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We know Manchester is quite a distance from Los Angeles, but with all the differences between them, it’s undeniable that the people of the City of Angels and the people of the city also known as “Madchester” at least have their good taste in music in common. Producing some of the greatest and most eclectic names in British music, the chaotic, yet prolific Factory Records was formed in Manchester in 1978, giving the world Joy Division, New Order, and Happy Mondays while opening the Hacienda nightclub, one of the first clubs to mix indie music with disco, electro, and hip hop, something which can be directly seen throughout Los Angeles nightlife.
Last month designer Matthew Robertson released Factory Records: The Complete Graphic Novel, a 224-page book containing work from artists such as Peter Saville and Central Station Design, featuring images of record sleeves, posters, stationary, venue architecture, and packaging, as well as an introductory essay from label founder Tony Wilson, the character we loved and hated from 2002’s biopic, 24 Hour Party People.
Factory was one of the first labels to combine music with cutting edge design and bring the convergence into the mainstream, and was unique in the way the releases were catalogued. Everything from the albums, to the posters (FAC 1), to the Hacienda (FAC 51), to the website for 24 Hour Party People (FAC 433) was named with the word "FAC," and a specific number. The book itself is labeled as FAC 461, making it another official product of the label.
Watch the video for Happy Mondays “24 Hour Party People” after the jump…
