We’re filling our ears with Joy Division’s debut Unknown Pleasures as a tribute to frontman Ian Curtis, who would have been 59 this week.
Curtis, who suffered from depression and epilepsy, committed suicide at his home in Macclesfield aged 23.
This week music critics celebrate his short life and talent.
Even though fans adore their first record in 1979 Unknown Pleasures, the band hated it.
Joy Division and New Order’s Bernard Sumner told NME Magazine: “The production inflicted this dark, doomy mood over the album. We’d drawn this picture in black and white, and Martin had coloured it in for us. We resented it. We swallowed our pride and went with it.”
Even though Curtis struggled in school, he was awarded a scholarship to The King’s School in Macclesfield when he was 11-years-old.
It has come to light how adept Curtis was when it came to recording.
NME says: ‘Ian would listen to a song once before doing his vocal in one take. He would also have sheets with his lyrics on, but he always recorded with the lights off,’ the only aide-memoir being his head.’
His life and death has been dramatised in the films 24 Hour Party People in 2002 and Control in 2007, both well worth a watch.
Until then, take an hour out for this –
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wVvoQIdD80U
