Manchester's Factory Records still stands, 20 years after their 1992 bankruptcy, as one of the most creative, engaging, intellectual, influential, and close-to-crazy labels in indie music history.Factory's history is the stuff of legend; much of it urban legend. Inspired by Situationist art ideals, the Factory founders assigned catalogue numbers to dental bills, lawsuits, cats, ideas, and occasional hit records; and turned the day-to-day operations of their record label into an elaborate art stunt.
Musically, Joy Division/New Order, the Durutti Column, and Happy Mondays were the constants of Factory's existence, but, in many ways, analyzing the records is the least interesting you can do with a label whose wackiness, drug-fondness, and questionable business nous inspired an archly-ironic cinematic adaptation (Michael Winterbottom's 2002 lark 24 Hour Party People).
Instead, let us parse every envelope, headstone, and nightclub for meaning, here. With Factory Records' 10 Greatest Catalogue Items...
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