Swompdonkey

Tuesday, February 12, 2008

Five from Factory Records

I recently saw a really great movie about the heyday of Factory Records and the Haçienda in Manchester during the eighties called 24 Hour Party People. Before I saw the film, I had no idea what an important role the band New Order had played in supporting the iconic club.

While I'm a big fan of New Order's music, I never knew much about their history. I was only five when Ian Curtis died, so I didn't know the story of Joy Division and how it had reformed as New Order following Ian's suicide. It's really quite remarkable to listen to JD and NO songs back to back. The bands sound so different, and yet they consist of nearly all the same people. Of course, JD were post-punk, whereas New Order quickly transitioned to electronic and dance music, and Ian Curtis' vocals could not have been more different than those of Bernard Sumner, who never wanted to be a singer, and apparently only took on singing duties by necessity!

Apparently, there is a biopic about Ian Curtis out there -a 2007 film called Control, which has gotten good reviews -so I'll have to check that out next!.

Dead Souls
by Joy Division
Recorded 1979