"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

My favourite item in the Use Hearing Protection FAC 1-50/40 exhibition is the Fac 27 'Sex Machine alternative sleeve' artwork. It has always intrigued me as to what this actually was (and, indeed, whether or not it actually existed as opposed to just being a concept). During the 'Back in the Cellar' archive project (2009-2019) I uncovered a sketched out drawing which to my mind could have been the "alternative sleeve" - see above.

However, it always seemed a bit too jovial or jocular for a Crawling Chaos sleeve. Now that the true source has been identified (Chapter 13, page 59 of 'La Baronne Steel' by Jim) it seems reasonable to assume that the sketch (probably by AHW) was done as a rather loose interpretation before the final, less-pornographic, sleeve for Fac 17 'Sex Machine' was decided upon (see last image).



Exhibition caption

La Baronne Steel
By Jim

The alternate cover concept for Crawling Chaos's Sex Machine was a Peter Saville design using an image from the book La Baronne Steel (The Baroness Steel) by illustrator Jim. First published by les humanoides asscolés in Belgium in 1976 the book features numerous illustrations by Jim throughout. The image Saville had marked as the potential cover image was on page 59 highlighting Chapter 13.

Note: there is no mention of Rob Gretton who is generally credited on this Fac number in this caption - more information needed.

Fac 17 'Sex Machine' final sleeve

Labels: Crawling_Chaos, exhibition, graphic_design, history, Peter Saville, Rob_Gretton, Use_Hearing_Protection

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

Whilst Cerysmatic was on hiatus (sorry about that, Ed.), Philippe Carly produced a coffee table photography book devoted to La Raffinerie, the celebrated Brussels concert venue on Rue de Manchester (where else!?). Two years down the line and Carly is working to crowdfund an Addendum version which will fill in the gaps not covered by the original book.

Between 1979 and 1986, La Raffinerie was a magnet for new wave bands such as Echo and the Bunnymen, A Certain Ratio, Eyeless in Gaza, The Birthday Party, and, of course, Joy Division.

The Addendum will be a separate book of the same size (30cm square) produced with the same materials and look and feel of the first on. It will just have fewer pages and be cheaper.

The Addendum edition will also only be available to those people who back this crowdfunding exercise. It will be strictly limited to the number of copies ordered via ulule.com.

Various backing options are available with one of the more extravagant ones being to attend a private release party at the grand old venue itself on 17 January 2020, the 40th anniversary of Joy Division's second gig there.

For more details and to see all the crowdfunding options, please refer to ulule.com.

Labels: Au_Plan_K, book, history, Philippe_Carly, photography

'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

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

RELEASE SCHEDULE

Friday 23rd May
FAC 18 Section 25 "Girls Don't Count" 7" 45/33rpm
FACT 14 Durutti Column "Return"; new sleeve, reissue 12" 33rpm
FACT 16 A Certain Ratio "GAB"; new style plastic wallet case

Friday 30th May
FAC 28 Joy Division "Komakino" free flexi-disc 7" 45rpm

Friday 6th June
FAC 17 Crawling Chaos "Sex Machine" 7" 45 rpm

Friday 13th June
FAC 23 Joy Division "Love Will Tear Us Apart" 7" 45/33rpm

Friday 27th June
FACT 25 Joy Division "Closer" 12" 33rpm

FACTORY RECORDS (US) INC SCHEDULE

Friday 30th May
FACTUS 1 Joy Division "Unknown Pleasures" P&D's by R.TradeUS

Friday 13th June
FACUS 2 Joy Division "She's Lost Control" 12" 45rpm by RTUS

Friday 4th July
FACTUS 3 The Durutti Column "The Return of...." 12" 33rpm (Antilles)

Friday 11th July
FACUS 4 A Certain Ratio "Do the Du (casse)" 12" 45rpm (Antilles)

With regards to recent events, we feel there is very little we want to say. The feelings of Ian's friends and colleagues are private and should remain so. We'd like to thank all the people who abet us in record production, the journalists, broadcasters and friends from other companies and bands who have expressed their sympathy. For the young people who loved the music, we hope that some of the above releases help with that empty feeling that we are all going through.

The all-night party just goes on.

--

Transcript of Factory Records release schedule dated May 20, 1980 (2 days after the death of Ian Curtis) from the AHW archive.

View the full May 1980 release schedule.

Labels: A_Certain_Ratio, back_in_the_cellar, Crawling_Chaos, history, Ian_Curtis, Joy_Division, Section_25, The_Durutti_Column

Paul Morley looks back on the life of Tony Wilson in a rerun series on BBC 6Music which is available now (with the second and final part upcoming) via BBC iPlayer (geographical exclusions may apply).

Labels: history, Paul_Morley, Tony_Wilson

Anthony H Wilson

Broadcaster
Cultural Catalyst

1950-2007

Mutability is the epitaph of worlds
Change alone is changeless
People drop out of the history of a life as of a land
though their work and their influence remains

The Manchester Man
G Linnaeus Banks 1876

Labels: history, Tony_Wilson

FACTORY RECORDS ACTIVITY IN THE MONTH OF MAY

VINYL

May 17th A CERTAIN RATIO FAC 5 7" 45rpm single. 'Thin Boys' and 'The all-night party'. Colour sleeve.

May 30th ORCHESTRAL MANOEUVRES IN THE DARK FAC 6 7" 45 rpm single. 'Electricity' and 'Almost'. All-black thermographed sleeve.

Both singles are 5,000 releases distributed through 'all the usual suspects'. Other work is continuing in the studio and cutting.... i.e.

May 12th EXODUS FAC 11 Recording single in Cargo Studios, Rochdale. Working title, 'English black boys'. Producer: Denis Bovelle.

May 1-7 JOY DIVISION FAC T 10 Final mixes of ten tracks for album 'Unknown Pleasures'. Release in June. Produced by Martin Zero at Strawberry, Stockport.

Finally, recording plans for June.

ELTI-FITS 7" 45 rpm: Manchester band

SLEEPERS 7" 45 rpm; Los Angeles (crossed out, "oops, Bay Area" in handwriting) reissue, presses here.

DURUTTI COLUMN L.P. Small issue (4,000) Pure guitar, nowt else.

TILLER BOYS LP Small issue (1000)

That's the vinyl output, for the flesh approach please turn the page......

----

Early Factory Records info sheet on official stationery. Mentions the band Sleepers (more info needed).

Labels: A_Certain_Ratio, back_in_the_cellar, Elti_Fits, history, Joy_Division, OMD, The_Durutti_Column, Tiller_Boys, X-O-Dus

Text of fax from Tony Wilson to Roger Ames (managing director of London Records) on 9 September 1992:

"Roger,

The deal progresses.

And so does the New Order album.

But we are reaching the next crisis in Real World / RAK payments.

Don't know how we should proceed, except we have to proceed.

Rob G. needs to know what to tell Real World urgently.

Can you talk to Chris Smith or get Paul L. to talk to him on this specific area; we're looking at a 24 hour decision.

But then again we are 24 Hour Party People.

Yours,

Anthony"

--

Chris Smith was Factory's accountant. Factory eventually ceased operations in November 1992. The New Order album is 'Republic' which was recorded at Real World and RAK studios and which eventually came out on London Records.

Labels: back_in_the_cellar, Factory_Records, history, Tony_Wilson

Quarry Bank Mill
Styal
Museum of the Year 1984

Quarry Bank Mill Trust Ltd
Styal, Cheshire SK9 4LA

12th December 1985
Our Ref. FR2/DS/JA
Water Wheel Donations


A.H. Wilson Esq.
Managing Director
Factory Communication Ltd
86 Palatine Road
West Didsbury
Manchester 20

Dear Mr Wilson

Thank you for your cheque for sponsorship of a water wheel bucket. We will be delighted to inscribe the bucket FAC 148 in accordance with your wishes.

This very generous measure of support for our major restoration project is much appreciated by the Museum Trustees.

I hope that you will come and visit us in the near future to see the progress made so far; we will of course, be in touch with you when the bucket has been inscribed, so that you can see your bucket on the wheel.

Yours sincerely

David Sekers

--

Original letter from Quarry Bank Mill to Tony Wilson in acknowledgement of receipt of an unknown sum of sponsorship money for a water wheel bucket at the museum.

FAC 148 was chosen because it was 1 of 48 water wheel buckets.

The final inscribed bucket may be seen below.

Labels: back_in_the_cellar, history, Manchester, Quarry_Bank_Mill, sponsorship, Styal

In a different, parallel universe, Joy Division would have toured North America in May/June 1980 and gone on to be super massive. Sadly in this world it never happened for tragic reasons but there are plenty of artefacts from the time which remind us of what could have been.

One of the many treasures in the AHW archive at the Museum of Science and Industry in Manchester is a typewritten itinerary for all the days in the trip which was planned 19 May to 10 June. Other variants exist including Detroit Bookies on 26 May (which Rob Gretton's notes in 1 Top Class Manager - which also contains further details on costings, etc - explain there was a "possibility of cancellation"). Days off were built into the schedule and the San Francisco date was to have been either the 6th or 7th of June.

You may wish to view the full typewritten itinerary (including some handwritten annotations).

Transcript


May

19th Fly in
20th Day Off
21st New York      Hurrahs
22nd New York      Hurrahs
23rd New York      Hurrahs
24th Day Off
25th Toronto       The Edge
26th Day Off
27th Chicago       Tuts
28th Madison       Merlins
29th Minneapolis   Duffies
30th Day Off
31st Day Off

June

1st  New York       Pop Front
2nd  Fly to San Francisco
3rd  Day Off
4th  Day Off
5th  Day Off
6th
     San Francisco  American Indian Hall
7th
8th  Los Angeles    Flippers?
9th  Day Off
10th Fly Home

Further suggested reading: Joy Division Central

Labels: back_in_the_cellar, gigs, history, Joy_Division, Tony_Wilson, USA

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).

Labels: Ben_Kelly, Bruce_Mitchell, Happy_Mondays, history, Jez_Kerr, Manchester, Peter Saville, Rowetta

On Thursday 15 June 2017, each BBC local radio station in England will erect a blue plaque on a building to commemorate a local music legend to mark BBC Music Day. In Manchester, the plaque will be on Alan Erasmus's property at 86 Palatine Road, the first home of Factory Records.


Peter Saville will perform the unveiling ceremony and plenty of Factory Records alumni are expected to attend.

Labels: Alan_Erasmus, Factory_Records, history, Peter Saville

If you want to know the truth IKON is largely built on arrogance - Not the sort of bullshit based on the aesthetics of presentation, celebrity status, the paying of "dues" and the attendant materialistic goals of the Metropolitan Media. Nor is IKON based on some kind of inverted snobbery of "the North will rise again" type.

No.

IKON is based, simply, on "doing it". Day in, day out. Very un-heroic, boring even. Very difficult though, to keep the stamina, especially when it seems that critically nothing changes;

N.M.E. 25/9/82
".... the power and dynamics of the music are accompanied by poor editing and shaky, hand-held camera work."

N.M.E. 10/9/88
".... the band wobble around as much as the camera."

Fuelled by Punk, although old enough to know otherwise, pre-IKON there was an 8mm, home-movie camera and friend who managed a local band - who became a bit successful. It was the start of a video label, based then, as now on co-productions and collaborations.

Essentially non-broadcast, IKON was the first mobile video cinema - "The Video Circus" - Northampton, Berlin, Pickmere Country Club, Osaka, Blackpool (police raid permitting), Toronto and others too numerous to mention - and is the first (and only) independent producer, distributor and retailer of the noisy, ugly, raw, careless, rare, offensive, beautiful, timeless.... blow our own trumpet why don't we!

It's just that if IKON hadn't who would? Who would? Who would take the time, care and consideration to promote such a range of exotica?

READ THE RELEASE SHEET NOW!

Sneak-previewed at the Venice Film Festival or the Riverside Studios, London; Pirated in Milan, Amsterdam and Barcelona; Critically acclaimed in New York; Video that doesn't rely on exotic locations (no offence Darwen, Glasgow, Bury or Hale). dry ice, Hollywood re-hash, bare breasts or football transfer-fee budgets.

IKON is the best kept secret of Altrincham (where?), U.K. and can be found getting them in at a bar new you.

Tim Chambers (Interest Declared)

IKON distributes: Ron Johnson, Doublevision, Cut Deep, Dubious, Ink/Red Flame, Factory ad of course IKON.

--

Eighties-era official unofficial IKON biography by Tim Chambers on IKON logo stationery. View the full biography.

With thanks to Brian Nicholson and Tim Chambers.

Labels: history, Ikon, Tim_Chambers

Here we have a typewritten invoice (on beautiful letterhead) dated 14 July 1983 from Peter Saville Associates to Factory Records requesting payment for graphic design services rendered on several key items for New Order (including FAC 73 Blue Monday and FACT 75 Power, Corruption and Lies) and FAC 51 The Haçienda (including the original logotype and stationery) and which totals just over £8K. Adjusted for inflation that represents approximately £25K which is quite a tidy sum. There is no evidence (yet) of when the bill was paid.



The bill, in summary, is as follows:

---

Current Account with Factory Records, BeMusic, FCL and The Hacienda.

New Order 'Temptation' 7" & 12" FAC 63 £528.21
Hacienda Logotype Membership card/leaflet FAC 51 £535.38
New Order EP for Canada/USA FEP 313 £1304.54
New Order 'Blue Monday' 12" FAC 73 £538.20
New Order 'PCL' album FACT 75 £3557.62
New Order 'PCL' cassette liner for Italy FACT 75 £110.38
New Order 'Confusion' 7" & 12" FAC 93 £556.09
New Order Video Liner FACT 77 £478.47
Hacienda Anniversary Poster/ad for NME FAC 51 £57.50
Hacienda Stationery System FAC 51 £556.11

VAT payment £604.20

TOTAL £8826.70

Payment received Dec.1982 £750.00

Balance now due to Peter Saville Associates £8076.70

---

You may wish to view the full invoice is presented in monospaced type on Peter Saville Associates stationery.

Labels: back_in_the_cellar, graphic_design, history, New_Order, Peter Saville

Happy Mondays famously went to Barbados to record their final Factory Records album, FACT 420 Yes Please! Stories abound of moped accidents and selling studio furniture to raise money to buy crack cocaine. And, of course, it is alleged that the costs of the trip were a major contributory factor in destabilising Factory financially to such an extent that it eventually folded. However, Factory's other commitments, especially in property following the development and opening of the New Factory HQ were also major reasons why it all came to an end.

In a 2000 interview with The Guardian, AHW said: "Although Factory was always a precarious pile of shite, everything had to go wrong. Happy Mondays had to discover crack cocaine in Barbados! New Order's album had to be two years late! Claire Leighton had to die, of a tablet bought in Stockport, but in the Hacienda! There had to be an international property collapse! Do you want me to go on?".

Shaun Ryder told The Independent in 1992 that Nathan McGough (ex-Mondays manager) called Yes Please! 'the most expensive indie album ever made' only that was in jest but it became a myth that the press perpetuated.

But how much money did Factory actually spend on the Barbados sessions? Book-keeping wasn't a Factory speciality but Tony Wilson had a definite penchant for making lists and below we have an advance cost forecast of the whole operation. It seems that six weeks in Barbados were originally planned to be followed up by a further six weeks in Miami. However, this second part, which was outlined at just of £74K never transpired but further recording time was required because no lyrics were recorded in Barbados. The album was eventually finished at a studio in Surrey.

The trip to Barbados itself was planned at just over £68K including flights. The handwritten note at the bottom estimates production costs (for the services of Chris Frantz and Tina Weymouth) at $5K per track (about $60K in total) and an undisclosed percentage on top. The Surrey costs are not known but are not thought to have been excessive as they mostly only involved recording vocals. Certainly, when put into to context of the reported £2.5m that Factory was in debt at the time of going into receivership, the contribution of Yes Please! to this amount is not as large as it is often reported to be.

Transcript

(in handwriting: "Mondays")

RECORDING BUDGET

Barbados (6 WEEKS)               £

Flight Man-Ldn-Jam-Miam-Ldn       7,236
Villas (8 people) $4,000 pw x 6  14,120
Studio $1,000 pd x42             24,705
Food                              3,175
PDs 6 x 8 £20 pd                  6,720
Freight                           8,810
Wages                               500
Ground transportation             2,823
Tape                                      -

MIAMI (6 WEEKS)

Apartments 4 x 2 @ $3,400 pm     18,000
PDs £25pd x 8 x 42                8,400
Ground transportation             2,941
Studio $1,800 pd                 44,470
Equipment (strings, repairs etc)    500

CONTINGENCY                       6,978

TOTAL                           149,378

NB Above does not include producers fees.

(in handwriting: "Estimated fee. $5000/track Don't know % yet")

Labels: back_in_the_cellar, Factory_Records, Happy_Mondays, history, Tony_Wilson

Transcript of typewritten Factory Benelux release schedule from the archives with, as ever, a few unexpected twists on the FBN catalogue as we know it. Check the explanatory notes at the end for more info.

---

December 30th 1983

Releases of time to come

FBN 15
CRISPY AMBULANCE 'Sexus'
1982 recording in Brussels. Sleeve Patrick Roques. testpressings just arrived ¹
12"

FBN 22
from the december 83 recordings; no edit known as yet; song still to be selected; sleeve? this is for NEW ORDER. ²
12"

FBN 26
SURPRIZE
'In movimento' A Dojo Be Music production for this Italian act; sleeve by the band in the Mussolini style; cutting in Belgium Jan 9th. ³
mLP

FBN 28
NYAM NYAM
'Fate/Hate' Hookie on production; cutting done in London recently; testpressings soon to be available; sleeve by the band currently being processed in Brussels. ⁴
12"

FBN 31
JAMES
recordings to happen in Brussels early February with an appearance at Interferences, latest nightspot in Grand-Place, Bruxelles. ⁵
12"

FBN 32
ACR
If Donald was less upset about Benelux recent foolishness, we'd know more about this project... but it shouldn't remain a questionmark for much longer... ⁶

FBN 33
Section 25 'From The Hip'
To be released simultaneously by Brussels and Manchester and France, etc. Sleeve by Saville; masters and films impatiently expected; a memorable release for start of 84; thank you Wally. ⁷

FBN 34
LAVOLTA LAKOTA 'Mitawin/Prayer'
Testpressings just arrived. A Hookie production again; one side is 33rpm; sleeve by the band currently being processed in Brussels ⁸
7"

FBN 35
THE WAKE 'Talk About The Past'
Masters and films expected anytime. Release to be launched with a Benelux and German tour late February. ⁹

FBN 35
THE DURUTTI COLUMN 'Short Stories for Pauline'
From the December recordings in Brussels. Picture sleeve for the back (c.f. Tony's choice) Release schedule to be discussed according to Portuguese LP and the next FAC album. ¹⁰
LP

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Notes:

¹ - released as FBN 18 (instead of FBN 15) in April 1984
² - released as FBN 22 (Murder b/w Thieves Like Us (instrumental)) in May 1984
³ - released as FBN 26 in April 1984
⁴ - released as FBN 28 in April 1984
⁵ - unreleased by James but FBN 31 eventually became Alma Mater by Stockholm Monsters
⁶ - released as FBN 32 (Brazilia) in December 1984
⁷ - released as FBN 33 and FACT 90 (From The Hip) in March 1984
⁸ - released as FBN 34 (Prayer / Mitawin) in July 1984
⁹ - unreleased FBN version of FAC 88 Talk About The Past
¹⁰ - unreleased until it eventually surfaced on the resurrected Factory Benelux on CD and LP in 2012

Labels: A_Certain_Ratio, back_in_the_cellar, Crispy_Ambulance, Factory_Benelux, history, James, Lavolta, New_Order, Nyam_Nyam, Section_25, Surprize, The_Durutti_Column, The_Wake

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