A thread for Joy Division on the 24th anniversary of Ian Curtis' death

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Voice your thoughts here.
I'm going to listen to Unknown Pleasures in the dark tonight, as this is the annual tradition/tribute.

― Barry Bruner (Barry Bruner), Tuesday, 18 May 2004 16:40 (twenty-two years ago)

best band ever.

― M@tt He1geson (Matt Helgeson), Tuesday, 18 May 2004 17:16 (twenty-two years ago)

third best band ever

― Toon (Skelter), Tuesday, 18 May 2004 17:18 (twenty-two years ago)

Right up on there.

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Tuesday, 18 May 2004 17:19 (twenty-two years ago)

Manchester Online..report today: Moby to produce Curtis biopic
http://www.manchesteronline.co.uk/entertainment/filmandtv/s/117/117033_moby_to_produce_curtis_biopic.html

Moby to produce Curtis biopic
Iain Hepburn

CURTIS: New film

DANCE star Moby is to oversee a new film charting the life of Joy Division singer Ian Curtis.....

― DJ Martian (djmartian), Tuesday, 18 May 2004 17:19 (twenty-two years ago)

And truly, at long last, THIS is when I reach for my revolver.

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Tuesday, 18 May 2004 17:22 (twenty-two years ago)

He died 3 days before I was born the same year. Maybe I have his soul! Explains the seizures, at least. And the ill-fitting pants.

― roxymuzak (roxymuzak), Tuesday, 18 May 2004 17:25 (twenty-two years ago)

I don't cringe at the thought of the Moby-produced biopic. He's always been a huge fan and I'm confident it'll be respectfully done.
If he was acting in it, then that'd be another story. Moby as Rob Gretton would boil my blood.

― Barry Bruner (Barry Bruner), Tuesday, 18 May 2004 17:32 (twenty-two years ago)

He's always been a huge fan and I'm confident it'll be respectfully done.

In respects this is what I'm afraid of. He was not 'just' a tortured artist, he was an emotional fuckup with some pretty bad sides.

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Tuesday, 18 May 2004 17:34 (twenty-two years ago)

Most overrated band ever.

― deanomgwtf!!!p%3Fmsgid%3D4581997 (deangulberry), Tuesday, 18 May 2004 17:37 (twenty-two years ago)

whois gonna play anik honore? I think I completely botched the spelling of that one, but ohwell.

― bill stevens (bscrubbins), Tuesday, 18 May 2004 17:40 (twenty-two years ago)

Extremely overrated. I hated them for years, mostly because of Curtis's vocals but also because of the drum sound, which is worse than the drum sound on the ZZ Top Sixpack. About a week ago, though, I listened to the first two discs of the Heartandsoul box, which I'd bought for my wife a couple of years ago, and found them surprisingly tolerable. Not good, but tolerable.

― Phil Freeman (Phil Freeman), Tuesday, 18 May 2004 17:41 (twenty-two years ago)

The guy who willfully and with malice of forethought cleaned up MoB's "That's When I Reach for My Revolver" and changed it to "That's When I Realize It's Over" for radio is not to be trusted with an Ian Curtis biopic.

― J0hn Darn1elle (J0hn Darn1elle), Tuesday, 18 May 2004 17:46 (twenty-two years ago)

That band really needed to lighten up.

― Jazzbo (jmcgaw), Tuesday, 18 May 2004 17:56 (twenty-two years ago)

I hated them for years, mostly because of Curtis's vocals but also because of the drum sound
That is, you didn't like Martin Hannett's production? That's the best part!

― Barry Bruner (Barry Bruner), Tuesday, 18 May 2004 18:07 (twenty-two years ago)

Have you naysayers not heard Moby's "New Dawn Fades" cover?

― Curt1s St3ph3ns, Tuesday, 18 May 2004 19:15 (twenty-two years ago)

(not that it's all that great)

― Curt1s St3ph3ns, Tuesday, 18 May 2004 19:16 (twenty-two years ago)

Precisely.

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Tuesday, 18 May 2004 19:16 (twenty-two years ago)

From this point onward, every Joy Division cover must be done either happy-hardcore style or Miami-bass style.

― VengaDan Perry (Dan Perry), Tuesday, 18 May 2004 19:19 (twenty-two years ago)

YAY!

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Tuesday, 18 May 2004 19:19 (twenty-two years ago)

That band really needed to lighten up.

i think the "fun" component of JD is severely underrated. if you can ignore the lyrics (which are generally more "meant-to-sound-depressing" than actually depressing) the MUSIC, for the most part, isn't gloomy at all - especially on "unknown pleasures," which i like a lot more than "closer." as far as moody brit postpunk goes, magazine sound a lot more downbeat to me than joy division.

― J.D. (Justyn Dillingham), Tuesday, 18 May 2004 23:18 (twenty-two years ago)

Moaning in agony/complaining/etc. is a release of energy, which is always fun.

― roxymuzak (roxymuzak), Tuesday, 18 May 2004 23:37 (twenty-two years ago)

They were really incredibly great when he wasn't all sounding like Jim Morrison.

― Sonny A. (Keiko), Tuesday, 18 May 2004 23:39 (twenty-two years ago)

because of the drum sound

this might as well be in russian for all the sense it makes

― the surface noise made by people (electricsound), Tuesday, 18 May 2004 23:39 (twenty-two years ago)

Joy Division were awesome when they weren't recording Closer

― Curt1s St3ph3ns, Tuesday, 18 May 2004 23:59 (twenty-two years ago)

so, are Joy Division goth then?

― ..., Wednesday, 19 May 2004 00:32 (twenty-two years ago)

They're almost as good as New Order (and that's really saying something!).

― Spencer Chow (spencermfi), Wednesday, 19 May 2004 00:34 (twenty-two years ago)

No. They were actually just a band who hadn't found their feet, but were in the right place and the right time. Subsequently (and not so much at the time), people found them important.

― paulhw (paulhw), Wednesday, 19 May 2004 01:07 (twenty-two years ago)

Hmmm. Dr. C to thread.

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Wednesday, 19 May 2004 01:18 (twenty-two years ago)

**And truly, at long last, THIS is when I reach for my revolver**

Let me know when the deed is done, Ned. I will raise a glass in celebration.

**Hmmm. Dr. C to thread.**

Yes, well what can I say. The best live band I've ever seen, with the best frontman. They picked me up from thrashing about in the tail end of punk and did something that I didn't expect music to do. I often wonder how they sound to people growing up with dance or britpop or hip-hop at the centre of things. They probably sound ridiculously rigid and gloomy at times. But when people compare IC with Jim Morrison I kind of despair - not the same thing at all. Four working-class kids from Salford who ripped the universe apart v a bloated hack junkie who took his knob out onstage.

― Dr. C (Dr. C), Wednesday, 19 May 2004 08:00 (twenty-two years ago)

entirely coincidentally I have had them on my minidisc over the last few days, so recently re-heard Unknown P and just this morning finished Closer as I stepped off the bus into the brillliant sunshine. Love their music in the sun - don't know why, esp with the proto-goth thing. They were probably the third band I ever got excited about.

I must say that for the first time I really cringed at some of the lyrics on Closer. UP probably has equivalent lyrical moments but I guess the sparsity of the music on Closer puts them into unflattering relief.

There I said it. Some of Ian Curtis lyrics were pretentious shite.

― Jaunty Alan (Alan), Wednesday, 19 May 2004 08:12 (twenty-two years ago)

Umm, never mind if Moby's producing the bio or not, is it really necessary? The "24 hour party people" bit on Ian Curtis was probably the most successfully realised part of the film. The best you could hope for is a pseudo 120 minute "directors cut" of those bits elongated. yeah?

― mark grout (mark grout), Wednesday, 19 May 2004 08:16 (twenty-two years ago)

"No. They were actually just a band who hadn't found their feet, but were in the right place and the right time. Subsequently (and not so much at the time), people found them important."

So in other words, kinda like Syd Barrett, Big Star, Sam Cooke, Nick Drake, Jimi Hendrix, Buddy Holly, MC5, New York Dolls, Gram Parsons, The Pixies, Otis Redding, Sex Pistols, The Smiths, The Stooges or Velvet Underground then?

― Stewart Osborne (Stewart Osborne), Wednesday, 19 May 2004 08:16 (twenty-two years ago)

More info @ BBC News:
Joy Division film 'in planning'
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/music/3727795.stm

― DJ Martian (djmartian), Wednesday, 19 May 2004 09:28 (twenty-two years ago)

Dance music star Moby is to act as the film's musical advisor.
PH34R

Tom E-wing as Paul Morley
Franz Ferdinand as ACR
David Gray as Durutti Column
Richard X as Phil Oakey
etc

― Enrique (Enrique), Wednesday, 19 May 2004 09:35 (twenty-two years ago)

electric sound of jim as the bass player from the distractions

― the surface noise made by people (electricsound), Wednesday, 19 May 2004 09:47 (twenty-two years ago)

If you're prepared to make the amount of sacrifice necessary to play Pip* Nicholls, then you really must be deparate for the role Jim!

* I'd imagine she was originally christened Philippa....

― Stewart Osborne (Stewart Osborne), Wednesday, 19 May 2004 09:54 (twenty-two years ago)

*cries*

― the surface noise made by people (electricsound), Wednesday, 19 May 2004 09:54 (twenty-two years ago)

No, it's too late to start crying now.... well, in point of fact it's probably far too early....

― Stewart Osborne (Stewart Osborne), Wednesday, 19 May 2004 09:57 (twenty-two years ago)

Pip Nicholls was a GEEZER!

― Dr. C (Dr. C), Wednesday, 19 May 2004 10:41 (twenty-two years ago)

A lot of people thought that Doc (they were obviously supposed to) but, having once interviewed them in their dressing room at (some dodgy boozer in South London, the name of which temporarily escapes me), I can assure you most categorically that Pip Nicholls was in fact female.

― Stewart Osborne (Stewart Osborne), Wednesday, 19 May 2004 10:45 (twenty-two years ago)

Fwiw Pip was also the drummer in The Gay Animals, an early incarnation of Miaow with Cath Carroll and Liz Naylor.

Extract from an interview with Cath Carroll: ".... We had gone to London to see our flatmate Pip and her band The Distractions play with Joy Division...."

― Stewart Osborne (Stewart Osborne), Wednesday, 19 May 2004 11:09 (twenty-two years ago)

Sorry, shall I try that link again?

― Stewart Osborne (Stewart Osborne), Wednesday, 19 May 2004 11:29 (twenty-two years ago)

Pip Nicholls was a GEEZER!

i.e. she got her round in...

― mark grout (mark grout), Wednesday, 19 May 2004 11:42 (twenty-two years ago)

Holy shit. I know all about the Gay Animals etc etc but never put two and two together - so *that's* Pip Nicholls as in The Distractions. What a fuckwit I am. I just went to look at the back cover of 'Nobody's Perfect' and yes....A BURD!

This started as a JD thread and has turned into a Distractions thread. A good thing! The last time I wittered on about the Distractions on here, Mike Finney popped up and e-mailed me. This was the same week that I was emailed by Dumpy Dunning of Dumpy's Rusty Nuts!

― Dr. C (Dr. C), Wednesday, 19 May 2004 14:04 (twenty-two years ago)

Did Mike Finney say what he and the rest of The Distractions are up to now?

The most "famous" people I've ever been e-mailed by as a result of thinbgs I've written on the interweb are Bernard Szajner (he released an album called Brute Reason in 1983 for which Howard Devoto provided lyrics & vocals opn 3 songs and which I still haven't heard!) and a former member of Buddy Curtess & The Grasshopers!

― Stewart Osborne (Stewart Osborne), Wednesday, 19 May 2004 14:17 (twenty-two years ago)

Incidentally my best mate was at Manchester Uni. and had seen and spoken to The Distractions several times before I interviewed them and made the discovery about Pip.

When I told him he absolutely refused to believe me until after the next time he saw them - and we both agreed that unless / until you started to question the fact and actually specifically looked, you'd never guess she wasn't a bloke.

― Stewart Osborne (Stewart Osborne), Wednesday, 19 May 2004 14:26 (twenty-two years ago)

**Did Mike Finney say what he and the rest of The Distractions are up to now?**

Yes. I'll dig out the emails - I think he said that The Distractions back catalogue was unlikely to be reissued for the forseeable future. I don't think any of them are doing music. Will check.

I saw them play too, but I can't remember where.

― Dr. C (Dr. C), Wednesday, 19 May 2004 14:41 (twenty-two years ago)

I'm still trying to remember the name of the place where I saw 'em too. I remember seeing loads of different people there as well: The Damned, The Boys, The Flys, Spizz, UK Subs....

― Stewart Osborne (Stewart Osborne), Wednesday, 19 May 2004 14:54 (twenty-two years ago)

Actually no, I don't think it was The Damned - I think it was The Doomed!

― Stewart Osborne (Stewart Osborne), Wednesday, 19 May 2004 15:00 (twenty-two years ago)

Man, that's the rarest incarnation of the group of all!

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Wednesday, 19 May 2004 15:05 (twenty-two years ago)

I think I've seen every incarnation except the one with The Captain, Ratty, Algy Ward and Gary Holten of Heavy Metal Kids on vocals which did 3 dates in Scotland in late '78.

― Stewart Osborne (Stewart Osborne), Wednesday, 19 May 2004 15:10 (twenty-two years ago)

Hah, that's right, I remember reading about that one in the Carol Clerk bio. Which really should be updated.

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Wednesday, 19 May 2004 15:11 (twenty-two years ago)

Apparently Gary Holten didn't know any of the words at all and was so out of it at one of the gigs that he passed out on stage and The Captain pissed on him to try and bring him 'round, while still playing guitar.

Now that I'd like to have seen!

― Stewart Osborne (Stewart Osborne), Wednesday, 19 May 2004 15:13 (twenty-two years ago)

That's entertainment!

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Wednesday, 19 May 2004 15:23 (twenty-two years ago)

I could.... errr.... "bring up" Henry Badowski at this point - alhtough I'm not sure whether that particular reminiscence belongs on this thread or on the one about people throwing up during live performances!

― Stewart Osborne (Stewart Osborne), Wednesday, 19 May 2004 15:26 (twenty-two years ago)

I dig Ian Curtis' moves. He looks like one of those boxing monkey puppets.

― sexyDancer, Wednesday, 19 May 2004 15:29 (twenty-two years ago)

Only band who receives just the right amount of critical adulation. The sound of the bass guitar is sometimes shitty, but the actual playing is awesome. Love the lyrics/singing/guitar/drums/band/life.

― David Allen (David Allen), Wednesday, 19 May 2004 16:01 (twenty-two years ago)

i like how my random and totally daft one liner sparked such a cool discussion

― the surface noise made by people (electricsound), Wednesday, 19 May 2004 21:38 (twenty-two years ago)

Another fact about the Distractions that I found out yesterday : drummer Alec Sidebottom was in psych jugband The Purple Gang (of 'Granny Takes A Trip' fame)in the late 60s. I realize that no-one else probably cares, but these little things are important..

― Dr. C (Dr. C), Thursday, 20 May 2004 06:40 (twenty-two years ago)

"drummer Alec Sidebottom was in psych jugband The Purple Gang (of 'Granny Takes A Trip' fame)in the late 60s."

Steady on there Doc.... so what you're suggesting in effect is that The Distractions weren't a real punk band? ;~)

― Stewart Osborne (Stewart Osborne), Thursday, 20 May 2004 07:15 (twenty-two years ago)

Well they weren't were they? Definitely not!

― Dr. C (Dr. C), Thursday, 20 May 2004 07:37 (twenty-two years ago)

It was a joke Doc., hence the ";~)"

Of course they weren't a punk band: "You're Not Going Out Dressed Like That"? They sound more like my mum than a punk band!

― Stewart Osborne (Stewart Osborne), Thursday, 20 May 2004 07:45 (twenty-two years ago)

It was a joke Doc., hence the ";~)"

Oh I though you were having trouble with your keyboard.

― Dr. C (Dr. C), Thursday, 20 May 2004 07:51 (twenty-two years ago)

"Moaning in agony/complaining/etc. is a release of energy, which is always fun.
-- roxymuzak (roxymuza...), May 19th, 2004."

Yeah, that's why criticizing a band for being "whiny" is one of the most lazy, worthless, knee-jerk things you can do.

― latebloomer (latebloomer), Thursday, 20 May 2004 08:09 (twenty-two years ago)

"Oh I though you were having trouble with your keyboard."

Yeah - the bastard "Irony" key keeps sticking.

― Stewart Osborne (Stewart Osborne), Thursday, 20 May 2004 09:12 (twenty-two years ago)

eleven months pass...

Somebody already revived a JD thread, but I wanted to revive my thread.

UNKNOWN PLEASURES. TONIGHT. ALL OF YOU.

(that sounded dirty)

― MindInRewind (Barry Bruner), Wednesday, 18 May 2005 13:42 (twenty-one years ago)

Well, I don't have that album. But I'll have a go at the suggestion.

― mark grout (mark grout), Wednesday, 18 May 2005 13:47 (twenty-one years ago)

good deal will def. do that. Closer after that, followed by 'Atmosphere' on repeat. *shivers*

― rizzx (rizzx), Wednesday, 18 May 2005 15:45 (twenty-one years ago)

oh shit! how could I forget the Day of the Lords? I gotta go to my storage space. eek!

― poortheatre (poortheatre), Wednesday, 18 May 2005 15:59 (twenty-one years ago)

This is the wonderful thread where Stew revealed that Pip Nicholls was a WUMMAN.

― Dr. C (Dr. C), Wednesday, 18 May 2005 19:03 (twenty-one years ago)

one year passes...

Uh, NEVER FORGET.

― NoTimeBeforeTime (Barry Bruner), Thursday, 18 May 2006 15:26 (twenty years ago)

I dug up a copy (boot) of "Factory Sample" and quite enjoyed "Digital" and "Glass".

Heck, I might even 'get' Joy Division, shortly. only 25 years late!

― mark grout (mark grout), Thursday, 18 May 2006 15:32 (twenty years ago)

I actually needed to copy some songs for a friend who'd never heard them before. This will be a good impetus.

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Thursday, 18 May 2006 15:35 (twenty years ago)

I listened to "The Complete BBC Recordings" on the way to work. Have I mentioned that the 2nd Peel Session was the first JD recording I ever bought? On some days (like today) I think that the definitive recorded versions of those four songs are on that EP.

― NoTimeBeforeTime (Barry Bruner), Thursday, 18 May 2006 17:40 (twenty years ago)

the first time i went to london), i went to a pub (maybe on camden high street? north and across the street from that weird alien rave flea market? The Genesis?) to eat and ended up getting kind of really drunk by myself. I asked this group of people if they knew where ian curtis was buried, because I had spontaneously decided that a pilgrimage was necessary. they didn't know, so one of the girls called one of her friends that would. "alright dear, it's about five hours away by train." "oh.. okay. great. thank you. cheers." I didn't end up going... BUT HAPPY DAY OF THE LORDS!

― poortheatre (poortheatre), Thursday, 18 May 2006 19:14 (twenty years ago)

i don't know if i still they they are the best ever but i loves joy division.

― M@tt He1geson (Matt Helgeson), Thursday, 18 May 2006 19:18 (twenty years ago)

Why didn't Nirvana become a synth band called Valhalla?

Seriously though, Ian Curtis was to my youth what Kurt now seems to be for young today. Cut down in his prime. Sad loss.

― Treblekicker (treblekicker), Thursday, 18 May 2006 21:12 (twenty years ago)

this morning, on the way to work, i decided to listen to "unknown pleasures". i'd completely forgotten it was the anniversary. how very, very weird.

still the greatest band ever in the world, though. really.

― grimly fiendish (grimlord), Thursday, 18 May 2006 21:31 (twenty years ago)

I'm currently drunk and crying at the sheer brilliance of Joy Division. They will never replace New Order as far as my favourite band, but I'll be damned if their records don't sound better every year that passes.

I awoke on May 18 this year to the sound of "No Love Lost" on the radio, my favourite of the classic 4 early songs on the Warsaw demo. It was a delightful thing to wake up to but I dreaded posting about it because then I would have to admit than even though I was going under the moniker "Honorary Joy Division Roadie" I didn't make the connection with the date that day until I saw this thread later. Even though I knew that May 18 was the day, and Mt. St. Helens erupted the same day etc etc to me at the time it was just another day I'd have to go to work this past week and I awoke to "No Love Lost" Thursday when my alarm clock went off to the sound of it on the radio.

"Substance" to me is really the ultimate Joy Division CD, though I never got Closer or UP on CD because I felt it was sacreligious to own them on anything but vinyl. Anyway the tracks on that old flimsy flexi disc are still fantastic "Komakino" & "From Safety To Where?" and then that instrumental...

I pull out my vinyl copy of "Still" a lot, still, too.

I wonder if New Order will release a new album soon.

― Twitchety Twitch Manic Toy System (Bimble...), Saturday, 20 May 2006 17:12 (twenty years ago)

Also what happened to Barry Bruner??? He was the one who said he played Unknown Pleasures ever May 18.

― Twitchety Twitch Manic Toy System (Bimble...), Saturday, 20 May 2006 17:13 (twenty years ago)

I'm the guy who keeps reviving the thread!

― NoTimeBeforeTime (Barry Bruner), Monday, 29 May 2006 03:59 (twenty years ago)

I see! ;)

― Twitchety Twitch Manic Toy System (Bimble...), Monday, 29 May 2006 04:07 (twenty years ago)

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