by Vinyl301 -

The Durutti Column: Bonus Live (From Four Factory Records)

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Kooky 2009. Kookydisc 027/4

Discogs (This link is for the whole box, but only disc 4 is presented here.)

This is the remaining bonus disc from the Kooky Boxed set as requested by Charles.  The other one is here.

This is, as you’ve probably figured out, a collection of live tracks from the same period as the four factory albums were recorded, taken from three very different gigs.  The first, Glasgow 1982 is classic Durutti – no great surprises.  The second, LSE 1984 is very different and includes keyboards, a brass section and a violin, in step with the studio recordings he made around that time.  The final gig, the Zap Club Brighton, also from 1984 is similarly embellished, but has a more recognisably Durutti sound.

If you want to know which tracks were recorded at which gig, look at the tagging info which comes with the files. It’s in “properties”.

There will be more Durutti Column to come when I’ve figured out which of my huge pile of their albums is currently out of print.

As before, if you enjoy this, head over to his web site and buy something. Vini could use the cash, and you’ll enjoy the music.

by Vinyl301 -

The Durutti Column: Demos/Studio Bonus (From Four Factory Records)

R-2032716-1273855859

Kooky 2009. Kookydisc 027/5

Discogs (This link is for the whole box, but only disc 5 is presented here.)

Over at the consistently excellent Everything Starts With An A there have been a three wonderful Durutti Column posts recently, which reminded me to post some of mine. His back catalogue is vast and largely unavailable, so I’m spoilt for choice. Actually I haven’t got around to figuring out what is still available, so I’ve started with something I know definately isn’t.

In 2009 Kooky re-issued the first four factory albums and included two bonus discs. This is the first of them and consists of demos and studio out-takes from the same period, i.e. 1978 – 1981. The sound quality is a bit variable – the home demos are a bit rough, whereas the studio recordings are great, but everything is perfectly listenable, and essential if you’re into this period of his work. Many fans say that LC is his best work, so outtakes from the same period are worth a listen. In that sense there are no surprises here – the disc sounds exactly as you’d expect.

The boxed set is a bit odd. It comes in a huge box, but the CDs just rattle around in slip cases along with album artwork and a handful of interviews printed on square card. Only 4 years after the event it’s already deleted and selling for silly money. Since Vini himself is broke and illness seems to have brought an untimely end to his playing career, it seems odd that he’s not able to make much needed money from sales of his back catalogue.  So, if you enjoy this CD, consider buying something from his web site. In an earlier post I recommended Vini Reilly; today’s recommendation is his highly personal tribute to Factory boss Tony Wilson, Paean To Wilson.  The vinyl edition looks particularly yummy – unfortunately I only have it on CD.

by Vinyl301 -

Morrissey and The Durutti Column: I Know Very Well How I Got My Note Wrong

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A very peculiar release, this one.  It came free with the first UK pressing of The Durutti Column’s 1989 album Vini Reilly, both on a 3″ CD and 7″ vinyl.

The Vincent Gerard and Steven Patrick on the cover are of course Vini Reilly and Morrissey, and the single track is an out-take from Morrissey’s first solo album, Viva Hate.  The single track, I Know Very Well How I Got My Note Wrong is a version of the Morrissey track I Know Very Well How I got My Name which appeared not on Viva Hate but on his first single Suedehead.

The track itself is beautiful.  As a song it’s a highlight of Morrissey’s solo career and Vini Reilly’s guitar work is, as always, amazing.   It lasts for around 90 seconds before Reilly hits a bum note and both laugh.  It’s a shame the track was never completed in this form; it works much better than the Suedehead version.

Vini Reilly has fallen on hard times lately.  He’s always suffered from poor health which has deteriorated with age, and he’s fallen victim to the gross injustices of the UK’s disability living allowance system.  It reached a point where he was in danger of losing his home, but fortunately (inaccurate) publicity around his plight prompted fans to step in and donate money to clear his debts.  As The Guardian pointed out at the time, that a musician as important to Britain’s musical heritage as this should be reduced to such a state shows how little art is valued.  More details of this story are on Reilly’s web site.

If you want to listen to more Durutti Column music, and you should, of course Vini Reilly is the obvious companion to this post and is a favourite of mine.  It’s available in an expanded double format (although without the track presented here) from his web site. The usual recommended starting point though for his work is 1982’s LC, and absolute classic which everyone should own. However, like much of Reilly’s sprawling and neglected back catalogue, it’s out of print. It’s not hard to find second hand copies from the usual places.

Morrissey? Well the completed version of I Know Very Well is most easily found on the remarkably cheap triple HMV Singles compilation, and Viva Hate is widely available.  Of course his best work was with The Smiths, whose work is now much more appealing since the Johnny Marr approved re-issues superceded the appalling sounding WEA versions.