Product Description

Factory Records' fame and fortune were based on two bands - Joy Division and New Order - and one personality - that of its director, Tony Wilson. At the height of the label's success in the late 1980s, it ran its own club, the legendary Hacienda, had a string of international hit records, and was admired and emulated around the world. But by the 1990s the story had changed. The back catalogue was sold off, top bands New Order and Happy Mondays were in disarray, and the Hacienda was shut down by the police. Critically acclaimed on its original publication in 1996, this book tells the complete story of Factory Records' spectacular history, from the label's birth in 1970s Manchester, through its '80s heyday and '90s demise. Now updated to include new material on the re-emergence of Joy Division, the death of Tony Wilson and the legacy of Factory Records, it draws on exclusive interviews with the major players to give a fascinating insight into the unique personalities and chaotic reality behind one of the UK's most influential and successful independent record labels.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #8892 in Books
• Published on: 2009-05-07
• Original language: English
• Binding: Paperback
• 464 pages

From the Back Cover
‘Informed and informative … a smart, well-researched view of the Manchester music scene’ - Maxim

Factory Records’ fame, fortune and legacy were based on two bands – Joy Division and New Order – and one personality – that of its director, Tony Wilson. At the height of the label’s success, Factory ran its own club, the legendary Haçienda, had a string of international hits and was at the epicentre of a music scene of its own creation. Wilson had become a legendary figure, and his label was admired and emulated around the world. A decade later it was all over, and yet today Factory's legacy is stronger than ever.

This is the full story of Factory's spectacular history, from its birth in post-punk Seventies Manchester, through its Eighties heyday and Nineties demise. Now updated to include exclusive new material on the re-emergence of Joy Division, the death of Tony Wilson and the lasting influence of the label and the man who founded it, Factory gives a unique and fascinating insight into the messy reality of this iconic label.

About the Author
Mick Middles is the author of nineteen books, most of which have concentrated on Manchester's music artists from punk to the present. He was the Manchester correspondent for Sounds magazine and his work has appeared in publications as diverse as the Guardian, Daily Telegraph, the Express, Manchester Evening News, the Face, Kerraang, Classic Rock, Record Collector and Rock'n'Reel. He lives in Warrington.

Customer Reviews

The more it's the same thing
This is quite clearly an update on Mick Middles previous Factory book and has a bright new yellow jacket and facesque lettering like a number of recent books that explore similar territory.
Unfortunately there is not enough new material or fresh angles to really warrant another 'factory' book.
There's a Tony Wilson biography, or two, on the way and with the plethora of recent publications, it's becoming a bit like the post Beatles industry- "I was Lennon's chef" etc.
Maybe time now to move on and let the dead dogs lie.
Having said that this is on the whole well researched, good on anecdote without really delving too deeply into the music itself or the whole dysfunction of the factory family and the early deaths.
The zeitgesit has moved on from the laddy madchester scene and second generation post punk.
The interesting and creative explorations are in the planet post-rock.

Well Researched
This is worth buying simply for the extraordinary revelation that New Order's Peter Hook lived for three and a half years as a child in Jamaica. Not many people knew that.