The Durutti Column

The Durutti Column are an English post-punk band formed in 1978 in Manchester, England. The band is the project of guitarist and occasional pianist Vini Reilly, often accompanied by Bruce Mitchell on drums and Keir Stewart on bass, keyboards and harmonica.

The band were among the first acts signed to Factory Records by label founder Tony Wilson. They distinguished themselves from their post-punk contemporaries through Reilly's clean, atmospheric guitar playing and incorporation of jazz, folk, and classical influences. They later incorporated sampling and electronic dance rhythms.

History

Early line-ups

In 1978, Tony Wilson and Alan Erasmus, later partners in Factory Records, assembled a band around the remnants of local punk rock band Fast Breeder, specifically drummer Chris Joyce and guitarist Dave Rowbotham. The name was derived from a misspelling of the Durruti Column, an anarchist militia unit in the Spanish Civil War, named after its founder Buenaventura Durruti. The name was also taken from a four-page comic strip entitled "Le Retour de la Colonne Durruti" ("The Return Of The Durruti Column") by André Bertrand, which was handed out amidst student protests in October 1966 at Strasbourg University.

On 25 January, Vini Reilly, former guitarist for local punk rock band Ed Banger and the Nosebleeds, joined, followed some weeks later by co-member vocalist Phil Rainford and, by the end of February, bassist Tony Bowers arrived from Alberto y Lost Trios Paranoias. The line-up was short-lived as Rainford was sacked in July, and replaced by actor Colin Sharp, who also became one of the songwriters.