Needle Time

  Section 25 - Invicta Max [MM 011 BEL 2013 24-Bit 176.4kHz FLAC] We started the week with a Section 25 single, so why not end it with possibly the best single from the sixth line-up (I think) of the Cassidy family collective, and what I think is their best since Looking From A Hilltop . Here is a brand new rip. Sadly parents Jenny & Larry Cassidy had passed away, so Bethany Cassidy took over on vocals and the whole project was held together by original member Vin Cassidy. Oddly, the band chose the license tracks over various labels with LTM/Factory Benelux picking up the albums and a tiny Belgian label, Minimal Maximal Records was lucky enough to pick up this catchy synthpop EP in a limited edition of 400 on ten inch clear vinyl. In my opinion, this was the best the new band could muster and it deserved to heard by a bigger audience, perhaps the band didn't want that? The preceding album, Nature + Degree was excellent as a tribute to the departed Cassidys and it worked well u...

  Section 25 - The Beast [12" FAC 66 UK 1982 24-Bit 176.4kHz FLAC] My March 2019 rip of this single was a little to crackly, time now to upgrade. SXXV's second single proper for Factory Records and their first self-produced, ripped to 24-Bit high resolution FLAC. The Beast is an incredibly dour affair about mental health whereas Sakura in two takes evidences the band's first proper experiments with synths ...with interesting results. Forty years on, the more I think about it, Sakura would have made the better lead track, and could well have been one of those very important Factory singles. The band were in transition, original guitarist Paul Wiggin had moved on, to be replaced by Lee Shallcross on keyboards, it would be another year or so before things stepped up when Jennifer & Angela Cassidy joined the band and we moved closer to their From The Hip era. A live rendition of Trident recorded at New York's Danceteria in February 1982 completes this four track ...

  Section 25 - Charnel Ground [FAC BN 3-006 BEL 1980 24-Bit 176.4kHz FLAC] Part two in an occasional series of 176.4kHz rips from original seven inch singles. Whilst this isn't necessarily the cheeriest record for a Friday, it is an important (and slightly rare) record in the Factory Records/Factory Benelux catelogue.  After the throbbing punk noise of their splendid debut Girls Don't Count , Section 25 were farmed out to the Benelux division for the post-punk drone single Charnel Ground backed with the more uptempo Haunted , both featuring the instantly recognisable sound of a Martin Hannett production. Given that this record is well over forty years of age, this rip sounds really rather good and easily better than any of the digital remasters which have appeared over the years since release. A1 Charnel Ground B1 Haunted

  Section 25 - Girls Don't Count [FAC 18/12 UK 1980 24-Bit 176.4kHz FLAC] Released in 1980 in a choice of three twelve inch sleeves and a rarer grease proof paper seven inch, Girls Don't Count was the debut single by Blackpool's Section 25. The girl on my sleeve is Angela Flowers who was eventually to marry drummer Vin Cassidy and become part of the band for their more electronic From The Hip phase. The single was produced by Ian Curtis and Joy Division manager Rob Gretton, their mix is raw and edgy which only add to the significance and the sound on this release. They could have asked Martin Hannett ....needless to say the production duo of Curtis & Gretton was rarely seen in control of a recording studio mixing desk again. This is the first time that I have attempted a full resolution rip of this single. After a light application of Tergikleen solution followed by two soaks in distilled water with 5% isopropyl, it really shines, the Larry Cassidy bass pounds away at...

  Section 25 - Always Now [FACT 45 UK 1981 24-Bit FLAC] Here is another in my occasional series of Factory Records new re-rips, upgraded with the Hana Shibata SL cartridge. Ever wondered how Martin Hannett's best ever work as a producer would sound in 176.4kHz? If you possess the necessary means, then here is your chance. An important album in an expensive, iconic Peter Saville/Grafica Industria sleeve, released by the original Section 25 line up of Cassidy, Cassidy and Wiggin, recorded in February 1981 at Pink Floyd's Britannia Row Studios (note the spelling mistake) in Islington, London, produced by Martin Hannett who also contributed keyboards to the instrumental track C.P. (Collective Project) . My copy is the first edition in the original textured wax-feel top loading envelope sleeve with marbled card inners and threefold low grade paper poster (scans in the archive). Cleaning this up was a bit of chore, however it sounds great, just a few pops - most of which have been c...

  Section 25 - Love & Hate [FACT 160 UK 1988 24-Bit FLAC] I thought now would be a good time to re-appreciate Section 25's fourth album, Love & Hate .  The band had splintered in early 1986 when Vin & Angela Cassidy decided they had enough of the music scene with Lee Shallcross following shortly afterwards. The years 1983-1985 were their most prolific period which included the majestic From The Hip album with its lead single, Looking From A Hilltop . Section 25 had also toured extensively and some of the 1985 dates in the US previewed many new song ideas, most marking a natural progression from Hip . Factory Records failed to make the most of the Crazy Wisdom single when they licensed it to their Benelux offshoot. This lack of love clearly led to the departures, but it is also worth noting that the Cassidy brothers (and their respective wives) had begun to reproduce. (The sleeve is a clue) This album was recorded in 1986 by the reduced line up of Larry & Je...

  Section 25 - From The Hip [FBN 33 UK 3LP RSD2021 24-Bit FLAC] I posted my original vinyl pressing a while back, it was not in mint condition, let's see how this triple coloured vinyl edition sounds. There were only 800 editions pressed and they will nearly all be gone by now, so unless you are lucky to stumble across a copy, you be stuck with paying up to 60 quid (and rising) as the flippers hit Discogs and eBay. After my disappointment over the shoddy quality of The Wake vinyl remastering from the same label, this hits the spot, surface noise on the coloured platters is very limited with just a few tiny crackles which I've removed with iZotope. The mastering on the new pressing of the original album sounds great, the thicker platters give a fuller sound without evidence of over compression - the original Factory pressing comes out with a dynamic response range of DR12-DR14, this remaster is in the range DR11-DR13.  The additional albums making up the set are gathered from ...

 Section 25 - Looking From A Hilltop [FAC 108 UK 1984 24-Bit FLAC] The hit! ....it wasn't really, it broke the indie charts however never the mainstream. These days a revered masterpiece, back then widely ignored. This is a new rip for 2021 from my original purchase on day of release, mastered better and less loudly than any of my previous efforts, using a superior cartridge/pre-amp combination and software. I think this sounds much better than any of the CD reissues..... Expect occasional & significant upgrades from here on.... A1  Looking From A Hilltop (Restructure) B1  Looking From A Hilltop (Megamix)

  Section 25 - Always Now [FACT 45 UK 1981 24-Bit FLAC] An important album in an expensive, iconic Peter Saville/Grafica Industria sleeve, released by the original Section 25 line up of Cassidy, Cassidy and Wiggin, recorded in February 1981 at Pink Floyd's Britannia Row Studios (note the spelling mistake) in Islington, London, produced by Martin Hannett who also contributed keyboards to the instrumental track C.P. (Collective Project). My copy is the first edition in the original textured wax-feel top loading envelope sleeve with marbled card inners and threefold low grade paper poster (scans in the archive). Cleaning this up was a bit of chore, however it sounds great, just a few pops - most of which have been carefully removed with iZotope RX7. Section 25 were not Joy Division, they were from Blackpool in Lancashire and they blended psychedelic neo-kraut influences into their unique post-punk sound. Hannett's production is just superb, building a volley of space into the mi...

  Section 25 - From The Hip [FACT 90 UK 1984 24-Bit FLAC] I think you will agree that it is about time that I ripped From The Hip . The original Factory period of Section 25 was the Blackpool story of a duo with post-punk ideals who became a threesome, who lost one and gained another and two wives to become a fivesome, then lost them all to become a husband & wife duo. It is during that period of five members that they released this important record, it is Bernard Sumner that deserved most praise for his introduction of professionalism into the final studio product. This is my original copy, purchased on day of release at Virgin in Manchester during March 1984. At the time, I was mixing college with part-time work in a chippy, so the extra cash was welcome as it funded my vinyl purchases. The expected rubber sleeve (allegedly the cause of the inevitable Factory delays) never appeared. Factory aficionados have wasted many an hour since trying to decode Peter Saville's colour co...

Section Twenty Five - The Key Of Dreams [FBN 14 BEL 1982 24-Bit FLAC] Stunningly evocative piece of work or compilation of leftovers from the Always Now sessions? You decide ....I know which camp I sit with. Always Now ....Always Contemporary ...potentially a much overlooked work of genius. Self produced by the band but The Key Of Dreams borrows many of the studio techniques adopted by Always Now album producer Martin Hannett. A quote from blog follower TB back then: Mid 80s, blow, joss sticks, UK early evening summer sun, waiting for the key change in 'Sutra' trying to get the "guitarist from S25" 'look', wondering about what was his black box on his guitar? a fabled album for me...Thanks A1 Always Now A2 Visitation A3 Regions A4 The Wheel A5 No Abiding Place A6 Once Before B1 There Was A Time B2 Wretch B3 Sutra

Section 25 - Invicta Max [MM 011 BEL 2013 24-Bit FLAC] It took 25 years before the next SXXV single. Much had changed, sadly Jenny & Larry Cassidy had passed away, Bethany Cassidy took over on vocals and the whole project was held together by original member Vin Cassidy. Oddly, the band chose the license tracks over various labels with LTM/Factory Benelux picking up the albums and a tiny Belgian label was lucky enough to pick up this catchy synthpop EP in a limited edition of 400 on ten inch clear vinyl. In my opinion, this was the best the new band could muster and it deserved to heard by a bigger audience, perhaps the band didn't want that? The preceding album, Nature + Degree was excellent as a tribute to the departed Cassidys and it worked with snip bits left over from Larry. What followed was a messy line up with former ACR percussion wizz Simon Topping on bass, he didn't last long and it wasn't long before SXXV showed signs of a loss of direction. The...

Section 25 - Bad News Week [FAC 157 UK 1987 24-Bit FLAC] Section 25 struggled to survive the split when Vin & Angela Cassidy decided to leave in the mid-eighties, also departing was competent keyboard player (and occasional drummer) Lee Shalcross. The Love & Hate album eventually appeared in 1988, however to these ears it always sounded unfinished - much like a collection of badly mixed demos. Bad News Week was the preceding single, a track which had previously been demoed and featured on live sets as Boogie Beat , it was re-engineered by Bernard Sumner into beefy pounding electronica. Perhaps Sumner should have been given the rest of the album as the magnificent From The Hip was always going to be a tough act to follow. The now disgraced musician and producer Jonathan King threatened legal action as he was convinced his sixties hit It's Good News Week had be plagiarised, though if you compare the tracks, only a few lines of lyrics had been parodied. Fac...

Section 25 - Looking From A Hilltop [FAC 108 UK 1984 24-Bit FLAC] The hit! ....it wasn't really, it broke the indie charts however never the mainstream. These days a revered masterpiece, back then widely ignored. This is a new rip for 2019 from my original purchase on day of release, mastered better and less loudly than my previous effort on ESWA. There is still a little crackle on the fades, however nothing to spoil your enjoyment. I think this sounds much better than any of the CD reissues..... A1 Looking From A Hilltop (Restructure) B1 Looking From A Hilltop (Megamix)

Section 25 - The Beast [12" FAC 66 UK 1982 24-Bit FLAC] SXXV's second single proper for Factory Records and their first self-produced, ripped to 24-Bit high resolution FLAC. The Beast is a dour affair whereas Sakura in two takes evidences the band's first proper experimentation with early sequencers, with interesting results. My copy does suffer from significant wear but after some detailed work, I think I've managed to reproduce the record quite well. A live rendition of Trident recorded at New York's Danceteria in February 1982 completes this four track EP. A1 The Beast A2 Sakura B1 Sakura (Matrixmix) B2 Trident

Section 25 - Girls Don't Count [FAC 18 UK 1980 24-Bit FLAC] The young lady on the cover is Angela Flowers, then wife of Section 25 drummer Vin Cassidy, the production duties were overseen by Ian Curtis and Rob Gretton in the guise of Fractured Music, the band were Larry Cassidy, Vin Cassidy and Paul Wiggin. Girls do count and this is classic Section 25 from an original Factory Records twelve inch single. A1 Girls Don't Count B1 Knew Noise B2 Up To You

Various - Heures Sans Soleil (2016 Edition) [CY 998W7 ITA 2016 24-Bit FLAC] Originally released on the fledgling Les Temps Modernes label in the winter of 1985. Boutique label bedroom self indulgence or relevant collection of the post-punk avantgarde...? The Heures Sans Soleil compilation marked a significant landmark in my musical exploration. Attracted by Factory faves Section 25 and Crispy Ambulance, plus the need to hear more from Adi Newton's Anti-Group and the funky A Primary Industry, I parted with my hard earned dosh at a small independent store just south of Guildford, Surrey. The music contained intrigued and encapsulated me, the diversity was extremely rich ...from twisted loops of The Anti-Group through to the obtuse Polish folk of Mazowsze and the wonderful melancholy of The Happy Family, I was drawn in. Section 25 give us the full introduction of New Horizons, backed up by the dour Hold Me , Manchester's Dislocation Dance take us on a delightful d...