Joy Division

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Salford, Greater Manchester, UK (1976 – 1980)

Joy Division were a post-punk band formed in 1976 in Salford, Greater Manchester, UK. The band dissolved in May 1980 after the suicide of its lead singer, Ian Curtis. Much of their popularity/reputation arguably resulted from frequent playings on air by iconic DJ John Peel, but it is easy now to overlook the impact that the first album, Unknown Pleasures, had on post-punk music at the time, as reference the number of prominent bands that cited this album as an influence. The remaining members reformed as New Order and they have gone on to achieve much critical and commercial success.

With their dark, cavernous sound and their use of synthesizers and electronics, Joy Division are considered the pioneering band of the post-punk movement of the late 1970s and the early 1980s.

Though they found only modest success during their career, and released only two studio albums, Joy Division have since been acclaimed as one of the most inventive, evocative and influential groups of their era; Thom Jurek writes “They left just a small bit of music and an echo that still rings”.

1976
Inspired by a Sex Pistols gig at the Manchester Lesser Free Trade Hall on July 20, 1976, Bernard Sumner (also credited as “Bernard Dicken” and “Bernard Albrecht”) and Peter Hook formed a band with friend Terry Mason. Sumner bought a guitar, Hook purchased a bass, and Mason a drum kit. The band placed an advertisement in a Manchester record store and recruited Curtis as their singer.

Tagged as:

post-punk, new wave, 80s, alternative, indie
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Unknown Pleasures
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Orlandomoe wrote:
yesterday evening

Hahaha Similar artist "bauhaus"... bauhaus is way much better and its not even close to Joy division

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outre21 wrote:
yesterday afternoon

Interzone.

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Scarlett1991 wrote:
yesterday morning

My first favourites were "Atrocity Exhibition", "A Means To An End" and "Isolation" :-) yay

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borntohang wrote:
yesterday morning

Bigmouth strikes again... And I've got no right to take my place in the human race. ;)

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cosmicshroom wrote:
yesterday morning

Well, it was the first song I listened to and made me want to look them up more, haha. Opposite effects, Deardeadfriend. ;-) Anyway's, Love Will Tear Us Apart reminds me of Christmas.

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LordRama wrote:
yesterday morning

borntohang: The bane of several shoutboxes.

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Ha8ful wrote:
yesterday morning

borntohang...!....CUNT.

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riigo wrote:
yesterday morning

looks like Ha8ful was right about this douche

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borntohang wrote:
Saturday evening

Intolerant towards perverse taste, yes.

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purplerain6 wrote:
Saturday evening

The sounds of depression, anxiety, fear, and insecurity. Haunting lyrics and melodies accompanied by Curtis' unconventional singing style make this the darkest band I've ever heard. I'm sure Ian Curtis' lyrics relate to many people, as they relate to me. The guitar playing is very simplistic, and many times I think the bass playing is a lot more complex. There is hardly any instrumental progression, and Curtis' emotional delivery overshadows everything else. The pain and feelings of alienation foreshadow the tragedy in '80.

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Deardeadfriend wrote:
Saturday afternoon

"Vulgar and perverse" because I once disliked a song you like? Not surprised by your answer, I'm already used to your extremely intolerant behavior in the The Cure shoutbox anyway.

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borntohang wrote:
Saturday afternoon

Deardead: That's simply vulgar. Vulgar and perverse.

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Deardeadfriend wrote:
Saturday afternoon

@borntohang: I wasn't quite fond of it. Simple as that.

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lagginswag wrote:
Saturday afternoon

mmmmmm

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borntohang wrote:
Saturday morning

How the hell can a musical masterpiece like LWTUA be a reason for NOT start listening?

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Deardeadfriend wrote:
Friday evening

@cosmicshroom: No. LWTUA was one of the main reason why I didn't start listening to Joy Division earlier.

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Smartypants101 wrote:
Friday evening

isolation has it all

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vasil-vasil wrote:
Friday afternoon

dead soulllllllllll

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chat-noir-7 wrote:
Friday afternoon

:(

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eileen_liang wrote:
Friday afternoon

Disorder, New dawn fades and Shadowplay are my favorite songs at the moment. Unknown Pleasures is definitely a masterpiece!

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