Cerysmatic.Factory

To the outside of everything

2017-11-05T19:36:00.001+00:00

To the Outside of Everything is a 5CD box set with extensive liner notes which tells the story of how the UK's post-punk scene evolved from the spirit of 1977 and the arrival of key labels such as Fast, Rough Trade, Zoo, Factory Records and Cherry Red.

The Factory Records line-up is as follows:

Transmission – Joy Division
From the Cradle to the Grave – Crispy Ambulance
Sketch For Summer – The Durutti Column
Girls Don't Count – Section 25
My Mother was a Friend of an Enemy of the People – Blurt
Ceremony – New Order
Watching the Hydroplanes – Tunnel Vision
Heart Disease – Biting Tongues

To the Outside of Everything is available to pre-order now direct from Cherry Red.

Let Them Be

2013-10-21T08:24:00.000+01:00

Factory's original jazz defectors, Blurt, have a new single 'Let Them Be' out 5 November via Blank Editions. The single is launched at the Old Blue Last in London the same day. Entry is free with doors at 8pm.

Live activities continue with a one-off gig at Tage Für Neue Musik, Zürich, Switzerland on on 14 November 2013.

Meanwhile, Scratch Pictures is working on a documentary about Blurt and Ted Milton for future dissemination.

More blurtings at tedmilton.net.

A Factory Benelux Story

2012-12-04T20:02:00.000+00:00

Cerysmatic Factory caught up with James Nice to find out about newly-revived Factory Benelux imprint.

How did it come about?

When the Shadowplayers book was published in 2010, Peter Saville and I discussed some sort of umbrella organisation to protect and preserve the Factory legacy, rather than the logos, brand, heritage and so forth being used willy-nilly. Something like the Bauhaus Foundation.

That led to the formation of a new company, Factory Records Limited - which in turn led to a lengthy negotiation with WMG... After more than two years all we'd manage to achieve was a double vinyl reissue of Fact 90, and the Polite postcard and badge editions. From the outset we tried to involved Alan Erasmus and several other interested parties, but it just proved unworkable - rather like New Order and Hooky have proved unworkable in recent years.

So Peter and I gave up, really. It was like trying to raise the Titanic. And as the old joke goes, it might have been easier to lower the Atlantic.

What I would say is, the moment you wave the Factory flag and stick your head above the parapet, all sorts of nutters break cover and start firing potshots. Life's too short.

Anyway, I didn't want to cancel the Factory music reissue projects I had in mind, and earlier in 2012 I'd already issued the limited edition vinyl album of Short Stories for Pauline by The Durutti Column, with the blessing of Michel Duval. Since that edition was favourably received, I figured why not carry on with Factory Benelux.

Who is behind it?

Me, and the participating artists. I obtained the FBN name and logos from Michel in exchange for a donation to the Christie Hospital in Manchester, who looked after Tony Wilson at the end. It seemed like an appropriate gesture. Annik Honoré gave the idea her blessing too. Plus, on a personal level, I'm a lot more comfortable working with the Factory Benelux brand, because I worked with Michel in Brussels for several years between 1989 and 1991, whereas I was never directly involved with Factory Records in Manchester.

FBN is also a nice way of returning the Factory marque to come key recordings, without actually calling it Factory. Like the original FBN, it retains a sense of distance and otherness.

What other reissues do you have planned?

They're editions, dear boy. It's a mixture of CDs and vinyl, mostly remastered and with upgraded artwork. So Swimming by The Names gains their Peel session, the Crispy Ambulance album the original De Roeck artwork, and so on. The booklets are mainly visual, usually period photography and satellite artwork, without too much in the way of sleevenotes.

We've expanded LC by The Durutti Column into a double disc edition, because Vini was so prolific at the time, and very little that he recorded was filler.

All the CDs will come in a special FBN slipcase also - at least if you order direct from us. It proved a bit difficult trying to apply a generic slipcase to shop copies. All sorts of tedious issues with barcodes etc, plus it obscures some rather nice original artwork, which is somewhat counter-productive.

The Blurt vinyl is interesting. Live In Berlin should have come out as a 10" (FBN 5 or 6, depending on which archive source you consult) in 1981, but then Ted got a better offer from Armageddon, who released In Berlin as a standard 12" live album. To fit all 8 tracks on, we've had to include a bonus 7" as well. That costs way more to press than a 12", but a 12" would be a bit boring, and not true to the original FBN concept. Plus a 10" really suits Blurt's music well. There's a kind of faux jazz sleevenote from Chris Bohn also. It'll probably lose money!

Will you be releasing any wholly new material?

Yes, the new Section 25 album Dark Light will be on FBN, as will their limited 7" single for Record Store Day in April 2013. Peter Saville kindly provided the cover image and the title for the album. There will also be a vinyl edition of the recent Wake album A Light Far Out, again for RSD.

It's important to stress that all 'new' FBN releases are new editions through, not simply facsimiles of the original releases and formats. That would be misleading, and plain dull. Instead it's high-end antique futurism. From Belgium. Kinda sorta.

--

Many thanks to James Nice.

Blurt - Live in Berlin [FBN 5]

2012-11-22T22:19:00.000+00:00

Factory Benelux presents a 500-copy limited edition 10" vinyl edition of Live In Berlin, the 1981 debut album by Blurt.

Live In Berlin, a blistering live set taped at the Berlin Free University on 13 December 1980, was scheduled for release as a 10" album on Factory Benelux (FBN 5) the following year. However, after Blurt parted company with Factory the set appeared as a regular 12" album on Armageddon.

In order to fit all 8 tracks this remastered version of Live In Berlin also includes a bonus 45 rpm 7" single. Sleevenotes by Wire editor Chris Bohn perfect this highly collectible package.

Tracklisting

Side One

1. Cherry Blossom Polish
2. My Mother Was a Friend of an Enemy of the People
3. Puppeteers of the World Unite

Side Two

4. Tube Plane
5. Paranoid Blues
6. Ubu

Side Three

7. Get

Side Four

8. Dyslexia Rules

Artist: Blurt
Title: Live in Berlin
Format: 10" + 7" vinyl (500 copies only)
Catalogue number: FBN 5 (8 tracks total)
Release date: 11 February 2013

Blurt - The Factory Recordings

2008-05-06T23:28:00.000+01:00

From LTM Central:

LTM is pleased to present an archive CD of recordings made in for the legendary Factory Records label by cult band Blurt, the unclassifiable punk-jazz trio led by Ted Milton.

Formed in Stroud in 1979, Blurt consisted of Ted Milton (sax, vocals), brother Jake Milton (drums) and guitarist Pete Creese. Ted had already attracted the attention of Factory founder Tony Wilson as a puppeteer (!), and were invited to join the label. Blurt performed at several Factory showcase gigs in London between April and August 1980, and recorded one side of the double compilation album A Factory Quartet (FACT 24).

Although their anarchic shows and music drew rave reviews, Blurt were frustrated by delays in releasing their Factory recording, and the last minute loss of a Factory tour of Europe in October. A live album, Live In Berlin, was recorded in December 1980 and scheduled for release as a 10" on Factory Benelux, but cancelled after Blurt annoyed Wilson by comparing the Factory label to lifestyle boutique Habitat. The set was subsequently released as In Berlin on Armageddon, its memorable cover featuring a photograph of a pile of pink rubbish sacks.

Digitally remastered, LTMCD 2526 The Factory Recordings combines all tracks from A Factory Quartet and In Berlin, including Blurt favourites My Mother Was a Friend of an Enemy of the People, Ubu, Puppeteers of the World Unite and Cherry Blossom Polish. The booklet features archive images and detailed sleevenotes.

Abracadubra!

2007-11-17T17:41:00.000+00:00

The Guardian's 1000 Albums to Hear Before You Die commences with (rather appropriately) Early (2002) by ACR.

"Named after a Brian Eno lyric, ACR fused jagged Wire guitars and George Clinton beats to create the now commonplace sound of punk-funk. They were too far ahead of their time to be successful, but Early compiles the 1978-85 cuts that influenced everyone from former ACR support acts Talking Heads and Madonna to, more recently, LCD Soundsystem and the Rapture."

Representing the letter 'B' we have Blurt - The Best of Blurt, Vol 1 (2003)...

"Blurt have been fronted by puppeteer-turned-eccentric-saxophonist Ted Milton since 1980 - perhaps the epitome of warped genius. His nearly tuneful squawks and lyrics shouted like a newspaper seller are as extraordinarily inspired as his song titles, which include My Mother Was a Friend of an Enemy of the People."

Cabaret Voltaire kick off the letter 'C' with 'The Original Sound of Sheffield 83/87' (2001).

"The 78/82 companion to this album traces the Cabs' pioneering Burroughs/cut-up experiments in industrial/electronic music, but this traces their equally influential but more accessible dancefloor period. The 12in mixes of their singles are sinister, cold but deliriously sensual electrothrobs a few years ahead of techno."

Still to come later this week - the letters 'D' - 'Z'.

Biting Tongues on Soul Jazz's 'DIY'

2007-03-11T23:14:00.000+00:00

from the bitingtongues.com Message Board:

Soul Jazz Records have licenced the Biting Tongues track 'You Can Choke Like That' (originally on the first Biting Tongues album 'Don't Heal' for a compilation entitled 'DIY: The Rise of the Music Industry After Punk'

The album also includes 'The Fish Needs A Bike' by Blurt plus tracks by Buzzcocks, The Frantic Elevators, Throbbing Gristle and Red Lorry Yellow Lorry.

--

Various Artists
DIY: The Rise of the Music Industry After Punk
Format: 2xLP/CD
Available to buy at Soul Jazz Records

Blurt live @ Floating Lotus Festival

2005-07-20T20:54:00.000+01:00

Full details:

Floating Lotus Festival
Woodend Farm
near Bromyard
Herefordshire
Tel: 0781 6630590 / 0780 3000988
info@floatinglotus.org.uk

Thanks to Tino.

Blurt live @ And Did We Mention Our Disco

2005-06-04T12:29:00.000+01:00

Blurt play live at 'And Did We Mention Our Disco?' in London on 24 June.

And Did We Mention Our Disco?
Friday 24 June 2005
Plastic People
147-149 Curtain Road
London EC2A
Doors: 10:30pm - 3:30am.
Admission: 7.00 GBP (discounts available from www.ourdisco.com

Blurt live @ The Spitz

2004-07-16T16:31:00.000+01:00

Blurt play a gig at London's The Spitz next month according to the official Ted Milton website. Plus a new album and European Tour have been announced.

Wednesday 18 August 2004
The Spitz
109 Commercial Street
Old Spitalfields Market
London E1 6BG (see map)
8:00 pm
£6
Tickets: seetickets.com

A new album 'Let there be Blurt - the best of' Vol. 2 entitled "The Body That They Built To Fit The Car" will be out in September 2004 and will feature 14 tracks plus two video clips (The Body That The Built & Machina Machina). Also available: The Best of Blurt Vol 1 - The Fish Needs A Bike (Salamander).

Plans are also afoot for a Blurt European Tour in November 2004. According to tedmilton.com "No dates have been set yet, though Blurt's management agency / record label revealed plans are being made. The agency is looking forward to getting interesting offers. All booking enquiries should be directed to: booking@tedmilton.com". The band were last seen live performing on the One World stage at Glastonbury on 25 June.

GIGS

2004-04-27T08:15:00.000+01:00

This extract from the End of Year '80 Factory Shareholder's Analysis elaborates on the eccentric gigging policies of key Factory bands, stating that: "Up to the individual band. ACR only do two a month cause they have fragile personalities, New Order.. I'm not sure cause I'm the last person to find out about their gigs. Blurt play for money, Vini for love. Some approaches can be made via R. Trade gigs... though as ever nothing is definite."

Thanks to Sebfact for sourcing and transcribing.

A kind of humanoidal Frankenstein poet

2004-03-16T07:31:00.000+00:00

"A kind of humanoidal Frankenstein poet combining the inspired lunacy of Leon Thomas & the anarcho-beatness of Kenneth Patchen". This is part of a complimentary (I think) description of Ted Milton by Bart Plantenga ("crazy name, crazy guy" - Radio 100 / Radio Patapoe Amsterdam) on the Twelve Bar Club website to coincide with Blurt's gig there tomorrow. The day after the show the band are flying to Austin (not Boston), Texas to play the SXSW Festival. Support comes from "21 year old New York sensation Char Johnson" who is "Billie Holiday meets Ms Dynamite", apparently.

Blurt's official website is also reporting that Volume 2 in the series "Let There be Blurt" entitled "The Body That They Built To Fit The Car" is due for release May 2004. The CD will also feature two video clips. And finally, the same site says that two tracks ('Burial Mound' and 'Click' from the Magic Moments album) will appear on the 'Abstract Constructivism' compilation CD brought to you by the Dossier label (Germany).

Blurt out

2004-03-01T17:55:00.000+00:00

The official Blurt website is listing some transglobal (well, USA & Europe) gigging activity in the coming months.

March

17th, London, UK - Twelve Bar Club
19th, Austin, Texas, USA - Elysium (SXSW 2004 Music Festival

April

21st, Koper, Slovenia - MKC
22nd, Zagreb, Croatia - Mochvara
23rd, Llubliana, Slovenia - Metelkova Mesto
24th, Mestre, Italy - Magic Bus