Fall ref. to Curtis/Factory — Forum Archive

27 Feb 2006, 01:22

Someone on the unofficial Fall website (formerly the official website) has posed a question about a Fall lyric referencing Ian Curtis & Factory Records. This isn't the only reference in Fall lyrics to Ian Curtis or Joy Division, but quite an interesting one....

The song is the version of C'n'C-s Mithering aka Cash 'n' Carry, from the live album A Part Of America Therein 1981. Relevant lyrics: "Yer got a Safeway everywhere. Even in Manchester. There's two types of factory there. One makes men old corpses. They stumble round like rust dogs. One lives off old dying men. One lives off the back of a dead man. You know which one. You know which FACTORY I mean."

A bold statement about Factory Records exploiting the death of Ian Curtis. Has this ever been noted by anyone connected with the group or record company? Anyone here come across this before?

I'll post any comments back on our message board.

Thanks, Conway Paton Co-editor unofficial Fall website

28 Feb 2006, 13:20

well this is an interesting thread and seeing as no-one wants to reply to it...

Mark E. Smith's opinion of Factory is one of the things that keeps him going.

Another Manchester group, The Passage, recorded a song "Devils and Angels", which is I think their 2nd John Peel session and on CD somewhere. This is apparently a riposte to "Heart and Soul".

The Buzzcocks were no doubt thinking of "Digital" when they wrote "Orgasm Addict"...

28 Feb 2006, 18:07

Marc Almond thought New Order were shite too and man isn't Soft Cell just conquering the world these days?

1 Mar 2006, 00:23

The Wake had a song on one of their later albums (Make It Loud - the song was called Joke Shop) which was basically just slagging off Tony Wilson... The Joke Shop was Factory... I think it ending with them threatening to let the tyres down on his Jag... Haven't heard the Fall track tho...

Snorri xxx

1 Mar 2006, 05:00

veronika wrote: well this is an interesting thread and seeing as no-one wants to reply to it...

Mark E. Smith's opinion of Factory is one of the things that keeps him going.

Another Manchester group, The Passage, recorded a song "Devils and Angels", which is I think their 2nd John Peel session and on CD somewhere. This is apparently a riposte to "Heart and Soul".

The Buzzcocks were no doubt thinking of "Digital" when they wrote "Orgasm Addict"...

The Passage - great band. Saw them loads of times. I can heartily recommend any of their LTM reissues. Their leader, Dick Witts is a genius, but mad as a chair. They also wrote a song slagging off A Certain Ratio, called 'A Certain Way To Go'

Orgasm Addict was written in 1976 - there's a version on the 'Time's Up' LP, so no way they were thinking of Digi. I can't see the similarity anyway.

1 Mar 2006, 05:37

Cannae ever remember this being brought up on the site before, there are a good few Fall fans on here.

I always enjoyed the way the music press tried to make each of the bands have a dig at each other.

Mark eh uh E Smith is a character alright, but I ain't gonna have a go at deciphering his lyrics no matter how easy they look to interpret, I am sure there will be an interview somewhere on his feelings about Factory.....in fact, it kinda rings a bell that it may have been discussed here, but my memory is gash.

Not a big fan of the Fall masel, I tried listening to a couple of their albums, but they didnae spark too much interest. The only one I have played in the last few months is the A-sides. Dog's Bollock that.

2 Mar 2006, 01:20

Tells you how often I listen to A Part of American therein that I had missed this reference for 20 odd years!

Did MES think that The Fall should have been on Factory? He was happy enough playing at the Russel Club!

2 Mar 2006, 01:31

Tim, I'm pretty sure it's in one of the books that Mark turned Tony Wilson down. They did release the Perverted By Language video on Factory/IKON though. Have you seen the video clip of Kay Carroll on the phone to Wilson giving him a real ear-bashing about being screwed for money on the video. Mark's sitting in the background egging her on - "tell him to fuck off" etc. Classic!