Author:Mick Middles
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 Haçienda, 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 Haçienda 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.
Informed and informative ... a smart, well-researched view of the Manchester music scene
—— MaximA fascinating account ... richly detailed
—— QRemarkable...excellent
—— TelegraphImpressive - Szwed succeeds magnificently
—— FTWho wouldn't feel a rush of delight to see the stand-up and perennial panel show host Jason Manford peeking out of their Christmas stocking?
—— Independent on SundayCallow's precise prose and sober judgement make this second volume of biography one to be cherished and leaves one eagerly anticipating volume three
—— Michael Arditti , Daily MailCallow's riveting and superlative biography satisfies at every level, and I for one cannot wait for the next volume
—— Frank McLynn , Literary ReviewA vivid, sympathetic account... provides a definitive explanation of Welles's ultimate, lingering downfall
—— Financial TimesI am already looking forward to [the third volume] such is Callow's sympathetic absorption in the mass of material, which he handles with a light and ironic touch, that I found myself utterly hooked... As an actor himself Callow writes illuminatingly about Welles's performances
—— Mail on SundayCallow's enterprise is one of the rarest in publishing. It leaves the reader dry-mouthed with anticipation for his final, third volume
—— Alan Warner , GuardianThe only biog really worth it's salt this year...reliably entertaining, wise and sane
—— Catherine Shoard , Evening StandardWelles’s packed schedule is rifled through with chatty elegance
—— Catherine Shoard , Sunday Telegraph