Durutti

Release Date: 12/11/2021

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

"a beautiful insight from Reilly's travels" Sounds.

Digitally re-mastered from vinyl, this is a limited re-release of the hard to find Import AMIGOS EM PORTUGAL'.

Amigos'released first time originally in 1983 is a pre-cursor to one of the great Durutti Column albums Without Mercy'.

Recorded in only a couple of days - such is always the case with Vini Reilly - the album allegedly was supposed to be a single or extended play but the newly formed Portuguese label had the tapes and different ideas! Vini was just enjoying the tape time, playing many of his current work in progress'pieces.

These sketches later became part of the Tony Wilson classical experiment made with Northern College Music degree students, 'Without Mercy'. Most of the tracks here have a beautiful fragility whether just solo guitar instrumentals Estoril a Noire'or piano pieces such as Wheels Turning'or the piano loop from Without Mercy Favourite descending intervals'.

Yes - ¦ - ¦ the times when Vini played piano - ¦.. the years before he believed he was an awful and discombobulated pianist'in his own words - ¦.

It is the second in a series of vinyl and compact disc re-issues from the band on the imprint DURUTTI'.

Three other albums of rare or previously unreleased material are planned over the next eighteen months. Trevor Johnson will have full artistic control of new art and design on all the albums.

"an intoxicating snapshot" NME.

A limited edition vinyl re-issue of the album Live at the Venue'originally released in 1982.

Digitally re-mastered from vinyl all copies have a free compact disc rather than download codes packaged in new artwork and design from the mancunian direction of Trevor Johnson.

The show musically covers work from the then contemporary albums return of...'and LC'along with tracks later to appear on Another Setting'and Without Mercy'.

At the time, the band were approached after the show by a well-known live recordings dealer, who was interested in putting out an album based on the desk mix he had acquired'without any knowledge of the band.

Intrigued, the group agreed to meet him at the venue of his choice, a Mayfair Hotel, where he arrived in his crème Rolls Royce. A deal was struck on a napkin to release only 4000 copies, with Vini having full control over the choice of the Mark Warner artwork.

It is the first in a series of vinyl and compact disc re-issues from the band on the imprint DURUTTI'.

Three other albums of rare or previously unreleased material are planned over the next eighteen months. Trevor Johnson will have full artistic control of new art and design on all the albums.