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’Ian Curtis didn’t have a chance’: the Durutti Column on departed friends, Factory Records and fun with Morrissey
The Guardian invited readers to put questions to the Durutti Column, the long-running Manchester band fronted by guitarist Vini Reilly, as they release their first album in 16 years. Alongside drummer Bruce Mitchell and producer Keir Stewart, Reilly reflects on the band's origins on Factory Records, its associations with Joy Division and the wider Manchester music scene, and the personal struggles that shaped his life and music, including a period of severe depression as a teenager. The piece matters as a rare, candid glimpse into the story behind one of the era's most quietly influential and unclassifiable acts.
The interview covers colourful anecdotes, including the myth that Joy Division helped glue sandpaper sheets onto the cover of the band's debut album The Return of the Durutti Column (Reilly says he witnessed but didn't take part, while Mitchell recalls Joy Division being paid for the tedious job). Reilly also discusses his troubled youth in Manchester, including a period when he ran away wanting to end his life, and his father's death during his O-levels. Other topics include a Blood Orange collaboration built from a sampled Durutti Column track, and the band's surprisingly broad and eclectic fanbase, said to include Stewart Lee, Chris Morris, Max Richter, Richard Ayoade, John Frusciante and Chris Martin, among others.
In short
- Durutti Column release first album in 16 years
- Vini Reilly discusses Factory Records, Joy Division and depression
- Band has famous covert fans including Frusciante and Chris Martin
Explained simply
The Durutti Column is a Manchester band fronted by guitarist Vini Reilly that has exerted a quiet but significant influence on music since the late 1970s. Though far less well-known than many of their contemporaries from that era, they emerged from Factory Records, the pioneering Manchester independent label. The band is known for experimental, genre-defying work and has maintained a devoted following among musicians, artists and other creative figures.
The band's music has been shaped by guitarist Reilly's personal struggles, including severe depression as a teenager and a period when he ran away with suicidal thoughts. His father died during his O-levels, an event during his formative years. These experiences of loss and emotional difficulty inform the distinctive character and emotional depth of the Durutti Column's work.
The Durutti Column occupied a particular niche in the Manchester music scene, emerging alongside other influential independent acts of the late 1970s and beyond. Despite never achieving mainstream fame, they have influenced or attracted admirers across music and culture, ranging from comedians and producers to musicians in various genres. Understanding their story provides context for an important but often overlooked chapter in British music history.
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