Joy Division and John Peel to be honoured in Rochdale with ‘Blue Plaques’

Peter Hook and Clint Boon are both set to be at the unveiling

Two new Blue Plaques are to be unveiled in Rochdale, celebrating the town’s musical heritage.

Both are issued by Rochdale council, and celebrate musical buildings used by the likes of John Peel and Joy Division.

The first plaque will be placed on the former Tractor Sound Studios in Heywood, which was financed by John Peel in 1973, after Rochdale band Tractor had sent him a demo tape.

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The late DJ lived in Rochdale and, according to his wife Sheila Ravenscroft: “He was always drawn to bands from the north because he loved the north of England.”

A second plaque is to feature at the Kenion Street Music Building. Formerly a home to Cargo Studios and New Order bassist Peter Hook‘s Suite 16 Studios, the building was in use from 1977 until 2001.

Joy Division were among the bands the use it, and even had their bass equipment custom built on the ground floor.

The building was used in the filming for the ’24 Hour Party People’ film. Equipment used at Manchester‘s legendary Hacienda club was also built and repaired there.

Both plaques will be unveiled on September 23, with Hook, Dave Fielding of The Chameleons, OMD‘s Andy McCluskey, members of Autechre, Inspiral Carpets mainman Clint Boon, journalist Mick Middles, Mock Turtles singer Martin Coogan and journalist and Goldblade/Membranes singer John Robb all expected to be in attendance.

Ravenscroft is also set to record a video message for the event.

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Meanwhile, a new exhibition at Rochdale‘s Heywood Library celebrates the region’s musical history, taking in the two studios mentioned above, the Seven Stars venue and now defunct label Imaginary Records – which was once sent an application letter from a then unknown Kurt Cobain.

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