Durutti Column, The Vinyl Records
The Durutti Column was primarily the vehicle of Vini Reilly, a Mancunian multi-instrumentalist and composer whose instantly recognizable guitar playing has inspired musicians for several decades. One of the first acts signed to Factory Records, the Durutti Column's music instantly stood out from the more intense post-punk and dance-rock groups of the label's early roster, with 1980 debut full-length The Return of the Durutti Column consisting of minimal electronics and Reilly's clean-sounding, fluid guitar melodies. From there, Reilly and his various collaborators continued to experiment, incorporating additional instruments and occasional vocals and drums into a constantly evolving sound influenced by jazz, folk, classical, and numerous other genres.