On the Record: Joy Division – Unknown Pleasures (1979 Factory Records First Pressing)

Few albums are as iconic — visually and sonically — as Unknown Pleasures, the 1979 debut by Joy Division. With its stark black-and-white pulse waveform cover, minimal design, and haunting sound, this record helped shape the entire post-punk genre. But for collectors, it’s the original UK Factory Records first pressing that stands apart.

Pressed by Factory Records (FACT 10) and designed by Peter Saville, the first edition was released without a barcode, housed in a thick textured sleeve, and features Porky Prime Cut etchings in the runout groove — the calling card of legendary mastering engineer George “Porky” Peckham. These details make the original Unknown Pleasures pressing one of the most sought-after post-punk records of all time.

Behind the Pressing

Recorded at Strawberry Studios on a modest budget and produced by Martin Hannett, Unknown Pleasures was a visionary debut — dark, spacious, and completely unlike anything else in 1979. The first UK pressing was:

Released by Factory Records with catalog number FACT 10

Mastered by George Peckham (“Porky Prime Cut” in runout)

Pressed on heavyweight vinyl

Packaged in a textured, fully black outer sleeve with white inner sleeve and no band name or title on the front

Printed by Garrod & Lofthouse

The design choice — to omit all text — was radical, setting a new aesthetic standard for underground music.

How to Identify the First UK Pressing

Label: White Factory label with “Factory Records” and “FACT 10”

Sleeve: Textured black outer sleeve with no writing on the front or spine

Inner sleeve: Plain white die-cut inner

Matrix/runout: Etched “FACT-10-OUTSIDE-1 PORKY” and “FACT-10-INSIDE-1 PORKY PRIME CUT”

⚠️ Later pressings often have smooth sleeves, barcodes, or reissue catalog numbers — they’re not the same beast.

Collector’s Value

Original FACT 10 first pressings in excellent condition often fetch $600–$1,200 AUD, depending on wear. Copies with the correct etchings and textured cover are the most valuable. Later reissues are affordable, but for collectors, the Porky pressing is the definitive edition.

Why It Matters

Unknown Pleasures wasn’t just an album — it was a statement. Stark, brooding, and sonically daring, it laid the foundation for post-punk and alternative music. The original pressing captures that artistic purity in its most undiluted form — a cold, beautiful artifact from a band that burned too briefly but brightly.