I heard Closer first, and I used to like it a lot more than Unknown Pleasures, but now I appreciate the primitive (but not really) quality of the first record. They are both brilliant. Something fanciful that I've always thought about these two albums... A band has been told that they are going to be shot into space to live, alone, for one year. Unknown Pleasures is the album that they record just before they leave on their journey. ... Closer is a completed album that is found on the derelict, abandoned spaceship one year later.
I've said this on another thread: it's hard for me to imagine how anyone gets into Joy Division initially. I remember that I kind of forced myself to like Closer... I bought it because it was in the Rolling Stone top albums of the 80s or something, printed around 1989. It was one of my first cds and pretty expensive of course... I was determined to like it so I listened and listened until I finally got it!! I found that it helped to listen while falling asleep. And especially back in 1979... JD wasn't even as accessible as punk, The Banshees, or anything else happening then. I applaud all of you who "got it" right away... kind of like the proverbial first person to eat an oyster!
I was first introduced to New Order in 87, instantly became a huge fan. I bought all the (cassettes at the time) albums available and then ventured into Joy Division. I enjoy both sides of the band as much as the other. Now, I own all the New Order albums on CD and vinyl, Joy Division on CD, working on New Order's 12" singles. I've never had a chance to see them live. They played close to me twice, once in 89, 3 hours away and there was no way I could make it to the show, then a few years ago, but had to travel out of town...maybe one day.
What an appropriate cover! When I first heard this, I thought, man these guys are dark. Like beyond dark. It was too much for me. So I had to come back later. Even after they clicked for me, I told a friend that I thought this was music that people listen to after they're dead. I don't listen to their music a lot, but when I am in that mood for them, nothing else will suffice.
When having this avatar, I should come here at this thread out of my closet when having about discovering Joy Division. And I'm always a bit ashamed to tell this little story: Somewhere in january 1980 I heard at high school from someone he visited Joy Division some days ago in Amsterdam's Paradiso. Didn't ring a bell. I heard that name however again with the suicide of Ian Curtis some months later and listened endlessly to a tape with JD music, made by the guy who had been at that (now even very special) gig. Made me a fan forever and I started to listen to all post-punk music available. Stil I hate myself for being into that band some months too late for seeing them playing live.... I'm owning now the 2cd of 'Les Bains Douches' with two live concerts of JD, with that great Amsterdam concert I missed at the second disk. Great for listening, bad for my musical pride....
Dark and Mesmerizing, one of he the best Joy Division songs, the electronic sounds during the last part of the song... they Crispy, hypnotic, absolutely Brilliant production. Ian Curtis Chanting connects perfectly to the music, the song should be as a soundtrack to a very dark-mysterious movie.
First time I heard his voice in conversation (not singing), it took me aback as well. Psychic TV did a little ode to him in 1990, that's Ian at the beginning at a pub in 79.
Got into them in the late 90s, mainly through bands that cited them as an influence and/or covered their songs. I remember buying Unknown Pleasures and liking it so much that I went out and bought the Heart and Soul box the same week. I never felt UP was uneven in any way.
I was way late as well, to the tune of just in the last year. Back in the 80s I was into different stuff and as I've exhausted those bands and musicians, I've started looking into musicians I've overlooked. Joy Division/New Order are one of the bands that I now regret not picking up on 30 years ago.
For me too but here is another link to the same song Track: I.C Water. Album: Towards Thee Infinite Beat.
I had been reading about them in NME, so I was waiting for the import to arrive . It probably says more about me than anything else but I was immediately drawn into that world they created . A lot of it had to do with Martin Hannett and the magic sounds he conjured, but the attack of the band, with Hook's bass upfront as a lead instrument and Ian Curtis taking Iggy croon to a place not even Mr. Pop could have envisioned, that sense of despair, resignation and acceptance mixed with music that punched the darkness and then vanished in echo and delay somehow sounded triumphant despite everything . Then the Earcom ep, then "Transmission", a magnificent statement on the power of music to transcend and transform. As if they, for a brief moment, fought that darkness, won, and proceeded to dance on it's grave. Such an incredible force, I was hooked from the start.
I was lucky to see them in Tel Aviv in 2015! Fantastic show! I am jealous in those who had the chance to see Joy Division live .
From the 1990 -Towards Thee Infinite Beat, The old Wax Trax! is excellent sounding Dave, for a DL I think they were going through a re-issue/remaster campaign recently. You could try Bandcamp
I saw them on the 5th October 1979 in Glasgow, 2 days before Transmission was released, they were supporting Buzzcocks but a large portion of the crowd had also come to see them, I already had UP by then so I was familiar with their set. I also had the Short Circuit lp.
I think I just scored a used cd from amazon. Information was a little thin. I'll know in several weeks (shipping from the US).