FLIGHT

Every day for the rest of this week, I'll be updating my website with songs by Joy Division and New Order, and all of their subsequent side projects. Today's track is a live performance of Joy Division's "Disorder." From my site:

This opening number from their live performance at Les Bains Douches on December 18th, 1979 showcases Joy Division at the very peak of their short lifespan. Yeah, I could rehash what many people have said about Joy Division kickstarting the whole '80s post-punk music scene, or lead singer Ian Curtis' suicide that led to the dissolution of the band, but that might get old pretty quick. What I will say is this: if I could go back in time to see any one band perform live, it would most definitely be these guys. From the driving drums to the bassline to the fierce guitar that all leads into Curtis' vocals that angrily propel the song forward, for my money, I don't think I've ever heard a band with more intensity than this.

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keaner.net
the secret friend society

New Order - "Temptation"

After the suicide of Ian Curtis in 1980, Joy Division immediately disbanded, but the surviving members of the band reformed as New Order several months later. With guitarist Bernard Sumner taking over on lead vocals and adding Gillian Gilbert on keyboards, New Order would go on to embrace the sound of synthesizers and sequencers in their music. The late '80s and early '90s would see them influence the club scene wth their developing brand of house music. "Temptation," one of New Order's first singles in 1982, finds the band breaking away from its Joy Division roots and beginning to work with club- friendly beats (it should be noted that this is the 1987 version of "Temptation," taken from their Substance double album).

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keaner.net
the secret friend society

The link doesn't work. (You forgot ".mp3")

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@rumrug
neilcomics.com

On a sidenote, I heard that an Ian Curtis biopic is currently
in the works, with Jude Law as Curtis.
While Jude isn't a bad choice, the very thought of
a Hollywood studio telling the story of Joy Division
gives me the willies.
Sigh .. let's hope they get it right ...

I dunno... what else more needs to be said after the excellent 24 Hour Party People? I thought the chap playing Ian Curtis in that movie nailed him spot on, right down to his epileptic- robot dance moves. Of course, I'll probably go see this new movie as well, I'm kinda nutty that way about my Joy Division.

As for your daily dose of music: Electronic's "Getting Away With It." After New Order's release of their breakthrough album Technique in 1989, the band went on hiatus for several years while the members explored various side projects. Formed in 1991, Electronic boasted a lineup of hit-making British musicians -- New Order's lead vocalist, Bernard Sumner and Johnny Marr, former guitarist of The Smiths, formed the band, and were joined on this particular single by Chris Lowe and Neil Tennant, better known as The Pet Shop Boys. So I suppose it's really not that much of a surprise to hear that this is an incredibly poppy song.

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keaner.net
the secret friend society

Hey Kean, these (or, I guess "this") band is perhaps my favorite, and Temptation perhaps my favorite New Order song. Although, in terms of Joy Division, it's hard to escape the ubiquitous Love Will Tear us Apart.

Anyways, for more work by the, ahem, same band: Electronic (but you get the Smiths & Pet Shops in the mix too), The Other Two, Monaco, and Revenge....but you probably already know this, being a music fiend with great taste

Ssshhh! There's still two more days to go! I wouldn't want to ruin the surprise...

However, I like to imagine that Revenge never existed. I'm much happier in my own little world thinking that Peter Hook never committed such cruel acts to musicdom.

...and: Day four brings us to another song, and another band. When lead singer and guitarist Bernard Sumner recorded with Electronic (see yesterday's entry), and bassist Peter Hook went off to form Revenge, it left Gillian Gilbert (keyboards) and Stephen Morris (percussionist) to form their own group, which they cheekily called The Other Two. Shedding much of Sumner's dark lyrics with Gilbert's sunny vocals, The Other Two were definitely the most dance-oriented of the New Order side projects, and were certainly not afraid to explore different sounds and textures. Listen to "Tasty Fish" (Pascal Mix 12"), from their debut album, The Other Two and You. Also, I highly recommend seeking out their second album, Superhighways -- Melanie Williams' vocals sound great on that record.

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keaner.net
the secret friend society

Wrapping up the week of songs by the New Order crew is bassist Peter Hook and his side project Monaco. After a rather terrible misstep with his first band Revenge (I like to pretend that it never existed; I'm much happier that way), Hook and co. manage to out-New Order New Order with Monaco. "What Do You Want From Me" has all the elements -- Hook's immediately recognizable basslines, the requisite dance/pop hooks, and even a roaring guitar riff midway through the song, courtesy of David Potts. Not particularly ground-breaking stuff, but it sure is catchy.

That's it for the JD/NO MP3s. I'm leaving all these songs up on my website over the weekend, after which I'll take them down. So if you want 'em, grab them quick. Hope you guys liked it.

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keaner.net
the secret friend society

Oooh, right on the money with "What Do You Want From Me"

Have you ever heard the New Order Video 586 single? It's a single synth track varied over 20 mins, but it's like all the New Order songs mixed together into a video game soundtrack.