NEW RELEASE : 2 NUCLEAR - Leroy Skye
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Sunday, February 10, 2013
Monday, February 4, 2013
REMEMBERING JOY DIVISION
BY Leroy Skye
After being inspired by bands like the Sex Pistols,Buzzcocks, and Slaughter And The Dogs, four young men got together and started a band. Originally named WARSAW, the band members were Ian Curtis, a multi-talented vocalist and lyric writer, who also would play guitar at times, Bernard Sumner, who handled both guitar and keyboard, Peter Hook on bass, and Stephen Morris on drums. Initially they were moved by early punk rock influences, but later morphed into the post-punk movement of the late 1970s .
They first gained notable exposure when Tony Wilson, a Manchester television personality heard their self-released 1978 debut EP "An Ideal For Living" . He allowed them to produce an album "Unknown Pleasures" on his independent label , Factory Records ; which drew some critical acclaim from the british media. They changed their band's name and became JOY DIVISION in January of 1978, after another popular band, THE WARSAW PAKT released and album earlier in 1977. They did not want to be confused with the Warsaw Pakt.
The name "Joy Division" comes from a book about the life in a concetration camp of young women held captive within the camp for the pleasures of nazi officers officers on leave; the corp of young women was called "The Joy Division". This name along with some of the band's album covers, were said by critics to promote nazism, but according to Joy Division, this was not so, and that their songs gave out almost the opposite meaning; and that there were other punk bands that used far more extreme nazi symbolism , that got no negative criticism whatsoever.
Things started looking up for Joy Division, they began getting more recognition in 1979, Ian Curtis appeared on the cover of THE NEW MUSICAL EXPRESS, but circumstances were not well with Ian Cutis, he was diagnosed with epilepsy. He began having seizures that were unpredictable and the time of the occurences varied and so did the intensities; Ian Curtis was placed on medications.
On Febuary 14th, 1979, a recording session recorded by John Peel featuring Joy Division,which was recorded earlier in January 1979, was played on national radio in the UK, and was later released in July of 79; sells were not as good as they had hoped. They toured Europe in January of 1980, their journey took them through Belgium,Holland, and Germany. Bootleggers recorded these appearances and made knock-offs of the performances.
Ian Curtis continued to have difficulties due to his epilepsy and suffered extreme bouts of depression. He was having marriage problems and his relationship with Deborah, his wife, was in peril.
Joy Division completed their album, "Closer" and it was hailed and praised as a major success for the band; They planned an american tour and further discussions were planned by Warner Brothers.
In July, Joy Division gave four concerts in London in the span of three days. These shows took their toll on Ian Curtis, who had suffered an epileptic seizure on stage. On the 7th of April, Ian took a drug overdose, possibly an attempt at suicide, or maybe it was a cry for help. The stress caused from his illness, and his combined marriage problems, had Ian thinking about getting out of the music business altogether.
Joy Division played their last gig on May 2nd at Birmingham University. Fortuanately, the concert was taped, and the only live performance of the song, "Ceremony" was preserved.
On May 18th,1980, Ian Curtis committed suicide by hanging himself. He was found at his home in Macclesfield. He hung himself in the kitchen after watching "Stroszek", a film by Werner Herzog, and then listening to Iggy Pop.
Watch video of this article here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4_lUn7eurfY
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