The Official Factory store via Warners has just launched a selection of t-shirts and sweatshirts featuring the classic Factory smokestack logo amongst other designs, some of which were previewed at the Use Hearing Protection exhibition shop.

T-shirts are available in white, black, grey and, for kids, yellow.

Prices range from £12.99 to £36.99 and it's all available via the Rhino UK Store.

Labels: Factory_Records, T-Shirt

Stuck for ideas for Christmas presents for the Factory obsessive in your family? Why not treat them to a pack of ten postcards featuring reproductions of flyers and posters designed by Trevor Johnson for Factory and the Haçienda. The set is available for the princely sum of five pounds direct from the-modernist.org on the occasion of the Praxis XL exhibition which runs in Manchester until 23 December 2019.

And then there's the Praxis XL badge set.

See also: The Praxis XL Exhibition Review

Labels: FAC51_The_Hacienda, Factory_Records, graphic_design, postcards, The_Modernist, Trevor_Johnson

Matthew Robertson, the author of the Fac 461 Factory Records - The Complete Graphic Album will be in conversation with Pete Mitchell at The Modernist Society in Manchester on Wednesday 18 December 2019 from 18:30 to 20:00. This event follows on from the sell-out Trevor and Craig Johnson event set up to coincide with the Praxis XL exhibition which runs until 23 December 2019.

Factory fans will know that Matthew’s book painstakingly researched and beautifully illustrated book covers much of Factory's design output and serves as an essential guide. Many of the images in the Praxis exhibition were courtesy of Matthew and he is sure to have many insights into Factory's catalogue. Copies of the book will available in the shop and Matthew will be available to sign them for you.

Book now via the-modernist.org [-->]

The Modernist Society
58 Port Street
Manchester

See also: The Praxis XL Exhibition Review

Labels: exhibition, Factory_Records, graphic_design, Matthew_Robertson, Pete_Mitchell, praxis, talk

Scream City 6 is the long-awaited film and video edition originally planned for 2012 but which never happened but is now slated for 2020.

The regular line-up of writers will return - Michael Eastwood, John Cooper, Andrew James, Ian McCartney, David Nolan plus debutants Iain Key, Brian Nicholson and Paul Pledger.

The publication schedule is somewhat tentative at this stage but, with a surprising amount of work already having been completed several years ago, it is not having to be started from scratch. More information when I have it but it should be published in the first half of 2020.

In a break from tradition, but rather aptly considering the subject material, this edition will be online-only.

See also: Scream City

Labels: Andrew_James, Brian_Nicholson, David_Nolan, Factory_Records, fanzines, Iain_Key, Ian_McCartney, Ikon, Michael_Eastwood, PKRP, Scream_City

Scream City 5 was published in 2010 about 2 years after issue 4 and after just shorter than that in preparation time. The graphic design of the cover spanned just about the entire development period. It was pretty clear from the outset that this would be "The International Edition" and that some form of map would feature.

In the end it featured Buckminter Fuller's Dymaxion projection in a wraparound full-bleed design but not before a brief dalliance with vintage Ordnance Survey.

Let the full, epic story commence!

Scream City 5 - additional material

Labels: Factory_Records, fanzines, graphic_design, Scream_City, Trevor_Johnson

The Factory Records 40th Anniversary t-shirt by original Factory Records designers Trevor and Craig Johnson is available to buy now via vinylrevivalmcr.com [->] and in-store at the Vinyl Revival shop on Hilton Street in the Northern Quarter of Manchester.

Labels: Factory_Records, graphic_design, Manchester, T-Shirt, Trevor_Johnson, Vinyl_Revival

Vinyl Revival is launching a special t-shirt to celebrate the 40th anniversary of Factory Records designed by the brothers Johnson - Trevor and Craig. The release coincides with the Praxis XL exhibition currently running at The Modernist on Port Street in Manchester.
Five colour schemes will be available:

• White print on Navy
• White print on Red
• White print on Burgundy
• Burgundy print on Grey
• Burgundy print on Petrol Blue

The t-shirts are available to buy now via vinylrevivalmcr.com.



See also: Johnson Panas / Trevor Johnson

Labels: Craig_Johnson, Factory_Records, praxis, T-Shirt, Trevor_Johnson, Vinyl_Revival

Scream City 4 - The FAC-2 issue - had a consistent graphic identity the whole way through and there was one golden rule - no colour. That rule was adhered to without fail except for one small dash of orange on the centrespread.

After a brief dalliance with a Situationist International graphic, the front cover concept was tied directly to the FAC-2 interview with Vini Reilly and the SC4.1 CD of 'Cup a Soup Romance' by The Durutti Column. Vini Reilly provided three photos by Rachel McFarlane, his then girlfriend, with the best of these being selected. The original photo features Vini in a brightly coloured top holding his beloved Les Paul guitar. It seemed such a shame to drain the colour but rules are rules...

Scream City 4 additional material

Labels: Factory_Records, fanzines, graphic_design, Scream_City

Scream City 3 saw the graphic design identity concept veer off from that established in the first two years. A slightly longer gap between issues perhaps contributed to this fresh approach. It also got a bit fruity...

In 2005 I had visited Lyon, France to participate in the Nuits Sonores festival with Tony Wilson and Matt Carroll of Central Station Design. It was at this festival that I had conducted my interview with AHW (with occasional interjections from Matt). It was also her that I met Lyon resident and photographer Richard Bellia who took a photo of Tony and me alongside his more regular pictorial duties for the event organisers.



On my return to England, I met Richard and his friend Push at Push's house in Brentford near Griffin Park and that's where the Cock and Balls Story begins...

Read on: Scream City 3 - additional material

Labels: Factory_Records, fanzines, graphic_design, Matt_Carroll, Richard_Bellia, Scream_City

"In 1978 the unlikely pairing of a jobbing actor and a Cambridge graduate-cum-TV presenter founded a record label in Manchester. Alan Erasmus and Tony Wilson released their first record on Factory Records in 1979 and during the period up until its demise in 1992 made a huge impact, not only on music but on popular culture and design."

To celebrate the 40th anniversary of Factory's first release, The Modernist presents an exhibition, PRAXIS XL, showcasing the legacy of Factory Records.

Curated and designed by stalwart of Factory's design team - Trevor Johnson, alongside brother Craig - the exhibition will feature selected output from 40 of the label's most interesting and sometimes esoteric projects.

Praxis - A Factory Anniversary Exhibition starts on Saturday 9 November 2019 at the Modernist Society [->] at 58 Port Street, Manchester M2 2EQ.

Opening hours: 11:00 - 17:00 daily

Labels: exhibition, Factory_Records, graphic_design, history, Manchester, praxis, Trevor_Johnson

Where do you start?

It's big? 15" x 15" x 5" is a little oversized for the average shelf.

It's quite expensive? Yes, but with some justification.

It has limited appeal? Maybe, but those who are invested will love it.

It's breathtaking.

When this box was first announced in August, I had no hesitation in ordering it. Whilst costing more than I would normally spend (I thought the deluxe version of 'Movement' a little on the high side) the contents, the book, the music, the posters, the CD and DVD promised a treasure trove of riches most could only dream of owning, despite being copies.



It's worth noting on this point that where things are facsimiles, they are to the highest degree, for example, FAC-2 is in a proper heat sealed sleeve rather than a card or paper one. FAC 6 is in a replica black-on-black thermographic braille sleeve. Clearly no expense has been spared in the production of this box celebrating greatest of all record labels.

Opening the high quality box very carefully the first thing you see is the 12x12" 60-page paperback book. With new text by the curator, James Nice, and some rare full-size photographs mixed with quotes from various sources, this focuses on the content of the box and reprints an original 1979 article by the future filmmaker and screenwriter Mary Harron. My initial intention was to have a quick skim through the book before moving on to the contents of the box, but found myself being drawn in and studying it in detail for a long time.



Nestled between the book and the first couple of pieces of vinyl are the 3 posters and other paper-based artefacts (FAC 1, FAC 3, FAC 4, FAC 7 and FAC 8).

The posters I've not opened out yet and, to be honest, I'm a little scared of doing so as I don't want to damage them at all as I am contemplating having them framed. The stationery is interesting, especially the copy of the 'History of Factory' double-sided piece of A4 originally typed up by Tony Wilson. When it comes to Linder Sterling's Factory Egg Timer print it's something of a curio. Indeed it's probably something that will get passed over during the first examination by most people, but it's essential as not only is it one of the first 10 items with a Factory catalogue number, it's so off the wall you can't imagine any other record company encouraging the idea of such a thing… which in itself is what makes Factory so special.

Moving on to the vinyl, as mentioned these are facsimiles of the originals. A Factory Sample, All Night Party, Electricity, Unknown Pleasures and the previously unreleased 3-track 12" by Tiller Boys. Other than the Joy Division album (the 2015 master), all of the other tracks have freshly been remastered at Abbey Road this year from the original tapes.

I must confess, that when listening to 'A Factory Sample' I realised what a bad 'fan' I am. Other than the Joy Division and Cabaret Voltaire tracks I'd never actually heard the other tracks on the debut EP, never having owned it before. Whilst I was listening to the first disc I looked at what was in the charts on 24 December 1978 when it was released… Boney M were No 1 with 'Mary's Boy Child' in the singles and the 'Grease Soundtrack Album' was holding off all pretenders in the album chart. Those Martin Hannett-produced tracks sound light years away from what was in the mainstream at the time, as would the Cabs. Curiously the 3 tracks by John Dowie don't sound that dissimilar from something the likes of the Barron Knights may have performed, who had a single in the Top 5 at the time.



I'm not sure how the bonus Tiller Boys 12-inch would have been received if it had been released as originally planned. It's interesting to hear, but to my ears is basically a set of instrumental jams, and not something that would have necessarily been comparable to the opening salvo of ACR, OMD and Joy Division, although again, the fact that this was considered is typical of the label.

Hidden under the seven-inchers are the final treasures in the box, the first of which is the rarely seen and recently remastered 'No City Fun'. Accompanied by 3 Joy Division tracks, the film is almost exclusively filmed on the 42 bus route through Withington to Manchester City Centre. For me this was fascinating as it took me back to my youth, as it was about a journey I vaguely remember making as a 9-year-old complete with orange double-decker buses and Piccadilly Radio 261.

The final item contains 2 CDs worth of an interview / conversation with the aforementioned Mary Harron. This comprises ninety minutes of conversation between Mary, Tony, Rob Gretton and the members of Joy Division whilst eating out in Manchester. I had an idea this would be interesting, but I didn't realise HOW interesting. The conversation covers everything from the birth of punk and the Sex Pistols in Manchester to the formation of Joy Division and Factory. There’s all this and Tony Wilson really pushing a new Mexican restaurant (which probably would have been one of the first) in Manchester City Centre and explaining what a taco is to those listening.

Unlike myself and the Factory Sample, I imagine anyone reading this, or thinking of buying the box will have heard or own the contents of the box. They may also have seen much of the printed material in books or behind glass at exhibitions.

The box is a gorgeous artefact, lovingly curated and a truly a sum of its parts. For me personally, it's an audio/visual time capsule of a period which I missed out on by around 10 years and it offered me an opportunity to immerse myself in the late 1970s Manchester. Incidentally I am currently reading Gareth Ashton's brilliant 'Manchester: It Never Rains’ book which covers this period via eye witness accounts and adds additional context from outside of the Factory bubble.

Yes, this is expensive, but I'd say worth it as it's a quality item, which has been made to the highest possible specifications and overseen by those that have been keeping the Factory legacy alive.

Saying it's the perfect tribute for the 40th Anniversary of Factory, and to the memory of Messrs Curtis, Hannett, Gretton and Wilson, or a celebration of Saville and those who remain doesn't seem enough, but that's exactly what it is.

- Iain Key for Cerysmatic Factory

Labels: A_Certain_Ratio, Cabaret_Voltaire, Factory_Records, graphic_design, history, Iain_Key, James_Nice, John_Dowie, Joy_Division, Linder, OMD, Peter Saville, review, The_Durutti_Column, Use_Hearing_Protection

The Scream City digital archive presents an excellent opportunity to revisit a printed paper fanzine published during the period 2006-2010.

Scream City 2 is coming soon (#coding) but meanwhile eagle-eyed readers may have wondered "what happened to the centrespread of Scream City 1, you know the Periodic Table of Factory Records?".

Well, this was reworked a few years ago on factoryrecords.org and now, after a bit of css tweaking for mobile devices, is being relaunched again.

I'm not promising that it's perfect but please enjoy.

Labels: Factory_Records, graphic_design, Scream_City

To coincide with the Use Hearing Protection: FAC 1 – 50 / 40 exhibition on at Chelsea Space until 26 October 2019, co-founder and art director of Factory Records, Peter Saville, will be in conversation with exhibition co-curator Jon Savage at the Clore Gallery in Tate Britain on 22 October 2019 from 19:00 until 21:00.

Following the talk, there will be a very special screening of rare footage of Joy Division playing live at the Apollo Theatre, Manchester filmed by Richard Boon during the Buzzcocks' 1979 tour. Some of the footage can be seen on the Fact 27 'Here Are The Young Men' video which, of course, is on display in the exhibition.

The event is free but tickets must be booked - see the Tate website [->] for more info.

Labels: Factory_Records, Jon_Savage, Joy_Division, Peter Saville, Richard_Boon, screening, talk, Tate_Britain

The Use Hearing Protection FAC 1-50/40 exhibition (aka "we are bored in the city") is on at Chelsea Space and the Chelsea College of Art and Design until 26 October 2019. Curators Mat Bancroft and Jon Savage have assembled historical artefacts in the form of records, posters, archive papers, documents and much more in the first exhibition of its kind that I can remember as part of celebrations of the 40th anniversary of Factory Records (41st shurely? Ed.).

The exhibition deals with the first fifty Fac numbers in approximately numerical order starting with Fac 1 at the end of the corridor as you enter the main space and after some scene-setting posters and publications such as the Joy Division 'Walthamstow' ("Shimmy") and Situationist texts like 'Leaving the 20th Century'. Explanatory texts and captions are kept to minimum but there is a foldout A4 black-and-white information sheet or, for a modest £5, the "we are bored in the city" A5 black-and-white information booklet (by Jon Savage) which contains small reproductions of some of the artefacts on display.

The FAC 1-50 collection is impressive when seen together as a body of work and is all the more so when you consider the very short span of time it took for it to be developed (1978-1981). Given the rarity and value of some of the individual items it's pleasing to see virtually everything that could be displayed is present and correct. The only exceptions are the mega-rare black-on-silver variant of the Fact 10+4 poster and the Fac 46 'Video Circus' poster. The latter number is represented only by the silver A Certain Ratio sticker for the NYC leg of the Video Circus. Interestingly the copy on display featured blue ink on a silver sticker whereas my personal copy (kindly given to me by Donald Johnson of ACR) has red ink. The former is very rare indeed and it was not possible to locate a copy (where are you Steven?).



The supporting material is mainly presented in flatbed display cases with clear vitrine protective lids. This comes from a variety of sources but most notably the AHW Collection at the Science and Industry Museum in Manchester. This aspect was especially pleasing for me on a personal level since I have been involved with the documenting and catalogue of that collection since 2009 when I was invited to help the Museum by Oli Wilson. All along it's been at the back of my mind that wouldn't it be great to see this material in an exhibition. That dream has finally come to life and there is the tantalising prospect of even more material being exhibited when the Use Hearing Protection exhibition transfers to the Science and Industry Museum next year. The theme will still be FAC 1-50, but, due to increased capacity when the new exhibition space at the Museum is completed, there will be scope to include more material. I understand that there are also proposals to include a video screening room and perhaps even hold more associated events.

In fact, if there was one criticism of the current exhibition it is just that the limited exhibition space just isn't big enough to allow justice to be done to everything. With the exceptions of Fact 10 which has a whole panel devoted to it, Fac 18 which has 7"/12" variants and Fac 41 Fairy Tales (green and purple colourways), pretty much only one side of one version of one format is viewable. It would be nice to see both sides of the sleeves of all releases in the way that materials were exhibited at The Peter Saville Show in 2003. There are numerous opportunities to include additional material, such as all the variants of the Fac 18 'Girls Don't Count' with all the three different girlfriends, the Fact 14 'The Return of the Durutti Column' variants with and without stencilling, Fac 19 'It's Hard To Be an Egg' with the feather, Fac 39 'Watching the Hydroplanes' on clear and transparent vinyl, different formats of various albums and the occasional promotional poster.

Here's looking forward to next year.

--

More info at usehearingprotection.com/exhibition [->]

Labels: exhibition, Factory_Records, history, Jon_Savage, Peter Saville, Use_Hearing_Protection

'we are bored in the city' published by Chelsea Space to coincide with 'Use Hearing Protection: FAC 1 - 50 / 40' is available to buy online via estore.arts.ac.uk.

This old school, fanzine-style booklet includes an essay by Jon Savage and archival images & documents from the early Factory years, many of them from the AHW Archives at the Science and Industry Museum in Manchester.

It's also available to buy in person at the exhibition itself and you may even get lucky and receive a free copy of the Fac 28 'Komakino' flexi-disc (while stocks last!). This famous Fac flexi was supposedly going to be made available free wherever it was made available. Forty years down the line isn't too bad to be fulfilling on that promise.

--

we are bored in the city
A5 black and white
36 pages
ISBN: 978-1-911618-05-8

--

See also: Those Factory Records flexis in full | Joy Division | Back in the Cellar

Labels: Chelsea_Space, exhibition, Factory_Records, Jon_Savage, magazine, Use_Hearing_Protection

To coincide with the start of Use Hearing Protection FAC 1-50/40, the exhibition's co-curator Mat Bancroft popped onto the Mary Anne Hobbs show on BBC 6Music to present a 3 Minute Epiphany for Factory Records.

It's available to listen again as part of the show (at 1h 40min) or you can download the podcast.

Labels: BBC_6Music, Factory_Records, Factory40, Mat_Bancroft, podcast, radio, Use_Hearing_Protection

Factory fans should check out episode 24 of the Nightclubbing (Excursions) podcast in which Dave Booth (ex-Haçienda DJ) and Sean Connors talk to Mark Eastwood of the late, lamented Record Peddler shop which graced Manchester's Swan Street and was THE place for Factory rarities until its closure in 1992. Mark also picks a few choice cuts for the playlist. Stream now via Mixcloud or via the embedded player above.

See also: Record Peddler on Twitter

Labels: Factory_Records, Manchester, Mark_Eastwood, Record_Peddler, vinyl

'That Factory Tune' is a poem by Vinny Davies which was commissioned by Councillor Chris Paul from Manchester City Council in liaison on the Factory side by Esther Ford.

March from Middleton, descend from Hulme
Walk from Withington to the factory tune
Mooch from Moston, do the Ancoats sway
We're all gone move in a Curtis way
Leave time to get from Levenshulme
Or rush from home
Dawdle from Didsbury, to the sound that we own
Hurry up from Urmston, or thumb it from Hyde
Not far from Ardwick, just one bus ride
Bounce down from Beswick, see what people say
Push boundaries, and soundaries in a Wilson way
It's black and it's yellow, it's played on the moon
That Manchestic, Majestic Factory Tune

- 'That Factory Tune' by Vincent Davies

Many thanks to Vinny and Iain for the info and imagery.

Labels: Factory_Records, Manchester, poetry, Vincent_Davies

Hot on the heels of Use Hearing Protection FAC 1-50 / 40, The Modernist Society in Manchester presents a brand new exhibition, with 40 examples of Factory's design output celebrating the cultural legacy of Factory Records.

Trevor Johnson, who was responsible for many great Factory record sleeves, both with Johnson/Panas and independently, has curated and designed the exhibition with his brother Craig, also a key member of the Johnson Panas team at the time. Johnson Panas also designed much of the Fac 51 The Haçienda and Fac 201 Dry visual identities.

A unique brand has been created for the exhibition: PRAXIS XL. This is a reference to the philosophy expounded by Anthony Wilson (and The Modernist Society) that praxis was "Doing something because you have the urge to do it, inventing the reasons later."

The exhibition will run until 23 December 2019. More details when we have them.

The Modernist
58 Port Street
Manchester M1 2EQ

See also; modernist-society.org [->]

Meanwhile, those who wish to remind themselves of AHW's praxis theories should reacquaint themselves with Channel 4's 'New Order Play at Home' documentary from 1984 (see below).

Labels: exhibition, FAC201_Dry, Factory_Records, graphic_design, Manchester, praxis, Trevor_Johnson

James Nice (Factory Benelux, Les Disques du Crépuscule, LTM) chats about the 40th anniversary of Factory Records to Janice Long on BBC Wales in a programme first broadcast on Wednesday 4 September 2019. The audio may not be available in all countries due to BBC iPlayer restrictions.

The Factory-related audio starts at about 1:05:00 in to the show.

A small suite of Factory Records material features during the show with the playlist as follows:

Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark - Electricity
Joy Division - Digital
A Certain Ratio - All Night Party
Cabaret Voltaire - Yashar (Remixed By John Robie In New York)
James - Hymn From a Village
The Durutti Column - Home
Happy Mondays - Kinky Afro

* The Skunk Anansie element of this headline is not related to Factory. Any credible connection tips welcomed!

Labels: Factory_Records, James_Nice, Janice_Long, radio

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