DURUTTI COLUMN:The Return Of OG Factory UK LP sandpaper cover 1980 Joy Division

$

276

Artist: THE DURUTTI COLUMN

Title: THE RETURN OF THE DURUTTI COLUMN

Label: FACTORY

Released:1979

Cover: NM

Record: NM

Description: Like new first pressing of the Durutti Column's debut lp, in the sandpaper sleeve. The sleeves were assembled by members of Joy Division; as legend has it, the other members of the band were too busy watching porn in the same room, so Ian Curtis did most of the covers himself!

The first album, 1980's The Return of the Durutti Column (title inspired by a 1967 Situationist International poster that includes that phrase), was produced by Martin Hannett. Reilly:

"...he more or less got sounds for me that no one else could understand that I wanted. And he understood that I wanted to play the electric guitar but I didn't want this horrible distorted, usual electric guitar sound and he managed to get that." The record featured a sandpaper sleeve (like the title of the record, inspired by a Situationist joke, a book – Guy Debord's Mémoires – with a sandpaper cover to destroy other books on the shelf). "I didn't even know it was going to be an album. It was just the case of jumping at the chance of being in the studio. I actually didn't get up in time, Martin had to physically get me out of bed to get me to the studio – that's how little I believed it would happen. I was still doing late night petrol station shifts. I was even more amazed when Tony presented me with a white label. I was completely baffled. 'What, this is really going to be an album? You must be insane! No-one's going to buy this!' And then Tony got the idea from the Situationists about the sandpaper book, and decided to do some with a sandpaper sleeve. It was Joy Division that stuck the sandpaper onto the card. I was mortified."

The music was unlike anything else performed by post-punk acts at the time. Reilly rooting himself in "new wave" with "...an attempt at experimental things"; the record contained nine gentle guitar instrumentals (later releases occasionally feature Reilly's soft and hesitant vocals) including elements from jazz, folk, classical music and rock. Reilly:

"...I had a lot of classical training when I was young, guitar and formal training, the scales I write with and the techniques I use are classical techniques and scales – a lot of minor melodic and minor harmonic scales, which generally aren't used in pop music. Usually it's pentatonic". Hannett's production included adding electronic rhythm and other effects, including birdsong on "Sketch for Summer". - Wikipedia

More debut albums should be so amusingly perverse with its titles -- and there's the original vinyl sleeve, which consisted of sandpaper precisely so it would damage everything next to it in one's collection. Released in the glow of post-punk fervor in late-'70s Manchester, one would think Return would consist of loud, aggressive sheet-metal feedback, but that's not the way Vini Reilly works. With heavy involvement from producer Martin Hannett, who created all the synth pieces on the record as well as producing it, Reilly on Return made a quietly stunning debut, as influential down the road as his labelmates in Joy Division's effort with Unknown Pleasures. Eschewing formal "rock" composition and delivery -- the album was entirely instrumental, favoring delicacy and understated invention instead of singalong brashness -- Reilly made his mark as the most unique, distinct guitarist from Britain sinceBert Jantsch. Embracing electric guitar's possibilities rather than acoustic's, Reilly fused a variety of traditions effortlessly -- that one song was called "Jazz" could be called a giveaway, but the free-flowing shimmers and moods always revolve around central melodies. "Conduct," with its just apparent enough key hook surrounded by interwoven, competing lines, is a standout, turning halfway through into a downright anthemic full-band rise while never being overbearing. Hannett's production gave his compositions a just-mysterious-enough sheen, with Reilly's touches on everything from surfy reverb to soft chiming turned at once alien and still warm. Consider the relentless rhythm box pulse on "Requiem for a Father," upfront but not overbearing as Reilly's filigrees and softly spiraling arpeggios unfold in the mix -- but equally appealing is "Sketch for Winter," Reilly's guitar and nothing more, a softly haunting piece living up to its name. - Ned Raggett, AllMusic

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ALL ALBUMS ARE ORIGINAL PRESSINGS UNLESS OTHERWISE NOTED.

GRADING:

All records are play graded conservatively - I have never had a record returned due to bad grading (and I'd like to keep it that way). If you are unhappy with the condition of a record I've sold you, please get in touch before leaving negative feedback!

NEAR MINT (NM): Like new.

EXCELLENT (EX): Otherwise NM but has slight cosmetic flaws that don't affect play. Close to perfect, with minor signs of wear or age just becoming evident. The cover might have light wear or a dented corner, but should look close to new.

VERY GOOD PLUS (VG+): The record has been handled and played infrequently or very carefully - there may be light marks that don't affect play, or some of the original luster may be lost. The cover will have light wear, but will still look & feel solid.

VERY GOOD (VG): Record displays visible signs of handling and playing, such as loss of vinyl luster, light surface scratches, groove wear and spindle trails. Some audible surface noise. Cover may have moderate to heavy ring wear, seam splits, bent corners, loss of gloss, stains. A VG grade doesn't mean the album is trashed; it will still play well enough to be enjoyable.

VERY GOOD MINUS (VG-): The record may have numerous scratches including heavy scratches that will tick, moderate to heavy surface noise. The cover might have large seam splits, tears, or writing on the cover that obscures the artwork. I usually don't list records in this condition unless it is an extremely rare title.

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GRADING ABBREVIATIONS:

auto: autographed / bc: bent corner / cc: cut corner / coh: cut out hole / cw: cover wear / H20: water damage / nap: not affecting play / obc: on back cover / ofc: on front cover / ol: on label / re: reissue / rw: ring wear / saw: sawmark / soc: sticker on cover / sol: sticker on label / sps: split seam / ss: still sealed / sw: seam wear (not split) / toc: tear on cover / tol: tear on label / ts: taped seam / wlp: white label promo / woc: writing on cover / wobc: writing on back cover / wol: writing on label

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SHIPPING:

* PLEASE WAIT FOR AN INVOICE BEFORE SENDING PAYMENT! *

All records are removed from the outer sleeve before shipping, and packed in a corrugated record mailer with cardboard spacers on either side to prevent damage. I don't use flattened Priority Mail boxes, padded envelopes, pizza boxes, etc. I collect records & know how I would want them shipped to me. For ALL locations double LPs & multi record sets count as 2 or more LPs.

I combine shipping for multiple items, see below for prices.

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~ UNITED STATES ~

Media Mail: $4.00 (w/delivery confirmation)

Estimated delivery time: 1-3 weeks. I've never had any problems with Media Mail when mailing records (or buying them myself), but please don't ask me when the lp is going to arrive, ok?

Priority Mail: $8.00 for the first lp & $1.00 for each additional LP.

Priority Mail is insured for up to $100.00 & will get to you in 2-4 days. It will also provide a tracking number when the lp is shipped. REQUIRED for albums over $100.00 in value.

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~ CANADA ~

First Class International: $9.00 for the first lp & $1.00 for each additional lp.

Express Mail International: $15.00 for the first lp & $1.00 each additional lp. REQUIRED for albums over $100.00 in value.

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~ MEXICO ~

First Class International: $12.00 for the first lp & $2.00 for each additional lp.

Express Mail International: $35.00 for the first lp & $2.00 for each additional lp. REQUIRED for albums over $100.00 in value.

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~ THE REST OF THE WORLD ~

First Class International: $15.00 for the first lp & $2.00 for each additional lp.

First Class mail can be slow, expect to wait anywhere from 2-5 weeks. If you want to be able to track your package, you'll have to upgrade to Express Mail (see below).

Express Mail International: $35.00 for the first lp & $2.00 for each additional lp.

Much faster, provides a tracking number & insurance up to $100. REQUIRED for albums over $100.00 in value.

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