From Joy Division to New Order: The Factory Story

by Mick Middles

Libro usado en buenas condiciones, por su antiguedad podria contener señales normales de uso

Genres: Music, Nonfiction, Pop Culture, Punk, Biography

310 pages, Paperback

First published September 1, 1996

Reviews

[Lewis Woolston · Rating 3 out of 5]

The author was on the scene for some of the most exciting music of the 80's from Joy Division through New Order and Happy Mondays he was there for it all.
And that's the problem with this book....
Instead of being about the music and the culture it became a glorified tour diary and a string of anecdotes about people he met and situations he was in. There was some good stuff but i struggled to finish it.

[Micheal · Rating 3 out of 5]

Factory, Ian Curtis, New Order... it's all been written about a squillion times before, right? So what else is there to say? This Middles guy is a Mancunian who was there from the start, writing about the scene for the London music press.
The main part of the book, written in 1996, just after Factory went bust and New Order kind of broke up is a good read in that there is stuff in here that you may not find elsewhere, from an observer ... A chapter on New Order on tour in the US in the summer of 1983, with Middles tagging along, is a highlight. At times, this part has an almost gonzo quality to it. It's a pity the rest doesn't really, because that's just what a story like Tony Wilson's and Factory's needs. "Print the Myth" and all that.
The added chapter, written in 2008, covers the death of Tony Wilson and reflects on the Factory legacy but is largely superfluous. It also, somehow, says nothing about the demise of one of the main protagonists in the story, New Order Manager Rob Gretton. And, while the book brushes over the death of Ian Curtis (deliberately, because there's nothing else to say about it), it ignores the death of Martin Hannett, another main Factory protagonist. That wasn't even mentioned.
Overall though, really readable and packed with great Anthony H Wilson quotes though it focuses mainly on New Order, the Hacienda and Wilson and there's not much on other Factory acts. It was originally published as the story of Factory and New Order so I guess, yeah, that's why. Does make you want to dig out some New Order records though, my favourite being the 12" of the Perfect Kiss, a record I forgot I had until I read this book.

[Farlin Anderson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Just as the cover implies, this is a greatly informative, submersive, and joyous read. After reading several other Joy-Division centered books, submerging into the fluctuating Manchester music scene and the rampant Factory business happenings (in the form of car drives with the likes of Tony Wilson and Rob Gretton) was delightful. I appreciated Mick Middles’ narrative tone, as the book read almost like a transcript to a film documentary while maintaining a kindred, yet brutally honest depiction of the events within Factory’s cyclical ups and downs. I am duly impressed by Middles’ ability to write an illuminating inside look within the music scene that clearly carries so much personal significance for him, without having sacrificed any integrity or (an appropriate level of) objectivity as a journalist. Additionally, the last chapter was an incredible conclusion to the book and any reader who relates to having an unbridled, impassioned, and sometimes afflictive relationship with music will surely feel a sense of camaraderie with the author.

[Kimmo Sinivuori · Rating 4 out of 5]

Despite a bit of an overdose of Factory/Joy Division/New Order books lately, I really liked this book. It was obviously heavily about New Order and Joy Division but there was some interesting stories about Hacienda and the Madchester. The section on the fall of the Factory was interesting as well. My only complaint is that Vini Reilly and his Durutti Column is passed too quickly. Reilly and Bruce Mitchell feature just enough thrugh out the book to raise an appetite to learn more which is then never satisfied.

[Kay · Rating 4 out of 5]

It is indeed the story (mostly) of Factory, but heavily leaning on Joy Division and New Order. It has been superseded by the Bernard Sumner and Peter Hook autobiographies, although it was probably the book to go to when originally published. Worth reading just for a look back at the music scene in Manchester from the 70s to the mid 90s, written by an author not afraid to express his opinion (I liked the Drones, unlike Mick Middles). File it beside the Sumner/Hook books.

Ray Smillie

[Joanne Tardito · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book was given to me as a gift, as perhaps it gave the impression that it would involve more interesting stories of Madchester! Unfortunately it was a slow read for me. If you want to know the full story of Factory Label, this is the book for you!

[Gaz · Rating 3 out of 5]

Vaguely pooterish account of the Manchester punk scene and it's aftermath. Needs proofreading, multiple mispellings and incorrect dates etc. But overall interesting firsthand account of how it went down.

[Mia Boddington · Rating 4 out of 5]

about a hundred pages too long and this man does like the sound of his own voice. not so much a biography as an account of everything that ever happened to new order.

despite that, pretty interesting

[Jonathan Mccombie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good insight into the workings of an unconventional record label.

[Jack Selvester · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.0

[William Reid · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very good read

[Peter · Rating 2 out of 5]

This isn't music I knew much about and wanted to learn. Tony Wilson was a regular on our local TV. The densely written text and people I've never heard of makes the book hard going and having watched a few YouTube videos of the bands mentioned I've decided to stop reading it. It is a phenomenal piece of work if you're into this era.

[Tiago · Rating 4 out of 5]

The second-hand account of what actually happened with the story we all know and heard. It's worth it for you to get deeper into the megalomaniac world of Tony Wilson but the real story starts with Joy Division and the Haçienda and for that particular part I'd much more recommend Peter Hook's first-hand account of what the hell happened! There are some occasional flashes of amazing stories here, either because they were invented by someone before they arrived to Mick or because Peter was too out of his face when they happened to remember them.

[Mark Anthony · Rating 4 out of 5]

A thoroughly enjoyable romp through the potted and eccentric history of the Factory label told with verve, wit and nostalgic warmth. Set against the backdrop of the punk explosion and the subsequent evolution of electronic dance music, the book deals honestly with the unlikely rise and fall of the label, its fractious relationships with some of its more memorable alumni, and recounts the curious history of the hacienda, Manchester's revolutionary nightclub venue.

[Jeffrey William · Rating 4 out of 5]

its been so long since i read this, but i remember i was really into joy division at the time and it had so many details on things that went on with factory records. there were personalities of people well documented i think, and the processes things went through to how they happen. it seemed even handed enough if i can remember correctly.

[Duke Willoughby-greenhill · Rating 5 out of 5]

Less a conventional JD/NO bio than a cultural history of the 70's/80's/early 90's Manchester music scene using them and Factory records as a focal point. Mick Middles is Manchester's indigenous music writer as his bio of the Fall (co-written w/MES) and more recent bio of Ian Curtis (co-written w/Lindsay Reade) ably demonstrate.

[Jane · Rating 4 out of 5]

An interesting and in-depth look at the Manchester music scene from the 1970s to the 1990s. I've been listening to New Order (one of my favourite bands) and Joy Division a lot recently and it is great to learn more about history of these bands and their members.

[Colin Lowndes · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent account of the most successful poorly run business in the world! You would swear it was fiction if you were not aware of the players in this story, Tony Wilson, Peter Saville, Alan Erasmus, Joy Division/New Order, The Happy Mondays. Brilliant book!

[Spiros · Rating 3 out of 5]

A good template for the film 24 Hour Party People, this book somehow manages to feel both exhaustive and sketchy. I feel as though I've lived through the entire history of Factory, and yet I feel there are some gaping holes, especially around the Joy Division and New Order recordings.

[James · Rating 3 out of 5]

This influenced my record buying choices in college...

[Mike]

so far ok ;)

[Erica Hudson]

I registered a book at BookCrossing.com!
http://www.BookCrossing.com/journal/12862638

[Tobi · Rating 4 out of 5]

nice one, just the focus on new order was a little bit too much for me personally. would have loved to read more detailed about other acts.s

[Flotsky · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great anecdotal history of Factory, good fun read