Durutti
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Release Date: 12/11/2021Visit product page →
Paean to Wilson is still arguably Vini Reilly and the Durutti Column's most important and consistent piece of work since the demise of the original and seminal Factory Records in the early 1990's.
On this release we have the F4 Heaven Sent tracks released on vinyl for the first time.They first appeared in 2005 via Wilson's project F4, as being the fourth version of Factory Records. Originally it was download-only release, Heaven Sent (It Was Called Digital, It Was Heaven Sent).
A six track CD of personal dedications by Vini ironically the last piece is titled Anthony. Originally this was commissioned for the MIF (Manchester International Festival) where it was premiered in July 2009. Vin had already composed pieces for Tony to listen to whilst he was ill in hospital and it was from here that the project developed.
This release belatedly coincides with the new Paul Morley Biography Manchester with Love: The Life and Opinions of Tony ... Ever critical of Vini's voice, but ever a fierce champion of his talent, the late Tony Wilson would surely appreciate this instrumental tribute by The Durutti Column. Near the beginning of the final night of the Durutti Column's 70-minute international festival tribute to Tony Wilson, A Paean to Wilson, guitarist Vini Reilly announced that he wouldn't be singing: "So you won't have to put up with my awful voice and schoolboy lyrics." If Wilson was with us, he would have chuckled.
The Granada presenter-turned-Factory Records boss spent years urging his first signing to stop singing, and concentrate on the virtuosity that led Red Hot Chili Pepper John Frusciante to call Reilly "the greatest guitarist in the world". Two years after his death, Wilson got his way, one of many lovely touches in a very personal, emotional and often warmly funny musical tribute.
Wilson signed Joy Division and Happy Mondays, yet never gave up on this cult band he adored, working with them even after his legendary label went bankrupt. A complex man, Wilson was an academic thinker who revelled in Steve Coogan's affectionate, Alan Partridge-style send-up of him.
And this tribute was no different. At one point, Reilly known for melancholy launched into something resembling an Irish jig. "Tony loved to laugh," he explained. "He loved absurdities." After the humour came exquisitely mournful music. With Reilly and drummer Bruce Mitchell augmented by bass, keyboard, violin, electric piano, drum machine and trumpet, the band's beautiful pieces reflected Wilson's love of rock and classical.
Reilly's plangent guitar work showed grief's emotional spectrum, from sadness to overdriven anger. As in life, Wilson had the last word, his recorded voice expounding thoughts on socialism with an eerie echo. Silence followed as Manchester pondered the loss of one of its truly larger-than-life characters. Then everybody cheered.' Dave Simpson The Guardian 20/7/09
Tracklisting:
One
I/Or Are You Just A Technician
II/Chant
III/Quatro
Two
IV/Requiem
V/Stuki
VI/Along Came Poppy
Three
VII/Brother
VIII/Duet With Piano
IX/Darkness Here
Four
X/Catos Revisited
XI/The Truth
XII/How Unbelievable
Five
XIII/Bruce
XIV/Keir
XV/Neil
Six
XVI/Mike
XVII/Alan
XVIII/Anthony -
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Paean to Wilson is arguably Vini Reilly and the Durutti Columns most important and consistent piece of work since the demise of the original and seminal Factory Records in the early 1990's. It was commissioned MIF (Manchester International Festival of Music), July 2009. Vini had already composed pieces for Tony to listen to whilst he was ill in hospital and it was from here that the project developed. The opening night of the three sell-out festival shows formed part of the BBC2 'Culture Show' coverage on the event. Dave Simpson ' MIF Review ' The Guardian 20/7/09 4 out of 5 '
Near the beginning of the final night of the Durutti Column's 70-minute international festival tribute to Tony Wilson, A Paean to Wilson, guitarist Vini Reilly announced that he wouldn't be singing: "So you won't have to put up with my awful voice and schoolboy lyrics." If Wilson was with us, he would have chuckled.
The Granada presenter-turned-Factory Records boss spent years urging his first signing to stop singing, and concentrate on the virtuosity that led Red Hot Chili Pepper John Frusciante to call Reilly "the greatest guitarist in the world". Two years after his death, Wilson got his way, one of many lovely touches in a very personal, emotional and often warmly funny musical tribute.
Wilson signed Joy Division and Happy Mondays, yet never gave up on this cult band he adored, working with them even after his legendary label went bankrupt.
(Repress in limited coloured vinyl of 2013 RSD release DOES NOT include Festival Programme, Postcard Certificate or DL)
Tracklisting:
Vinyl 2xLP:
I. Or Are You Just A TechnicianII. ChantIII. QuatroIV. RequiemV. StukiVI. Along Came PoppyVII. BrotherVIII. Duet With PianoIX. Darkness HereX. Catos RevisitedXI. The TruthXII. How Unbelievable
2CD
A Paean To Wilson - MovementI. Or Are You Just A TechnicianII. ChantIII. QuatroIV. RequiemV. StukiVI. Along Came PoppyVII. BrotherVIII. Duet With PianoIX. Darkness HereX. Catos RevisitedXI. The TruthXII. How Unbelievable
CD Bonus Disc: Heaven Sent(It Was Called Digital. It Was Heaven Sent)1. Bruce2. Keir3. Neil4. Mike5. Alan6. Anthony -
Durutti
The Durutti Column 'Sunlight to blue ... Blue to blackness' Vinyl 2xLP Yellow to Blue - Blue To Black
£25.49
vDurutti
£25.49
Disc 1 - Yellow to Blue Coloured VinylVisit product page →
Disc 2 - Blue to Black Coloured Vinyl
“Sunlight to blue … Blue to blackness” - This was one of the more upbeat title suggestions for the very bare, back to basics, reflective album from The Durutti Column. Originally released in June 2008, Sunlight to Blue… was a conscious response to the previous two polished and ‘studio-based’ releases.
Here he created some sparse, simply beautiful 'sketches' as he once called them, more reminiscent of his work from the early eighties. Many of the pieces are instrumentals played on his Juan Montero flamenco guitar, and he returns to 'Without Mercy' for the last track 'Grief' whilst reinventing 'Never Known' from LC.
Now, for the first time, the LP is available remastered and re-packaged as a gatefold double 12” 180gram vinyl release.
This album also saw the debut of the then talented young pianist and singer, Poppy Morgan, who co-wrote the melancholy Ananda as a duet with what Reilly dryly called 'intrusive guitar'.
For the uninitiated, Vini was the first artist signed to Manchester’s influential Factory Records, co-wrote and played on Morrissey’s first solo album ‘Viva Hate’, and was heavily featured in the Manchester music culture film, ’24 Hour Party People’. Vini Reilly has recorded under the name The Durutti Column since 1978 and has a rich portfolio of work, releasing over twenty albums in this time.
Ever critical of Vini’s voice, but ever a fierce champion of his talent, the late Tony Wilson would surely appreciate this return of The Durutti Column.
Tracklisting:
1. Glimpse
2. Contact
3. Messages
4. Ged
5. Ananda
6. Never Known Version
7. So Many Crumbs And Monkeys!
8. Head Glue
9. Demo For Gathering Dust
10. Cup A Soup Romance
11. Grief -
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Arguably the seminal Durutti Column album, the ironically titled ‘Vini Reilly’ is now available remastered and expanded to a two-disc set. First released in1989 – the album Vini Reilly, features the extensive use of sampling, with looped samples of vocalists as the basis for several tracks. As his peers wrestled with Akai Sampler engineered rare groove or break beats, these voices blended well for an artist - combining Viola, Chinese vocals and his trademark guitars.
Ending on ‘My Country’, which dolefully reflects on the state of Manchester, the lyrics seem apt again today…Disc two was curated from a TDK tape which was found in a storage box recently. It was marked ‘Sampler tunes’ and contained all the material released. Much of this has not been heard for several years, being the demos and sketches, which were used by Vini during the making of the record in London.
Ever the re-inventor, the artist chose a mixture of Opera - Dame Joan Sutherland (his fathers favourite) Soul Ballads - Otis Redding and Folk/Pop - Tracy Chapman and Annie Lennox. The album flows from classical-based flamenco and operatic voices, to the soul of Otis, either side of a rockier drum led Peoples Pleasure Park.
Bruce Mitchell recalls that the recording was not a particularly easy time. The artist was unwell and had to be wheeled in and out to get the material together with Stephen Street. ‘I could not bring myself to even listen to the finished article until a couple of months had passed’ recalls the drummer, ‘…but when I heard it I knew what a great record we had made’. Currently Vini is recovering from a stroke and busy writing for his next project.
A new biographical musical commission is to be premiered in Manchester at the Bridgewater Hall on 30th April 2011, which will be an audiovisual product and a CD will be released following. Finally, ‘Requiem Again’ was used within the first half of the Tom Cruise film Jerry Maguire Reilly is still looking for someone to show him the money
Tracklisting:
1. Love No More2. Pol In G3. Opera I4. People's Pleasure Park5. Red Square6. Finding The Sea7. Otis8. William B9. They Work Every Day10. Opera II11. Homage To Catalonea12. Requiem Again13. My CountryKOOKYDISC 30 / 21. Opera II / Demo2. Finding The Sea / 13. PPP / Demo4. Juxqan Montero / Sketch 15. Sample Tune6. Finding The Sea / 27. Juan Montero / Sketch 28. William B / Demo9. Sketches On Stratocaster