Creative Collaboration with Ben Kelly 
Ben Kelly, the designer behind FAC 51 The Hacienda, FAC 201 Dry and FAC 251 The Factory HQ, appears in conversation with fellow designer Andrew Stevens in Selfridges Manchester Exchange Square as part of the Festival of Imagination on Wednesday 22 January 2014 from 6-8pm.

The pair will explore creative collaboration and how it can benefit a design project.

Tickets priced £10 (including refreshments) are available by calling 0161 838 0610.

More info on the Festival of Imagination at selfridges.com

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26 Oct 2013
Ben Kelly Design 
Following on from the archive photos of the original FAC 251 Factory HQ in Manchester designed by Ben Kelly, we thought it an opportune moment for a round-up of his more recent work.

Media Space, South Kensington

Ben Kelly Design (BKD) has designed the new Media Space facilities in London's world famous Science Museum in South Kensington. The world-class suite of multi-functional facilities including a gallery and space for workshops is housed in the museum's former Printing and Printmaking gallery and opened on 21 September 2013.

Media Space, London - Ben Kelly Design

The Cheapside Hoard for Museum of London

This is a new exhibition at the Museum of London in the City of London which features a set of historic gemstones and jewels which has not been displayed in one place for around one century. BKD designed the exhibition space which is open to the public until 27 April 2014.

BIMM, Manchester

Ben Kelly designed the interior of the new BIMM (Brighton Institute of Modern Music) in Manchester which launched recently. BIMM is a music college that offers fully accredited, intensive music courses in Manchester for individuals who are committed to a career in music or the music industry. Resplendent in his trademark blue and International Orange, Ben spoke about BIMM in June 2013 in the video below.

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25 Oct 2013
FAC 251 Inside Out 
Check out the highlights of a photoshoot done by Inside Out Photography of the 'One Charles Street' FAC 251 Factory Records HQ from when it was the Factory offices and, it would seem, very sparsely furnished.

See also the Ben Kelly Design portfolio pages for a different perspective and additional commentary.

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13 Feb 2010
It's not the Hacienda for fuck's sake 
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.

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8 Feb 2010
International Orange + Rural Studies 
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

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21 Jan 2010
Music, not bars 
Hooky spoke passionately today at the FAC251 press launch of the reasoning and intentions behind his involvement in the reinvention of the former Factory Records head office as a live music venue and nightclub:

"Rob (Gretton) and Tony (Wilson) always used to say that we had to give back something into music. As a music lover, I couldn't say no. I want to give Manchester musicians a place to play."

Alongside Hooky in (what was once) the top floor boardroom, his partner in the (ad)venture, Aaron Mellor, revealed a bizarre twist of fate wherein a similar dramatic fall in property values that caused the loss of the building originally, has provided both the opportunity for the building to be redeployed - the previous owners having abandoned their plans for redevelopment of the site due to the current recession - and the availability of designer-in-chief Ben Kelly to 're-explore' the original design - Urban Splash having put 'on hold' their Kelly-to-be-designed Stubbs Mill apartment project (ring any bells?).

On running a club second time around Hook said: "I was always amazed that Factory had more accountants than bands. Whenever the Hacienda ran out of money, New Order would record another album. Even Aaron will have a problem making that happen! This time round I have 15 nightclubs to ruin!"

When asked if there were any plans to repurchase Dry Bar, Hook declined. "My interest is in live music, not bars."

Also in attendance, Freebass co-conspirator Mani likened FAC251 to the spirit of the original Factory nights at the Russell/PSV club rather than the Hacienda. "Although there will be a cheeky wink to the past, this will be more about the future. We want to give a chance to the next generation and say 'go take it'".

"Let's get to work."

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20 Jan 2010
FAC 251 The Factory opening 
Redeveloped, recrafted and entirely redesigned by original architect Ben Kelly, Factory Records' "One Charles Street" central Manchester offices reopen as FAC 251 The Factory, on 5 February 2010. FAC 251 will mix live bands, indie and dance influences across three different floors for Manchester's and the UK's gig and club goers.

The new venue is a joint venture between Peter Hook and established club operators Tokyo Industries (14 venues across the UK including the award-winning Digital in Newcastle and Brighton and the Tokyo Mansion Party venues). Tokyo Industries Managing Director Aaron Mellor is a long time Factory Records afficionado, having began his club career on the Hacienda dance floor and later DJing at Stonelove at the Hacienda in the mid-Nineties.

Original Factory architect has completely recast the building to suit its new purpose as a venue which draws on the legacy of the past but updates the original Factory ethos for contemporary bands, promoters, DJs and of course the people.

The Opening Weekend – Friday 5th / Saturday 6th February

Friday 5 February 2010 – Peter Hook’s The Light

"A one-off performance by Peter Hook’s The Light, a Manchester supergroup put together specially for the occasion featuring Mani (Stone Roses), Rowetta (Happy Mondays), Howard Marks and other special guests, performing rare Joy Division and New Order tracks, and a hits retrospective featuring songs by Hooky's previous bands Monaco, Revenge, New Order, Joy Division plus and the debut of his new material with Freebass."

Saturday 6 February 2010 – Stonelove / Hacienda Presents

"A club event allowing Manchester’s clubbing cognoscenti an opportunity to check out the three separate arenas. Original Haçienda indie club Stonelove returns to Manchester to begin its weekly residency downstairs, whilst Room 2 hosts a soundtrack of 70s New York City Funk & 80s Electro Pop. The Boardroom is handed back to the original Rockstars as FAC 51 The Hacienda begins its Saturday night residency Hacienda Presents at The Factory with a selection of Mancunian rock legends supervised by Hooky and pals alongside a roster of new DJ talents."

A full roster for future events at The Factory will be announced over the coming weeks.

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13 Jan 2010
FAC 251 Factory Manchester opens 29 Jan 
FAC 251 Factory Manchester, the new indie and rock 'n' roll club and live venue brought to you by Peter Hook and original designer Ben Kelly, opens its doors for business on Friday 29 January 2010.

Selected news coverage

NME
BBC News
UNCUT
Spinner

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1 Dec 2009
Charles Street Redux 
A flyer currently being distributed in Manchester:

FAC251 FACTORY HQ

20 years since the birth of Madchester, the building that started it all and ultimately destroyed it all...

FAC251 - Head Office of Factory Communications Ltd... Built by Tony Wilson
Designed by Ben Kelly & Pater Saville. Paid for by NewOrder
Broken by The Happy Mondays...

A NEW INDIE ROCK+ROLL CLUB & LIVE VENUE
COMING JANUARY 2010

www.FACTORYmanchester.com

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15 Sept 2009
The Haçienda must be rebuilt! 
FAC 51 The Haçienda architect Ben Kelly and the design team of Ben Cox and Bill Holding at Morph have collaborated with the full approval and support of original owner Peter Hook to produce two separate, limited edition art prints of the original FAC 51 The Haçienda which are to be launched at Buy Art Fair at Urbis, Manchester from the 24-27 September 2009. The first night preview is on Thursday 24 September from 5-9pm and Ben Kelly, Morph and Peter Hook will be in attendance on the night.

The prints will subsequently be exhibited at the Zoo Art Fair in London from 16-19 October 2009 which takes place the same week as the Frieze Art Fair. At both exhibitions, the prints are exclusive to the Paul Stolper stand.

As FAC 51 The Haçienda has been beset by a number of unofficial and bootleg artworks which consistently fail to match the design standards set by the club, it was decided in early 2009 to produce this set of two art prints marking both East and West views of the original venue. This is the first and only time to date that FAC 51 The Haçienda has published any fine art prints of the club and marks an opportunity for art collectors to purchase exclusive and limited edition screen prints, officially endorsed by FAC 51 The Haçienda.

The project initially came about when Ben Cox and Bill Holding from Morph approached Ben Kelly in February 2007 about rebuilding The Haçienda as a digital model, requiring the original specifications from Ben who was happy to oblige.

Morph explain how the digital model came about: "The Haçienda must be rebuilt! On the 25th anniversary of the Haçienda's opening, we decided to begin work recreating it in a way that wasn't possible at the time of its original conception, as a highly detailed three-dimensional computer model. Working closely with Ben Kelly, using all the original architectural drawings and specifications, we faithfully reconstructed one of Manchester's lost landmarks enabling us to explore the space in new ways and bring the venue back to life."

Ben Kelly, who was delighted to help out, said "When Ben and Bill from Morph approached me and proposed that they wanted to digitally rebuild The Haçienda, I fully supported the idea. I had previously seen the incredible work Morph had executed - digitally recreating Unknown Pleasures for Peter Saville.

"From the outset, I felt that there was potential to combine views taken from the digital model using advanced software packages with the more traditional medium of silk screen printing. I imagined an almost painterly end product layered on top of the technological digital rebuild. I see the end product as a hybrid collaboration. Lurid colours on columns supporting a monochromatic container - - a ghost in the machine."

It was then decided to produce two fine art prints from the digital installation, namely an eastside and a westside view of the club across the dancefloor, showing the heroic scale and cathedral like quality of FAC 51's interior which has served to make the club so legendary and long lasting in the memories of those who were lucky enough to attend.

These high quality silkscreen prints have been produced to the highest specifications by Coriander Studio, Fine Art Printmakers and Publishers, one of the world's leading art print manufacturers whose client roster also includes Damien Hirst and Sir Peter Blake.

All prints will be signed by Ben Kelly and Morph whilst an additional signed provenance on the artwork will come from Peter Hook who was becoming increasingly frustrated with unofficial Haçienda products.

Hooky explains why: "The thing that appealed to me about the idea, in the first place, was that I was totally sick of the bootlegs and things not being done properly. It was a lovely idea to do and to have it done it right and by the right people, both artistically and morally, makes the entire project worthwhile.

"When I first saw the images, I was shocked. It was beautiful and I was really taken aback. It looked like you could have just fucking dived into it! I was over the moon! The Morph boys have done a great job, ably led, aided and abetted by our mate Ben Kelly. I am absolutely delighted that these prints highlight the beauty and individuality of The Haçienda and give credit to Ben, who more than deserves his credit, as to why The Haçienda worked (or didn't work) and why it was so astounding."

Each print is part of a limited run of only 150, making a full run of 300 across both prints and is printed on 410 gsm Somerset Tub paper. The image sizes are 615mm x 765mm on a paper size of 742 x 905 mm.

The prints are to be represented exclusively by the Paul Stolper Gallery.

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14 Sept 2009
How Not To Run A Club and other stories 
Peter Hook tells the unbelievable yet true story of the music, madness and the meltdown that accompanied the rise and fall of FAC 51 The Haçienda in his long-awaited, uncompromisingly honest and forthright account of the original superclub in The Haçienda - How Not To Run A Club which is published by Simon & Schuster on 5 Oct 2009 priced £18.99.

Copies of the book purchased at Fopp / HMV also come with a free half hour DVD documentary entitled Inside The Haçienda, presented by Miranda Sawyer and featuring interviews with Peter Hook, Ben Kelly, Mike Pickering, Jon Dasilva & Fiona Allen. Check out the trailer on Facebook (login not required).

Hooky has also compiled and mixed Haçienda – Acid House Classics, a double CD album of many of the greatest Haçienda acid classics from seminal artists such as A Guy Called Gerald, Fast Eddie, Phuture, Adonis, and New Order. The album is released on New State Music the same day as the book.

To celebrate the dual release of the book and CD, Hooky is touring the UK doing signing sessions, DJ sets and more. In addition, he appears at Sheffield's Off The Shelf literary festival on Thursday 15 October 2009.

The "tour dates" are as follows:

October

Sat 3 - HMV, 100 Market Street, Manchester [signing from 5pm, Facebook]
Mon 5 - HMV, 56 Northumberland St, Newcastle [signing from 5pm, Facebook]
Tue 6 - Waterstones @ The Arches, Glasgow [signing and Q&A from 7.30pm, Facebook]
Wed 7 - Borders, Magdalen St, Oxford [signing & Q&A from 6pm, Facebook]
Fri 9 - Fopp, 1 Earlham St, London [signing from 6pm, Facebook, then DJ Set @ Wax Jambu, 144 Upper St, London from 8.30pm, Facebook]
Sat 10 - Borders, Queen's Rd, Bristol [signing from 6pm, Facebook]
Thu 15 - Off The Shelf Festival, Sheffield [Q&A and DJ set from 7.30pm]

More info at:

www.fac51thehacienda.com
Haçienda Facebook
Haçienda Myspace

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4 Mar 2009
FiloFaç 
Skylab's Managing Director thanks Tony Wilson for inspiration after winning the Anthony Wilson Original Modern Award at the Big Chip awards at bigchipawards.com.

He also recalls an interesting university project which involved the creation of a Factory Records CD-ROM:

"When I was at University in 1994, I was one of the first people in the UK to make an interactive CD for their final degree project. Very fittingly, the subject was the pioneering Factory Records. I interviewed Tony Wilson and Ben Kelly, the architect of the Haçienda and over time built a really good rapport with Tony.

The CD had an interactive Filofax (or FiloFaç as I called it) with the entire Factory Records catalogue listed, album covers, artwork, videos (including Madonna's first performance at the Haç), interviews with key people and when I eventually finished it and showed it to Tony he said, "I'm going to take this to London Records. This is going to be huge!" He was so enthusiastic about it and I became so caught up in that enthusiasm, such was the passion of the man. Needless to say it didn't go to London Records and it wasn't huge... but it didn't matter. I had my moment and my memory that still drives me to this day. Tony was an inspirational character and to have the award in his name is a personal achievement as well as an achievement for the studio. I have wonderful memories of that time and it's special to me that the award was given in his name. I would like to make a special and personal thanks to Yvette Livesey for her kind comments that were passed forward to us when we received the award."

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14 Dec 2008
Y3? Y Not! (Unless It's In Pigeon Blue.) 
As the saga of assorted Haçienda-licensed footwear continues to engender a lively discussion on the Cerysmatic Factory Message Board, we've unearthed a set of 9 videos done in conjunction with last year's launch of the Haçienda Fac 51-Y3 trainers.

Peter Hook (sometime New Order bassist & one-time Haçienda owner), Peter Saville, (one-time Fac image maker & longtime quote generator) and Ben Kelly (the actual it-wasn't-Peter-Saville-designer/architect of the Haçienda) join journalist Miranda Sawyer in a roundtable discussion of all topics Haç, discussing, among many other things, Hooky's tax bill, Saville's inability to actually frequent the Haçienda (um, ever), and Kelly's continuing role as the punchline (or punching bag) for most of Hooky's money-loss jokes.

The videos total approximately 35 minutes. If you're short on time, jump directly to vid #8 to check out a jaw-dropping pre-production model of the final Fac 51-Y3 product.

Links here: One, Two, Three, Four, Five, Six, Seven, Eight, Nine. (Probably best to use these links only, as the final 4 vids are titled and numbered differently!)

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11 Oct 2008
It all looks like art to me now 
The private view for Peter Saville's exhibition of other people's creations being exhibited on his new flat-pack plinths, Accessories to an artwork took place on Thursday 9 October at the new Paul Stolper Gallery (itself resplendent with its new Peter Saville-designed street sign).

Peter Saville was there to launch the initial prototype edition of 200 plinths. They are, according to Saville being snapped up quickly not only by individuals with fifty quid to spare and nowhere to put their telephones but also by museums and galleries. A mass-produced run seems inevitable.

Plinths aside the exhibited works range from the esoteric to the conceptual via outrageously funny. Jeremy Deller's homage to Fantin-Latour's bowl of flowers and hence the cover of Power, Corruption and Lies is matched by Todd Eberle's more obvious placing of the record itself. Robert Longo, artist and director of the video for Bizarre Love Triangle, offers us mini-mushroom cloud. Brian Eno's light flowers are just Eno being Eno. Jarvis Cocker's cut out trees are oddly beautiful. Another plinth is left empty and the burnt ashes of part of another are tastefully sprinkled atop it. An unfeasibly large sexual toy is eye-wateringly amusing. However, the best is saved til last though with Sarah Morris and Liam Gillick's "plinth on plinth", a loving homage to Rachel Whiteread.

Amongst those enjoying also the show were Ben Kelly, Kevin Cummins and the actress Tamsin Greig (Green Wing). Hi to Iain & Bunny, Andy and Mark.

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22 Sept 2008
Insert gratuitous Factory Records reference here 
It seems that some of our fashion critics were lazy enough to all use the same press release quotes AS their reviews of designer Giles Deacon during London Fashion Week.

Financial Times: "Deacon's collection riffed the bold colour palette associated with designer Peter Saville's album covers for 1980s Manchester bands such as New Order."

The Independent: "His inspirations this time around were the art director Peter Saville, and the interior designer Ben Kelly."

International Herald Tribune: "I was looking at all the graphic artists of the 1990s - Mark Farrow, Ben Kelly, Peter Saville."

We're still breathlessly awaiting further expansion on that "bold colour palette" associated with Peter Saville & New Order...

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3 Jul 2008
Refurbished 
Urban Splash have published a basic PDF factsheet outlining plans for their Ben Kelly-designed apartment/office/retail/leisure development Stubbs Mill.

Ben Kelly himself has remarked on the likeness of the roof to the original Factory logo (didn't the original idea for 1 Charles Street involve adding such a roof and a chimney to the original structure in order to physically realise the corporate branding? Imagine...).

Given the current state of the 'market' in Manchester "flats for tw@ts" (see 17th February 2008) one wonders if this development will see the light of day.

Fac 101 (1984) anybody?

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30 Jun 2008
rEpUBLIC 
"Daring", according the The Guardian, "controversial" according to The Birmingham Mail, "Attention Grabbing", according to H2G2 on the BBC, tHE pUBLIC gallery in West Bromwich (middle England) has finally opened, three years late and 13 million quid over budget.

"The world's only entirely participatory arts space", according to themselves, it sports 'Trees' by Ben Kelly: a techno-copse of eighteen 'interactive trees'.

Interactive = talk to? But will they listen?

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