Factory

Description: On 19 May 1978, the TV presenter Anthony H. Wilson started The Factory, a series of club nights at the PSV/The Russel Club in Hulme, Manchester. Among the bands billed for the 4 opening nights were The Durutti Column, Cabaret Voltaire, and Joy Division. The poster for the evenings was designed by Peter Saville (2), who soon became a partner of Wilson and Alan Erasmus. In October 1979, producer Martin Hannett joined as a director too, followed in 1980 by Rob Gretton (manager of Joy Division & New Order) as fifth partner. The club night was a success and led to the release of the double 7" EP "A Factory Sample" in January 1979. This EP marked the beginnings of Factory (or Factory Records (5)) as a record label and featured bands that played at The Factory. When Wilson told Saville that their EP would be FAC 1, Saville replied that his first poster for the club was FAC 1 and the EP would be FAC 2. Factory set up its headquarters in Erasmus' flat on Palatine Road, Didsbury, Manchester. where it resided until 1990. Factory Communications Ltd. (FCL) was officially established on October, 24 1980.