Joy Division + New Order: Decades

My RecommendationJoy Division + New Order: DecadesJohn AizlewoodPublished November 15th, 2021Palazzo EditionsManchester in the late 1970’s: Bleak, cold, post-industrial, a moonscape. From this barren landscape emerges the punk band Warsaw, which was composed of four local chaps: Ian Curtis, Peter Hook (Hooky), Bernard (Albrecht) Sumner, and Tony Tabac (1977). Aizlewood’s book is a comprehensive look at the band’s development, the harshness and demands of the music business, and the relationships that influenced, manipulated, and eventually, destroyed the band.Seems there was another band called the Warsaw Pact and so they decided to change their name so people wouldn’t get the bands confused. They decided on Joy Division, the name taken from the sex slave wing of the Nazi concentration camps and mentioned in the book, House of Dolls (1955). Aizlewood writes about the slighted detail so the reader can feel the grime on the streets and the coldness in the air. In 1979, Joy Division wrote She’s Lost Control, which John Peel showcased on his national radio show and soon, the band was getting some recognition.After their lead singer Ian Curtis committed suicide, the band broke free from the Joy Division’s raw, punk sound. They added synthesizers to the mix and started creating electric dance music in the modified band, New Order. The band’s name was snatched from “…a Guardian headline about the Khmer Rouge, ‘The People’s New Order of Kampuchea.’” Perhaps the addition of Gillian Gilbert on keyboards brought some luck because they were soon touring in the USA and became a worldwide sensation.The book delves into how the band eventually fell apart. A loss to all of us fans.I recommend Decades and give it 4 stars.My honest review from an ARC made available by the @Palazzo Editions via @NetGalley. Thank you.

Joy Division + New Order: Decades by John Aizlewood is an excellent look at the story of these bands/this band.I liked Joy Division the first time I heard them but I do remember being unable to put my finger on exactly why. Like so many US listeners, I first heard them either just before or just after Ian Curtis' death, I can't remember which. By the time New Order began getting US airplay I knew all of Joy Division's songs pretty well. I won't say I was disappointed at first with New Order but it did take a while to separate them from Joy Division in my mind, after which I could appreciate them for what they were.It was painful reading the first part of the book, if you know what is going to happen to Curtis you can't help but feel like you want to intervene. Not to mention it showed in detail what always seemed the case from the distance of fanhood, Peter Hook was a completely self-absorbed misogynist sphincter. A talented one but totally classless nonetheless. There, I feel better now.While this is essential for any fan, casual or otherwise, I also think this would be a fascinating read for anyone interested in the music scene of the period. Whether the Manchester scene, the UK scene in general, or, particularly with New Order, the worldwide scene. Coupled with excellent photographs and excellent writing, this will be a pleasant addition for any such reader.Reviewed from a copy made available by the publisher via NetGalley.

Very good quality. Worth forking out for.

Uma biografia muito ilustrada com história da cena de Manchester e como as bandas surgiram e se tornaram lendárias. Ótima compra

Good quality photo book and goes through Joy Division and New Order history from their humble start to now. Perfect gift for anyone who loves music history