STUDY HALL:
Joy Division
I had a roommate in college that tried challenging me to a duel of early 80's music trivia once as we decided what to wear to The Castle on a Monday night. After stating my disclaimer of "prepare to die an early death", the first question was, "What band was formed in 1980 after the death of Joy Division's lead singer Ian Curtis?" Let's just say, anyone who could not answer that question was not roommate material for me.
One night as the planets were aligned perfectly in 1976, the Sex Pistols were playing at the Free Trade Hall in Manchester, England as Peter Hook, Bernard Sumner, Ian Curtis and Terry Mason waited in line and purchased tickets. It was this concert that fate dealt us a good hand and brought us Joy Division.
Even devote Joy Division fans might get stumped if asked what the name of the band was previous to forming in 1978, which of course was Warsaw, taken from a Bowie album. After a couple of swaps on drums, Peter Hook, Bernard Sumner, Steve Morris, and lead singer Ian Curtis were the final four.
Joy Division were considered outcasts in the Manchester music scene, that is until they started playing live at a local club called, The Factory. They eventually signed with the Factory Records Label but unfortunately, their original debut album was never released. Ian absolutely hated the final product after the producers added synthesizers to their songs.
Two days after Christmas in 1978, Joy Division played their first concert in London. In the beginning of the New Year, the fire started. On January 31st, DJ Peel interviewed the band and recorded their live performance for broadcast two weeks later. It's hard to say if this performance was the big door that opened for the band, however two weeks after the broadcast they opened for The Cure in London. In my opinion, this for sure was an indication of hitting it.
After several television appearances, club kids everywhere were spotted trying to replicate Ian's trademark dance moves. I myself am still guilty of this every time I hear "Love Will Tear Us Apart"; which is ironic for the simple fact you couldn't get a copy of this song to save your life back in the day. It was only played live during their concerts which gave the song a god-like quality.
On May 18th, 1980, a day before they were scheduled to leave for a tour in the US, Ian Curtis hung himself in his kitchen. His body was found by his wife as she returned home with their infant daughter in her arms.
Homework for this month: Watch the movie 24 Hour Party People. It's an excellent film replicating the rise and fall of The Factory as well as Ian and his Joy Division.
- Kris with a "K"
Guidance Counselor, The Edge 101
Kris with a "K" on MySpace
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