FAC 501

Occasionally in the world of popular music you get examples of bands or record labels that have taken a conscious step to include a bold design statement as part of their work.

Examples of this would be :

• The White Stripes use of the colours red and white on album sleeves, clothing etc
• ZTT with its Paul Morley written manifestos on record sleeves
• The Ramones leather jackets and jeans look

One of the most notable examples was Factory Records issuing of catalogue numbers for not just their audio and video output but also amongst other things posters (FAC 1), The Hacienda club (FAC 51), a hairdressing salon (FAC 98), and the club cat (FAC 191).

How fitting therefore that Tony Wilson the labels founder was buried recently, after losing his battle with kidney cancer, in a coffin carrying the last ever Factory catalogue number FAC 501.

There is something quite noble about carrying things through to the very end like this.