Winter Hill sits north of Manchester on Rivington Moor, near Chorley and Bolton with Blackburn and Darwen further north. On top of it is an enormousTV mast which can be seen for miles around. I pass it on the way to work. Next Saturday a few of us are going to Blackburn to see A Certain Ratio play at St George's Hall. Given its part in the story of the north west's musical history- Blackburn's warehouse parties in the late 80s, the Sett End in Shadsworth etc- you'd imagine that ACR might pull a decent sized crowd. When we got our tickets a few days ago they came in the post number 47, 48. 49 and 50. At least we should be able to get a good view and place down at the front.
In 1981 ACR released Winter Hill on their To Each... album. Produced by Martin Hannett, Winter Hill is a twelve minute long journey in sound, with some urgent drumming and whistles and an alternating two note drone. Stick with it as the tension builds and then fades away.
When driving down to the Christie for years I often wondered what that hill was called, now I know, thanks SA
ReplyDeleteGreat track by the way
ReplyDeleteIt's something else isn't it?
ReplyDeleteSwiss Adam
To Each is a wild and wondrous album. Take some gangly young men from the North of England, out to New York City to play a showcase gig, with New Order as their opening act and then manage to get them to lay down the tracks for their proper debut album at a converted factory (how could this be a coincidence) recording studios in the wilds of Central New Jersey with producer Martin Hannett. How could this not be an album that was anything but amazing?
ReplyDeleteBy the way, the studio was known as E.A.R.S. - Eastern Artists Recording Studio and Hannett would also produce half of fractured funk Scroggins sisters, ESG's, first EP at E.A.R.S. that same year. New Order would mix down Confusion there two years later.
It always adds so much to post when Echorich comments.
ReplyDeleteA band that sort of passed me by back in the day. Just too much going on to keep up with everything. This track is new to me. 45 seconds in and I'm hypnotised and hooked. Cheers.
ReplyDelete