A Paean To Wilson

Buy it Now with Paypal (only) direct from Kooky

Price 15.00 GBP including Worldwide P+P.

CD: UK 09.10.09 (Kooky Records, Kookydisc 29/1 & 29/2)
Download: UK 25.01.10 (Kooky Records)

Tracklisting

Disc one – A Paean To Wilson [Kookydisc 29/1]

Movement

I Or Are You Just A Technician
II Chant
III Quatro
IV Requiem
V Stuki
VI Along Came Poppy
VII Brother
VIII Duet With Piano
IX Darkness Here
X Catos Revisited
XI The Truth
XII How Unbelievable

Bonus Disc: Heaven Sent (It Was Called Digital. It Was Heaven Sent) [Kookydisc 29/2]

1 Bruce
2 Keir
3 Neil
4 Mike
5 Alan
6 Anthony

Liner notes by Vini Reilly

A Paean to Wilson is part of a body of work which I started around the time that my friend, Tony Wilson died. Towards the end of his illness, I sent him an instrumental track and he loved it, so I decided that the right thing to do was carry on.

I was at the hospital when he died. We were very, very close. Afterwards, many things were done in his name. They were all about 'Mr Manchester', and about what Tony had done for music, art and literature. I didn't attend many of them. I'd just lost one of my closest friends and I had all the grief that you feel under such circumstances. Once I'd got my act together though, I decided to do something for myself and for Tony.

The Durutti Column was Tony Wilson's baby. We were the first act signed up to his Factory club night and the first band signed to Factory Records. Over the years we worked on many albums together and the one thing that Tony and I always argued about was that he thought that I should make music and write rather than sing.

After he died, I decided to make a body of work which did not have traditional song structures and which was concerned solely with the musical content. My only objective was to create some music that Tony would thoroughly approve of. I think I've done that and, if his spirit lives on - which I like to think that it does - I want him to know that this is for him. Vini Reilly

Musicians

Vini Reilly - Guitar, Piano
Bruce Mitchell - Drums, Marimba
Keir Stewart - Bass, Keyboards, Harmonica
Poppy Morgan - Piano
John Metcalfe - Viola
Tim Kellet - Trumpet
Ruby Morgan, Kate Williamson - Vocals

Composed by Reilly, Stewart & Mitchell

String arrangements by Ian Livingstone and Keir Stewart

Performed by the Livingstone Chamber Ensemble. Recorded at Highfield Studios, Guildford, Surrey

Drums recorded at Moolah Rouge and engineered by Seadna McPhail

Produced by Keir Stewart
Executive producer Bruce Mitchell

Mixed & mastered by Keir Stewart at Inch Studio Manchester. www.inchstudio.com

Thanks to:

Howard Sharrock
Alex Poots
Simon Mellor
The Kooky Gang
Phil Cleaver
Alex McMurtrie

Thanks to the Brothers McLeod. Hats off to Colin and Norman for building the best studio in Manchester - Moolah Rouge. Colin Adshead & the amazing 5003D mic amp and being patient with Keir's gear-tweak OCD, Dave Lunt for the Quad Valve Pre and instrument care. Daniel Courville in Canada for the ambisonic plugins.

Thanks to Bruce to all his family, all my family and all Morgans everywhere. Also thanks to Michael Pitrik for hair, Laurie Laptop, Alan Erasmus, Oli Wilson and all Tony's dear ones, Les Thompson, Mark Broscombe, Phil and Emma, John 'Cerysmatic' Cooper, Mark Prendergast, Gwyn and Pip and their beautiful family, and Hugh and Amanda Williamson.

Also to the Birmingham Three and all our supporters around the world! Special thanks to Bruce Mitchell for keeping me alive and Poppy Morgan for keeping me happy. Vini

Cover photograph by Stephen Wright
Other photographs by Ben Kelly, Dave John Norton, Poppy Morgan
Designed by Trevor Johnson & Haider Muhdi

5 024545 570328

Manufactured in the United Kingdom
P & © Imagen Music 2009
All rights reserved. Kookydisc 29/1 & 29/2

www.thedurutticolumn.com
www.kookydisc.co.uk

Reviews

A beautiful and entirely fitting eulogy

Tony Wilson always wanted Vini Reilly to make music. Reilly’s The Durutti Column were Mr. Manchester’s favourite band, and the first to sign to Factory Records - which ensures that 'A Paean To Wilson' is a deeply personal collection of songs, as Reilly grieves for the loss of his close friend. Be it the delicate Spanish guitar on ‘Quatro’, the lonely trumpet on ‘Along Came Poppy’ or the poignant Marvin Gaye sample (“Brother, brother / There’s too many of us dying”) on ‘Brother’, Reilly’s exquisite instrumentation conveys both an intense sadness and a celebratory joy.

'Paean To Wilson' is a requiem for the bond of eternal friendship, and a beautiful, and entirely fitting, eulogy.

8/10, John Freeman, ClashMusic.com

Wordless homage to late Factory Records chief

Vini Reilly's Durutti Column were the first band Tony Wilson ever signed to Factory Records, back in early 1978. Their bond was such that, when Wilson was ill in hospital, Reilly sent him new instrumentals to listen to and was at his bedside when he died. This rich and contemplative record is the fruition of that, forsaking traditional song structure for nagging loops, ambient flurries of guitar notes (spilling over into Spanish flamenco on "Quatro"), highly rhythmic percussion and strobing feedback. John Metcalfe's viola, particularly, is mood-perfect. It all ends with Wilson's damning verdict on New Labour. Ever the last word.

****, Rob Hughes, UNCUT 153, Feb 2010

Instrumental tribute to late Factory Records boss

"Championed by Tony Wilson for almost 30 years and present in hospital when the former Factory boss died in 2007, this is Vini Reilly of The Durutti Column's double-CD tribute to his friend and mentor. A sprawling, instrumental affair, it's also boldly eclectic, mixing the delicate acoustic pickings of Catos Revisited with the brooding guitar noise of Requiem and the Marvin Gaye-sampling Brother and The Truth, via new age, ambient textures and beautiful piano piece Anthony [actually on the bonus CD, 2005's Heaven Sent (It Was Called Digital. It Was Heaven Sent), Ed.]. Clocking in at 100 minutes, it might have benefited from some pruning, but this still makes for a fine tribute."

***, Phil Mongredien, Q

Notes

The album went on sale initially at the sold out Beyond The Loop concert at Kings Place in London on Friday 9 October 2009 priced GBP 15.00 [cash only].

The album went on internet presale in limited quantities via the Buy It Now Button for 15.00 GBP from 1-27 November 2009. It is now on general release as of 24 January 2010 and was sold at the gig at the Lowry in Salford on the same day.

Love in the Time of Recession

Love in the Time of Recession


Love in the Time of Recession; Japanese edition on Imperial Records

Download: UK 01.09 (Artful/Fullfill)*
CD: UK 02.03.09 (Artful/Fullfill, ARTFULCD64) **
CD: JP 24.06.09 (Imperial Records Japan, TECI-25558) ***

Tracklisting

1. In Memory of Anthony
2. Rant*
3. More Rainbows
4. I'm Alive
5. For Bruce
6. Painting
7. Wild Beast Tamed
8. Rainbow Maker
9. My Poppy
10. Loser
11. Lock-Down
12. The Secret Between The Blade And Me ***
13. Duet For Piano And Guitar ***
14. Everybody's Laughing (I Don't Care). ***

* - Rant available for immediate download to those who pre-ordered the album via Townsend Records

** - Official release date brought forward from 20.04.09. Available on eBay pre-sale from 4 February 2009 via the Fullfill eBay Store.

*** - Bonus tracks on Japanese edition

Credits

Written and played by Vini Reilly, with drums and percussion from the Guru himself, Bruce Mitchell, keyboards by Keir Stewart and piano by Poppy.

1. Trumpet and percussion by Tim at Blueprint Studio
2. Co-written and produced by Keir Stewart at "Inch" Studio
3. Produced by KC and Laurie Laptop
4. Co-written and performed by Poppy Morgan
7. Produced by Laurie Laptop
9. Co-written and performed by Poppy Morgan
10. Co-written and performed by Poppy Morgan
11. Co-written and drumming by Bruce Mitchell. Co-written and produced by Keir Stewart at "Inch"

Notes

Cover photo features (l-r) Bruce Mitchell, Mark Broscombe, Vini Reilly, Poppy Morgan, Tim Thomas, Keir Stewart and Laurie Laptop.

The album opens with the 'In Memory of Anthony' which is inspired by Reilly's long friendship with Factory Records impresario, Tony Wilson who died in 2007. 'He always encouraged me to follow my instincts,' says Reilly. 'And that's still how I work. All the new songs are a very true reflection of my life and that's all I want any album to be.'

'Wild Beast Tamed' is one of several tracks co-written with Reilly's girlfriend, Poppy Morgan who also partly inspired the title of the album (a romantic nod to Gabriel Garcia Marquez's novel, Love In The Time Of Cholera).

However, Reilly's long-term friendships with Bruce Mitchell (himself the subject of an instrumental tribute, 'For Bruce'), Keir Stewart and Laurie Laptop were just as important in making the album possible. 'Without all of them I don't know how I would be able to carry on, on any level,' explains Reilly. 'And as musicians there's no one else I would rather work with.'

According to Vini Reilly, the "KC" who co-produced track 3 is an old hippy-type guy who has a rather ramshackle home studio.

Notes on the Japanese edition

According to Tower Records Japan, the Japanese title of Love in the Time of Recession is "Seihitsunaru Gekijyou". This is not strictly a literal translation of the English language title.

Seihitsu [naru] = Peaceful (or Peace and calm) ["naru" is a kind of a verb]
Gekijyou = Passion

So, the meaning of the Japanese title is really "Peaceful Passion". However, Japanese fans (or general listeners not familiar with The Durutti Column) may love this title, recession or not.

A handwritten message from Vini Reilly in the Japanese edition booklet reads "To all our Japanese friends, thank you for being so loyal and patient with us and for continuing to listen to our music. We hope to visit Japan again soon - beautiful country, beautiful people. Love from Vini. X.

Extra special thanks to Telle for Japanese notes.

Factory Records: Communications 1978-1992

Factory Records: Communications 1978-1992


Factory Records: Communications 1978-1992 [promo disc one front cover detail]

Download: UK 12.08 (Rhino)
4CD: UK 19.01.09 (Rhino)

Tracklisting

Sketch For Summer [2:57]
Messidor [2:31]
A Little Mercy (Duet) [2:33]
Otis [4:17]*
Home [5:39]

[all MP3, 256 kbps]

* - mp3 only

Notes

4CD box set chronicling the history of Factory Records and featuring five tracks by The Durutti Column. Also known as the Factory Box Set (promo copies exist with this title). Compiled by Jon Savage, with an essay by Paul Morley, and artwork by Peter Saville.

Full release date 12 January 2009 but digital download available from Amazon.co.uk and possibly other sources since December 2008.

Otis doesn't appear on the 4CD version, only on the Amazon download. There are other, non-Durutti Column differences between the tracklistings of the digital download and CD versions.

Full details of the final 4CD package to follow.

Heaven Sent (It Was Called Digital. It Was Heaven Sent)

Heaven Sent (It Was Called Digital. It Was Heaven Sent)

Download: UK 03.05 (F4 Records)

Tracklisting

Bruce
Keir
Neil
Mike
Alan
Anthony

Credits

All tracks written and produced by Vini Reilly
Photography by Rachel McFarlane

Notes

Digital download available (as six separate tracks, or as a 6-track package) exclusively via the F4 Download Shop at the now-defunct www.f4records.co.uk; it was also available to download via the UK and US iTunes Music Stores for a limited period.

Heaven Sent artwork download

Download exclusive cd booklet-sized artwork (pdf format) featuring original photographs by Rachel McFarlane. Initial (corrupted) files were replaced with 192-bitrate versions one week after first release.

Tempus Fugit

The Durutti Column - 'Tempus Fugit' [Kookydisc019]

SOLD OUT

CD: UK 04.04 (Kooky Records kookydisc 20)

Tracklisting

Counting...
Shooting
Lullaby 4 Nina
Mystery
Guitar-Woman
Violence
Bollywood
Love song on Quattro
Tempus Fugit
The man who knows
Slipping away
Trip for an Opera
Untitled for You
Salford Harmonics
... shopping

Credits

All tracks written, performed and produced by Vini Reilly. Sleeve design and photography: Rachel McFarlane. Kookydisc 019 in association with thedurutticolumn.com. Manufactured in the United Kingdom. Distributed by Cargo. Kooky. PO Box 5188, Northampton NN1 4ZA.

Laurie Laptop - co-production: 'Lullaby...', 'Violence', 'Slipping Away', 'Untitled...', 'Salford'. Keir Stewart - co-production: 'Bollywood'. Jill Taylor - vocal harmonies: 'Shooting' Gerard Keaney - lyrics: 'The Man...' Mastered by Laurie Laptop

This album was mainly recorded on a Boss BR8 Portastudio.

Thanx to:
The one I love!
Bruce Mitchell and all his family for everything,
My Family,
Keir and Laurie - my band!???
Phil and Nicola Cleaver
Alex and Alison McMurtrie
Maggie and Ian
Les Thompson
My Mother for looking over me
Nat and Joe for a great present!
Howard Sharrocks
Michael Pitrick for hairstyling
Irene at 'Oklahoma'

Kooky would like to thank Vini, Bruce and the band for the music, Rachel for the artwork and Darren at Cargo for all his help.

Contact us at www.thedurutticolumn.com

Bruce Mitchell's sleevenotes

Duets with Vini Reilly

The kit always looks inviting and exciting before a performance - a piece of architecture, lit to climb into, and it sounds so much better with punters in front of it! I love to walk to the drums at showtime.

Some of the Durutti improvisations are tight-rope acts without net - Vini leaves gaps - where an echo suspends and he has stopped playing - the beat disappears - a silence holds the breath over stage and audience and spaces are left in the air that should not be disturbed... time hangs.

Until my nerve fails. I pick up the beat and Vin resumes with furious guitar to take control of his song.

Just to get through one of these pieces without fainting seems an achievement.

Being drunk helps.

Bruce Mitchell, Feb 2004

Vini Reilly's sleevenotes

This album only exists because you have bought it. The music only has any worth or place in the world because you are listening to it. The loyalty and tenacity you have shown is incredible. The music is as much yours as it is mine. You give me a role and a purpose in life I would otherwise not have had. You prevent the greedy and destructive world of the record industry from destroying me and you keep cynicism at bay. The only way I can repay such a gift is to persevere, until one day I do actually create a body of work worth your patience. If anyone feels this is over sentimental you are to be mistaken. All I am saying here is truthful and real. Everytime anyone listens to my music either on disc or at a gig it is an affirmation of my whole life and that is something no record company could ever put a price tag on.

Thank you.

Vini

Tempus Fugit promo cd

A promo-only cd of album in custom card sleeve. Marked 'Promotional only - not for resale'.

Artist: the durutti column
Title: tempus fugit
Release: May/June 2004
Further information: Phil Cleaver
Label: Kooky in association with thedurutticolumn.com
Cat No: kookydisc 019
Distribution: Cargo Records Darren 0207 732 5125

Tracklisting

Counting...
Shooting
Lullaby 4 Nina
Mystery
Guitar-Woman
Violence
Bollywood
Love song on Quattro
Tempus Fugit
The man who knows
Slipping away
Trip for an Opera
Untitled for You
Salford Harmonics
... shopping

Credits

All tracks written, performed and produced by Vini Reilly

Sleeve design and photography: rachel mcfarlane