| Factory Records | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Founded | 1978 |
| Founder | Alan Erasmus, Martin Hannett, Peter Saville, Tony Wilson |
| Country of origin | United Kingdom |
| Location | Manchester |
Factory Records was a Manchester based British independent record label, started in 1978, which featured several prominent musical acts on its roster such as Joy Division, New Order, A Certain Ratio, The Durutti Column, Happy Mondays, and (briefly) James and Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark. Alan Erasmus was the co-founder of Factory Records with Tony Wilson, which signed Joy Division and The Happy Mondays. Martin Hannett ( –) sometimes credited as Martin Zero, was a Record producer who helped develop Joy Division and co-founded Factory Records Peter Saville (born 1955 in Manchester) is an English graphic designer based in London. Anthony Howard Wilson (20 February 1950 &ndash 10 August 2007 was an English Record label owner radio presenter TV show host Nightclub manager Impresario The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom, the UK or Britain,is a Sovereign state located The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom, the UK or Britain,is a Sovereign state located An independent record label (or indie record label) is a Record label operating without the funding of or outside the organizations of the Major record labels Events January: May - The Bee Gees dominate the singles and album charts as Saturday Night Fever becomes a cultural phenomenon Joy Division were an English rock band formed in 1976 in Salford, Greater Manchester. New Order are an English rock group formed in 1980 by Bernard Sumner ( vocals, Guitars Synthesizers, Peter Hook A Certain Ratio are a Post-punk band formed in 1977 in Manchester, England. See Durruti Column for the anarchist column during the Spanish Civil War. Happy Mondays are an English Alternative rock band from Salford, Greater Manchester. James are an English rock band from Manchester. They formed in 1981 and were active throughout the 80s but most successful during the 90s Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark (often abbreviated to OMD) are a Synthpop group whose founding members are originally from the Wirral Peninsula Like the label 4AD Records, Factory Records used a creative team (most notably record producer Martin Hannett and graphic designer Peter Saville) which gave the label, and the artists recording for it, a particular sound and image. 4AD is a British Independent record label that was started in 1979 by Ivo Watts-Russell and Peter Kent funded by Beggars Banquet Records, and is still In the Music industry, a record producer or music producer has many roles among them controlling the recording sessions coaching and guiding the musicians organizing Martin Hannett ( –) sometimes credited as Martin Zero, was a Record producer who helped develop Joy Division and co-founded Factory Records The term graphic design can refer to a number of artistic and professional disciplines which focus on visual communication and presentation Peter Saville (born 1955 in Manchester) is an English graphic designer based in London. The label employed a unique cataloguing system that gave a number not just to its musical releases, but to artwork and other objects.
Contents |
History
Factory's genesis was in January 1978, when Tony Wilson, a TV presenter on Granada Television, formed a partnership with Alan Erasmus, an unemployed actor and band manager. Anthony Howard Wilson (20 February 1950 &ndash 10 August 2007 was an English Record label owner radio presenter TV show host Nightclub manager Impresario Granada Television is the United Kingdom ITV contractor for North West England. Alan Erasmus was the co-founder of Factory Records with Tony Wilson, which signed Joy Division and The Happy Mondays. The Factory name was first used for a club in May of that year, which featured local bands including The Durutti Column (managed at the time by Erasmus and Wilson), Cabaret Voltaire from Sheffield and Joy Division. See Durruti Column for the anarchist column during the Spanish Civil War. Cabaret Voltaire were a British music group from Sheffield, England. Sheffield ( is a city and Metropolitan borough in South Yorkshire, England Joy Division were an English rock band formed in 1976 in Salford, Greater Manchester. Advertising for the club was designed by Peter Saville, and in September the trio decided to release an EP of music by acts who had played at the club (The Durutti Column, Joy Division, Cabaret Voltaire and comedian John Dowie). Peter Saville (born 1955 in Manchester) is an English graphic designer based in London. John Dowie (born 1950 in Birmingham) is a British comedian musician and writer Gretton decided he didn't want Joy Division to end up signing to a London record label, he wanted to do it all in Manchester and so Factory Records was born, with Wilson, Erasmus, Saville and producer Martin Hannett as partners in the enterprise. Martin Hannett ( –) sometimes credited as Martin Zero, was a Record producer who helped develop Joy Division and co-founded Factory Records In 1978 Wilson compered the new wave afternoon at the legendary Deeply Vale Festivals and this was actually the fourth live appearance by the fledgling Durutti Column and that afternoon Wilson also introduced an appearance (very early in their career) by The Fall featuring a young Mark E. Smith and a young Mark "Lard" Riley on bass guitar. The Deeply Vale Festivals were a unique rock festival held in northwest England in 1976 1977 1978 and 1979 See Durruti Column for the anarchist column during the Spanish Civil War. The Fall are an English Post-punk band formed in Prestwich, Greater Manchester in 1976 Mark Edward Smith (born 5 March 1957) is the Lead singer, Lyricist, Frontman, and sole constant member of English Marc "Lard" Riley is a British Musician, Alternative rock critic and radio DJ.
The Factory label set up an office in Erasmus's home on Palatine Road, and the EP was released in early 1979. Singles followed by A Certain Ratio (who would stay with the label), and Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark (who left for Virgin Records shortly afterwards). A Certain Ratio are a Post-punk band formed in 1977 in Manchester, England. Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark (often abbreviated to OMD) are a Synthpop group whose founding members are originally from the Wirral Peninsula Virgin Records is a British Record label founded by English entrepreneur Richard Branson, Simon Draper, and Nik Powell The first Factory LP, Joy Division's Unknown Pleasures, was released in June. Unknown Pleasures is the debut album by the English Post-punk band Joy Division. Joy Division would make a notable appearance at the Leigh Rock Festival in August 1979. Joy Division manager Rob Gretton became the fifth partner in the label towards the end of the year, and the Factory club closed down (it would reopen briefly the following year). Rob Gretton ( January 15, 1953 - May 15, 1999) was best known as the Manager of the Post punk bands Joy Division
In January 1980 The Return of the Durutti Column was released, the first in a long series of releases by the "band" (now effectively a solo project for guitarist Vini Reilly). In May, Joy Division singer Ian Curtis committed suicide shortly before a planned tour of the USA. Ian Kevin Curtis ( 15 July 1956 – 18 May 1980) was the vocalist and lyricist as well as occasional guitarist and keyboardist of the band The United States of America —commonly referred to as the The following month saw Joy Division's "Love Will Tear Us Apart" reach the UK top twenty, and second album Closer was released the following month. " Love Will Tear Us Apart " is a song by the British Post-punk band Joy Division. Closer is the second and final album by Post-punk band Joy Division, released, two months following the suicide of lead singer Ian Curtis In late 1980 the remaining members of Joy Division decided to continue as New Order. New Order are an English rock group formed in 1980 by Bernard Sumner ( vocals, Guitars Synthesizers, Peter Hook Factory branched out, with Factory Benelux being run as an independent label in conjunction with Les Disques du Crepuscule, and Factory US organising distribution for the UK label's releases in America.
In 1981, Factory and New Order decided to open a nightclub, and preparations were made to convert a Victorian textile factory near the centre of Manchester, which had lately seen service as a motor boat showroom. Hannett left the label, as he had wanted to open a recording studio, and subsequently sued for unpaid royalties (the case was settled out of court in 1984). Saville also quit as a partner due to problems with payments (although he continued to work for Factory). Wilson, Erasmus and Gretton formed Factory Communications Ltd. A limited company in the United Kingdom is a Corporation whose liability is limited by law
The Haçienda (FAC 51) opened in May 1982. Fac 51 Haçienda (better known simply as The Haçienda) was a Nightclub and Music venue in Manchester, England. Although successful in terms of attendance, and attracting a lot of praise for Ben Kelly's interior design, the club lost large amounts of money in its first few years due largely to the low prices charged for entrance and at the bar, which was markedly cheaper than nearby pubs. Adjusting bar prices failed to help matters significantly, as by the mid 80s crowds were increasingly preferring ecstasy to alcohol. Therefore the Hacienda ended up costing New Order 10,000 pounds a month.
The following year, New Order's "Blue Monday" became an international chart hit, and 1985 saw the first release by Happy Mondays. " Blue Monday " is a dance pop song recorded in 1982 and originally released as a single in 1983 by British band New Order, and later remixed for further releases Happy Mondays are an English Alternative rock band from Salford, Greater Manchester. The two bands were to be the most successful on the label, bankrolling a host of other projects. Factory, and the Haçienda, became a cultural hub of the emerging techno and acid house genres, and their amalgamation with post-punk guitar music (the "Madchester" scene). Techno is a form of Electronic dance music (EDM that emerged in Detroit, Michigan, USA during the mid to late 1980s Acid house is a sub-genre of House music that emphasizes a repetitive hypnotic and trance -like style with samples or spoken lines usually used rather than sung lyrics Madchester was an Alternative rock genre that developed in Manchester, England, towards the end of the 1980s and into the early 1990s
Factory also opened a bar (The Dry Bar, FAC 201) and a shop (The Area, FAC 281) in the Northern Quarter of Manchester. The Northern Quarter ( N4 as it is sometimes denoted is an area of Manchester City Centre, England, generally marked out between Piccadilly Factory's headquarters (FAC 251) on Charles Street, near the Oxford Road BBC building, were opened in September 1990 (prior to which the company was still registered at Alan Erasmus' flat in Didsbury). Didsbury (ˈdɪdzbəri is a suburban area of the City of Manchester, in Greater Manchester, England
In 1991 Hannett died. He had recently re-established a relationship with the label, working with Happy Mondays, and tributes including a compilation album and a festival were organised. Saville's association with Factory was now reduced to simply designing for New Order and their solo projects (the band itself was in suspension, with various members recording as Electronic, Revenge and The Other Two). Electronic were an Alternative rock group formed by New Order singer and guitarist Bernard Sumner and ex- Smiths guitarist Johnny Marr Revenge was a band formed by New Order bassist Peter Hook (vocals bass keyboards and Lavolta Lakota and Rawhead singer Davyth Hicks (aka Dave Hicks "The Other Two" can also refer to an Edith Wharton book
By 1992, ironically, the label was in serious financial trouble due to the two bands who had been most successful. The Happy Mondays were recording their troubled fourth album Yes Please in Barbados, and New Order reportedly spent £400,000 on recording their comeback album Republic. Barbados ( Portuguese word for bearded-ones, bɑrˈbeɪdoʊz -dɒs situated just east of the Caribbean Sea, is an independent Island nation London Records were interested in taking over Factory, but the deal fell through when it emerged that due to Factory's early practice of eschewing contracts, New Order's back catalogue was owned by the band rather than the label. London Records is a Record label headquartered in the United Kingdom, originally marketing records in the United States, Canada and Latin Factory Communications Ltd, the company formed in 1981, declared bankruptcy in November 1992. This is a list of notable events in music that took place in the year 1992 Many of the former Factory acts, including New Order, found a new home at London Records.
The Haçienda closed in 1997 and shortly afterwards was demolished and was replaced by a modern luxury apartment block in 2003. Year 1997 ( MCMXCVII) was a Common year starting on Wednesday (link will display full 1997 Gregorian calendar Year 2003 ( MMIII) was a Common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar.
The 2002 film 24 Hour Party People is centered around Factory Records, the Haçienda, and the infamous, often unsubstantiated anecdotes and stories surrounding them. The year 2002 in film involved some significant events The first significant releases of sequels took place between Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, 24 Hour Party People is a 2002 Film about Manchester 's Popular music community from 1976 to 1997 and specifically about Factory Records Many of the people associated with Factory, including Tony Wilson, have minor parts in 24 Hour Party People (the central character, based on Wilson, is played by Steve Coogan). Anthony Howard Wilson (20 February 1950 &ndash 10 August 2007 was an English Record label owner radio presenter TV show host Nightclub manager Impresario 24 Hour Party People is a 2002 Film about Manchester 's Popular music community from 1976 to 1997 and specifically about Factory Records Stephen John "Steve" Coogan (born 14 October 1965 is an English Comedian, actor writer producer and director.
Anthony Wilson, the founder of Factory records, died on 10 August 2007 at age 57, due to complications arising from renal cancer[1].
FAC numbers
- See also: Factory Records Catalogue
All the label's releases (both music and video) were given a catalogue number of the form FAC followed by a number. The following is a list of items with recorded Factory Records numbers This numbering system was also applied to other Factory "productions", including posters (FAC 1 advertised a club night), The Haçienda (FAC 51), a hairdressing salon (FAC 98), a broadcast of Channel 4's The Tube (FAC 104), sellotape (FAC 136), a bucket on a restored watermill (FAC 148), the Haçienda cat (FAC 191), a bet between Wilson and Gretton (FAC 253), a lawsuit filed against Factory Records by Martin Hannett (FAC 61)[2], and a radio advertisement (FAC 294). Channel 4 is a public-service Television and Radio broadcaster in the United Kingdom centred around a television channel of the same name which began The Tube was an innovative United Kingdom pop/rock music television programme which ran for 5 series from November 5, 1982 until Sellotape is a European brand of transparent Cellulose -based pressure-sensitive Adhesive tape, and is the leading brand of clear sticky tape in the Factory Benelux releases were similarly numbered (FAC BN or FBN), but the numbers were restricted to record releases.
Numbers were not allocated in strict chronological order - numbers for Joy Division and New Order releases generally ended in 3 or 0, A Certain Ratio and Happy Mondays in 2, The Durutti Column in 4. Factory Classical releases were 226, 236 and so on.
Despite the demise of Factory Records in 1992, the catalogue was still active, additions including the 24 Hour Party People film (FAC 401), its website (FAC 433) and DVD release (FACDVD 424). 24 Hour Party People is a 2002 Film about Manchester 's Popular music community from 1976 to 1997 and specifically about Factory Records
The last ever Factory catalogue number was given to Tony Wilson's coffin (FAC 501), reported on the site 'Cerysmatic Factory' [1]
Factory Classical
In 1989, Factory Classical was launched with five albums by composer Steve Martland, the Kreisler String Orchestra, the Duke String Quartet (which included Durutti Column viola player John Metcalfe), oboe player Robin Williams and pianist Rolf Hind. Steve Martland (born Liverpool, England, October 10, 1959) is an English Composer. John Metcalfe (born 6 August 1964 Wellington New Zealand) is a British-based Composer and violist, and a former member of the band The Durutti "Hautbois" redirects here for the strawberry variety see Hautbois strawberry. The piano is a Musical instrument played by means of a keyboard that produces sound by striking steel strings with Felt covered hammers Composers included Martland, Benjamin Britten, Paul Hindemith, Francis Poulenc, Dmitri Shostakovich, Michael Tippett, György Ligeti and Elliott Carter. Edward Benjamin Britten Baron Britten, OM CH (22 November 1913 – 4 December 1976 was an English Composer, conductor, Paul Hindemith (16 November 1895 &ndash 28 December 1963 was a German Composer, Violist, violinist teacher music theorist and conductor. See also, Rhône-Poulenc Francis Jean Marcel Poulenc (fʀɑ̃sis ʒɑ̃ maʀsɛl pulɛ̃k January 7, 1899 – January 30, Dmitri Dmitriyevich Shostakovich ( Russian: ru Дмитрий Дмитриевич Шостакович ( &ndash 9 August 1975 was a Russian Composer Sir Michael Kemp Tippett, OM (2 January 1905 &ndash 8 January 1998 was one of the foremost English Composers of the 20th century Elliott Cook Carter Jr (born in New York City on December 11, 1908) is an American Composer from New York City. Releases continued until 1992, including albums by Graham Fitkin, vocal duo Red Byrd, a recording of Erik Satie's Socrate, Piers Adams playing Handel's Recorder Sonatas, Walter Hus and further recordings both of Martland's compositions and of the composer playing Mozart. Graham Fitkin (born 19 April, 1963) is a British Composer. Fitkin was born in West Cornwall, where he lives today Alfred Éric Leslie Satie ( Honfleur, 17 May 1866 – Paris, 1 July 1925) was a French Composer and Socrate is a work for voice and small orchestra (or piano by Erik Satie. Piers Adams (born 21 December 1963) is a British recorder player and member of Baroque group Red Priest. The recorder is a woodwind Musical instrument of the family known as Fipple Flutes ' or internal duct flutes &mdash whistle-like Usage of sonata The Baroque applied the term sonata to a variety of works though most works in the Baroque Period were fugues and toccatas
Factory Too and beyond
In 1994, Wilson attempted to revive Factory Records, in collaboration with London Records, as "Factory Too". Year 1994 ( MCMXCIV) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link will display full 1994 Gregorian calendar) The first release was by Factory stalwarts The Durutti Column, the other main acts on the label were Hopper and Space Monkeys, and the label also gave a UK release to the first album by Stephin Merritt's side project The 6ths, Wasps' Nests. See Durruti Column for the anarchist column during the Spanish Civil War. The Space Monkeys were a four-piece band from Manchester, England, signed to Factory Records and Interscope Records in the USA Stephin Merritt (born January 17 1966) is an American Singer-songwriter based in California (formerly in New York City The 6ths is a band created by Stephin Merritt, also the prime mover behind The Magnetic Fields, The Gothic Archies and Future Bible Heroes. A further release ensued: a compilation EP featuring previously unsigned Manchester acts East West Coast, The Orch, Italian Love Party and K-Track. This collection of 8 tracks (2 per band) was simply entitled A Factory Sample Too (FACD2. 02). The label was active until the late 1990s, as was "Factory Once", which organised reissues of Factory material. Wilson got frustrated with the lack of freedom and the need of London Records to show profits and he left the venture with London Records to set up the short lived Factory Records LTD with only one band remaining - Space Monkeys who shortly after released an album "the daddy of them all". Hopper and The Durutti Column had already left Factory Too when Wilson left the company of London Records. In 2006 Wilson launched F4 Records with only a few bands - Raw-T (a grime collective) The Young Offenders Institute and some exclusive online tracks from The Durutti Column. The label closed in early 2007 when Wilson found out he had cancer and despite treatment, Tony Wilson died of an unrelated heart attack on 10th August 2007
Factory Records recording artists
The bands with the most numerous releases on Factory Records include New Order, Happy Mondays, Durutti Column and A Certain Ratio. Following is a list of Factory Records recording artists compiled by FAC number. New Order are an English rock group formed in 1980 by Bernard Sumner ( vocals, Guitars Synthesizers, Peter Hook Happy Mondays are an English Alternative rock band from Salford, Greater Manchester. See Durruti Column for the anarchist column during the Spanish Civil War. A Certain Ratio are a Post-punk band formed in 1977 in Manchester, England. Each of these bands has between 15 and 30 FAC numbers attributed to their releases. See List of Factory Records recording artists for lists and resources, and for a complete list of bands with Factory Records output. Following is a list of Factory Records recording artists compiled by FAC number.
See also
References
- ^ Factory Records founder Anthony Wilson dies from cancer
- ^ BBC Film: "Factory: From Joy Division to Happy Mondays"
External links
- CerysmaticFactory extensive site
- Dennis Remmer's extensive Factory discography, with pictures and descriptions of each FAC number
- The Factory Benelux releases
- The Factory Overseas releases (Australia. Japan, Canada, etc)
- Another discography
- Blue Monday Owners Club
- Oliver Wood's Factory Graphics page.
- LTM Recordings official site, features much former Factory catalog on CD and DVD
- Factory on MusicBrainz
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