Joy Division only released two albums but they led the way out of punk rock and towards Madchester. This is a site for Joy Division fans with listings for all releases, concerts, books, videos etc
Everything on this site is Copyright Mark Price (and associates) 1998 - 2018 unless otherwise stated. We are normally sympathetic to the use of short extracts for non commercial use on application but such permission is not implied.
Discography - our ever expanding list of Joy Division CDs, LPs and singles. With advice on what to buy.   Forthcoming releases & events - What's coming up in the world of Joy Division Audio, books, tribute nights etc Concerts - all the Joy Division concerts with poster scans, ticket scans, recollections and live tape information   Shopping - Our big list of web sites where you can buy new Joy Division CDs, rarities, posters, photos and other stuff Sessions and Rehearsals- Comprehensive info on all Joy Division sessions plus what little we know about rehearsals   Collectibles - the Joy Division T-Shirts, badges, and postcards we've seen over the years - both official and unofficial Bootlegs - every pressing of every Joy Division bootleg is listed here along with cover scans and comprehensive information   Books - scans and information about the many Joy Division books that have been published worldwide Band History - a three page biography of Joy Division written by Chris Warren with links to releases, sessions etc   Film, Video, Radio, Interviews - a listing of Joy Division appearances on film, TV, Video, radio and recorded interviews Ian Curtis Biography - his life story, his day job, and his death - plus information on Ian's Macclesfield, and his confirmation photo   Tribute Bands & Covers - hundreds of Joy Division cover versions but only a handful of tribute bands Band Members - a short biography for each member of Joy Division and their associates in the business   Scrapbook - mystery set list, Joy Division tattoos, interviews ... stuff that doesn't have a home on the site yet Places of Interest - locations associated with Ian Curtis and Joy Division in Macclesfield, Manchester, England and the Continent   Links to other sites - our favourite Joy Division related sites. Better than a Google search any day. Joy Division's Equipment - guitars, amps, bass, synthesisers, sequencers and harmonicas - they're all here   Interactive area - Message Board, Twitter, Chat Room, oh and pin your home town on our map of the world Joy Division Articles and Interviews - written for JD Central, by fans for fans   Search this site - with our built in search engine
Recent site updates
19 Aug New concert photos added: Reynard Toombs's colour photos of Joy Division at the Factory Manchester April 1980 added. Many thanks to Reynard and Mark Gale.     Ian Curtis on stage - with Twinny, Terry Mason and Bernard in the second photo Stage photos (C) Reynard Toombs and reproduced here with permission. 25 Jul Unseen concert ticket surfaces: After nearly 30 years a ticket for Joy Division's December 1979 concert at Les Bains Douches has surfaced. Many thanks to Francois Guillez for sharing it with us.   This ticket surfaced in 2018 - thanks to Francois Guillez 17 Jul New photographic book from Brazil: New book listing added: In Aeternum, Joy Division: a busca afetiva por uma imagem -  a Brazilian, Portuguese language, photo book. Listing includes contact email address for ordering. Thanks to Felipe Andrian Techeira. 17 Jun Russell Club bootleg LP: Listing simplified and a couple of new versions added 31 May First gig recollections: Arthur in Sheffield and his mate Nigel were at the front when Warsaw played their first gig at the Electric Circus, wrongly billed as Stiff Kittems. He shares his memories with us: "They strode on and were clearly cheesed off about the Stiff Kittens name and barked out that they were Warsaw. Great start - far better name. There was not a lot of interest or applause but my pal and I liked them straight off. They came across as earnest with a nervous edge and determined. I don't recall any particular songs - I remember the feel of the music was amateur, stripped back and had attack. I've nowt against leather caps and moustaches but I thought that Peter Hook's leather cap stood out as a bit of a glam rock throwback! We liked Warsaw and when I got a leaflet for the 'new wave night' at the Squat the following week, with them included in the line-up, we went along to that too. 22 May Factory Sample pirate: 2016 United States pirate edition added to the listings 28 April Update: The bootleg being sold by some sellers on Ebay as a Record Store Day release appears to be a straighforward pressing of Warsaw which makes no such claims. It's on a different label to the planned RSD version and has fewer tracks. It has appeared elsewhere for a tenth of the price. 27 April Fake Records Store Day release: Warsaw bootlegs are appearing on Ebay with fake Record Store Day 2018 credentials. The prices are highly inflated and the tracks will be nothing new, most likely the same as the Baby Face Warsaw CD. 27 March Record Store Day - Joy Division offering appears to have been withdrawn: The Vinyl Passion reissue of the Warsaw bootleg has been removed from the official Record Store Day web site. It's hard to understand how a bootleg album the band do not want released could have been approved for inclusion in RSD 2018 in the first place, particularly when it was on the same label as an unauthorised 2007 release. This is not the first time Joy Division bootlegs have been associated with Record Store Day. In 2015 an Italian 7" picture disc of Love Will Tear Us Apart on Radiation Records appeared in record shops on Record Store Day. It wasn't an official RSD release, but the packaging was designed to make it appear like one. Later that year Radiation Records re-released the single on black vinyl with no claimed Record Store Day credentials. 12 March Joy Division tattoos More tattoos added 9 March 1979 Set lists Set listings for the following concerts on the Buzzcocks tour added to the listings: Loughborough 20 October 1979 Derby 22 October 1979 Leicester 29 October 1979 Thanks to Sarge, a Buzzcocks fan who took notes at these gigs, TJ and Sam Habash. If anybody has any more information we'd like to hear it. 7 March Record Store Day - Joy Division offering: According to the official Record Store Day web site, Vinyl Passion will be releasing the Warsaw LP on Record Store Day 2018 - 21st April. From the information provided this sounds like a reissue of the unofficial 2007 'Baby Face' LP of the same name by the same record label. If so, the track listing will be as follows: All of this for you Interzone The leaders of men Warsaw They walked in line Shadowplay Failures As you said Novelty Inside the line No love lost Gutz  Transmission At A Later date Living in the ice age The kill   You're No Good For Me 25 February Strawberry Studios diary for April 1981: What were Martin Hannett and Rob Gretton mixing and editing at Strawberry Studios, Stockport, between 3rd-6th April 1981? This was around the time Still was being mixed in London, was it part of that process or something else? Thanks to Mark Gale and Strawberry Studios for the images. nks to Mark Gale an 6 February New poster added: Poster for the Ajanta Theatre Derby added thanks to Darrell Buxton and Mark Gale 26 January Contemporary review added to Check Inn listing: Paul Campbell wrote this review for a local publication at the time of the concert: 19 January Iconic stage production about Joy Division and the 1970s Manchester music scene returns to Manchester this April: “New Dawn Fades – A Play About Joy Division and Manchester”chronicles the rise and fall of  the ground-breaking post-punk band, and the 1970s Manchester music scene This is the story of four ordinary lads who, inspired by the punk revolution of the 1970s, came together to form one of the most influential bands of all time, Joy Division. This unique production places the band within the context of Manchester’s history as a city with a vibrant reputation, setting the scene for a completely new and fascinating look at the Joy Division story. Anthony H Wilson guides the audience through the heart and soul of both the band and the city, introducing an array of historical figures, including Roman General Julius Agricola, Dr John Dee, Frederich Engels, and the Buzzcocks! The result is a spellbinding journey of love, passion, progress, grief, and, of course, music. Drawing inspiration from the enigmatic lyrics of Ian Curtis, with a soundtrack featuring live performances of his most beloved tracks. A smash hit when it debuted at the Greater Manchester Fringe Festival on 15th July 2013 (Curtis' birthday), New Dawn Fades was subsequently staged at the Macclesfield WinterFest in Ian Curtis’ home town, where it played to capacity audiences and standing ovations. Tours in 2015 and 2016 followed, with more acclaimed performances in Chester, Leeds, Bury, Liverpool, Bury St Edmonds, and London Tickets for Manchester   Now, due to popular demand, the show is back at Manchester's Dancehouse Theatre this April. Tickets can be booked here Actors and musicians can audition  For this new run, three leading roles are currently being re-cast. Actors and musicians interested should apply here The Director  Director Emma Bird joins the production team for its 5th year. Emma is an actor and director, improviser and teacher.  She has performed at theatres such as The Royal National Theatre, Hampstead Theatre, Norwich Playhouse, and Finborough Theatre. She was a regular character in BBC TV’s Casualty, and has worked with writers such as Jimmy McGovern, Peter Bowker, and alongside great actors such as Pete Postlethwaite, Tom Wilkinson, Frances de La Tour, and David Morrissey. Emma received Best Director award at Liverpool’s Page to Stage Festival (2016), and directed three well received productions in 2017 in Liverpool, and at The Greater Manchester Fringe Festival.  Previously her directing work received a 4 star review at Brighton Fringe. She has also co-starred in the feature film 'The Governess', alongside Minnie Driver. The play is produced by Giles Bastow of All Roads Meet. In 2017 he directed the audio drama ‘Everyman - A Celebration of Patrick McGoohan and The Prisoner’ and a music video for cult band Evil Blizzard. Giles reprises his stage role of legendary Joy Division manager Rob Gretton. The play is written, and executive produced, by Brian Gorman, creator of 'Everyman: The Story Of Patrick McGoohan – The Prisoner', co-writer of the 2013 stage version of 'Blade Runner', and currently performing in his new show 'One Man Bond: Every Bond Film In 60 Minutes'.  Brian is also a writer and artist of graphic novels, including the highly-acclaimed adaptation of 'Everyman' (9/10 Starburst Magazine review). Graphic novel - and you can be in it There is also a graphic novel adaptation of the stage show, due to be published this April. Brian Gorman has adapted his script, and illustrated the book. 'NEW DAWN FADES: The Graphic Novel' will also include exclusive production photographs by Shay Rowan, and an introduction by legendary music journalist Mick Middles. Fans can join in with a crowdfunding campaign, and receive copies of the book, original artwork, and exclusive perks here 14 January Special Brew: More information added to the Factory New year's Eve party 1979 where Joy Division, A Certain Ratio, and Section 25 played. Factory provided copious amounts of free Special Brew which ensured a lively evening. 12 January New bootleg LP listing added: In the world of bootlegs things are not always as they seem, and leftover stock can be repackaged as a new limited item. Is that what's happened with To the Centre of Koln Vol II? 5 January 2018 Set list update: Nick Blakey has spotted that Michael's set list posted 15 December, which enabled us to work out which songs were played at Altrincham, is the same as the mystery set list Bryan Kee sent us in 2013. Bryan's version has Sister Ray written on it as another encore:   15 December 2017 Unpublished set list surfaces: Michael Waterhouse has published a photo of the Joy Division set list given to his step father at the Check Inn Club, Altrincham 20th November 1978. The set list, in Ian Curtis's handwriting, tells us for the first time what songs were played that night. 2 December Paul Slattery blog: Joy Division on The Streets of Stockport: Photographer Paul Slattery on his iconic 1979 photo session and Strawberry Studios Exhibitions 1 December Promo press pack added to the site This Australian 1981 press pack included copies of Closer and Unknown pleasures with a Love Will Tear Us Apart 7" plus photos and printed material 28 November Ticket stub added to the site Electric Ballroom 31st August 1978 ticket image added to the site - thanks to DMXI Ticket image thanks to DMXI Follow Us 26 November Advert added to the site Music paper advert for Rezillos, Undertones and Joy Division gig at Brunel University Uxbridge added Music paper advert thanks to Boredteenagers.co.uk 24 November New poster added to the site John Angus's poster for the cancelled Rezillos gig at Lancaster University added to the site. This was part of the Rezillos, Undertones, Joy Division tour which unraveled after the Rezillos had a bust up. Poster (C) John Angus and reproduced here with permission You can see more of John's posters on his web site 30 August Japanese Pirate releases from 2008 added to the site In  2008 someone released pirate copies of the official Japanese CDs in packaging designed to look like mini LPs: £7.27 28 August Manchester Apollo video Films page updated now the unreleased and previously unseen songs from Manchester Apollo 27th October 1979  have been shown at the True Faith exhibition at Manchester Art Gallery. 26 June Singles 1978-1980 Pirate 2LP version of the official box set - listing added 21 June La Sélection Idéale 2012 3CD French box set - listing added £7.99 16 June Blue Plaque for Factory Alan Erasmus's old flat in Palatine Road, West Didsbury has been awarded a blue plaque. It was commissioned by the BBC in conjunction with the British Plaque Trust to commemorate the birthplace of Factory. Peter Saville unveiled it yesterday with Shaun Ryder, Bez, Rowetta and Mark Day from the Happy Mondays and former Hacienda DJs Graeme Park and Dave Haslam attending the ceremony. Pictures reproduced courtesy Jez Kerr and Rowetta. With thanks to Mark Gale 31 May Listing updated: Lyceum concert - information added about a superior two track soundboard recording, possibly recorded by a roadie, and a table of what tracks appear on the different tapes of the gig 1 May Listings updated: Peel Sessions - pirate LP listing updated with more coloured vinyl versions Amnesty International Picture Disc - another version added 8 Apr Nashville Rooms 1979 - second audience bootleg tape identified It's not always easy to tell if recordings of the same concert are from different tapes or simply different generations and edits of a common original. However, audience chatter between songs can give a huge clues, as in this instance. 7 Apr High Hall Birmingham photo High Hall Birmingham - 1981 photo of the venue for Joy Division's last concert added thanks to Birmingham 81 who posted the image on Twitter (C) Copyright Birmingham 81 and reproduced here with permission 22 Mar Record Store Day 2017 There are no Joy Division or New Order releases on Record Store day this year. However there are nine Peter Hook and the Light albums up for grabs on 22nd April. Amazon Echo £149.99 19 Mar Nottingham ticket stub added Many thanks to Charlie Harvey 24 Feb More Joy Division tattoos added Many thanks to Rachael Cannon, Jenna, Leon, Tara, Lars Madsen, and Connor Allan 24 Feb Unpublished photo of Hooky at the final Joy Division Concert Martin Hardy took this photo of Peter Hook at High Hall Birmingham 2nd May 1980 and it is published here for the first time. Copyright Martin Hardy 23 Feb Too good to be true? Mysterious Joy Division rehearsals test press sells for £1,900 on Ebay A 10" vinyl LP featuring a 20 minute Joy Division rehearsal has sold for £1900 on Ebay. This previously unknown record was apparently one of only six made for Joy Division's manager Rob Gretton by Strawberry Mastering, the mastering division of Strawberry Records Stockport, - according to the item's description on the auction web site. The full description on Ebay reads as follows: "Apparently only six ever made by Strawberry Mastering in London, the mastering division of Strawberry Studios, Stockport. Made for Rob Gretton by Strawberry Mastering a 20 min approximate vinyl of Joy Division rehearsals on a ten inch test pressing. Strawberry Mastering closed down in the 1980s. Only five now known to be in existence- cardboard sleeve grubby but record plays well". Strawberry Mastering opened in 1978 and closed in 1983 and, according to Strawberry Recording Studios Facebook pages, the link between Strawberry Recording Studios and Strawberry Mastering was that Ric Dixon was a director/partner in both companies. There is no mention of which rehearsal is on the recording so it will be interesting to find out if this recording is a new discovery or one of the rehearsals already documented on our rehearsals page and previously released on bootleg. It appears the seller has three more copies for sale Kindle £12.09 18 Feb Photos from the Strawberry Studios Exhibition, Stockport The Strawberry 50 exhibition is at Stockport Staircase House Museum, Market Place , Stockport SK1 1ES. The exhibition charts the Strawberry story from the time the studios was built in 1967, the 1970's - the 10CC and Joy Divsion era. Through the 1980's/90's when The Smiths, Stone Roses and many others recorded there. It runs until 28th January next year. Opening times are 10am - 5pm - Tuesday to Saturday and 11am - 5pm Sundays Admission is  FREE. Lots of Joy Division and Manchester music artefacts and memorabilia. Thanks to Mark Gale for the photos 17 Feb Au Plan K - limited edition has been published Limited edition and signed editions of Philippe Carly's "Au Plan K" book are being delivered to their new owners. The paperback version is due out 15 March. 8 Feb Undocumented 1978 concert date confirmed: The date of Joy Division's first gig at the Good Mood Club Halifax has been something of a mystery, until now. Stephen Morris remembered it as May or June 1978 but thanks to Dave Knight who runs a Facebook page dedicated to the old Clarences / Good Mood Club in Halifax we now have a newspaper advert pinning it down to 7th April 1978.  Many thanks to Dave for providing this information. Dave has also provided us with the advert for their concert the following year on 22 June 1979 4 Dec Au Plan K - Book Crowdfunding underway: The wait is over: the crowd funding campaign for the long awaited book "Au Plan K" featuring all 56 Joy Division images taken by Philippe Carly at Plan K has launched. You can help by donating as little as €5.00, while €139.00 gets you a signed limited edition version of the book delivered to your door. 276 pages, 12x12" size, 300+ photos, Joy Division and 70+ other acts, 25+ reproductions of original posters, 25+ significant players contribute memories, anecdotes. Philippe has been working on this beautiful book for 12 years and it's now ready. The list of headline attractions at Plan K reads like a who’s who of post-punk. Joy Division, Cabaret Voltaire, William S. Burroughs, The Human League, Orange Juice, Josef K, Scritti Politti, James White, Tuxedomoon, Front 242, Bauhaus, The Slits and many more. Most of these legendary performances were documented by noted new wave photographer Philippe Carly, who has selected the best of his images for this rich and varied book, giving readers a unique opportunity to relive these moments as if they were standing in the front row. La Repubblica - free Unknown Pleasures CD: The 6th December issue of Italian newspaper  "La Repubblica" will come with a free Unknown Pleasures CD. This is part of a weekly offering which builds up into a boxed Punk collection also featuring the likes of the Sex Pistols, Siouxsie and the Banshees and the Ramones. It may be possible to buy copies via the La Repubblica web site although we suspect Ebay and Discogs will have them cheaper. Thanks to Mark Woodley for letting us know about this. 30 Nov Strawberry 50: Commencing in January, Stockport Museum will be showcasing "Strawberry 50" - commemorating the 50th anniversary of the opening of Strawberry Studios. A central part of the exhibition will be specially commissioned new immaculate resolution prints of a selection of Paul Slattery's photographs taken in Stockport on 28 July 1979, the day "Transmission" was recorded.  They are reputedly the only photographs taken of a rock band on the streets of Stockport! Here Paul proudly poses with one of the prints to be exhibited - this was the first time he had seen the prints and he was ecstatic with the results.  To find out more about the exhibition visit their website Photo: Lee McFadden £7.49 19 Nov The 6th December issue of Italian newspaper La Repubblica will come with a free Unknown Pleasures CD. It's part of a series which began with the Sex Pistols. Possibly with a box to put them in coming at the end of the series. Thanks to Mark Woodley for the info. 16 Nov Tier 3 - listing for cancelled date on proposed US tour updated thanks to Mark Woodley for the information. 12 Nov Duffy's Minneapolis flyer from Joy Division's cancelled US tour surfaces: Duffy's Minneapolis - flyer and venue photo for cancelled date on proposed US tour added. Thanks to Daniel Grobani, Nick Blakey, Daniel Peterson and Jim Froehlich £6.99 15 Oct New setlists: Listings updated with two recently surfaced setlists for Warehouse Preston and the  Bury Riot - many thanks to Graham Duff and Mark Gale 15 Oct Futurama 2 LP - listing updated with 2016 counterfeit Russion mp3 CD collections - listing updated.     15 Oct Bury Riot - listing updated including information from the setlist which recently surfaced Futurama 79 - listing updated Russion mp3 CD collections - listing added       Substance: Inside New Order by Peter Hook - Out October 6th Two acclaimed albums and an upcoming US tour - Joy Division had the world at their feet. Then, on the eve of that tour and the beginning of what would surely have been an international success story, the band's troubled lead singer, Ian Curtis, killed himself. 'We didn't really think about it afterwards. It just sort of happened. One day we were Joy Division, then our lead singer killed himself and the next time we got together, we were a new band...'Peter Hook RRP £20.00 Amazon price £13.60 That band was New Order. Their distinctive sound, a fusion of post-punk and ground-breaking electronica, paved the way for the dance music explosion of the '80s and earned them the reputation as one of the most influential bands of their generation. Despite their success, the band has always been a collision the visionary and the volatile, and relationships have often been fraught with tensions. Peter Hook has written a no-holds-barred, comprehensive account of the band's entire history, packed with outrageous anecdotes and including every set list and tour itinerary and interspersed with 'geek facts' of every piece of electronic equipment used to forge the sound that changed the direction of popular music       14 Sept Joy Division Radio Documentary This Day In Music have produced a three part radio documentary about Joy Division: 1 Sept Stephen Morris to publish autobiography in 2018 Little, Brown imprint Constable have acquired the rights to Stephen Morris’s memoirs which promise to be part memoir, part visual scrapbook, part aural history, according to The Bookseller     18 Aug New Blue Plaques for Strawberry Studios Strawberry Studios, where Joy Division recorded Unknown Pleasures, Transmission and Love Will Tear Us Apart are getting two updated blue plaques as part of the Studio's 50th anniversary celebrations. The first plaque went up today at the back of the building and the second will be formally unveiled as part of the 50th anniversary celebrations, which will include an exhibition at Stockport Museum throughout 2017. The new plaques add Joy Division, Martin Hannett and The Smiths to the previously commemorated Paul McCartney, Neil Sedaka, Stone Roses and the Syd Lawrence Orchestra The new plaque The old plaque is removed "Why had those early Factory releases had that magical Hannett sound? The young genius had been able to plug in his digital thingy into the outboard racks of a major world-class thirty-six track studio that was in Stockport - Stockport ladies and gentleman, Stockport, because 10cc were a Manchester band and they had taken the proceeds of the delicious I'm Not In Love and had reinvested in their home. Reinvested. Built a fuck-off studio. Respect." Tony Wilson       20 July Marquee 4th March 1979 - music paper advert added thanks to Mark Gale Thanks to Mark Gale for the scan       9 July YMCA, Prince Of Wales Conference Centre 2nd August 1979: - original ticket on sale on Ebay for £250 Image courtesy of Rob Whitmarsh and reproduced here with permission     3 July Another Ideal For Killing - New LP listing added         24 May Setback for Macclesfield Joy Division exhibition Incubation Arts's plans to create a permanent Joy Division exhibition in Ian Curtis's home town of Macclesfield have suffered a setback after a grant application to the Lottery Heritage Lottery Fund was refused. The grant was to secure permises for the exhibition and an arts centre in Charles Roe House, which has subsequently been sold to a private bidder who plans to turn it into a doctor's surgery. Incubation Arts are continuimng to fundraise and are looking for alternative venues We wonder if the new owner of Barton Street would be interested ... Read more in the Macclesfield Express     18 May Today we remember Ian Curtis who died 18th May 1980 Also spare a thought for Joy Division fan Cornelia F who died 18th May 1993 Both of these tragedies could have been avoided. If you are having a tough time on this poignant day there are people out there who want to help you: The Samaritans: In the UK and ROI 116 123 In the USA 1 (800) 273-TALK Leicester 29 October 1979 - unpublished Ian Curtis photo added to listing thanks to Guy A Photo (C) Guy A and used here with permission       13 May Joy Division Undercover: 6 tracks footage. Live at "De Peppel" in Zeist, April 30th 2016     4 May Tribute Band of the Week: The Golden Dawn, from Italy       28 April Love Will Tear Us Apart - pirate catchup - listings updated: US pirate 12" reissues - bootleg listing updated with more rreissues and cover photos improved Pirate 12" 6 track - listing added Cleopatra pirate 7" - listings added Cleopatra pirate 12" - listings added       17 April New Division (Italy)78 - new tribute band added     6 March Liverpool Eric's gig listings corrected and updated: 13th July 1978 - New listing added. This previously undocumented gig was Joy Division's first at Eric's 15th July 1978 - Joy Division supported Rich Kids at Eric's as previously documented - but only at the afternoon show. Germs supported Rich Kids in the evening. 27 August 1977 - Joy Division (Warsaw) definitely did not play Eric's that night - Generation X did. Many thanks to Lesley Kazan-Pinfield, Mark Woodley, amnd Steve for the above information and images If you have any more information, recollections, photographs etc from any of the Eric's gigs please get in touch with us     22 Jan Ian Curtis O Level results and Upper Fifth Divinity Prize 1972 - school report added thanks to Rico and Tim Bayes       21 Jan Eric's November 1978 - flyer scan added thanks to John Pollard and Julian Saunders     9 Jan Manchester Free Trade Hall June 1979 - ticket scan added thanks to James Barlow     17 Dec Ian Curtis Radio Blackburn Interview - new unpublished information about the interview added plus a transcript of the interview itself. Thanks to Steve Barker and Mark Gale     15 Dec The Blue Monday Diaries - In The Studio With New Order Michael Butterworth, Plexus Publishing, December 2015, £14.99 Day-by-day, minute-by-minute, this is a uniquely personal account of the making of Power, Corruption & Lies, New Order’s acclaimed second album, and ‘Blue Monday’, the classic electro anthem that it spawned. Created by Michael Butterworth, who was there at the invitation of the band to witness it all firsthand. ‘Blue Monday’ became the fastest selling 12” single ever and the pressing of the vinyl in 1983 – in the shadow of Ian Curtis’ tragic passing – marked a thrilling new phase in the career of the band, and the history of music in general. Three decades on, author Michael Butterworth – the trusted friend who gained access to a string of notoriously private sessions at London’s Britannia Row Studios – breaks the silence to reveal exactly what went into the recording of this timeless track. Committed to creating an authentic record of the band’s arduous creative process, without the aid of a tape recorder, Butterworth worked alongside his friends for the duration. From beneath a perpetual fug of dope smoke, speed and alcohol, within the confines of the band’s miniscule rented flat, he acted as New Order’s designated scribe, censoring not a single detail in their 24-hour schedule. Obsessively detailed, mundane and illicit by turns, The Blue Monday Diaries provide a uniquely intimate insight into the personalities of the band – as well as the process of making music – that no Joy Division or New Order fan should be without. ‘Well-written, friendly and very easy to live with.’ – Peter Hook ‘I really enjoyed it . . . brought back a lot of memories.’ – Stephen Morris ‘An important part of musical history.’ – Peter Saville Published December 2015, paperback, 192 pages ISBN 978-0-85965-546-0       7 Nov Love Will Tear Us Apart - reissue of the so-called Record Store Day 2015 single added 6 Nov Komackino LP - listing updated. Labels are on the wrong sides on the original. Thanks to Daan for the info.     3 Oct New Order's Music Complete enters UK Album Charts at No2 Deluxe Vinyl Box Set version available for £65.00 8 piece deluxe vinyl collection New album on double clear vinyl Extended versions of all 11 brand new tracks on 6 pieces of vinyl Coloured vinyl 12”s plus 1 sided black etched vinyl Packaged in an archival acid free box, using 1300 micron grey white board and a wire stitch. Box is debossed on the lid and base Art Direction by Peter Saville 200 copies will be signed by all 5 members of New Order Substance 2015 reissues - listing added       12 Sep Radio Blackburn interview - listing updated with plausible recording date thanks to Mark Gale and the On The Wire - Radio Lancashire Blog So This is Permanence - paperback version added to listings       31 Aug Still 2015 reissue - listing added     30 Aug Unknown Pleasures 2015 reissue - listing added Closer 2015 reissue - listing added     22 Aug Record Store Day 2015 - Love Will Tear Us Apart picture disc added to listings. Whether this is unofficial, semi-official or official remains to be seen.       So This is Permanence - Spanish version added Interview picture disc - Iron Maiden mispress added     22 Aug Futurama 1978 - flyer and ticket scans added thanks to Steve These items are currently on Ebay - click image to go to there       19 July The Venue 1978 - poster scan added thanks to Gary Smith         16 July Canterbury Odeon June 1979 - ticket scan added thanks to Mike S     11 July Canterbury Odeon November 1978 - ticket scan added thanks to Mike S who has it for sale on Ebay Click image to go to Ebay listing     8 July De Montford Hall Leicester - ticket scan added thanks to Paul who has it for sale on Ebay Click image to go to Ebay listing        July Joy Division official site launched Joy Division Official features a news section, an extensive band biography, discography, photo gallery and a "listen" section which allows fans to experience a classic Joy Division album set to photographs.     24 June Articles and Interviews Sometimes people contribute to this site by writing articles about Joy Division or doing interviews for us. Traditionally we have announced these on the front page of the site for several weeks and then allowed them to become more difficult to find as time goes on. Now we are gathering them in one place in recognition of the effort put in by the fan community. See bottom left of the table above       23 June Bristol Trinity March 1980 - colour concert photo added thanks to in Your Face Photo 19 June Autosuggestion LP - listing added. A good exmpla of a bootlegger using different sleeves, vinyl colour and labels to give the impression of several separate releases The Warsaw gigs at Rafters 31 May 1977 and 30 June 1977 have often been mixed up. We've unravelled the truth thanks to Nick Blakey, Mark Woodley and kevin Cummins               Rhino to reissue four Joy Division albums on vinyl from June 2015 To celebrate the 35th anniversary of “Love Will Tear Us Apart” on June 27th, Rhino have announced the re-issue of four iconic Joy Division releases on heavyweight 180-gram vinyl. The studio albums UNKNOWN PLEASURES (1979) and CLOSER (1980) will be available on June 29th. They will be followed on July 24th by STILL (1981) and an expanded version of SUBSTANCE (1988), both available as a double-LP set. Each design replicates the original in painstaking detail, including the gatefold covers used for Still and Substance. The music heard on the albums was remastered in 2007 when Rhino introduced expanded versions of the albums. The lone exception is Substance, which features audio remastered in 2010 for the +- singles box and for the first time on vinyl, the expanded tracklist from the original CD release, plus two additional songs: “As You Said” and the Pennine version of “Love Will Tear Us Apart.”         21 May Ian Curtis's house has sold and may yet become a museum Ian Curtis's Macclesfield home has been bought by musician Hadar Goldman at nearly double the asking price as he paid £75,000 in compensation and legal fees to halt its sale to a private buyer. According to the Manchester Evening News Hadar, who plays electric violin in the band Ciam, felt he had to get involved after a crowdfunding event failed to raise enough revenue to buy the building and turn it into a museum. Mr Goldman says any museum would be tasteful and preserve Joy Division's heritage: "The Joy Division legacy deserves to be taken into the 21st century, to raise awareness into one of the most seminal bands in the history of contemporary music. It will be developed using both heart and soul.” See Hadar Goldman perform on YouTube               18th May If you're in Macclesfield paying your respects to Ian Curtis today please Tweet us your pictures, and remember there's the Martin O'Neill exhibition and, if you're lucky enough to have tickets, Peter Hook and the Light are performing the Complete Works of Joy Division. You may also like to spare a though for Cornelia F, a Joy Division fan whose last wish was to be interred close to Ian Curtis. If you're there Tweet us and we'll do our best to retweet                 Record Store Day Saturday 18th April 2015 This year's Joy Division release for Record Store Day appears to be a 7" picture disc on Italy's Radiation Records. It is not listed on the official Record Store Day web site, apparantly because it was a late addition. Images thanks to Discogs Tracks: A. Love Will Tear Us Apart B. Leaders Of Men Radiation Records, C.ne Casilina 44 - Roma 00176 Italy Licensed by San Huan Music Group USA Catalogue No: RADRSD003 RRP £14.99 The PR reads: The latest issue in Radiation's Record Store Day exclusive Picture disc series, this is a fully licensed, limited, hand-numbered edition of 500 copies only 7" with two classic Joy Division tracks.                 Peter Hook & The Light Perform The Complete Works Of Joy Division Monday 18th May Christ Church Macclesfield Tickets on sale 9am Wednesday 25th March         18 Feb Crowdfunding campaign set up to turn Ian Curtis's house into a museum Joy Division fan Zak Davies has started a campaign to buy Ian Curtis's former home and turn in into a museum in his memory He plans to raise a minimum of £150,000 to cover the following costs: £115,000 on the purchase of the property £30,000 on the renovation to the original interior £5,000 on any legal costs Not everyone welcomes the scheme - Incubation Arts have been working for some time to establish a similar museum elsewhere in Macclesfield and one-time owner of the house Dorothy Bentley-Smith would prefer the property to remain residential. Media coverage has inevitably tended to focus on Ian's death rather than the fact that he wrote his best work in the triangular room at the front of the house. See pic below. Links: Zak's crowdfunding page Manchester Evening News article on Zak's campaign Manchester Evening News article about opposition with bizarre reference to seances and parties         12 Feb Ian Curtis's Barton Street home is up for sale Thanks to Andrew Paget for spotting this         24 Jan Let The Movie Begin - purple vinyl reissue added Let The Movie Begin - "Japanese" CD release added In The Studio With Martin Hannett - blue and yellow vinyl reissues added   23 Jan The Sound of Music - 2012 reissue added The Sound of Music - 2012 bundled reissue added Day of The Lords LP - 2012 version added along with all colour vinyl variations for the original Hand of Doom LP - listing added Paradiso LP - listing added A Retrospective Part II - confusing track listing information updated and corrected Die Kalten Winde Des Winters 2LP - listing updated with the various vinyl colours         18 Jan Warsaw Newcastle 1977 and Joy Division Blackpool 1979 - Martin from Noth East Punk shares his recollections Touching From a Distance - 2014 edition added Dutch Atmosphere 12" - added Record Store Day 2014 12" - misprinted UK version with no text on sleeve added         17 Jan Pirate Unknown Pleasures - Tonpress pink tinted sleeve added Cover Versions - Page updated Blackpool July 1979 - Sounds gig listing added thanks to Steve Benham         12 Dec Pirate Closer - pink tinted sleeve, listing added Pirate Unknown Pleasures - plain white "test pressing" of picture disc version added         9 Dec Ian Curtis Facsimile £125 To complement publication of So this is Permanence, Ian Curtis’s collected lyrics and notebooks in facsimile form, Faber Social is offering a limited edition print of She’s Lost Control exclusive to customers on the website.The print of the song, written and recorded in 1979, is signed by Bernard Sumner, Stephen Morris, Peter Hook, Deborah Curtis and Jon Savage, editors of the volume of Curtis’s lyrics. The run is limited to 20 copies only and comes in a specially designed presentation envelope. A fantastic gift or purchase for the Joy Division completist, the handwritten lyric taken from one of Ian Curtis’s three surviving notebooks represents the genesis-point of one of the signature tunes in the Joy Division catalogue. - 20 facsimiles at £125 each, available to buy from the Faber & Faber website here. – signed by Bernard Sumner, Stephen Morris, Peter Hook, Deborah Curtis and Jon Savage – exclusive high-quality print reproduction of ‘She’s Lost Control’ lyrics as per notebooks – 300gsm silk board presentation sleeve         26 Nov The poem sold for £1,100 (£1,375 including commission)       19 Nov Ian Curtis school poem up for auction November 23rd A piece of Ian Curtis's personal history comes up for auction at TracksAuction.com this Sunday. A poem penned while he was still at achool ariound 1966/67. The auction catalogue reads: An original handwritten poem by the lead singer of Joy Division, Ian Curtis. Ian wrote the poem at school circa 1966/1967. The poem is written on a piece of lined paper and is glued into a school book called Our Book Of Epitaphs along with poems from the other pupils in the class. It reads, “An Epitaph for an Electrian (sic), Here lies Fred the electrian (sic), who went on a very fateful mission, he got a shock when tampering with a fuse, which went from his head right down to his shoes, by I. Curtis”. Ian has also drawn a small picture of a man and a tombstone. The poem comes with a letter from the owner who was a fellow pupil. It reads, “I grew up on Hurdsfield Estate, Macclesfield where I attended Hurdsfield Junior School. I started Hurdsfield Junior School in 1963 where I met Ian Curtis, he was a fellow pupil in my class and we went through school together. Mr Young was our teacher when this piece of work was carried out, he himself has got a poem in the book along with myself and all the other pupils in the class. This poem was written in 1966 or 1967. I was presented with the book at the end of the school year for being head boy. At the time the head teacher was called Mr Tattasall. Ian Curtis lived on Grey Stoke Road, Hurdsfield Estate, I lived on Delemere Road, Hurdsfield Estate, Cheshire”. The poem measures 16.5cm x 9.5cm (6.5 inches x 3.75 inches), the book measures 28.5cm x 22cm (11.25 inches x 8.75 inches). The condition of the poem is excellent. There is some wear and aging to the book and a vertical crease down the last 5 pages and back cover. A few of the poems have also become detached from the book. The condition of the book is very good minus.       13 Nov So This is Permanence - pictures of limited edition version added thanks to John Gardner. French and German listings added.       9 Nov So This is Permanence listing added Chapter and Verse listing added Scrapbook updated     2 Nov Jon Savage Interview Lee McFadden interviews Jon Savage for Joy Division Central about So This is Permanance. Many thanks to both of them. And thanks too to Deborah Curtis for making these private notebooks available giving us this unique insight into Ian Curtis's creative thought processes.     23 Oct Joy Division in Yorkshire Julian has massively updated his article with new photos and information about the good Mood Club, The Coach House and St Georges Hall. For those of you who are familiar with the origional article we've highlighted the new text in green for the time being. Many thanks to Julian for this excellent piece of work. The Coach House, 1970s (thanks to Graeme Bower)         16 Oct So This is Permanence: - our review This is a big 274 page 28 x 21cm hardback which is big on content. We'd hoped this would be packed with unpublished images of Ian's notebooks and we're not disappointed. Focussing on his lyrics there's an initial section with the finished songs featuring the handwritten version on one page and the typed up version opposite. This is followed by a large section with handwritten lyrics to unfinished songs, early versions and other prose. Finally there's a section with other items from Ian's archive - book covers, letters from fans, pages from fanzines etc. This is clearly a labour of love and Jon Savage explains in the intro how they selected the images for the book - generally the most complete version in Ian's notebooks. "His lyrics tell much more than a conversation with him ever could" - Deborah Curtis Highly recommended         22 Sep Ian Curtis - 1977 Office Party photos surface Photographs of Ian Curtis showing his lighter side at an office party circa 1977 have surfaced on the Invincible Error Tumblr account. The photos had previously been posted on Instagram by someone who obtained them from a work colleague. If that's you please get in touch We're not sure when these photos were taken but you can read our article about Ian's working life here         2 Sep Chapter and Verse - New Order, Joy Division and Me - our review Bernard Sumner's book has arrived and first impressions are good. More than 340 pages with a printed picture cover inside a picture dust jacket and it's a nice solid object too. We follow Bernard from a strict and often painful upbringing in Salford against the background of a society moving from the friendly communities of the Victorian "slums" and his bombsite playground to the soulless urban renewals of the high rise flats. His family and the neighbourhood were not without their eccentricities and Bernard needed to keep his wits about him from an early age - not least to avoid antique swords in the wrong hands. £13.60 & free delivery on Amazon But just as the new flats represented an environment superficially for the better while actually making life harder, Bernard found this echoed in his own life as he progressed through a dull school career towards the disappointing world of paid work. The story of his school days will resonate with many a man of Bernard's age. Then, as a teenage scooter boy, his love of music developed and he and close friend Hooky started going to concerts including "short-arse" Lou Reed and ultimately the life changing Sex Pistols Manchester Free Trade Hall concert where his life started to break away from his potentially mediocre destiny. Then we have a sizeable chunk of 70-odd pages covering the Joy Division story and it's nice to see that the staple of so many Joy Division books, the useful but space-consuming gigography, is absent. This is no deep concert-by-concert fact strewn book about Joy Division for the obsessive fan, nor does it repeat the often told soundbites with which we are all over familiar. It's somewhere in between and somehow different. He tells us about his thought processes behind the controversial Ideal For Living Sleeve and the Joy Division name as well as revealing small details like the "opportunity" to overdub a saxophone onto the RCA demos. There's even a transcript of the now famous Ian Curtis hypnosis recording. He also covers the split with Hooky. Overall it's a well written and entertaining tome that casts warm light on Bernard's character more than anything else. Well, it is his autobiography. Very enjoyable and highly recommended         2 Sep New Order sign to Mute: New Order have signed a worldwide deal with Mute and their 10th studio album will be on the independent label. Speaking about the signing Daniel Miller explains: “This is an exciting new chapter for both Mute and New Order and I feel privileged to be working with artists with such a long, creative and successful history. When the possibility of us working together first came up, I was invited to hear some of the new material and immediately had no doubts whatsoever that Mute would be the right home for New Order. We've already had a number of creative conversations, and I am looking towards an exciting future”. New Order are similarly thrilled with their new home "New Order are delighted to be signing to Mute. We couldn't imagine a better place to be than working with Daniel Miller and his team. Mute has a superb roster of artists and a history that complements our own. In many ways joining the label feels like we are coming home, returning to our independent roots."          31 Aug So This is Permanence: Lyrics and Notebooks Published November 2014 Edited by Jon Savage with a foreword by Deborah Curtis, presents the intensely personal writings of one of the most enigmatic and influential songwriters and performers of the late twentieth century, Joy Division's Ian Curtis. The songs of Joy Division, infused with the energy of punk but seeped in a resigned longing, were born of Manchester in the late seventies - a once flourishing industrial city in decline. They were the songs too of Ian Curtis's inner tragedies, as he battled depression, epilepsy and debilitating stage fright. Ian Curtis committed suicide in 1980, on the eve of the band's first American tour. Interspersed with the lyrics are previously unpublished facsimile pages of Ian's notebooks, which throw his highly emotive lyrics into fascinating relief and cast light on the creative process of this singularly poetic songwriter.       25 Aug Eric's August 1979 - updated with Andrew Twambley's recollections     15 July Ian Curtis's Birthday Photograph (C) of Philippe Carly www.newwavephotos.com and reproduced with permission     11 July Joy Division in Yorkshire Julian's research for his Joy Division in Yorkshire article continues as new facts come to light and new people contact him with more information. Today the Huddersfield Daily Examiner helped out with this appeal about the particularly mysterious Coach House gig Image and article thanks to Denis Kilcommons, Andy Hirst and the Huddersfield Daily Examiner         Chapter and Verse - New Order, Joy Division and Me Bernard Sumner's long awaited autobiography will be released on September 25th Pre order for £20 & free delivery on Amazon Chapter and Verse includes a vivid and illuminating account of Bernard's Salford childhood, the early days of Joy Division, the band's enormous critical and popular success, and the subsequent tragic death of Ian Curtis. Bernard describes the formation of New Order, takes us behind the scenes at the birth of classics such as 'Blue Monday' and gives his first-hand account of the ecstasy and the agony of the Haçienda days. Sometimes moving, often hilarious and occasionally completely out of control, this is a tale populated by some of the most colourful and creative characters in music history, such as Ian Curtis, Tony Wilson, Rob Gretton and Martin Hannett. Others have told parts of the story, in film and book form. Now, for the first time, Bernard Sumner gives you chapter and verse.          3 July Annik Honoré 12 October 1957 - 3 July 2014 We are very sorry to hear of the death of Annik Honoré earlier today following a serious illness. Annik was the co-founder of independent record label Les Disques Du Crépuscule and promoted a number of legendary concerts at Plan K in Brussels. She was also Ian Curtis's girfriend and confidante. Image thanks to Le Soir She had the most dignity of anyone I ever met, protective of intrusion into her life, yes, but always balanced with dignity - Lindsay Reade
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