BCB 100 - Joy Division

[Matt Wilson]

John--I've asked you this before (and you responded) but a lifetime of self abuse unfortunately has rendered my brain inoperable when I need it the most.

Who are you favorite bands?
I mean besides the Fall, the Stooges, various garage bands, the Velvets, etc.
What would surprise me about your taste?

Todd Rundgren, Caravan, Gentle Giant, Roxette...

Thanks, Matt! Great thread idea....

John, I would loooove to get you shitfaced drunk at a jollyup. We'd be sitting there at the bar holding up the counter--both of us at the point where no bullshit or irony would permeate the conversation. ..
Picture it: A lot of loud noise, the jukebox is playing. One rock standard after another blasts through the place. You know, the usual suspects... some Led Zeppelin, ZZ Top, AC/DC but also some James Brown, Marvin Gaye and whatnot.
As each one played I'd ask you "So, you don't really hate that one, do you? C'mon...you must like this one."

I can't believe you'd just sit there and say "Yes, they're pretty much all shit."

But then, knowing you...

[brilleaux]

Fave song? "Atmosphere"

[Yyzlin]

Huge meh. The goth thing doesn't do it for me. I have trouble taking any of those type of bands seriously, despite how serious they may be. And I just don't find the music all that depressing, just dancy really, so I can't develop any emotional connection. And when the music is that bare bones and simple, that's a pretty key component.

[Snarfyguy]

And I just don't find the music all that depressing, just dancy really, so I can't develop any emotional connection. And when the music is that bare bones and simple, that's a pretty key component.

That's interesting. Are we meant to find it depressing? Do we play Joy Division if we're feeling too happy?

I don't think we have to identify with artists to appreciate their art. At least, I don't feel mentally unbalanced when I listen to Syd Barrett or eccentric when I listen to Captain Beefheart.

[Yyzlin]

And I just don't find the music all that depressing, just dancy really, so I can't develop any emotional connection. And when the music is that bare bones and simple, that's a pretty key component.

That's interesting. Are we meant to find it depressing? Do we play Joy Division if we're feeling too happy?

I don't think we have to identify with artists to appreciate their art. At least, I don't feel mentally unbalanced when I listen to Syd Barrett or eccentric when I listen to Captain Beefheart.

I never said anything about you or anyone else. But when the music is as bare as Joy Division's, emotional connection obviously plays a large role in whether I will find the music interesting or not. Joy Division just doesn't do that for me. And as dancy music, Joy Division just doesn't cut it.

I don't hate Joy Division or anything, just most of their tracks don't do much for me. I do really enjoy a few select tracks from them though that have the songwriting to compensate.

[brassneck..]

Two unimpeachable albums

Exactly. Very hard to choose a favourite

Album - Unknown Pleasures

Song - Transmission

[Beno]

There's something special about Joy Division. I don't think any other band has spawned as many imitators yet still ended up sounding so unique.

Album - the Heart & Soul box set hardly breaks the bank so anything else is false economy.

Track - Atmosphere - Possibly my favourite track by any band.

[The Prof]

Huge meh. The goth thing doesn't do it for me.

Joy Division were nothing to do with "goth". It was a scene that developed after their demise. Just because a few silly goths played JD records doesn't make them a goth band.

[Ranking Ted]

Two words: Dead. Souls.

Unimpeachably brilliant.

[Andrew Lou Goldman]

I'll agree that JD were a band "you have to be in the mood for", but I guess I've been in the mood for them quite often since 1979. Love literally everything they ever did and own it all, including the box.

Such a claustrophobic band, at times they almost sounded like they were going to explode.

Beautiful music.

Beautiful band.

[Tom Violence]

They certainly take several listens to get into. And wihout their reputation, it's unlikely I would have given them even a second listen after hearing 'Unknown Pleasures' for the first time. Which always worries me slightly, in that they got an unfair advantage over other stuff which might have grown on me in the same way.

However, I'd say they are a fantastic band. 'Closer' is in my opinion significantly better than 'Unknown Pleasures', with pretty much every song a killer. Hard to single out anything, although I might go for 'Passover' and 'Decades' as my favs.

I first listened to them because I was a fan of New Order, or at least the stuff on 'Substance'. After that, I'm not keen. The two eras of the ''same'' band gives added interest, in the same way as Syd's Pink Floyd and Waters' Pink Floyd.

They are overrated, which is no doubt partly due to Curtis' suicide, but a brilliant brilliant band all the same.

[Nicky Loves Fuzz]

ALBUM: Unknown Pleasures

SONG: No Love Lost


I'm not the biggest fan in the world, but I certainly don't mind when they come on the stereo.

[purgatory brite]

album Unknown Pleasures

song Dead Souls