Factory: The Scottish Connection by Aloysius Munn

Factory: The Scottish Connection - An interview with The Wendys' guitarist Ian White
by Aloysius Munn

Prologue: August 1991

Tony Wilson: What's it like being Scottish, from that wonderful country North of the border, and yet being slightly involved with all these Mancunian idiots down here?

Ian White: Prickly, when you sit on the thorns.

2007. We catch up with Ian White via electronic mail on the internet for this interview. He's on holiday in Lisbon, and probably pissed up on cognac. In vino veritas? Let's find out:

Factory highs?

The signing was great. New Ben Kelly offices, Mondays, New Order and PAT NEVIN at the party. Heaven or what? ALSO HAD A SESH RECORDING WITH BROUDIE in Edinburgh (for the Bunnymen connection of course), did More Than Enough, then the album then the ep with the late great Jimmy Miller. Got Elvis and Stones stories... top notch!

Oh aye, and Cities in the Park... although I was a bit of a mess by the time we went on, i think...

The Wendys l-r Ian White, Arthur Renton and Jonathan Renton (Ian says "sadly Johnny drummer was away when we got the group shot done")

Factory lows?

They nicked our money and wouldn't let us support other Fac bands... Why? Cuntz...

We were too scratchy for the pop they had begun to aspire to - not often heard as Broudie smoothed it out. (Not blaming him, it's just the way it was)

pre-Factory?

Yeah, it was the old Edinburgh Musicians Collective and they were lookin for new blood and we were as new as they came.

Luckily for us we had the decency to be unlistenable to, as did several other Edinburgh bands, scratchy in a Fire Engines and everything good after way, so we were right at home with the the disenfranchised muso set de jour (aye Wilson we dig the Franglaise 'less at ease' indeed). Vatican Shotgun Scare, Radium Cats, the Wendys, all the rest... all hated by everyone: lovely!

Couldn't get a barmitzva in Negociants [Edinburgh wine bar oblique venue] no matter how often we offered the hoods fer sacrifice. Great days in transits n police road blocks n stuff but that's for a lengthier tome. Needless to say the Dog Faced Hermans would've turned in their squat at what we were up to.

In '88 we supported the Mondays at the Venue Edinburgh. Derek Ryder gave us hope and put in a few good words and phoned a coupla times. Supported revenge at studio 24 and P Hook said we reminded him of himself in the early days (JD).

Played Paris Locomotive (our biggest trip). Some guy jumped on at the end of gig and shouted into the mic 'best fuckin band since Joy Division'. we didnt know him.

Factory closing?

We had just been to Sound Control and bought some effects and samplers n keyboaords and amps, about 4K's worth then the cheque bounced: there went our NEW SOUND and had to boot polish over the tagged side of the amp...doh.

That was strange since we'd just got six figures from EastWest and it had disappeared. Rumour says that was what went in the paper bags payin for the Hac to stay open and both sessions for Mondays and New Order to continue.

But thats just a rumour and can't remember who said it, likesay, ken? We'd been workin with Jez Kerr on the second album... it promised to be a step up.

post-Factory?

Gigs with the Fall n the Cabs then it was all sort of loss of faith and paying the bills and for me, the

kids. So we went our separate ways after some gigs and now it's me and Jonathan tryin to make time for Art Plastic.

Hes a geezer who hasnt got enough puff yet to be a real boy. But hopefully sometime before we get bored. The Wendys did a short set at my birthday in 2003 which has vid for the future.

FAC was?

A dream. We were fans. We sent demos. Fac, 4AD, Creation etc. We supported the Mondays at the venue on the Bummed tour. Then it happened about a year and a half or two years later. After, when they had moved everything to new offices they found an old Wendys demo that they had put to the side back in 88 coz someone liked it. Maybe cos i sent it to 'Wilerasim', a made up amalgam of those involved at the time.

The Wendys would like to wish Best of Scottish to Mr Wilson as they are thinking about the situationist's situation.

Egotistical, but talented and interesting, gets...

Gobbledygook Facd 285 is available from Amazon marketplace

Sixfoot Wingspan is available via Bandcamp.

This article was brought to you by Aloysius Munn, The Paralytic Gold Medallist. It does not represent the opinion of any other members of the Munn family, especially those of Michael Munn, who doesn't think things through, and consequently talks a load of bish.