Joy Division Day By Day - Part 2

I know there are zillions of shows floating around now, and there have been a few released officially in the 2007 reissues, but I never got any of those so I'll have to ask you all:
are any of them any good, particularly the shows released on the 2007 remasters? I got Preston when it came out but don't listen to it that much for the reasons Devin. S outlined up here.
I never got Les Bains Douches, is it worth a listen?

 

Les Bains Douches is coming tomorrow... And it is worth a listen. After Les Bains Douches we'll cover the whole Paradiso recording. Only a few tracks off that recording have found their way to being officially released which is a travesty. The Paradiso recording is apparently the most bootlegged Joy Division recording, I can't under why it's never been released in full as it's clearly the best recorded performance from any JD gig. It just needs a bit of post production to clean it up a bit. After that we'll succumb to requests to cover both Ceremony and In A Lonely Place off the H&S box set. I wasn't going to cover those initially as they're purely rehearsal recordings and in my opinion bad quality

 

Something Must Break - Another dull track which does nothing for me. It did a lot for The Cure however, who based a career on it (and the whole JD thing).

 

Preston Warehouse :

I bought this used sometime after buying Les Bains Douches. For some reason, perhaps a combination of buying a whole load of other stuff at the same time, and reading on JD Central "The Preston and Les Bains Douches live albums offer the chance to hear a badly recorded, chaotic gig and a well recorded polished performance in that order’, I bought this but didn’t actually play it for quite some time. At the time, I had so much music to listen to, that a ‘badly recorded, chaotic gig’ was not high on my list of musical priorities to listen to. So it sat on the shelf for quite a while. One day I spotted it in my collection and thought to myself "If this is really that bad, then why would they even release it? Anyway, I bought it so I might as well play it and hear for myself how poor it is." When I finally heard it, I was actually surprised that it wasn’t that bad at all, I even enjoyed it! Yes it is shambolic, but better than expected. I like the human element and the ugly reality of the fact that some of their gigs were plagued by sound problems which the band had to battle through, hence the recording is far from polished. I think this is a fascinating live document.

As equipment starts to malfunction at the end of Twenty Four Hours, Ian tells the crowd "Some slight problems." We then get a really different version of The Eternal, especially considering they recorded the final Closer version only weeks later. At the end of the song, Ian tells the band "Turn your amps up", an instruction that is eerily repeated with echo several times, including over his own voice as he then says "Have to just wait a minute while we get the bass repaired. I’d like to apologise for everything."

At the start of Heart & Soul, he tells them "Just play around for a while until the bass is repaired." Later during H&S, when the band abruptly stop playing at 3:15 Ian declares "I think everything’s falling apart." which is chilling, as whilst he’s referring to the sound issues, it most likely mirrors what’s going on in his personal life as well. Bernard then informs the sound guys in no uncertain terms "Everything’s f*cking bust so we’re playing everything through the bass amp." During the pause as they try and fix stuff, we get a totally random announcement from a lady into the microphone stating "Anybody from Burnley, the coach is going in five minutes".

Amusingly, the shambles ends with Ian asking the crowd "Any requests?" which is not something you generally hear on JD bootlegs. Shadowplay is requested, and duly played. The remainder of the set is somewhat raucous, the band no doubt angry about the earlier problems, showing on the likes of a ferocious Colony. Of course better gigs are out there, but the sound quality of Preston is better than a lot of the bootlegs and I for one quite enjoy this ‘worst f*cking show we ever did’

 

@Pop_Zeus said it all perfectly.... The Preston gig is worthy of a listen, if only to show the human side of the band. There's so much reverence put to Joy Division, and their concerts are steeped in history it's almost refreshing to hear something that's not perfect.
The sound quality is excellent, and save for the breakdown in equipment performances are great (Even if Bernard does play the keyboard bass riff backwards on Heart & Soul). The one thing I don't like too much is the amount of echo on Ian's voice on some songs..... It's just too much, and isn't required. Obviously an over zealous sound man.

"I Think Everything's Falling Apart".... Chilling indeed, with that echo on his voice, even more so. I had this as a bootleg back in the day, so when it was eventually given an "official" release polished and made to sound nice, I was pleasantly surprised, considering the band hated it. it's not the best live recording out there, but it is essential to the canon of material along with Les Bains Douches and Paradiso.

 

I think Stephen's book is coming soon is it not? ...and it's just part 1, the Joy Division years
Ceremony needs to be included, it's simply too majestic a piece not to be.

 

Ceremony will be included along with In A Lonely Place but in my opinion the JD version isn't that good, the rehearsal version is adequate... The live Still version is OK when you can hear Curtis sing. It's all too, unfinished to me.

 

I agree New Order finished these tracks off in grand style but its embryonic JD development and lack of completion is compelling in the story, to say the least.

 

Yes, and I was there!! It's an oft told story of mine about how I was staying at a college friends sorting some course work out, and about to go home when a friend of his turned up to tell him he had a gig ticket for that night. Persuaded me to go, and we then went through the pre-mobile routines of him going to find a phone box to get me a ticket, and me asking John's Mum if I could stay another night and then ringing home to let my Mum know.

Went to the venue, saw a (to me) dreary band (Section 25) open, and then this amazing band play. From where I was standing I had a great view of Ian and Stephen who were both mesmerising to watch. I was entranced by them, and staggered by the music. After the gig I had to ask who I had just seen!!! Went out and bought Unknown Pleasures the following day.....

 

Great story....

 

I like it.... and The Cure

 

I likeThe Cure but only really from Head On The Door to Wish.

 

Pornography is a masterpiece.

 

If you like that sort of thing

 

Funny as I like everything from Three Imaginary to Disintegration.

 

Massive Cure fan, all told they are probably my favourite band. I’m don’t agree though that they based their career on an obscure Joy Division song that wasn’t even in the public domain until late 1981.

Without wanting to derail the thread too much, I often read about people checking out after either Disintegration or Wish. I wonder if those people have heard the 2000 album Bloodflowers, which is excellent, and by far their best late period release. Even Wild Mood Swings is enjoyable if you take 5/6 of the weaker album tracks off and put the b-sides in their place. Their ‘Join The Dots’ 4CD b-sides and rarities box set is superb. New album due later this year too at long last. Hope it’s better than the last 2, though that’s not asking much!

 

Ah, the band I tried to avoid mentioning (despite some close calls)...

I think it’s important to understand that JD’s and The Cure’s career trajectories started simultaneously with both probably taking note of each other. Both flourished in the same post-punk landscape as bands like S & Banshees, Magazine and Buzzcocks so there always will be similarities between some of them.
It’s not fair to accuse The Cure of copying JD. I can’t find many similarities between the albums both bands released when JD was a going concern, much less what The Cure did afterwards. Sure, The Walk reeks more than a bit like New Order’s Blue Monday and a song like Inbetween Days or A Strange Day certainly sound a bit like JD, but it’s not as if The Cure didn’t have their own thing going and almost every song can be traced to something that sounds similar.

 

Anything up to Wish here.
Also love Bloodflowers.

 

I only like the material upto and including Pornography.... Once they released Love Cats I lost interest severely.

 

Day 49

Les Bains Douches 18 December 1979



1 Disorder
2 Love Will Tear Us Apart
3 Insight
4 Shadowplay
5 Transmission
6 Day of the Lords
7 Twenty Four Hours
8 These Days
9 A Means to an End
10 Passover (Paradiso - Amsterdam)
11 New Dawn Fades ( Paradiso, Amsterdam, The Netherlands, 11 January 1980)
12 Atrocity Exhibition ( Paradiso, Amsterdam, The Netherlands, 11 January 1980)
13 Digital (Effenaar, Eindhoven, The Netherlands, 18 January 1980)
14 Dead Souls (Effenaar, Eindhoven, The Netherlands, 18 January 1980)
15 Autosuggestion (Effenaar, Eindhoven, The Netherlands, 18 January 1980)
16 Atmosphere (Effenaar, Eindhoven, The Netherlands, 18 January 1980)

Les Bains Douches 18 December 1979 is a live album by English post-punk band Joy Division, partly-recorded on 18 December 1979 at Les Bains Douches, Paris, and released in 2001 by record label NMC. Additional tracks are drawn from two other concerts. The artwork was done by Peter Saville. The CD booklet contained a reprint of the original poster for the show.

If Preston finally provided a live Joy Division experience that was worth the purchase price, Les Bains Douches trumped it and then some. Actually compiled from two differing dates -- the title performance itself, in Paris, and a further show in Amsterdam two months later that had been heavily bootlegged -- Les Bains Douches, with the benefit of clearer sound than Preston, finally presents the experience of live Joy Division as the explosive event it was. There aren't any noticeable technical problems with the performances either, unlike some of the problems noticed on Preston, and with everything running smoothly the foursome simply and totally let go. The band often complained that Martin Hannett's groundbreaking production inevitably quashed the direct force of the group in a live setting, which Les Bains Douches demonstrates in spades, with the space in the songs toned down in favor of commanding an audience. The musicians in particular are who really stand out this time around -- while Curtis' singing is much more audible here than on Preston, it's the direct smack of Morris' drums, the fierce growl of Hook's bass, and especially Sumner's sheer volume mixed with almost-frightening control that dominates both shows. The performances on both "Shadowplay" and "Transmission" in particular are practically definitive, as enthralling as the studio takes are. Both "Love Will Tear Us Apart" and "These Days" crop up as well, and if the keyboards by Sumner on the former sound a bit primitive to later ears, the beautiful flow of the song stays perfectly intact. The Amsterdam cuts are equally thrilling, ranging from an extended, fascinating take on "Atrocity Exhibition" to a haunting rendition of "Atmosphere." Other performances worthy of note include strong takes on "New Dawn Fades" and "Dead Souls." Ned Raggett

Ned Raggett's write up was slightly incorrect as the release was made up of 3 performances, not 2 as stated in his review.

 

The Paris tracks for the most part are killer. Blistering high energy performances which showcase the band in all their raw power and glory. All guts, no gimmicks. The three punch knockout of Shadowplay, Transmission and Day Of The Lords is my fave part of the show. So good. The Eindhoven version of Atmospheres is another highlight for me. Great stuff.

 

Here we have the polar opposite of Preston. Les Bains Douches, or more accurately the Paris shows are excellent quality where all the instruments are at the correct levels, nothing breaks down and the performances are top draw. Bernard Sumnners guitar cuts like a knife on these recordings, in your face but sounding perfect. This has likely the best live version of Transmission on it there is... Raw, full of energy, the drums spot on, Sumners guitar is weaving in and out of the music and Ians vocals are full of emotion. I love this recording.

The link above is for just the Paris shows.

One critisism I do have though is why include 2 tracks from Paradiso and 4 from Eindhoven? I would have much preferred them to release just the Paris shows as one CD/Record, and then release the whole Amsterdam gig which truly deserves to be heard in full. And then the Eindhoven gig as a stand alone. Tomorrow we'll be covering the FULL Paradiso show, if you don't have it send me a message and I'll "sort something out" as You'll need access to it to discuss tomorrow.

 

It feels weird suddenly standing on the outside looking in. I’m not familiar with the official live documents and can’t hear em in full in one go with my long workdays and other activities.

 

Check your In-Box

 

For those interested, my copy of Paradiso is from the original master tapes made by the venue for the Dutch radio station when it was first broadcast, all the tracks are flac files. A lot of the early bootlegs of this recording were from the actual radio broadcast and not the tapes. Since then a few master tape versions have been made and they are really good. The only thing lacking in my mind is a little room ambience to give the recordings more air. Other than that they are a fantastic document of Joy Division at the top of their game.