M24J (Anthology) is a collection of valuable passages recorded by The Durutti Column between 1979 and 2011 for various iterations of Factory Records, including poignant tributes to manager/mentor Anthony H. Wilson.

“The Durutti Column was Tony’s baby,” says Durutti mainman Vini Reilly. “We were the first act signed up to his Factory club night, and the first band signed to Factory Records. Tony became my mentor, somebody to look up to. He was a very tough character, yet he was very gentle. He had many sides. The biggest arguments with Tony were that he wanted to stop me singing with my schoolboy lyrics and my dreadful voice.”

Reilly’s music remains resolutely unclassifiable, and sounds better and better with each passing year. “Don’t listen to the form,” he insists, “listen to the content. Don’t listen to the style, the tradition, the technique, just the content of the music. Then judge. People say The Durutti Column is this or that. I don’t care so long as we make good music. There’s so much good music around. Don’t bother with form. Just enjoy.”

The bonus 7” included with the vinyl package features two previously unreleased live recordings. One is a cover of Albatross by Peter Green, recorded in 2004; the other is Spooky Tune, recorded with Poppy Morgan at the Bridgewater Hall in Manchester in 2011, Vini’s last major concert to date.

The remastered set is housed in a double gatefold sleeve printed on white matt board and includes a digital copy (MP3).