Former Factory artist Biting Tongues have just had their 1981 limited cassette-only lost release 'Live It' reissued by Andy Votel's Finders Keepers Records.

Originally released on New Hormones, Biting Tongues' 2nd album was one of a series of three limited edition releases of just 500 cassettes (others by Ludus and CP Lee) that came with a booklet, badge, stickers and a sweatshirt offer. The 6-track release has now been expanded to 10 with the additional 4 tracks coming from rare cassette magazines released at the time.

The idea of releasing it on tape only appears to have been a financial one by the label despite them being in vogue (the Walkman being relatively new and cassette sales actually being equal to, if not greater than vinyl at the time). In his notes, Graham Massey explains, "New Hormones didn't have enough money to press it up on vinyl and so it became a cassette-only release, which felt like a bit of a disappointment. I always felt it buried some of our best work, compounded by the fact that we actually left off some of the best tracks from the session. These tracks lived on a cassette I've carried around for forty years, the tape slowly getting dull and wearing thin. In recent years I've been digitising Colin Seddon's cassette collection of Biting Tongues material and rediscovered a first-generation recording of the sessions on TDK SA tape."

Prior to listening to this reissue of 'Live It' I'd only previously only heard a handful tracks released on various Factory compilations and only had a very rough idea of the history of the band from their formation to provide a soundtrack to the saxophonist Howard Walmsley's film 'Biting Tongues' through to the initially unreleased 'Recharge' album so it was fascinating listening to this as a something new in 2019 and also trying to imagine how it would have fit in during those heady days of post-punk and New Romantics.

My thoughts on the first couple of listens were that it was very angular and abstract, not very easy listening, and improvised. Through Graham's notes which accompany this release it would appear my final thought especially was wide of the mark, with several mentions of demos being recorded and sent down to London for vocalist Ken Hollings to refine his lyrics before travelling up to Manchester to record them.

So improvised may be the wrong word; with repeated listens there is clearly a depth and structure to the tracks despite it occasionally sounding like band members are going off and playing at tangents with vocals being improvised. As Ken explained in an interview in 2008 there is a difference to how the band would record which gives it a unique sound and one was that odds with how many things would have been produced at the time, "We'd record a whole side of an album in one session with no breaks between the tracks and do a mix afterwards – nothing was ever re-recorded – we'd even leave in any slips of the tongue or mispronounced words I might have struggled with in the session, any stray pieces of sound that the microphone picked up, or we'd simply record straight onto two-channel tape, recording through the studio desk with the producer mixing and adding effects while we were performing in the studio – we wouldn't know what it sounded like until the playback – and because it was two-channel you couldn't correct it: you'd have to do the whole thing again, which we pretty much refused to do'.

I can hear some influences on this release from Talking Heads' 1980 release 'Remain In Light' but, for those listening in 1981, tracks such as 'Libreville' would have easily complemented releases such as 'To Each...' by A Certain Ratio where tracks such as 'Back To The Start' mix a variety of instruments, not always conventional over driving rhythms to create a danceable beat, but very different to the polished chart music at the time which was dominated by the likes of Adam and The Ants, Madness and Soft Cell.

In 2019 each listen brings something new, there is so much going on across the 10 tracks there's a sense of opening Pandora's Box that it begs for repeated listening, and although it maybe a little challenging at, first patience is paid off.

It's not often that something that's nearly 40 years old can sound as contemporary, interesting and challenging as this release does.

Labels: album, Biting_Tongues, Iain_Key, review

Recorded in the mid-'90s and released after a string of celebrated albums, including 'The Guitar and Other Machines', 'Fidelity' [Les Disques du Crepuscule, TWI 976] is something of an underdog when compared to some of The Durutti Column's canon.

Released on CD only in 1996, this forgotten album continues the electronic theme of the outfit's final Factory album 'Obey The Time'. However, whereas the former reflected the acid house era, 'Fidelity' occasionally recalls the likes of Carl Craig, Richie Hawtin's F.U.S.E. project or Ultramarine, particularly on the giddy minimal techno of 'Sanko', the dreamy 'Grace' or sample-driven house sounds of 'Abstract of Expression'.

In truth, there isn't a great deal of Vini Reilly's guitar work on here - again as with 'Obey The Time', there are the merest hints of him riffing on the more upbeat pieces, but thankfully plenty to digest on the chilled out and glorious 'Guitar For Mother', the melancholy 'Storm For Steve' and short and sweet vignette 'G&T'. Taking centre stage across most of the album is Vini and Laurie Lexicon's other machines with beats coming from computers rather than drumming stalwart Bruce Mitchell who was notably absent from these sessions. No matter - it's a consistent album nonetheless.

With the exception of the misplaced 'Remember Me', Fidelity makes for pleasing listening on this re-ordered coloured double vinyl update, completed with the addition of two bonus tracks and a much improved new sleeve courtesy of Crépuscule's in-house artist and designer Benoît Hennebert. Somewhat surprisingly there's little in the way of sleevenotes but then there's little in the way of a back story to an album that dipped under the radar 20-plus years ago. Well worth your time.

- review by Paul Pledger (originally published at Flipside Reviews) with thanks

Labels: album, PKRP, review, The_Durutti_Column, vinyl

Recently opened at The Modernist Society's premises on Port Street, Manchester, Praxis XL is an understated exhibition to celebrate the 40th anniversary of Factory's first release.

Whilst Jon Savage and Mat Bancroft's recent display at Chelsea Space (coming to Manchester in 2020) focussed on the first 50 Fac numbers and the ephemera linked to the early days, Praxis XL showcases the whole legacy of Factory.



It's been curated and designed by Trevor Johnson (a stalwart of Factory's design team) and his brother Craig. On display are 40 of the label's most familiar and sometimes interesting items from the likes of Peter Saville, Central Station, 8vo, Ben Kelly as well as Trevor himself.

The Modernist Society is tucked away in the Northern Quarter, close to where the Buzzcocks' New Hormones office and the Roadhouse once stood, slightly off the beaten track, just a short trip up Newton Street from Piccadilly. The Society, until a few months ago had only held pop-up events and exhibitions before renting this unassuming building.



It's quite small and as you may imagine quite minimalist but perfectly formed, with the items on display allowed to breathe and not cramped.

My son and I went along on the morning of Saturday 9th November and we were surprised that we were the only 2 visitors upon arrival. However, this meant we had plenty of time to peruse and study the 40 items on display on the ground floor as well as read the accompanying notes.



For Factory fans and aficionados there are plenty of heart-warming familiar items on display, such as the original Factory Club poster, A Factory Sample, Unknown Pleasures, Blue Monday, etc.

Where this exhibition comes into its own, in my opinion at least, are the more unusual, and seldom seen items, the original rough layout for the Leigh Festival Poster, the 'Say No To London' T-Shirt design and of course Fac 191, the Haçienda Cat (a picture, not a real living cat).



Personally, the one item I would have liked to see included, but isn't is FAC 268, Northside's 'Shall We Take A Trip' - not only for people to realise that "the one with the apple on the cover" actually has a plum, but to remind people that Happy Mondays weren't the only successful band in the final years of the label.

After exhausting the items downstairs we moved upstairs to the smaller space on the first floor (greeted on the way up by a classic cheeky image of Rob Gretton with his tongue out) where there are selected photographic works of Kevin Cummins. Most will be familiar to fans but they really come to life when blown up from the A4 size people will most be familiar with. My personal favourite is the distance shot of the Factory Club alongside one of the infamous Hulme crescents.



Whilst we were watching part of the loop of Factory-related videos, the musical pioneer that is Graham Massey arrived with a small entourage who were out on a walking tour around key locations of the city, with Graham recollecting his personal experiences and involvement in Manchester's music heritage.



I can't guarantee that you will bump into a bona fide Manchester music legend if you visit Praxis XL but I can guarantee you'll be met with a warm welcome and an exhibition that will reinforce Factory's legacy of being a key cultural force which is recognised worldwide, and not just as a record label.

- Iain Key for Cerysmatic Factory

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Praxis XL runs from 11:00 Saturday 9 November 2019 11:00 to 17:00 Monday 23 December 23 2019.

The Modernist Society
58 Port Street
Manchester
M1 2EQ

More info: modernist-society.org

Labels: exhibition, Iain_Key, Manchester, praxis, review, The_Modernist

Maybe I'm flying in the face of conventional wisdom but the early years of Happy Mondays' lengthy career have always been my favourite. I'm not one of those who obsess about a band having a limited underground following and selling just a handful of records until they become mainstream and then accuse them of selling out.

I genuinely believe there is something really special about the run of releases by Little Hulton's finest from 1985 to 1989 (up to the 'Madchester Rave On' EP) where you hear a band and their lyricist experimenting (not just with pharmaceuticals) whilst growing in confidence which set them apart from other indie bands at the time and still keeps them sounding fresh today.

This remastered, limited, coloured vinyl box set release featuring the 12" releases in their colourful Central Station sleeves from 1985's debut 'Forty Five' EP through to 1987's call to arms '24 Hour Party People' highlights this best.

In Shaun Ryder's 'Wrote For Luck' book containing selected lyrics he practically dismisses the first two of these, saying "some of our early recordings shouldn't have made it on to vinyl really, 'Kuff Dam' and 'Tart Tart' were the first tracks we managed to record in the studio that I felt truly captured the sense and potential of the Mondays".

I can understand his view to a point but I would make the case for 'Forty Five' and 'Freaky Dancin'.

The Mike Pickering (post Quango Quango, pre M People) produced 'Forty Five EP', featuring 'Delightful', 'This Feeling' and 'Oasis' was released in late 1985.

When you look at some of the 'C86' bands and the scene created by the NME which they were actively promoting with their 22-track cassette 6 months later, any of the songs on this EP could quite easily have held its own against them and honestly would have probably fit better... it's perhaps fortunate however that this didn't happen though as it could have stalled the group's career before it really began.

What you do hear is a band, with emerging talented musicians, with elements of label mates James and Shaun borrowing lines for the first time with Oasis liberating lines from Les Reed and Gordon Mills, previously made famous by Tom Jones.

Personally I have a soft spot for the 2nd single 'Freaky Dancin' after hearing it at DeVille’s in Manchester. It would have been early in 1987 and one of the first nights out I'd had in the City Centre. I'd have only been 17 at the time and for some reason we though the infamous indie club with the bucking bronco in the connected 'Lazy Lil's' would be a good place to hang out...

At the time I'd been listening to John Peel sporadically really getting into a lot of the aforementioned C86 scene such as The Bodines, Mighty Lemon Drops, Wedding Present and only been to a couple of gigs; The Primitives and the Soup Dragons both at Manchester International on Anson Road, Longsight. I suspect anyone reading this will be familiar with the legacy of the club so I won't go into detail, although I will tell you I bought a copy of Dave Haslam's 'Debris' fanzine on my second visit which had a flexi-disc attached featuring Inspiral Carpets.

Anyway, the Bernard Sumner-produced track really impressed me as there was a shambolic confidence to it which I don't think ever copied. Whilst it had elements of the jangly guitar bands of that era, there is something fresh about it too. It isn't a full-on aural attack like some tunes of the era, it has space in it and it breathes.

What's more, it made people dance. (Well, shuffle a little quicker).

Worth noting, and mentioning it's great that the B-side 'The Egg (Mix)' which has a wonderful swagger about it is being reassessed due to this release and the accompanying promo video/clip to promote it

The 3rd single, 'Tart Tart' sees the band move up another notch with production by the legendary John Cale (I'm not sure why I'm saying that as I'm confident most people reading will know that already).

Whilst musically the style hadn't changed but the vocals appeared higher in the mix and clearer.

The first two verses are apparently about Martin Hannett, this then leads on to verses about Paul Ryder, before closing with the songs title character, an amphetamine dealer from Chorlton who had befriended Shaun and Bez but sadly passed away suddenly.

This was followed by the debut album, 'Squirrel and G-Man Twenty Four Hour Party People Plastic Face Carnt Smile (White Out)' a month later.

By the time the 4th single, 'Twenty Hour Party People' came out in late 1987, indie dance had become a thing and was crossing over from the pages of the NME to Smash Hits, with MARRS' 'Pump Up The Volume' spending a couple of weeks at No 1 in the Official UK Top 40. The Mondays themselves though were still quite underground but it’s clear something was about to happen.

Despite being a live favourite, I don't think the song every really reached the public conscious and received the acclaim it deserved until the release of the film of the same name 15 years later.

It's interesting to note that despite the hedonistic lifestyle attributed to the band since the early days, the releases on this box were all before ecstasy had hit Manchester with the tracks fuelled by heroin, weed and speed...

Not quite days of innocence, but a great snapshot of the birth of an era.

- review by Iain Key for Cerysmatic Factory

See also: Central Station Design, Happy Mondays

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Happy Mondays - The Early EPs (London, 2019)

FAC 129 - Forty Five EP 12" - Green Vinyl
FAC 142 - Freak Dancin' 12" - Orange Vinyl
FAC 176 - Tart Tart 12" - Blue Vinyl
FAC 192 - Twenty Four Hour Party People 12" - Yellow Vinyl

Labels: Central_Station_Design, Happy_Mondays, Iain_Key, review

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

"A Play About Joy Division and Manchester"... I'd imagine that most if not all the audience in attendance tonight are well versed in the short history of the band and and are familiar with the music released between 1978 and 1980. It would be easy to suggest that the writer and producers are pushing against an open door... but in effect I think the opposite is actually true.

There is so much love for the legacy of the band and the characters portrayed in this performance celebrating 40 Years of Unknown Pleasures that the stakes are actually higher along with people's expectations.

This was the 2nd performance of the 3 night run in Manchester before moving to Sheffield and London, and for the 2nd night the performance finished with a standing ovation... and boy was it deserved.

Every actor involved nailed their part.

Alan Donohoe effortlessly portrays Tony Wilson, coming across as the "TV Tony Wilson" I grew up with on Granada TV rather than the slightly larger than life caricatures in the two films produced about Factory and Joy Division.

Joseph Walsh delivers a complex and tortured Ian Curtis which also highlights the artistic and fragility of the man. His chaos and confusion portrayed in the Derby Hall scene especially is heart-breaking.

Leah Gray is wonderful as Deborah Curtis, moving from doting girlfriend to angry jilted wife and mother. Although not on stage quite as much as the male characters, Leah delivers a couple of the of the most powerful scenes in the whole play, the first being just 2 words, one line, a question... "Who's Annik?" which cuts through the silence in the auditorium, people almost holding their breath. The second, comes just before the tragic conclusion as Debbie and Ian trade lines from 'Love Will Tear Us Apart' giving the audience a sense of the genuine pain and frustration being felt in Macclesfield in 1980 by the young couple

Harry McLafferty, Bill Bradshaw and Matthew Melbourne play Bernard, Hooky and Stephen to great effect, all having the character traits you'd expect if you've seen the numerous interviews and portrayals of the would be New Order. The trio are often found bouncing off each other and have some of the best lines and put downs but also get their own 'deep moments' especially when coming to terms with the issues which had been faced by their singer.

Directors Sean Mason and Giles D. Bastow also appear, the latter as Rob Gretton who channels the late manager of the band as well as Paddy Constantine in 'Control' and as recognisable as the man himself from the footage and interviews that can be found in the likes of 'New Order Story'. The former actually takes on 11 roles throughout the play, many as comic relief and the butt of jokes. However, he's a superb as producer Martin Hannett (clearly taking joy in the immortal line "play faster... but slower.")

Writer Brian Gorman appears in cameo roles via filmed inserts as Roman General Julius Agricola and also Dr John Dee helping Alan's Tony Wilson to provide the history of our wonderful Northern City.

But it's not just the acting… as you may expect, the sound and lighting play a massive part and are also spot on. With the stage set being quite sparse, other than the band's equipment and a few crates and chairs and the occasional microphone, The deft audio and visuals really put focus on the actors and allows them to really excel in their roles and take the audience on a journey through the highs and lows to the inevitable end.

Whilst not taking anything away from '24 Hour Party People' or 'Control', 'New Dawn Fades' feels like 'THE' authentic telling of the Joy Division story. This maybe because it's delivered "live and direct" rather than on a screen. There are scenes that uncomfortably come to life, such as those when Ian first has a fit, or as mentioned previously Debbie and Ian trade lyrics as their marriage crumbles really hit home.

I would highly recommend people catch this if they get a chance in this short run.

I attended with my 12-year-old who loves Joy Division's music and has seen the films (OK so there is a fair bit of swearing and death in the play but he already knows the story and hears worse at football) and a friend of my age.

My son wants to see it again at some point in the future and enjoyed it because it "felt real" and "like it was there".

My friend's review (which you'll be glad is significantly shorter than mine) was... "Proper good".

Go and see it if you can.

- review by Iain Key for Cerysmatic Factory

New Dawn Fades is on at the Leadmill in Sheffield 16/17 September and then returns to Jacksons Lane, Highgate, London for a 3-night stint 19-21 September.

More info

Labels: Joy_Division, New_Dawn_Fades, play, review, Tony_Wilson

TheArtsDesk.com [->] neatly and positively summarises the career and output of Blackpool's Tunnelvision alongside a great review of the recent Factory Benelux anthology 'Watching The Hydroplanes' which is available to buy now via FBN Mailorder [->].

Labels: Factory_Benelux, review, Tunnelvision

The recent Atonal festival in Berlin featured a rare live performance by Cabaret Voltaire and, on the Contort night, Ike Yard. The Quietus and Secret Thirteen reviews nicely sums it all up.

In other Ike Yard news, Stuart Argabright tells us that Dior designer Raf Simons wanted to use the Regis remix of 'Loss' in their Spring-Summer 2015 Ready-To-Wear show video(s) and a suitable license was done.

Finally, there's a long-awaited Gretchen Bender retrospective featuring her legendary video installation Total Recall at Tate Liverpool from 7 November to 8 February 2015.

Labels: fashion, gigs, Ike_Yard, review

We have been privy to a sneak preview of the previously-announced Martin Hannett featuring contributions from Tony Wilson, Vini Reilly, Bruce Mitchell, Peter Hook, Bernard Sumner, Tosh Ryan, Steve Hopkins (Invisible Girls), Mark Radcliffe, Dave Formula, Reni and Andy Couzens (Stone Roses) plus many others.

This is no flash expensive BBC documentary, it's a gritty warts 'n' all tale of experimentation, laid bare with the minimum of trickery and a host of wide-eyed observers, interviewed from the '90s onwards - it's rather like witnessing a chat down the pub in some cases (this is no bad thing). There is a soundtrack of sorts, mainly confined to studio tape offcuts and a few videos of Hannett rubbing Wilson up the wrong way or, rather upsettingly, being wheeled around in a shopping trolley for a music video like an overfed turkey. Death was slowly coming by the time that infamous New FADS video hit the channels.

When all is said and done, Martin Hannett really wasn't just the fifth member of Joy Division, or the fourth in The Names or the third in Durutti Column - he was a pioneer in the mould of Joe Meek and Phil Spector, a one-off, a maverick and the like of whom we're unlikely to see, or hear, again. So, until someone at the Beeb gets off their arse and makes a high-end film about the man called Zero, this no-frills DVD will suffice.

Read the full 4* review by Cerysmatic's Paul Pledger via his Flipside Reviews.

Martin Hannett: He Wasn't Just The Fifth Member of Joy Division launches on 10 April from 7pm at Gorilla in Manchester.

For more details on pre-ordering please email ozitrecords@which.net.

Labels: Bruce_Mitchell, documentary, film, Joy_Division, Martin_Hannett, Peter_Hook, review, The_Durutti_Column, Tony_Wilson

And now it's over to occasional Cerysmatic curator Paul Pledger @ Flipside Reviews for a full rundown of everything that went down at Islington Mill in Salford last Saturday night when Section 25 played a "pin-sharp show" at the Machination Nation event.

Labels: gigs, review, Section_25

NEW ORDER @ Williamsburg Park, Brooklyn, New York 7/24/2013

It is a truth universally acknowledged that being in a band involves a significant amount of drama. With so many opportunities for conflict (albums, gigs, credits, royalties, who ate the singer's muffin), platinum-selling superstars and teenage chancers alike are guaranteed at least a few bumps in the road. With plenty of strong personalities, accidents and incidents alike and a healthy dose of money and publicity, history is filled with bands whose real-life soap operas become infinitely more compelling than, say, the music itself. Just look at Metallica's therapy sessions, or the entire career of The Libertines, for proof.

New Order, it might seem, should know this better than anyone; rising from the ashes of critical darlings Joy Division and continuing onto club ventures, drug problems and intra-band conflicts, theirs has been a turbulent and endlessly fascinating career. What often gets overlooked, though, is that they're also responsible for some of the finest indie-rave anthems either side of the Atlantic; tonight, then, is their opportunity to remind us, the masses gathered in Williamsburg Park, of that fact.

With no new material from the band's recent reformation in sight, opener 'Crystal' sets the tone with the original video, featuring the fictional band The Killers, playing on the screens behind them. Lest we forget, it went on to inspire a little-known Las Vegas quartet, and that says it all: tonight is nothing less than a Great British Band(TM) cementing their legacy with style. Frontman Bernard Sumner knows it; despite sporting a broken leg, he appears relaxed and jovial, and his voice, notoriously hit-or-miss live, is on fine form through triumphant renditions of 'Regret', 'Ceremony' and 'Age of Consent' - if there's any complaint, it's that the band at times seem to be having more fun than the audience. Perhaps this cooler-than-thou Williamsburg crowd are simply more restrained than your average beer-drenched UK gig-goers, but it's not until they bust out Joy Division's 'Isolation' that the pogoing starts.

But it proves impossible to resist such an arsenal of shimmering electro-pop anthems - as the sun goes down, 'Here To Stay' and 'World' soar and 'Bizarre Love Triangle' feels almost like a religious experience, the crowd singing as one as lights flash and the heavens open. The joyous atmosphere only grows; 'True Faith' is predictably magnificent, pumping fists and flickering strobe lights turning the wide open space into a rave. 'The Perfect Kiss' is gloriously uplifting, and 'Blue Monday''s stuttering drums and pounding beat sound as revolutionary today as they did back in 1983.

Inevitably, we can't ignore all that aforementioned history; an all-Joy Division encore, at a different time, could be risky. But New Order have more than earned their right, and the crowd certainly aren't objecting; 'Transmission' becomes a club anthem surprisingly effortlessly, and 'Atmosphere', with the field singing "don't walk away in silence..." as one while images of Ian Curtis float across the screen, is a moving tribute. It could only end with 'Love Will Tear Us Apart', inducing a flailing, uproarious singalong at stark contrast to the melancholy lyrics.

But that, in the end, seems very appropriate for tonight. History's a powerful thing, and it makes for great stories. Ultimately, though, it's great songs - songs that connect and uplift and inspire - that live forever. It's these songs, regardless of events and names and places, that deserve to be remembered, and it's these songs that make tonight a celebration. Tonight, New Order remind us that love may indeed tear us - and them - apart, but, with music, there's always a way to pick up the pieces.

AUSTYN KING

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Many thanks to Austyn for the review. Check out her music writing blog at heartintoapopsong.tumblr.com

Labels: gigs, New_Order, review

Review by moist of the recent Manchester Cathedral gig by Peter Hook and the Light:

Two church visits in one day! One a funeral, one a celebration - both chances to remember old friends.

Unlike The Light's earlier Joy Division Reduxes, this one was never going to be easy - charting the transition between the first two New Order albums: Movement to PC&L, Curtis to Sumner, live to 'sequence'.

But Hooky's band manage to pull it off again with a vocal strength that belies the obvious range difference twixt Sumner and Hook, a stunning guitar prowess that was never there in the original live event, a subtle interplay between the duelling basses (funny - I seem to remember nowt but complaints from Hooky the producer/engineer when faced with two bass players!) and the overall confidence of a well-toured, bedded-in backline.

Perhaps it was time, place and occasion (or old age) but I found myself revisiting not the studio recordings of these classic albums but all those live occasions related to them: gigs attended - Squat, Comanche, Ritz, Brum; tapes collected - Tiffany's, Utrecht (or was it Amsterdam); videos watched - Glastonbury 81, BBC 84; Sessions heard - Peel 81 & 2.

Then I realised what was missing then and is present in abundance now: Enthusiasm. From everyone. Finally.

Labels: Bernard_Sumner, events, gigs, New_Order, Peter_Hook, review, The_Light

New State Music and FAC 51 The Haçienda release the 3CD Haçienda 30 compilation which sees the original DJ duo Pickering and Park joined by original club owner Peter Hook in supplying the classics from the Haç's history.

Disc 1 is Graeme Park's baby and features upfront UK and US garage and uplifting house - indeed, the opening track in this mix, Let The Music Lift You Up by Darlene Lewis, sets the tone perfectly for the next 70-odd minutes with similar classics such as Inner City's Share My Love, MK's Burning, Shawn Christopher's Make My Love (the days when the name Stonebridge appeared on all the hot remixes of the age) and the underrated slammer, Rushing by Loni Clark.

Mike Pickering takes up the knobs on Disc 2 and edges it with a ripe selection of UK bleep, Chicago house and deeper techno that ranges from Sweet Exorcist's killer Testone, Hashim's must-have Al-Naafyish and Pickering's own Carino from his T-Coy project. There isn't a dud among these.

Somehow, Peter Hook's Disc 3 melting pot of Raze, De'Lacy, New Order, The Stone Roses, Robin S and Happy Mondays bubbles like a student night should, before getting all grown up with Strings of Life, Salsa House and Ain't No Love (Ain't No Use).

The release comes with a specially designed booklet featuring previously-unseen photography and a focus on the club's 30th Anniversary Party that took place in the Haçienda Apartments' car park on 21 May 2012 - 30 years to the day after the club first opened.

With thanks to Paul Pledger at FlipsideFlipside Reviews for review extracts. Read his full review at flipsideflipsidereviews.blogspot.co.uk.

Hacienda 30 is out now via New State Music on iTunes (UK), Amazon (UK) and other outlets.

More info at FAC 51 The Hacienda, Facebook and Twitter.



Tracklisting

CD1 Graeme Park

1. Darlene Lewis - Let The Music (Lift You Up) (Reese Inner City Club Mix)
2. Inner City - Share My Life (Graeme Park Vocal Mix)
3. Shawn Christopher - Make My Love (Stonebridge Main Mix)
4. Suzi Carr - All Over Me (Doc & Baron Club Mix)
5. Kim Beacham - True Love (Full Vocal Mix)
6. Solution - Feels So Right (Original Victor Simonelli Mix)
7. Lil' Mo' Yin Yang - Reach (Kenny Dope Remix)
8. Loni Clark - Rushing (Club Mix)
9. Murk - If You Really Love Someone (Original Mix)
10. Love Tribe - Stand Up (Narcotic Mix)
11. MK - Burning (MK Extended Remix)
12. The Reese Project - Colour Of Love (Reese Deep Mix)
13. The Sound Factory - Cuban Gigolo (Original Mix)
14. Landlord ft. Dex - I Like It (Blow Out Dub)
15. Masters At Work ft. India - I Can't Get No Sleep (MK Dub Mix)
16. The Untouchables - Lil' Louie's Anthem
17. De-lite ft. Osca Child - Wild Times (Mayday Mix)
18. Cut The Q - Who Needs A Love Like That (Graeme Park & John Crossley Groove Remix)
19. Seduction - (You're My One And Only) True Love (New York House Mix)

CD2 Mike Pickering

1. Sweet Exorcist - Testone
2. Nitro DeLuxe - Let's Get Brutal (This Brutal House)
3. Reese & Santonio - The Sound
4. Arnold Jarvis - Take Some Time Out
5. Jamie Principle - Baby Want's To Ride
6. Circuit ft. Koffi - Shelter Me (The Helter Skelter Mix)
7. Hashim - Al-Naafyish (The Soul)
8. Orange Lemon - Dreams Of Santa Anna
9. T-Coy - Carino
10. The Minutemen - Bingo Bongo (Loops)
11. The Fog - Been A Long Time
12. Rio Rhythm Band - Carnival De Casa
13. Black Riot - A Day In The Life
14. Phase II - Reachin' (Brotherhood Mix)
15. Robert Owens - I'll Be Your Friend
16. Sterling Void - Runaway Girl (Pimp Dub Mix)
17. George Morel ft. Shadii - I Found It (The Dub Mix)
18. X-Press 2 - Muzik Xpress
19. The Reese Project - Direct Me (Joey Negro Disco Blend Remix)
20. S.O.U.L. S.Y.S.T.E.M. - It's Gonna Be A Lovely Day (The Palladium House Anthem)

CD3 Peter Hook

1. Man Ray - Numbers
2. Raze - Break 4 Love
3. De'Lacy - Hideaway (Deep Dish Remix)
4. Soft House Company - What You Need
5. Charles B - Lack Of Love
6. New Order - Fine Time (Steve 'Silk' Hurley Mix)
7. Kevin Saunderson - The Groove That Won't Stop (Detroit Special Mix)
8. The Stone Roses - Made Of Stone (808 State Remix)
9. Happy Mondays - Kinky Afro (Euro Mix)
10. Clubland - (I'm Under) Love Strain (David Morales Dub)
11. Degrees Of Motion - Do You Want It Right Now (King Street Mix)
12. Rhythim Is Rhythim - Strings Of Life
13. Moby - Go (Woodtick Remix)
14. Robin S - Show Me Love (Stonebridge Club Mix)
15. Richie Rich - Salsa House (Original Mix)
16. Sub Sub ft. Melanie Williams - Ain't No Love (Ain't No Use)
17. Turntable Orchestra – You're Gonna Miss Me
18. FPI Project - Everybody (All Over The World)
19. Playtime Toons - Shaker Song (Original Mix)

Labels: FAC51_The_Hacienda, Graeme_Park, Mike_Pickering, Peter_Hook, review

Live review by Paul Pledger - Section 25 @ FAC 251 The Factory, Manchester, 8 October 2011

I'll be honest, this was my first visit to FAC 251, opened within the building of the iconic ex-Factory head office, turned three-storey nightclub and venue - a bare-bricked environment perfect for live music, with possibly the scabbiest toilets this side of Deansgate, but a live room that does a decent job with a low ceiling and capable soundsystem. Most importantly, it's all about the atmosphere and tonight there was plenty of it, with good reason – it was the Blackpool band's first return to the venue since their 2010 Retrofit gig. But what made this show a bit special was the business of launching a new Section 25 EP, Invicta, their first new material since 2009's Nature + Degree and their first single since 1988's Jonathan King-upsetting Bad News Week 12".

It also marks a significant step forward for a band already unsteadied by founder-member Larry Cassidy's death in 2010 – this is the brand spanking new Section 25, still loud and still melodic but with a confidence and energy, most of which exudes from live-wire new vocalist, Bethany Cassidy. The more masculine vocals are supplied by limping bassist Stuart Hill (he nearly cracked his ankle a few days previous to the show) and the rest of the band, Stephen Stringer on guitars and bleeps and Vin Cassidy working hard to provide a human percussive element to the setlist's demanding rhythms. Where once there was brashness, there is now beauty with a bite. You could be listening to a new band, such is the shift in direction on some of the older offerings tonight.

From The Hip favourite The Process opened proceedings, presented in its Retrofit finery, before the set quickly shows signs of lifting off with a tough electro rendition of early single, Beating Heart. It's songs like this that benefit from the feminine touch of Larry's daughter, although she does display some gutsier vocal-skills on other songs. The only perplexing change to their catalogue is a slow, almost lounge, version of Rememberance. As an album track, it's a definite techno-pop highlight, but slowed down misses the mark somewhat – it sounds better when pepped up. Thankfully, it's all uphill from here with new electrodisco favourite, Inner Drive and the totally-revamped New Horizon holding sway with the by now busy, loyal and partisan crowd. The new song is a bit of a firestarter when played ‘live, gearing the band up for a boisterous brace of older tracks.

Later on, Beth's sweet-as-toffee tonsils turn into a far grittier soundbase for the always-snarly Wretch, a song from The Key Of Dreams that still surprisingly stands out in the dry-ice haze of a recession-gripped Britain. "You snivelling wretch", she spurts in a barbed manner that belies her approachable and friendly demeanour. The band gamely keep time, before unleashing more post-punk vitriol with Girls Don't Count – it doesn't sound like a sound that recently celebrated its 30th birthday.

Composure remains throughout the last two songs, Garageland and the cracking new single, Colour Movement Sex and Violence, the latter a contender for being the prettiest and most melodic song of theirs since Crazy Wisdom. Or Desert. Or Inspiration. It sounded great on the radio a few weeks back – it sounds even better piped out of a proper rig.

The encore predictably (but thankfully) consists of Looking From A Hilltop, a signature song of sorts and, with my eyes closed for a few seconds, a veritable reminder of how much Beth sounds like her mum occasionally. Absolutely nowt wrong with that – the newcomer has clearly made Section 25's key songs her own, even pausing to dance her arse off throughout the show. They'll be installing mirrorballs next. As an aside, it's a shame they didn't have any nice merchandise installed – people would have coughed up a few quid for an Invicta EP afterwards.

The band have a couple of key live slots coming up, including a support role for Peter Hook and the Light at the Salford Lowry and a stint at Antwerp's BIMFest – you really should make an effort to turn up early to see them.

9/10.

Setlist

Process
Beating Heart
Remembrance (Slow version)
Inner Drive
New Horizon
Wretch
Girls Don't Count
Garageland
Colour Movement Sex and Violence
Dirty Disco
--
Looking From a Hilltop

Labels: events, FAC251_The_Factory, gigs, review, Section_25

Check out Paul Pledger's review (via Allgigs) of the latest offering from Ozit Morpheus, a retrospective of the production and musical artist output of the late Martin Hannett including musical and spoken word content from John Cooper Clarke, George Borowski, Bernard Sumner, Pete Farrow, Peter Hook and Hannett himself.

As Paul notes, of particular interest to Factory aficionados are the brief chunks of reworkings of The Durutti Column's Self Portrait (given a powerful syndrum overhaul), Calcutta by The Names and Hannett's own The Music Room, not to mention First and Second Aspect of the Same Thing flexidisc tracks.

Tracklisting

Disc One

1. Martin and John Cooper Clarke - quick verbal quip
2. Office in a Bottle - Martin on vocals, synths along with John Hurst and Diane
3. Martin on synths, metronome, etc.
4. Martin on syndrums
5. Martin on synths, etc.
6. Bernard Sumner talks about Martin
7. Martin on Synths, etc.
8. Martin - strange piano mix
9. Martin on Synths, etc.
10. Martin plays bass
11. Chrysler - Belt and Braces
12. Benavila - Belt and Braces
13. Joe Smith - Belt and Braces
14. Derry - Belt and Braces
15. Trouble in A Major - Pete Farrow
16. Hold On - Pete Farrow
17. Sailaway - Pete Farrow
18. Maybe he’ll - Pete Farrow
19. Old Man’s song - Pete Farrow

Disc Two
1. Hooky talks about Martin
2. Manchester Boys - George Borowski
3. Who is Innocent - George Borowski
4. Dangerous City - George Borowski
5. Giant - Belt and Braces
6. Questions - Belt and Braces
7. Grapes - Belt and Braces
8. Money - Belt and Braces
9. Banks of The Dee - Belt and Braces
10. Chains - Belt and Braces

Maverick Producer Genius and Musician - Martin Hannett is available to buy direct from Ozit Morpheus.

Labels: Martin_Hannett, review, The_Durutti_Column, The_Names

2011 sees ACR celebrate their 33-and-a-third birthday party with a show in Manchester, which might seem an odd and inappropriate time to release a parallel project and your first solo debut, but that’s precisely what the iconic band’s front-man is doing in September. This is the year of the first Jez Kerr album.

Numb Mouth Eat Waste consists of ten atmospheric tracks that might never have seen the light of day on an ACR album or single, but understandably don’t sound particularly at odds with its creator's previous creative output. Conversely, the opening salvo of Rip You Right Back, first single Play Sumthing Fast and the roughly trumpet-spattered Help Me, have rather more in common with the more recent outbursts of Wire than ACR – sharp guitar thwacking, biscuit-tin drums and distorted basslines all topped off with unsubtle arrangements, not so far removed from their Object 47 and Red Barked Tree sets.

But it’s from the remainder of Kerr’s intriguing album where jewels can be discovered and nuggets can be mined. The bassist’s previous forte has been with plaintive, pretty yet atmospheric vocals – think Flight, think The Big E, think Knife Slits Water and think Choir - and on this album, you get similar, minus the bigger sometimes Martin Hannett-flavoured arrangements. Inland, a minimal sample-laden twitchy funk-a-logue with Kerr’s softly-uttered lyrics, sets the scene. The potty-mouthed and almost poppy Sum Space, also possesses a different approach with the writer presenting exclamations like, “Thick as a brick, so says me / I don’t know shit / so says me” - he won't win Pulitzers with that coupling, but it’s honest.

So then, gone is the strident Mancunian confidence, or so it would seem, but lock onto the album’s fantastic centrepieces in the middle of the album and all is even better. Reason I Feel Like An Alien is the standout on this album, beautifully sung, exquisitely played and triumphantly arranged - if Kerr fails to stick this under radio stations' noses, I can only presume he has better in his canon, or he's mad - it's a corker. No Left Shoe and Technicolor Dawn (next single) fill out the middle of the album, both charged with quirky breaks, back-in-the-daze basslines and rolling beats and both bass-heavy with whispered lyrics and minimal trickery.

Ultimately, Numb Mouth Eat Waste is all about Kerr stretching out from the confines and conformity of a group and exploring a world of experimental and esoteric soundtracks, created within a ring-fence of mates and a reputation for cranking out a solid show.

8 out of 10

Album review by Paul Pledger (cheers Paul)

Numb Mouth Eat Waste is out on 12 September 2011 via Higuera Records (digital download)

Labels: A_Certain_Ratio, Jez_Kerr, review

Joy Division is the long-awaited and lavishly hardbacked collection of photographs by Kevin Cummins published by Rizzoli. Whereas 2007's Juvenes (To Hell With Publishing) was clearly, by virtue of its two hundred pound plus price tag, an art book, Joy Division, priced at forty-five US Dollars is pitched at a wider audience.

Despite the lower price, no expense has seemingly been spared on the book construction or the design and layout by Farrow Design. The orange-on-white text is mighty stylish if just a tad difficult to read. At a hefty 208 pages with over 100 photos there is a good balance between the stunning portfolio of black and white photographs and the supporting material comprising a foreword by Jay McInerney, preface by Kevin Cummins and an extended conversation between Joy Division's Bernard Sumner and Cummins.

In the Foreword, Jay McInerney, the author of Bright Lights, Big City, recalls how he had Joy Division's Closer on heavy rotation and at high volume during the writing process. He notes that it provided him with "a far richer emotional palate" than the Sex Pistols (the band who famously were the catalyst for the formation of Joy Division). Furthermore, he asks us to consider the track titles: "Failure, Disorder, Isolation, The Eternal, Something Must Break, In a Lonely Place. Joy Division indeed. In those pre-Internet days, I imagined that the name was purely ironic." McInerney's shrewdest observation though is that Kevin Cummins' photos are there for those of us not lucky to have been "there".

At the beginning of the conversation with Bernard Sumner, Kevin Cummins confesses that he kinda knows the history of Joy Division but that he would like to hear it from Bernard. So even the most basic band interview question "How did the band come about?" is lent a new angle. Who would have thought that Bernard was a Santana fan but it turns out that an early performance of theirs was "one the most amazing performances I've ever seen"!? We also learn that Bernard gives the Campaign for the Ian Curtis Bridge the thumbs-up. But perhaps the most appropriate exchange goes: Cummins - "I didn't want to do rock 'n' roll pictures"; Bernard - "I don't think we did, interestingly."

Kevin Cummins most certainly was "there". He notes in his Preface that he didn't always take his camera along with him because he didn't always want to be working when he saw the band and he wanted to "enjoy his youth". Another important detail was that taking his camera and shooting photos necessitated remaining sober but being one of the audience didn't. Fair enough! We can also perhaps deduce from the memorabilia photos which act as a preface to the book proper (and which also include other images of access passes, artwork, badges, lyrics, NME, notebooks, a postcard, setlists and tickets) that the gigs Cummins attended but didn't photograph included February 1980 at the New Osbourne, Manchester, November 1978 at the Check Inn, Altrincham, December 1979 at Les Bains-Douche, Paris, and September 1978 at The Band on the Wall, Manchester.
As a novice photographer in his first year out of art school, Kevin Cummins had no money and had to pay for his own film and processing. This set of circumstances could have proved to be a hindrance for most photographers but Cummins believes that the constraints forced upon him were a blessing in disguise: "Without the restrictions posed by film, I doubt that the photos would achieved such iconic status."

The iconic photos of Joy Division by Kevin Cummins can roughly be broken down into three main categories: the NME-commissioned shoot in Hulme/Manchester on 6 January 1979, the ones in T.J. Davidson's rehearsal rooms and, lastly, the gigs.
There are 17 photos from the famous snowbound session on that freezing cold Saturday in January 1979 which only took place because Manchester City's match was postponed. Everyone remembers these photos for the group shot on the footbridge in Hulme and the one of Ian Curtis smoking a cigarette and looking directly into the lens. Those are included here but so are fifteen others shot before and after. The band wanted to pose in front of a curved building near Victoria Station (it looks eerily prescient of rounded corner of the building which would later house the Hacienda) whereas Kevin suggested the bridge shots as it was on the "road out of Manchester". The other shots of the group, such as the band waiting for a bus or hanging around outside Manchester Cathedral have not quite attained such iconic status but they are fascinating historical documents. When viewed with the assistance of Cummins's note that the band kept on playing around trying to make Ian laugh (woe betide the editor who would ever include a photo of Ian smiling though!) it makes you wonder how, with such limited resources, Cummins got the moody shots he and the band were after.

Cummins visited Joy Division at their T.J. Davidson's rehearsal rooms on numerous occasions but his shots of them there all come from one day in August 1979. The darkness and shadows (the black compared to the snowbound Hulme's white, notes Cummins) are the perfect setting in which to have captured the band in a key moment of their development. Ian is pictured alone in the foreground of the room which is empty apart from isolated pieces of equipment and debris strewn everywhere. Ian is in suitably contemplative mood. There are further shots, both informal and posed, of Ian plus others of Steve, Hooky and Bernard and the famous group shot which adorns the sleeve of the UK version of the Joy Division film. There are 21 shots in all and not a smile to be seen!

The gigs section comprises 13 July 1979 @ The Factory but also De Montford Hall, Liverpool University, 2 October 1979, Futurama, Queen's Hall, Leeds, 8 September 1979 and the fabulously-named Stuff The Superstars Special, The Mayflower Club, 28 July 1979, the Last Night at the Electric Circus, 2 October 1977 and the Leigh Open Air Pop Festival (aka the Leigh Rock Festival), 27 August 1979. My favourite of these shows Ian Curtis flanked by Bernard and Hooky wielding their guitars and it's just a great shot of a rock group.

There's just one colour shot. According to Kevin Cummins he only ever took six such shots and those were sneaked in on the end of a roll of film featuring Buzzcocks. It was just "pointless" (and also a waste of money) to do Joy Division in colour. As Hooky would later point out to Cummins: "I only visualise them in bleak monochrome".

Labels: artefacts, badges, books, Joy_Division, Kevin_Cummins, review

Wim Mertens played a stunning 90 minute set plus encores at a very nearly packed out Kings Place in London tonight. Accompanied for nearly all of the evening by Eric Robberecht on violin, Mertens played piano and sang pieces from his extensive back catalogue (even the most avid Mertens obsessives were left wondering what some of the tunes were - fortunately the programme was printed out).

This was Wim Mertens's first proper UK appearance and the fans turned out in force with Hall One very nearly full for this concert as part of the London International Festival of Exploratory Music. Mertens's trademark high-pitched vocals and intricate piano playing sounded crisp in this acoustically perfect setting. Robberecht's violin playing was precise and the two seemed to have a very good rapport on stage, Mertens repeatedly thanking him and the audience in between numbers.

The main set lasted just over 90 minutes and was followed by four slightly more familiar pieces including one from The Belly of an Architect (the Crépuscule album which received a vinyl release as FACT 195 on Factory).

Main setlist (as printed in programme)

Apatride
Zing'up
Finding a People
Unless The Hand Obeys
The Whole of the Past
According to the Real
Its Maschinewesen
And Bring You Back
Without Example
Not at Home
Tactility
At Home
No Testament

Labels: events, gigs, review, Wim_Mertens

Vini Reilly played and talked with Paul Morley at a special spoken word event at the Purcell Room in London last Wednesday. The event was part of Morley's ongoing preparations for a forthcoming book about Tony Wilson. The other guests were poet Mike Garry and Richard Boon (ex-Buzzcocks manager).

The interviews were interspersed with previously unseen footage shot by Paul's sister Carol of Tony Wilson (c. 2005) in preparation for a film about a Joy Division tribute band from China. Undoubted star of the show was William the dog (recently the winning answer of a Cerysmatic competition) who shows great enthusiasm for barking and less for getting back into the car!

Check out the full review at thedurutticolumn.com.

Labels: books, Paul_Morley, review, Tony_Wilson, Vini_Reilly

Today's Joy Division Plan K screening was abandoned after 30 minutes due to a power cable being cut by workers digging up the road outside the Heritage Centre in Macclesfield. With all power gone to the Cinemac cinema (which had played host yesterday to the triple bill of Factory Records-related films) the organisers had no choice except to cancel with full refunds being promised to the forty-odd people who had attended. The abandonment was taken in good spirit by most of those there, including Jon Savage who introduced the film, with the whole unlikely sequence of events being considered to be "very Factory".

It was a shame because the rarely-seen Plan K footage was highly gripping in all its fuzzy, raw, primitive glory. With both nights at the Manchester Apollo also on the programme it was just getting going when after about 35 minutes everything drew suddenly to a stop.

We decamped to the cafe downstairs and then to the Joy Division exhibition upstairs. Mark Reeder's stark black and white portrait of Ian Curtis was blown up to gigantic proportions on the far wall, various posters adorned the walls and display cases contained all manner of artefacts including contracts, setlists, invoices, press cuttings, photos, records, tapes, books, artwork and miscellaneous personal items (the best of which was a postcard from Steve Morris to Gillian sent whilst on a European tour which said how bad it was but how he thought it would only get worse!).

The one item which has probably generated the most interest is a handwritten letter from Ian Curtis to Rob Gretton about the release of Closer which reads:

"Judged purely on my own terms, and not to be interpreted as an opinion or reflection of mass media or public taste but a criticism of my own esoteric and elitist mind of which the mysteries of life are very few and beside which the grace of God has deemed to indicate in a vision the true nature of all things, plus the fact that everyone else are a sneaky, japing load of tossers, decree that this LP is a disaster. IK Curtis."

Every item tells a story and a lot of detail is crammed into a relatively small exhibition space and it's all well worth the two pounds entry fee. The exhibition continues at the Heritage Centre in Macclesfield until Sunday 8 August 2010.

Labels: artefacts, events, exhibition, Jon_Savage, Joy_Division, poster, review

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