The Unlikely Birth of a Cult Classic
The story of The Durutti Column's debut album, 'The Return of the Durutti Column', is anything but conventional. In 1979, the band had already fractured, and its guitarist, Vini Reilly, was in the depths of a severe depression, with multiple attempts made to section him. Convinced Reilly was on a fatal path, Factory Records founder Tony Wilson intervened, purchasing him a new guitar and arranging studio time with the label's maverick producer, Martin Hannett.
The initial recording sessions were a disaster. Hannett focused obsessively on his new electronic gear, largely ignoring Reilly. The frustrated guitarist eventually stormed out, declaring he was 'fucking sick of this'. Reilly was completely unaware an album was being made and was horrified when Hannett presented him with the finished product, which he initially despised.
From Obscure Curiosity to Enduring Influence
Upon its release in 1980, the album seemed out of step with the post-punk landscape. The music press struggled for comparisons, mentioning the atmospheric jazz of ECM Records or the guitar work of Mike Oldfield and Jerry Garcia—references that held little coolness at the time. Even a positive review in the NME suggested listeners might dismiss it as 'hippy noodling'.
Yet, against all odds, the album's delicate sound proved surprisingly robust. Its influence has echoed for 45 years, finding new life in modern culture. Tracks have featured in the TV series 'The Bear' and the video game 'Grand Theft Auto', and it has been cited as an inspiration by artists as diverse as the Red Hot Chili Peppers and Frank Ocean. More recently, Blood Orange interpolated their 1998 song 'Sing to Me' into the track 'The Field'.
A Legacy Forged in Fragility
This enduring appeal is celebrated with a new deluxe reissue, which includes lo-fi home demos and live recordings from performances in Leeds and Brussels. These extras capture the fraught early attempts to translate the music to the stage, complete with Reilly's candid remarks to the audience.
What initially worked against the album—its distance from the musical trends of 1980—has ultimately been its greatest strength. Free from the era-specific sounds that date other works, 'The Return of the Durutti Column' feels timeless. Tracks like the sun-dappled 'Sketch for Summer', the sweetly sad 'Collette', and the distantly beautiful 'Requiem for a Father' create a deeply personal, emotionally raw world.
Despite the technical skill evident in Reilly's intricate, echoing guitar lines, the album's true power lies in its ability to move the listener. It stands as a testament to music created under desperate circumstances, an album its maker never intended for public consumption that continues to be discovered and cherished by new generations.
