40 Years.... Remembering Ian Curtis (2020)

Last night I should have been at the Apollo Theatre, Manchester watching Peter Hook & The Light performing the songs of Joy Division in recognition / memory / celebration of Ian Curtis who committed suicide on the evening of Saturday 18th May 1980 aged just 23 years old 

The tickets had gone on sale over a year ago, it was sold out well in advance, but sadly in the current climate there was no way it could have gone ahead. The gig has been rescheduled for January 2021, which is fine, but I imagine it may not have quite the same emotional weight it would had it taken place as planned 

 That said, the surviving members of Joy Division have pulled out the stops to ensure that their singer and friend is remembered and the fans have an opportunity to mark this landmark anniversary this week.

Peter Hook is streaming a previously unseen gig filmed in front of an audience of 500 on the 35th Anniversary where he and his band played every Joy Division song 'officially' released 

That's on from Monday 18th 12:00 (UK Time) for 24 hours via YouTube https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCXmOfbv6KTva9ZDJCHgaBHA (apologies if you're reading this after midday on 19th May, although a DVD https://liveherenow.co.uk/products/peter-hook-the-light-so-this-is-permanent-dvd will be available in the next couple of months!) 

Bernard Sumner and Stephen Morris are in conversation, accompanied by Dave Haslam, 
and have a number of 'guests' between 20:00 and 22:00 on Monday evening via https://blog.size.co.uk/2020/05/15/united-we-stream-gm-headstock-presents-moving-through-the-silence/ 

Both events are raising money / taking donations for charity, Peter for epilepsy, Bernard and Stephen for Mental Health, two causes which are extremely worthy. 

 ______________________ 

(Permission pending from owner of photo)

Last weekend a series of photographs appeared on Social Media of Joy Division which had previously been unseen. These had been taken at the Hope and Anchor in London on 27th December 1978. 

Only 30 people had attended the bands first gig in the capital city, and the group were still 6 months away from releasing their seminal debut album, 'Unknown Pleasures' and had yet to release a single on Factory Records. 

It was that night though that (without sounding overly dramatic) everything changed, on the way home Ian had his first epileptic seizure... just as the bands profile, popularity and plaudits were beginning to rise, the health of the singer began to decline

The story of Joy Division has been told in two dramatised films, '24 Hour Party People' and 'Control' as well as Grant Gee's supurb documentary film, 'Joy Division'. 

Many books have also been written, the best probably being 'This Searing Light, the Sun and Everything Else: Joy Division: The Oral History' by Jon Savage, which takes you on a journey from the perspective of the band and those around them. Debbie Curtis's 'Touching From A Distance' is also a must).... 

All of these are worth searching out, although I suspect most people reading this blog will be familiar and have searched out and spent many hours watching and reading the above as well as the published essays from Paul Morley as well as the biography by Tony Wilson's first wife, Lindsay Reade, soaking up every detail revealed. 

When I first 'discovered' Joy Division in the mid 1980's, with the special edition cassette of 'Still' (to which I was disappointed to find there was no 'Love Will Tear Us Apart anywhere to be heard), other than the music the only things available were a single book, 'An Ideal For Living' which contained a handful of photos (mainly taken by Kevin Cummins, Anton Corbijn or Paul Slattery) and a 'low quality' video 'Here Are The Young Men'... 

Information was limited, the Internet didn't exist and 'New Order' weren't always forward about giving interviews or talking about their past.I spent hours talking to older colleagues who had seen the band or hanging around in Manchester's Underground Market or Corn Exchange searching out bootleg recordings of gigs, Peel Sessions, and demos to try and put pieces together of 'the jigsaw'. 

For those seeing those pictures for the first time last week, like me, there was a sense of wonder. Just when you think there is nothing more to see, something else revealed... on this occasion nearly 42 years later. 

 This is probably, partly, why my love of Joy Division has endured, unlike today where you can open an app on your phone and download every recording commercially available, I was made to work for it. 

Peter Saville's iconic sleeves offered no information other than title, catalogue number and the name of Factory Records. Often the official recordings would be in and out of print (the gorgeous 'Atmosphere' specifically). 

The various releases weren't even all on the same label!

Like many I'd sit and try and decipher the lyrics, playing tapes over and over to understand the subject matter. Even now, 'Closer,' with the benefit of hindsight and understanding of the situation is extremely powerful, with Ian Curtis bearing his soul for all to hear... and the lyrics for 'Love Will Tear Us Apart' seem beyond anything someone only 22/23 should have experienced never mind articulate. 

Over the years with compilations, box sets, biographies and the aforementioned films the story of Joy Division is no longer a secret, however for many of a certain age it was passed down almost as folk lore, a little being revealed at the time... but for those who are unaware, a whistle-stop tour... 

• Formed after seeing the Sex Pistols at the Free Trade Hall by Bernard and Peter 
• Joined by Ian and completed by Stephen on drums 
• Christened Stiff Kittens but changed name to Warsaw before their first gig 
• Originally quite generically 'punky' 
• First release on vinyl on Virgin Records 10" EP recorded on the last weekend of Manchesters 'Electric Circus' venue 
• Band record initial. self funded, 4 track EP in December 1977
• It's released in on a 7" single with poor sound quality in June 1978 
• Due to 'the name' and imagery accused of Nazi connotations/leanings 
• Taken under the wing of manager (and DJ at Rafters) Rob Gretton 
• Re-release debut EP on 12" 
• Record a debut album for RCA Records but buy tapes back as not happy with outcome 
• Appear on 'Granada Reports' performing 'Shadowplay' 
• Sign for Factory Records Team up with 'genius' producer Martin Hannett 
• Gig often while still holding down day jobs 
• Ian develops epilepsy Gigs continue 
• Record / release 'Unknown Pleasures' with iconic sleeve by Peter Saville 
• Adored by press and fans alike, Bernard and Hooky don't like it 
• Appear on BBC2's 'Something Else' performing 'She's Lost Control' and 'Transmission' 
• Gigs continue including a tour with Buzzcocks 
• Band take first trips to Europe Ian meets / starts platonic affair with Belgian Embassy worker and gig promoter Annik Honore 
• Band turn 'professional' and give up day jobs 
• Ian's illness worsens 
• Second album 'Closer’ recorded
• Band choose picture of a mausoleum for the cover 
• Ian struggling with mental health, married since 1975, a young daughter and a 'lover' 
• Ian doesn't like the album that's been recorded 
• Gigs continue 
• Suicide attempted 
• A riot ensues at 'Derby Hall', Bury when Ian is released from hospital but others are used to stand in Around 300 people attend the bands final gig on 2nd May 1980 
• Ian Curtis commits suicide the day before the band were due to fly to America 
• Single 'Love Will Tear Us Apart' released in June 1980 reaching No 13 in the Charts (probably would have been higher if it had not been for a strike in the Media meaning some music shows were cancelled) 
• Album 'Closer' released in July peaks at No 6 

All that in the space of 4 years, but worth bearing in mind the first London gig was December 1978, the debut album wasn't released until June 1979... within a year... well you know... you've read this far (hopefully). 

Even typing/reading that, it is an incredible story and honestly, given the speed of events, the tragedy unfolding at the time that the 'success' was starting to happen; one which you could potentially dismiss as 'far fetched' ... but here in the North West of England it happened... 

Despite what you may think now, with Peter Saville's imagery visible in the media, the bands name plastered on more T-Shirt's than you can count around all corners of the word they were never 'a big band'. Only around 300 attended their final gig, their biggest 'home town' gig in their own right saw them attract a crowd around 900 a couple of weeks before... 

Never achieving 'Chart Success' while a functioning band, 'Unknown Pleasures' only sold 15,000 copies in its first 6 months and didn't threaten the 'Top 75 albums' until after the posthumous 'Closer' had been a 'hit' the following year.

Despite this, maybe in some part because of the mythology surrounding the band the legacy has grown year on year with the influence in popular media, culture and music is there for all to see. (Further reading https://www.theguardian.com/music/2019/jun/18/the-eternal-influence-of-joy-division-moby-killers-jon-savage-zia-anger) 

It's often been said that U2 picked up the ball and became the band that Joy Division should have been. It's easy to speculate but I'm not sure that things would have gone that far, even if Ian had lived... 

The fact remains the story of Joy Division has a start, a middle and an abrupt end, and what a story it is. 

40 years after the abrupt, possibly cruel, possibly selfish 'full stop' those involved who are still with us are making sure that Ian's short life is celebrated 40 years after he left us and using the opportunity to benefit things which, if had been better developed and more understood at the time could have lead to a different outcome but now can make a difference to people. 


Iain Key 2020