WEDNESDAY CLUB - New Order/Joy Division - Ceremony
MIDWEEK CRISIS there is no Order in your life, come to WEDNESDAY CLUB and join the Ceremony and we will bring you Joy
NEW ORDER - Ceremony
JOY DIVISION - Ceremony
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| Watching forever |
Ian Curtis was taken from us, there was a large void which could never be filled. Rumours were flying around that Joy Division would carry on with the a new name New Order (oh no! not more Nazi references) and a new single was set for release.
Finally the day arrived myself and a friend were at the record shop 9 o'clock sharp to get hold of that single. Two un-released Joy Division songs. We could not contain our excitement and rushed home to play the contents of that beautifull gold package. It must be a similar feeling to be holding an Olympic Gold Medal. (well almost)
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| Heaven knows! |
Both tracks were utterly fabulous, but it was not Ian, but it was no disappointment either. The B -side was pure Curtis. 'In a Lonely Place' it seemed to be tailor made for all us mourning fans. The sound of thunder, the grave yard, it was just what we needed to let go and embrace 'New Order'.
My friend and I carved in the brickwork on my front wall of my living room B&R JD all a bit pathetic now, but at the time it was important to us. When I sold the house 20 odd years later it was still there and I bet it is still there now.(My wife never noticed as it was discreetly done, if she found it, I would have been in serious!!!) We were bit like love struck lovers carving their names on the old oak tree.
Later that year New Order re-recorded it with new member Gillian Gilbert and released it in 12 inch format. Of course I bought that also.
When the Mp3 boom arrived we were soon to discover other early versions with Ian himself on vocals.
There is also my favourite version on 'Still' (The release of that double album was another momentous occasion) when you can here Ian's vocals very low in the background then suddenly the full vocals in all their glory come through, it is stunning and always delivers a chicken skin moment.
Comments
Great to hear these gems again.
Fond memories of how Joy Division sounded in those very early days (like nothing else I knew) and I felt like I was in a kind of elite when I first bought Unknown Pleasures. It was quite something to be there as their story unfolded in real time too, wasn't it? - then wondering what New Order would be like - and, like you, not being disappointed. Still like a lot of their later stuff too - the Ibiza Rock works for me!