So This is Permanent: Ian Curtis 40 Years On Celebration

May 14, 2020May 14, 2020Janet Canning Leave a comment

Monday, May 18th will mark 40 years since the passing of Ian Curtis, lead singer for Joy Division, one of the most influential post-punk alternative bands. Ian’s passing at the young age of 23 has created a cult following over 40 years in the making. This week the remaining members of Joy Division are marking the occasion with talks and streaming concerts. In the time of pandemic shut-in, many music and indie film outlets have been helping us all to survive in these trying times. Some are making the performance free with encouragement to donate to epilepsy charities.

Peter Hook

Bassist for Joy Division if promoting his concert is featuring his film So This Is Permanent, help at Christ Church in Macclesfield, UK, Ian’s hometown. It sold out in 20 seconds. Peter is asking that you donate to The Epilepsy Society at https://www.epilepsysociety.org.uk/

download-4

Article Peter Hook is streaming a marathon Joy Division tribute gig next week

So This Is Permanent – Peter Hook & The Light 24 Hour Live Stream

Concert movie premiere from Monday 18th May 2020 – 12 Noon BST

Since the postponement of The Light’s May 2020 “Joy Division 40: A Celebration” gigs which were due to take place this week, Peter Hook & The Light & Surdevan Creative have been assembling the footage from the May 2015 Christ Church Macclesfield event for broadcast.

The three-hour plus video of the event will be available across Joy Division’s YouTube channel and Joy Division’s/The Light’s Facebook’s from noon this Monday until noon Tuesday.

The stream is entirely free but if you are able, donations are encouraged to Epilepsy Society here >> bit.ly/SoThisIsPermanentESDONATE

Join the Facebook event here >> bit.ly/SoThisIsPermanentFBEvent

Bernard Sumner and Stephen Morris Online Event Moving Through The Silence: Celebrating the Life and Legacy of Ian Curtis.

Dave Haslam hosts this live event with the two 8PM and 10PM UK time on United We Stream and making the Mental Health Awareness Week. They are raising funding for Manchester Mind.

Check Out the information here:

https://www.facebook.com/events/189357192165895/

Joy Division’s Closer 40th Anniversary Edition Clear Vinyl Out July 2020

May 13, 2020Janet Canning Leave a comment

jd_closer_1lp_front_1000x1000

Joy Division’s second and final recording turns 40 this year. Pre-release sales are now on at the New Order Store and include the re-issues of singles Atmosphere, Transmission, and Love Will Tear Us Apart.

Closer was recorded in March 1980 at Britannia Row Studios in Islington, London. It would be finished prior to Ian Curtis’ passing on 18 May 1980. Produced by Martin Hannett. It was released in July 1980 as FACT 100, and reached number 6 in the UK charts.

Pre-Order New Order Store

JD_CLOSER_40_New_Order_Store_V2_

1._jd_album3singles_front

Waterboys, Nick Cave, and Peter Hook and the Light

July 8, 2019Janet Canning Leave a comment

Upcoming gigs for this fall in the PDX, time to get your tickets before sell out.

Returning for the first time since 2015, The Waterboys will be playing the Wonder Ballroom on October 7, 2019. Mike Scott and Steve Wickham bring their current lineup of the band that won’t be pigeonholed. From the 80s Big Music to soul and blues, folk, and rock and roll. As of this publication, there is no support band.

The Waterboys at The Wonder Ballroom in Portland, Oregon on October 7, 2019 at 8:30 PM All Ages Show.

Wonder Ballroom 128 NE Russell St Portland, OR 97212 Tickets Here

An Evening with Nick Cave is the following night on October 8, 2019 at the Revolution Hall, 8PM 21+ show.

Nicky Cave is coming to town in that lovely spooky month of October, to have a conversation with you. Check out his show. I have Twitter pals who have seen the show in the Uk and said it’s an eye opener. Intimate evening with the Prince of Darkness, talking about musicianship and his music. This show is sold out. Hope you got yours.

The Revolution Hall SOLD OUT!!!!!!!!!!

Peter Hook & The Light Tickets are still available for Peter Hook and The Light Buy Tickets

Tickets are on sale for Peter Hook (Joy Division founder and New Order) and The Light. If you haven’t seen them yet, they have been through Portland a few times. This visit will feature a set of Joy Division, then they will perform New Order’s Technique and Republic albums.

Hooky was very kind and gave me some details very wee hours of the morning after a show in Europe. More details coming. Check out The Wonder Ballroom site for details.

Unknown Pleasures Turns 40

June 15, 2019Janet Canning Leave a comment

download The eponymous first full album by Joy Division, and the only one Ian Curtis was alive for, Unknown Pleasures was released on June 15, 1979 a on Factory records. The album was a more solid performance for newly renamed Joy Division. Warsaw, as they were previously called, changed their name to avoid confusion with another band, Warsaw Pakt.

Oddly, no singles from Unknown Pleasures were released, with “Transmission” released as a single separately that would attract attention to the album that was slow in selling. While sales were slow to begin with, since its release it has been named one of the best albums of all time by Spin, AllMusic and NME.

Produced by Martin Hannett, using some very un conventional production techniques (AMS Digital Delays, Marshall Time Modulators, and tape echo) The 10 track album lists some of the classic Joy Division catalog including “She’s Lost Control” and “Shadowplay”, a rerecording of a Warsaw song. Previously the band had self produced and released a EP An Ideal for Living after being released from a recording contract with RCA records. The band had three weekends to record for Unknown Pleasures at Strawberry Studios in Stockport.

The iconic cover art of radio waves from pulsar CP 1919 was adapted by Peter Saville, who worked on advertising and posters for Manchester’s Factory club 1978 (The Hacienda). The image is reversed from black on white, and was originally printed on the first editions in a textured card relief. The image has ben morphed and modded over the last 40 years as images for anything from mountain ranges to beer labels. It’s initial run was 10,000 copies, which sold at a very slow rate after the initial 5,000 sold in its first weeks, but copies sat around. After the single “Transmission” came out, the rest of the initial pressings sold out. Joy Division would go on tour supporting The Buzzcocks and a profit of £50,000 in album sales would finally result, being split between Factory records and the band. Sadly, Tony Wilson spent the profits mostly on other Factory Records projects and the band saw very little of it. It would not make it to the UK music charts until after singer Ian Curtis’ death in May 1980, and the release of the second album, Closer, lead to a rerelease of Unknown Pleasures. Finally the album reached No 71 on the UK Albums Charts. It did however reach No 2 on the UK Indie Chart.

Did you get your 40th anniversary Unknown Pleasures album on hot red vinyl on Friday June 14? I’m waiting for the import copy I special ordered. to arrive. Until then I’ll listen to my current playable Canadian molasses version, yeah it’s a vinyl that when you hold up to the sun looks like black strap molasses. How many versions of this album have I owned over the years, two vinyl, one tape, one CD….?