Crossing The Border

The Durutti Column live at Queen Elizabeth Hall 23 March 1989

This press advert from the NME (25 February 1989) advertises a gig on 23 March 1989 at the Queen Elizabeth Hall on the South Bank in London as part of The Third Crossing The Border Festival. This was billed as "The only London concert by The Durutti Column (and support act Cowboy Junkies)".

A later NME article (25 March 1989) on the Crossing The Border Festival itself contains an inset feature by Jonathan Romney on The Durutti Column which reads:

"While doggedly carving out his path on the wilder frontiers, Skini Vini Reilly has unexpectedly become hero to a generation of Mobophiles. Lest we forget his own personal crusade, he's spent the last 10 years skilfully crafting a form of ambient music that delivers on Eno's original agenda. On his new Factory opus, 'Vini Reilly', the formula is even more precisely pared down, with sampled opera vocals woven into Reilly's delicate mix.

"Live he can be that self-effacing he's been paired with Cowboy Junkies, the only band capable of making him look like Twisted Sister."

Crossing The Border ran from Thursday 23rd to Monday 27th March 1989 at the Queen Elizabeth Hall and also the Town and Country Club. Other acts taking part included Abdel Aziz el Mubarak, Boiled in Lead and Flaco Jimenez.

Bread and Circuses and Bread

Bread and Circuses [TWI 988-2]

The missing image of Bread and Circuses, the Crépuscule re-release of Circuses and Bread is now in place.

The 8vo-designed cover of the original is replaced by different artwork based on a 1930s painting by Herbert Bayer with reworking done by regular Crépuscule designer Benoit Hennebert.

The Durutti Column Shop @ Kooky

Kooky Records HQ in Northampton is physically moving home in December 2008 and this will have an ensuing effect on mail order deliveries.

Phil promises to deliver any order received via the Shop (or any other Kooky Product) by close of play on Monday 8 December 2008 but any orders received after this date will have to await despatch until the first week in January 2009. Thank you for your understanding.

For all Shop enquiries please contact Phil.

The Third Member of The Durutti Column

Martin Hannett - "'People's Hero of the month' pin-up for August 1995"

The third Member of the Durutti Column was a promotional 13-minute film about producer Martin Hannett by Tosh Ryan produced to accompany the first four Factory Once Durutti Column CD reissues in 1996. It came packaged in an over-sized "clamshell" box with artwork by 8vo. The alternate title (as seen on tape label) is 'Close To Absolute Zero' (Martin Zero being Hannett's nickname).

A JPEG of the cover image was provided by the old Factory Too website for "desktop" use with the caption "And finally, the Buenaventura Durutti 'People's Hero of the month' pin-up for August 1995" and is reproduced here for posterity.

Transcript of the cover notes

The third Member of the Durutti Column

These four albums, by the finest pop instrumentalist of the last fifteen years, celebrate the work of Vini Reilly; they also feature, as manager, mentor and drummer, the great Bruce Mitchell.

But we also want to celebrate the founding role of legendary producer Martin Hannett.

It was Martin's idea to take a lone genius guitarist and by providing a unique aural / noise / rhythm background, allow this boy Vini to make great music and express himself on record.

The first album in this catalogue collection, "The Return of ..." was as much Martin Hannet's record as Vini's and in creating the possibilities inherent in that album, Martin had invented "The Durutti Column".

In respect of the role Martin played, we include in the paraphernalia for this catalogue release, a short film made by Martin's friend Tosh Ryan. It's the Hannett story.

And it gives an insight into just where this magic comes from.

Welcome to thedurutticolumn.com

The new improved official website for The Durutti Column launches today with an extensive updated Discography and a brand new Shop in association with our friends at Kooky Records.

I hope you like our new direction.

Live at Two Venues

The band broke a considerable live silence in Manchester in October with a gig at The Ruby Lounge as part of In The City. This was followed up last week with another show, this time with Rodrigo Leão, at The Barbican as part of the Atlantic Waves season.

Vini, Bruce, Keir and Poppy also played a 3-song session comprising a Poppy Morgan / Vini Reilly piano/guitar duet, Woman and Requiem for My Mother, for BBC 6Music.

Meanwhile, Vini has been working on a new album which should see the light of day next year.

Top Ten Durutti Column Rarities

Time Was Gigantic / Reissued Experiments

To celebrate the relaunch of The Durutti Column Discography we present our Top Ten Durutti Rarities:

1. Experiments by Vini (FACDR 2.41) [25 copies]

Limited edition double CDR promo, 25 copies only, featuring "Time Was Gigantic...When We Were Kids" together with "Reissued Experiments" (titled "Experiments by Vini" on the label), a selection of some of the rare and previously unreleased material issued as extra tracks on the second phase of Durutti Column reissues (Factory Once). All copies signed, hand numbered and assembled by Vini himself, with "Vini Reilly" plectrum.

2. For Patti (Factory Benelux, FBN 100) [100 copies]

"Ce disque ne peut etre vendue separement du maxisingle deux triangles".

3. Voluntary Arrangement (promo) [300 copies]

300 promo copies only made but the full single release from the album Rebellion (artfulcd40) was cancelled.

4. The Return of the Durutti Column (Factory Records, FACT 14, in sandpaper sleeve) [2000 copies]

There were three editions of the sandpaper sleeve in a total edition of 2,000. Some have FACT 14 sprayed on (in black or white) and the Hannett Testcard flexi; some haven’t got the sprayed FACT 14 but the flexi; and some have no spray and no flexi. There are also initial pressings on dark-red (see-through) vinyl but this is thought to be a quirk of the manufacturing process at the pressing plant rather than a conscious decision to create a special pressing.

5. Enigma/Danny (Sordide Sentimental, SS 45005) [2730 copies]

Numbered limited edition of 2730 on the French label Sordide Sentimental. Numbers 1-2500 have a different cover to numbers 2501-2730 and contain different inserts.

6. The Sporadic Recordings (TTTTTTTTT, Spore CD 1) [4000 copies]

Essential collection of rarities and unissued material. Some copies were signed by Vini.

7. Lips That Would Kiss (Factory Benelux, FBN 2)

Rare Factory Benelux 12” single. Later expanded into a compilation CD.

8. Dedications for Japan (Japan Records, 7JAS 8)

Rare Japanese fanclub 7” single with beautifully intricate sleeve and inserts.

9. Live At The Venue (VU 1) [4000 copies]

Bruce Mitchell: “An interesting wheeler-dealer, involved in bootleg recordings at the time, arrived in his cream Rolls Royce at a Mayfair hotel restaurant that he had appointed. He brought cash and me and Vini scribbled out a contract and an agreement on a white napkin that had been surrounding Vini's burnt bacon sandwich”.

10. A Factory Sample (FAC-2, 2 x 7" + full set of 5 stickers) [5000 copies]

The first release. A double-7" E.P. in black and metallic silver gatefold sleeve, with 5 stickers. 5000 copies pressed.

Happy collecting!

The Durutti Column Shop

The official Durutti Column Shop in association with Kooky Records is open for business.

Currently, Sunlight to Blue... Blue to Blackness, Sporadic Three, Once Upon A Time A Kooky and Tempus Fugit are available at reasonable prices including Worldwide postage and packing. Amigos em Portugal is now sold out.

Also, don't forget that you will always be able to become a member of The Durutti Column Subscription Group. Both the first and second subscription CDs are still available, also via Kooky.

Please note that Kooky only accepts payment by Paypal and that payments should be made in GBP. All prices including postage and packing to anywhere in the world. UK shipments are sent out by Second Class mail. European and Worldwide shipments are sent by Airmail.

The Factory Box Set

There are four tracks by The Durutti Column on the new 4-disc Rhino 'The Factory Box Set' which is released on 8 December. Details have just emerged on and Tower (Japan) which confirm that Sketch For Summer, Messidor, A Little Mercy (Duet) and Home are included.

The box set is compiled by Jon Savage with an essay by Paul Morley, and artwork by Peter Saville.

It's available to pre-order priced 27.99 GBP from Amazon UK.

Reviews for Sunlight To Blue... Blue to Blackness

Sunlight To Blue... Blue to Blackness was released back in June 2008. Here's a selection of reviews:

"The sleeve for Sunlight to Blue... Blue to Blackness is totally black save for a monochrome photo of half of Vini Reilly's face (a la Young Marble Giant's 'Colossal Youth') yet the music starts out incredibly bright and sunny, making you feel like you're on the beach (a nice beach, not one covered in sandy sick), as it goes on it gets progressively more mournful as the title suggests. The first half of the album is reverb-y solo guitar stuff pretty much all the way as you'd expect, with the usual hints of classical and flamenco styles. The occasional subtle addition of other instruments on a few tracks complement his sound without detracting from the general feel, the track Ananda differs since a piano (played by Poppy Morgan) takes the lead with Reilly playing 'intrusive guitar' as accompaniment but in the context of the album it works."

- Brett at Norman Records

"Factory Records legend Vini Reilly returns with a brand new album for 2008, with his signature guitar sounds in tow, opening up with the echoing nylon strings of 'Glimpse', before adding some amplified elements on the supple, effects-laden 'Contact'. In fact, it's worth mentioning that Reilly makes extensive use of digital guitar effects throughout this album (and a good many other releases for that matter), which could prompt a love-or-hate reaction in a modern audience. Regardless of how highly you might regard his lyrical, deeply melodic playing style, the very fact that everything is so comprehensively caked outmoded, often rather thin sounding production treatments can be something of a turn off. Still, it's very much Reilly's sound, and you could never fail to pick it out of a crowd."

- Boomkat.com

"The opener is a wonderful retread of the very rare song, 'The Party' and sets the scene for minimal electronics and pretty plucked guitar with just a slightly forlorn dressing. Further in there is the almost bouncy version of 'Never Known', a song that sparkled on the early Factory album 'LC'. Here it shuffles with an almost bogle sound and works simply because Vini sings without sounding too much like the last bus has been missed and the rain is getting wetter. 'Ananda' is a gorgeous piano-led piece that was written by Poppy Morgan - what a talent. 'Ged' is another shimmering piece with the slightest of touches and deft arrangement, in fact most of this album is quite stunning without shouting it loudly from the rooftops.

When Vini recorded for Factory back in the 80's and 90's, the boss Tony Wilson was desperate to stop him singing but his favourite artist stubbornly ignored the advice. Here he sings on 3 out of 11 and you wonder if Tony was right. I think he was - but only up to a point since some of Reilly's songs are just as emotional as his music on its own. If you haven't heard him before then start here - its his best for 7 years and reminiscent of the beauty displayed on his best albums, 'Guitar & Other Machines', 'Obey The Time' and 'Vini Reilly'."

- Allgigs.co.uk