52nd Street formed in Manchester in 1980. Throughout the 1980s they would enjoy success not only in the UK, but also on the Billboard charts stateside. Local funk DJ Mike Shaft became their mentor and would play demos on his Piccadilly Radio shows. After a numbe of studio sessions the group found themselves without a manager.
Derrick Johnson of the group approached ex-DJ Rob Gretton, co-owner of Factory Records, and Joy Division’s manager. (The connection came via Johnson’s brother Donald, the drummer for Factory act A Certain Ratio.) Gretton went to see the band play at jazz venue The Band on the Wall in Manchester. Soon after, Gretton and his reluctant partner Tony Wilson agreed to take a chance and add the band to the Factory Records roster.
52nd Street’s first release on Factory was in 1982 was “Look into My Eyes”, backed with the disco dynamite of “Express”, produced by Donald Johnson it was named as single of the week in the NME.
Dedicated with love from all @ the love unlimited to Tony Wilson who sadly passed away in August this year.
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