I have got a question. Whenever I hear this I can just hear Ian Curtis's voice on it, just because Bernard (is it Bernard singing?) is kind of mimicing his style, kinda.

Can anyone tell me when this song was written? Was it written while Curtis was still alive? Did New Order take the step into the Dance direction just to make a clean break from what they were known for? Was Ian Curtis interested in dance music like New Order made?

I love this tune so much... I am just curious. I normally do not look things up about artists because knowing too much most times spoils the musical experience. I am sure some peeps here have books on Joy Division, Ian Curtis and/or New Order.

I'm not really encyclopaedic in my knowledge of New Order, but this song definitely post-dated the death of Ian Curtis by a few years. It was released (and recorded as well, I think) in 83. Barney hadn't quite developed his own singing style yet, so he did tend to mimic the style Curtis had in JD. This is especially obvious on Movement and the 82 EP. It really wasn't until Lowlife that he came into his own as a vocalist.

As for dance music - well, I think JD had elements of it - Isolation and LWTUA are two examples that spring to mind. I think New Order's occasional moves into full-on club music were just a natural progression.

HamsterHuey said:

Even though they already had one album behind them when they released Blue Monday, I think there is a definite Curtis feel to the song, both in the vocal style and lyrically, but this may just have been the band trying too hard to sound the way they had as Joy Division. Or, indeed, it may have been a song that was worked on by Curtis prior to his death. I'd be interested to see what people know about this too.....


I have to say, though, for my money, New Order were much better later on, when there was a good distance between the JD era and New Order's own, distinct style.

Peter Hook's bass-lines.....

damosuzuki said:

Yeah, what he said.

Also, right after Ian Curtis killed himself, the band had a meeting to decide what to do. They had always agreed that should one member quit or whatnot, they would never use the name Joy Division. So they chose to move on as New Order. They held try-outs for a new vocalist and were completely unsatisfied with everyone. So Bernard decided to take on the duties himself and they supplemented their sound with Gillian Gilbert.

Now if you notice, on their earliest work as New Order, they all took turns trying the lead vocals. Bernard sings "Ceremony". Peter Hook sings "Dreams Never End". Stephen Morris sings "In A Lonely Place". And they ALL sound like Ian Curtis. I don't necessarily think they were trying to ape his style. But when a band spends so much time hanging out and performing together, they can develop similar vocal ticks, i.e. Depeche Mode, Veruca Salt, etc. It can be hard to tell them apart.

Bernard has also said that it was difficult to take over as the singer because he had a terrible time learning to play and sing at the same time. And he felt that the songs on Movement really suffered cuz he never had the lyric writing duties before. Ian surely had that mastered. Bernard's actually admitted to copying his style early on, but that it doesn't work. Movement for the most part sounds like a bored, boring version of Joy Division. I'd say the songs from their '82 EP where they embraced dance music and electronics full on is where they began to come into their own. Bernard's lyrics became more irreverant, interpersonal and clever. They ditched the post punk sound and tortured subject matter. And they became a better band for it.

GangstaFam said:

Thanks both!

So Blue Monday has TOTALLY nothing to do with Ian Curtis except maybe some residue influence...?

HamsterHuey said:

Not to my knowledge.

GangstaFam said:

HamsterHuey said:

You get the new New Order yet?

GangstaFam said:

No.
Arcade Fire live in TWO DAYS!

JUMP 4 JOY!

HamsterHuey said:

Oh my god you must tell us what it is like!!!



"Get Ready" was a great album...or was it just me?

Much better than Republic, I reckon

RocknRollDave said:

Most certainly will. You'll get a review in this forum...

RocknRollDave said:

Yes, I agree. Get Ready was killer. So is the new one. It's still pretty fresh to me, so I don't feel qualified to review it yet, but I like it so far.

GangstaFam said:

but Republic had 'Regret'.....I'm a sucker for that song.....

GangstaFam said:

WHERE'S THE REVIEW-EY, HUEY?!