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The rare Factory Records single produced by Joy Division singer Ian Curtis
When the subject of record labels surfaces in conversation, it’s rare not to hear the mention of The Beatles’ Apple Records, Alan McGee’s Creation Records or Tony Wilson and Alan Erasmus’ Factory Records. Of course, Apple was famed for its four fab creators, Creation because of Oasis, My Bloody Valentine and Primal Scream, and Factory because of Joy Division, New Order and Happy Mondays. Today, we’re looking at one of the more obscure acts signed to Factory Records during its post-punk era heyday.
In 1977, Larry and Vincent Cassidy, a Blackpool duo bonded by brotherhood and a shared appreciation of electro-punk experimentation, decided to start a band. Section 25, as they called themselves, recruited guitarist Phil Denton and played their first gig in June 1978. After a quiet year of sonic exploration, light gigging and a line-up reshuffle, the Cassidy brothers promoted a charity gig in support of International Year of the Child at Blackpool’s Imperial Hotel.
By a stroke of good fortune, also on the bill that summer’s night in 1979 was Joy Division and Factory Records neighbours, Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark. The Factory entourage liked what they saw in Section 25’s performance and invited them back to Manchester for further inspection.
After a blinding set at Manchester’s Russel Club, Section 25 were signed to Factory Records and taken under the wing of the Joy Division members, who were particularly intrigued by their novel sound. “Those clever bastards from Blackpool,” label runner Tony Wilson once said in fondness of the Cassidy brothers.
During the height of Joy Division’s success in early 1980, Section 25 were looking to record their debut single, ‘Girls Don’t Count’. Ostensibly with bigger fish to fry, Factory Records’ production virtuoso Martin Hannett handed his usual duties to Ian Curtis, the frontman of Joy Division and their manager Rob Gretton. The pair were delighted and jumped at the chance to cut their proverbial teeth on Section 25’s tumbling industrial punk record, and the result was magnificent.
Sadly, Curtis would never see the 3,000 seven-inch pressings hit the shelves in July 1980; the same month Joy Division released their second and final album, Closer. In the early hours of May 18th, Curtis committed suicide at his home in Macclesfield just a day before Joy Division were set to tour North America for the first time.
Following Curtis’ death, the remaining members of Joy Division went on to form New Order with the induction of Gillian Gilbert. Meanwhile, Section 25 continued in the studio to complete their debut album, Always Now. The album also credits Curtis as a co-producer due to his helping hand on several tracks as he supported Martin Hannett prior to his death.
Despite low sales figures, Always Now was a critical success and saw Section 25 continue with Factory Records for a further three albums throughout the 1980s, most notably with 1984’s From the Hip, home to the band’s best-known single, ‘Looking from a Hilltop’.
Listen to the Ian Curtis co-produced Section 25 debut single, ‘Girls Don’t Count’, below.
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