Read Unknown Pleasures: Inside Joy Division Online
Authors: Peter Hook
Tags: #Punk, #Personal Memoirs, #Music, #Biography & Autobiography, #Genres & Styles, #Composers & Musicians
Unknown Pleasures: Inside Joy Division (32 page)
It’s almost impossible to match a recording as good as theirs with an equally good performance. Joy Division pulled it off. THEY WERE BRILLIANT, I MEAN BRILLIANT!
City Fun
fanzine
“There was always intense rivalry between us and the Fall. They started the same time as us and did a lot better than us more quickly than we did. So we were a bit jealous. There always is rivalry between groups. Never with DJs but always with groups.”
28 July–4 August 1979
The second ‘Transmission’ demo sessions, Strawberry Studios, Stockport. Produced by Martin Hannett. Tracks recorded: ‘Transmission’ (single version), ‘Novelty’ (single version).
2 August 1979
Joy Division play the YMCA, Prince of Wales Conference Centre, London, with Teardrop Explodes and Echo & the Bunnymen. This is the first show of a four-night alternative rock festival at the Prince of Wales Conference Centre. Set list: ‘Dead Souls’, ‘Disorder’, ‘Wilderness’, ‘Autosuggestion’, ‘Transmission’, ‘Day of the Lords’, ‘She’s Lost Control’, ‘Shadowplay’, ‘Atrocity Exhibition’, ‘Insight’.
The truth is they were phenomenal – the most physical hard rock group I’ve seen since Gang of Four.
Adrian Thrills,
NME
“It was a great gig, that one, and it’s where the famous pictures of us come from – where we’re drinking backstage, post-gig, out of
cans, and where Ian’s got the cig and we’re sat on the step. They’re all from backstage at the YMCA, very famous, nice pictures. We all look very happy.”
8 August 1979
Joy Division play the Romulus Club, Birmingham, supporting Dexy’s Midnight Runners.
“Dexys were diabolically dressed, like something out of Star Trek. This was way before theirs became a big name, of course, but Kevin Rowland still swanned around like he was a God. They were playing jokes on a reel-to-reel tape recorder in between songs: very strange. This was the night I ripped my favourite blue shirt that Rob bought me, on my own bass cab. I was devastated. Stayed in a mad B&B afterwards, complete with a saucy landlady.”
11 August 1979
Joy Division play Eric’s, Liverpool (matinee and evening shows), with Swell Maps. Admission: £1.10 for members. Set list (matinee): ‘Transmission’, ‘Untitled’, ‘Disorder’, ‘New Dawn Fades’, ‘Glass’, ‘Shadowplay’, ‘Colony’, ‘Interzone’, ‘Ice Age’. Set list (evening): ‘Insight’, ‘Autosuggestion’, ‘Digital’, ‘She’s Lost Control’, ‘Day of the Lords’, ‘Wilderness’, ‘Atrocity Exhibition’, ‘Transmission’, ‘New Dawn Fades’ (instrumental), ‘Interzone’, ‘Dead Souls’. Ian has a fit during ‘New Dawn Fades’ and is carried from the stage. He returns during ‘Interzone’.
13 August 1979
Joy Division play the Nashville Rooms, London, with OMD and A Certain Ratio. Set list: ‘Atmosphere’, ‘She’s Lost Control’, ‘Exercise One’, ‘Disorder’, ‘Colony’, ‘Candidate’, ‘Autosuggestion’, ‘Ice Age’.
“Annik Honoré saw the band for the first time and met us briefly. This was the night of the van crash, of course. But it was a great gig. Look at that set list, starting with ‘Atmosphere’. It didn’t have the connotations then that it does now that it’s sort of Ian’s death
march. Back then it was a good song to start with – well, we thought so anyway because we were awkward bastards. We liked to come on and defy expectations by starting with something slow and reflective, before building up to the faster songs.”
24 August 1979
Joy Division play the Walthamstow Youth Centre, London. Afterwards Annik interviews the band at Dave Pils’ and Jasmine’s flat.
27 August 1979
Joy Division play Leigh Open Air Festival, Plank Lane, Leigh, with the Distractions, Echo & the Bunnymen, OMD, A Certain Ratio, Teardrop Explodes and Lori & the Chameleons. Billed as ‘Zoo Meets Factory Half Way’, this is the last day of the festival. Admission: £2. Set list: ‘Disorder’, ‘Leaders of Men’, ‘Colony’, ‘Insight’, ‘Digital’, ‘Dead Souls’, ‘Shadowplay’, ‘She’s Lost Control’, ‘Transmission’, ‘Interzone’.
“I remember being really upset by Martin Moscrop of A Certain Ratio at that gig. We did ‘The Sound of Music’ at the sound-check and I had a bit on the song where I sang, ‘Hi, hi, hi, hi, higher’. Martin turned round to me at the end and said, ‘You sounded like the fucking laughing policeman, mate, ha, ha, ha.’ I’ve never been able to think of that song in the same way since. He ruined it for me in that one moment. ‘The Sound of Music’ was one I played guitar on and Bernard played bass. But yeah, ruined for me from then on.”
31 August 1979
Joy Division play the Electric Ballroom, London, with A Certain Ratio, Scritti Politti, Monochrome Set. Set list: ‘The Sound of Music’, ‘Wilderness’, ‘Colony’, ‘Day of the Lords’, ‘Shadowplay’, ‘Transmission’, ‘Interzone’, ‘Disorder’, ‘She’s Lost Control’, ‘Insight’.
“Great gig, this one. I was very impressed that the Monochrome Set’s singer was an Indian Prince.”
8 September 1979
Joy Division play the Queen’s Hall, Leeds, third on the bill, with A Certain Ratio, Cabaret Voltaire and OMD, and with Public Image headlining. This is the opening day of the three-day Futurama Festival. Set list: ‘I Remember Nothing’, ‘Wilderness’, ‘Transmission’, ‘Colony’, ‘Disorder’, ‘Insight’, ‘Shadowplay’, ‘She’s Lost Control’, ‘Atrocity Exhibition’, ‘Dead Souls’.
“This was a great concert too. We went down an absolute storm. It was our first gig with John Keenan, who was a very interesting man to work with financially, and our first indoor festival.”
13 September 1979
Premiere of
The Factory Flick
(Factory FAC 9, 1979), the Scala cinema, London. This 8mm film comprises:
No City Fun – Joy Division
(12 min), by student filmmaker Charles Salem, featuring three tracks by the band;
All Night Party – A Certain Ratio
(3 min);
Red Dress – Ludus
(3 min);
Joy Division
(17 min), by Malcolm Whitehead, featuring footage of ‘Shadowplay’ and ‘She’s Lost Control’ shot by Malcolm Whitehead at Bowdon Vale Youth Club.
15 September 1979
Joy Division appear on
Something Else
, playing ‘She’s Lost Control’ and ‘Transmission’.
22 September 1979
Joy Division play the Nashville Rooms, London, supported by the Distractions. Admission: £1.25. Set list: ‘Atmosphere’, ‘Wilderness’, ‘Shadowplay’, ‘Leaders of Men’, ‘Insight’, ‘Colony’, ‘Transmission’, ‘Disorder’, ‘She’s Lost Control’, ‘Atrocity Exhibition’, ‘Glass’, ‘Exercise One’.
“Terry couldn’t make it so Twinny said to me, ‘Can I bring my mate as a roadie?’ and I was like, ‘Yeah, course,’ thinking that was nice.
Then his mate turned up and he was on crutches. I took Twinny to one side. ‘Look, he’s on crutches. How’s he going to help if he can’t walk?’
Twinny was like, ‘Oh come on, Hooky, he’s a nice guy. He needs a night out.’ I was just shaking my head. I mean, what a liability: some kid on crutches along for the ride. Anyway, at the end of the night we couldn’t find him – he kept us waiting for ages – and when we eventually did he was snogging the face off some girl. So not only had he turned up on crutches, done fuck all and drunk all our rider, but he’d ended up copping off as well, the lucky bastard.”
28 September 1979
Joy Division play the Factory, Russell Club, Manchester, with Teardrop Explodes and Foreign Press. Set list: ‘Atmosphere’, ‘Wilderness’, ‘Shadow play’, ‘Insight’, ‘Colony’, ‘Twenty Four Hours’, ‘Interzone’, ‘She’s Lost Control’, ‘Transmission’ (encore; fight occurs), ‘Atrocity Exhibition’ (encore, minus bass).
“The big fight. I was ashamed.”
29 September 1979
Joy Division play the Mayflower, Manchester, with Foreign Press (formerly Emergency).
October 1979
The
Earcom 2
compilation (Fast Products FAST 9b) released. It features two Joy Division tracks, recorded by Martin Hannett as part of the
Unknown Pleasures
session: ‘Autosuggestion’ and ‘From Safety to Where’.
October 1979
The ‘Transmission’/’Novelty’ seven-inch single (Factory Records FAC 13) released. Produced by Martin Hannett. Sleeve design by Peter Saville. Later re-released as a twelve-inch with new cover (FAC 13.12).
October–November 1979
The Sordide Sentimental session, Cargo Studios, Rochdale. Produced by Martin Hannett. Tracks recorded: ‘Atmosphere’, ‘Dead Souls’, ‘Ice Age’.
2 October 1979
Joy Division play Mountford Hall, Liverpool University, as part of the Buzzcocks tour. Set list: ‘Wilderness’, ‘Ice Age’, Candidate, ‘Shadowplay’, ‘Insight’, ‘She’s Lost Control’, ‘Twenty Four Hours’, ‘Disorder’, ‘Transmission’, ‘Warsaw’.
3 October 1979
Joy Division play Leeds University as part of the Buzzcocks tour.
‘The anguished singer had achieved total physical self-expression by the climax of “She’s Lost Control” and, evidently having lost control, he was helped offstage at the conclusion of a set which, for practical reasons, could not be extended.’
Des Moines –
Sounds
.
4 October 1979
Joy Division play City Hall, Newcastle, as part of the Buzzcocks tour. Set list: ‘Disorder’, ‘Shadowplay’, ‘Colony’, ‘Day of the Lords’, ‘Glass’, ‘Transmission’, ‘She’s Lost Control’, ‘Atrocity Exhibition’.
5 October 1979
Joy Division play Apollo, Glasgow, as part of the Buzzcocks tour.
“I remember freaking out at the height of the stage: it was one of the highest I’ve ever played on.”
6 October 1979
Joy Division play the Odeon, Edinburgh, as part of the Buzzcocks tour. Set list: ‘Leaders of Men’, ‘Digital’, ‘Day of the Lords’, ‘Transmission’, ‘Shadowplay’, ‘She’s Lost Control’, ‘New Dawn Fades’, ‘Disorder’, ‘Transmission’.
7 October 1979
Joy Division play Capitol, Aberdeen, as part of the Buzzcocks tour.
“Sarge threw a kid out of the backstage area for having a Scottish accent. He was trying to say he had an interview with Pete Shelley for a fanzine. ‘I can’t understand a word you’re saying, dickhead, OUT!’”
8 October 1979
Joy Division play Caird Hall,Dundee,as part of the Buzzcocks tour. Set list: ‘Atmosphere’, ‘Wilderness’,‘Interzone’,‘Colony’, ‘These Days’, ‘New Dawn Fades’, ‘Transmission’, ‘Shadowplay’, ‘She’s Lost Control’. Ian collapses.
10 October 1979
Joy Division gig at Ulster Hall, Belfast, cancelled. Part of the Buzzcocks tour.
11 October 1979
Joy Division gig at Kelly’s, Portrush, cancelled. Part of the Buzzcocks tour.
13 October 1979
Joy Division gig at City Hall, Cork, cancelled. Part of the Buzzcocks tour.
16 October 1979
Joy Division play Plan K, Brussels. Set list: ‘Love Will Tear Us Apart’, ‘Wilderness’, ‘Disorder’, ‘Colony’, ‘Insight’, ‘Twenty Four Hours’, ‘New
Dawn Fades’, ‘Transmission’, ‘Shadowplay’, ‘She’s Lost Control’, ‘Atrocity Exhibition’, ‘Interzone’.
18 October 1979
Joy Division play Bangor University, as part of the Buzzcocks tour.
20 October 1979
Joy Division play Loughborough University, as part of the Buzzcocks tour.
21 October 1979
Joy Division play Top Rank, Arundel Gate, Sheffield, as part of the Buzzcocks tour.
22 October 1979
Joy Division play the Assembly Rooms, Derby, as part of the Buzzcocks tour.
23 October 1979
Joy Division play King George’s Hall, Blackburn, as part of the Buzzcocks tour.
“The Blackburn Lot ended up being great supporters of both New Order and the Haçienda. Mad football fans.”
24 October 1979
Joy Division play the Odeon Theatre, Birmingham, as part of the Buzzcocks tour.
25 October 1979
Joy Division play St George’s Hall, Bradford, as part of the Buzzcocks tour.
26 October 1979
Joy Division play the Electric Ballroom, London, supported by the Distractions and A Certain Ratio, during a break from the Buzzcocks tour. Set list: ‘I Remember Nothing’, ‘Love Will Tear Us Apart’, ‘Wilderness’, ‘Colony’, ‘Insight’, ‘Day of the Lords’, ‘Shadowplay’, ‘She’s Lost Control’, ‘Transmission’, ‘Disorder’, ‘Atrocity Exhibition’, ‘Interzone’.
“Something I remember about the Buzzcocks tour is that they played the same set every night, whereas we always varied ours. We did it to keep ourselves interested, so that all the songs got an airing, to try to find that ultimate moment and sometimes, again, just to be bloody awkward. If the audience were really wild, we’d start with ‘I Remember Nothing’, just to wind them up. One thing that punk taught you was to be challenging – always try to break the rules, to forge your own way. Being on Factory reinforced those ideals. It was like, whatever the game was we weren’t going to play it. Whatever was expected of us we did the opposite. I was really inspired by Throbbing Gristle back then. Genesis P-Orridge, what a man. I loved how awkward they were – how they used to try to drive their audience away every night. I wouldn’t have minded us being a bit more like Throbbing Gristle, actually.”
27 October 1979
Joy Division play the Apollo Theatre, Manchester, as part of the Buzzcocks tour. Set list: ‘Dead Souls’, ‘Wilderness’, ‘Colony’, ‘Autosuggestion’, ‘Love Will Tear Us Apart’, ‘Shadowplay’, ‘She’s Lost Control’, ‘Transmission’.
28 October 1979
Joy Division play the Apollo Theatre, Manchester, as part of the Buzzcocks tour. Set list: ‘The Sound of Music’, ‘Shadowplay’, ‘Colony’, ‘Day of the Lords’, ‘Twenty Four Hours’, ‘Disorder’, ‘Walked in Line’, ‘I Remember Nothing’, ‘Transmission’.