From Joy Division to New Order: The True Story of Anthony H. Wilson and Factory Records

By Mick Middles

Book Overview

FACTORY RECORDS' REPUTATION AND FORTUNE WERE FOUNDED ON TWO BANDS -JOY DIVISION AND NEW ORDER - AND ONE SINGLE-MINDED AND STUBBORN PERSONALITY: ITS MEDIA-FRIENDLY COMPANY DIRECTOR ANTHONY H. WILSON. AT THE HEIGHT OF IT'S SUCCESS IN THE LATE 1980S, THE COMPANY REIGNED OVER THE MANCHESTER RAVE SCENE, RAN IT'S OWN CLUB, THE HACIENDA, AND HAD A STRING OF HIT RECORDS AROUND THE WORLD. BY 1992 THE BACK CATALOGUE HAD BEEN SOLD OFF, NEW ORDER AND HAPPY MONDAYS WERE IN DISARRAY, AND THE HACIENDA WAS SHUT DOWN BY THE POLICE. SINCE THEN THE STORY OF FACTORY RECORDS HAS BECOME THE STUFF OF MYTHS AND LEGENDS. A MAJOR NEW BRITISH FILM, TWENTY FOUR HOUR PARTY PEOPLE, REVISITS THE HEYDAY OF THE HACIENDA, AND STARS STEVE COOGAN AS ANTHONY H. WILSON ALONGSIDE MANY OF THE ARTISTS AND PERSONALITIES WHO WERE AROUND AT THE TIME. THE FILM IS RELEASED IN MARCH 2002. FROM JOY DIVISION TO NEW ORDER, ACCLAIMED ON IT'S ORIGINAL PUBLICATION IN 1996, TELLS THE REAL STORY OF FACTORY'S SPECTACULAR HISTORY. DRAWING ON EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEWS WITH THE MAJOR PLAYERS, MICK MIDDLES PROVIDES A TIMELY AND FACINATING LOOK AT THE UNIQUE PERSONALITIES AND MESSY REALITY BEHIND ONE OF THE UK'S MOST INFLUENTIAL AND (AT ONE TIME ) COMMERCIALLY SUCCESSFUL INDEPENDENT RECORD COMPANIES.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0753506386
• ISBN13: 9780753506387
• Release Date: January 2002
• Publisher: Virgin Publishing
• Length: 320 Pages
• Weight: 0.70 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.7" x 5.1" x 7.6"

Customer Reviews

fun

this was a fun read even if structurally it's a little bizarre. probably not the best source on any of the bands featured, but interesting as an all-encompassing perspective on the time

Fair to Middles

At the start, I felt Mick was a bit of a sycophant. And he may well be. As things progress, I was able to put that aside and was quite fascinated with this slice of British music history. And really, being sycphantic is not a bad thing in context. Anyone who was around when the music came out, or anyone who loves electro pop, dance and DJ culture should enjoy this. Me, I always love the Brits and their writing. I enjoy the quiet humour. Does that sound sycophantic???

This is the story of a scene, not a simple rock biography.

It's true that if you go in expecting just another Joy Division story you'll be disappointed, but this is about the evolution of the Manchester scene centering on Factory Records and spiralling outwards.I thought the author was very astute and I would place the book alongside "England's Dreaming" and "Lipstick Traces" as a good example of the richness of music journalism. Definitely not the worst book you've ever read in your life.