Released in January 1979 by Manchester's burgeoning indie imprint, A Factory Sample (FAC 2) is widely regarded as one of the most culturally significant artifacts of the post-punk era. Funded by a small inheritance left to label co-founder Tony Wilson, this double 7-inch EP served as the definitive musical manifesto for Factory Records, a label that would go on to shape the alternative music landscape for decades. Limited to a pressing of just 5,000 copies, the compilation defied traditional music industry standards—notably opting for a slower 33 ⅓ RPM play speed on 7-inch vinyl to accommodate longer tracks—and arrived in an iconic, Peter Saville-designed gatefold sleeve.
The tracks on this release map out the industrial, clinical, and fiercely experimental subculture of late-1970s North West England. By eschewing conventional "Side A" through "Side D" labels in favour of the thematic headers Aside, Beside, Seaside, and Decide, Factory treated the tracklist as a holistic artistic statement. The four chosen artists—Joy Division, The Durutti Column, John Dowie, and Cabaret Voltaire—represent drastically different creative corners, yet they collectively capture a shared disillusionment with standard rock templates. This collection remains highly coveted on the Discogs Marketplace as the blueprint for the legendary "Manchester Sound."
