Factory Friday, in response to Dirk, The Swede and others and because it could be fun. Crispy Ambulance signed to Factory in 1980. I was going to post Deaf but I've done it before (years ago admittedly and it is a great song). Dirk mentioned The Presence so I've gone for that, all thirteen minutes of it. At first listen you should be able to spot Martin Hannett's unmistakeable production. Singer Alan Hempsall intones over a proper post-punk sound- gloomy maybe, grey raincoats possibly but with a brightness too.
The Presence
The Presence was the A-side of Live On A Hot August Night, released on Factory Benelux in June 1981. You can fit all of Crispy Ambulance's back catalogue onto one compact disc and I think you probably should. After signing Crispy Ambulance and failing to sell them in any decent quantities Tony Wilson declared 'no more bands with stupid names'. Then he signed Stockholm Monsters. Factory's failure to sell records in the first half of the 80s by anyone except New Order may have had more to do with their refusal to use pluggers. Or buy advertising. But we wouldn't have it any other way would we? Crispy Ambulance are also immortalised in Half Man Half Biscuit's epic account of shit gigs and band rivalries.
Running Order Squabble Fest
Thanks for that, SA!! It really is a masterpiece, this tune. I used to have the 'August Night' 12", but sold it, which just shows what an idiot I am ... then again Little Loser needed new shoes or something, so at least I have a bit of excuse ...
ReplyDeleteBtw, shouldn't you have seen it before, I highly recommend to have a look @ YouTube for "Joy Division To Happy Mondays - Factory Records Story": not all too much Crispy Ambulance, but nevertheless a joyful way to spend 90 minutes of your life ... especially when Hooky and Stephen Morris tell a tale or two about years long gone by. Some really unbelievable stuff amongst it, that's for sure. Also I thought, whenever Morris runs out of money, he can easily become an actor, this man's facial expression is simply wonderful and I bet he's a very nice geezer!
Great track!! Crispy Ambulance are certainly a cult favorite when looking back at early Post Punk and Factory history, but I have always felt they were poorly served by Factory and would have been a money maker if they were given at least some support.
ReplyDeleteFor me, this is a true Factory milestone tune. I'd take it ahead of a lot of better known stuff on the label. Magnificent.
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