Factory Benelux: July 2014

27 July 2014

Testament is a comprehensive ‘best of’ collection by The Wake on CD and vinyl, including tracks recorded for Factory, Factory Benelux and Sarah Records.

The Wake formed in Glasgow in early 1981 after singer/guitarist Caesar left future pop stars Altered Images. Joined by Carolyn Allen (keyboards), Steven Allen (drums) and Bobby Gillespie (bass), the band joined Factory the following year, recording debut mini album Harmony at Strawberry Studios in Stockport and subsequently hailed as the missing indiepop link between Factory and Postcard Records. After Gillespie departed for Primal Scream and the Jesus and Mary Chain, The Wake issued second album Here Comes Everybody in 1985, with standout track O Pamela later covered by artful French ensemble Nouvelle Vague.

After leaving Factory the group joined cult Bristol imprint Sarah Records, releasing a brace of indiepop singles and albums in the Nineties before going on hiatus. Caesar and Carolyn reconvened as The Wake in 2009, releasing fifth album A Light Far Out three years later, with more new material due in 2015.

Testament combines key album tracks with popular singles including On Our Honeymoon, Something Outside, Talk About the Past, Of the Matter and Crush the Flowers. Also included are a previously unreleased 7” edit of Pale Spectre, and (on the CD only) 2012 outtake Clouds Disco. The vinyl edition includes a 54 minute bonus CD featuring 21 early live and demo recordings from 1981/82, preserved in the tape archive of Joy Division/New Order manager Rob Gretton. Among these priceless lost recordings are 7 songs never before heard even on bootlegs.

The artwork is based on the artwork for an unreleased cassette edition of Here Comes Everybody, designed by Peter Saville. For full details go to The Wake pages on our dropdown menu.

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5 July 2014

Annik Honoré (1957-2014)

On July 3rd we learned with great sadness that our co-founder and friend Annik had passed away following a short battle with cancer. Annik co-founded Factory Benelux and Crépuscule with Michel Duval in 1980, having already organised a series of landmark happenings at the Plan K in Brussels (including Factory, Zoo and Postcard nights), and would also play a major role in promoting some of the best Belgian bands of the era including Digital Dance, The Names, Marine and Front 242. There's another story too, which got turned into a movie, but that shouldn't define her.

The name Crépuscule - 'twilight' - was Annik's idea. The photo above is from happier times and shows her relaxing at Intérferences, the Crépuscule cafe/bar on Rue de la Tête d'Or. Actually Annik smiled a lot, and was one the warmest, kindest, most generous and honourable people it's been my privilege to know. In 2009, when we returned to Plan K with A Certain Ratio, Section 25, The Wake and The Names, a friend of mine got rather tired and emotional in the wee small hours and had to be taken back to the hotel. It was Annik who stepped in to drive her across town at 3am in the morning and make sure she was safe, even though they had never met before. That's the Annik we will always remember, and will always love.

Adieu, Annik. Your star will shine forever in our Twilight.

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Blogger Archives

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Tunnelvision Watching the Hydroplanes FBN 38		The Durutti Column Obey the Time FBN 274 / CD
Nine track anthology on clear vinyl by Tunnelvision, including their 1981 Factory single Watching the Hydroplanes (produced by Martin Hannett) and demo tracks produced by Peter Hook. Outer sleeve printed in PMS silver and green. Limited edition of 500 copies, includes digital copy (MP3).		Remastered 2xLP and boxed 3xCD editions of the classic 1990 album by Vini Reilly, with bonus tracks including singles, remixes, outtakes and a previously unreleased live performance from Manchester recorded in 1990.

Section 25 Always Now FBN 3-045		Various Artists New Order Presents Be Music FBN 60 / CD
Remastered 5xLP boxed edition of the classic 1981 album produced by Martin Hannett. Bonus disc includes singles, outtakes, complete live concert, improvised albums The Key of Dreams and Illuminus Illumina, as well as an unreleased live jam with New Order.		3xCD and double vinyl collection of mixes and productions by members of New Order, including tracks by Section 25, Factory Floor, ACR, Marnie, The Other Two, Quando Quango, Marcel King, Beat Club and New Order themselves.