JANUARY 1979
The A Factory Sample EP (FAC 2) is released, priced at £1.50. Recorded at Cargo Studios, Rochdale. Produced by Martin Hannett. Track list (Side A [Aside]): Joy Division, “Digital”; Joy Division, “Glass.” (Vinyl etching: EVERYTHING.) Track list (Side B [Beside]): the Durutti Column, “No Communication”; the Durutti Column, “Thin Ice (Detail).” (Vinyl etching: IS REPAIRABLE.) Track list (Side C [Seaside]): John Dowie, “Acne”; John Dowie, “Idiot”; John Dowie, “Hitler’s Liver.” (Vinyl etching: EVERYTHING.) Track list (Side D [Decide]): Cabaret Voltaire, “Baader Meinhof”; Cabaret Voltaire, “Sex in Secret.” (Vinyl etching: IS BROKEN.)
JANUARY 6, 1979
Kevin Cummins takes his famous Princess Parkway shots of Joy Division.
I remember it was really cold and I borrowed that coat that I had on. I think I borrowed it off Steve, actually. They were done really quickly. Kevin freely admits he only took seven shots. He was lucky. He didn’t have any money either—didn’t have money for any more film. He had one roll and he had to do four or five groups on it. Quite punky, really. I mean, now, you sit there, they take fucking thousands of shots and wade through them to get one. But in the old days you had to get it finished and get it out. You know what I’m going to say, don’t you? That’s right. I liked it much better that way.
JANUARY 12, 1979
Joy Division plays Wythenshawe College, Manchester.
JANUARY 13, 1979
Ian Curtis appears on the cover of NME; the shot of him smoking was taken during the Kevin Cummins session on January 6.
JANUARY 23, 1979
Ian Curtis diagnosed with epilepsy.
JANUARY 26, 1979
Joy Division plays the A Factory Sample EP release party, the Factory, Russell Club, Manchester, with Cabaret Voltaire and John Dowie.
JANUARY 31, 1979
Joy Division’s first John Peel session, produced by Bob Sargeant for the BBC. Tracks recorded: “Exercise One,” “Insight,” “Transmission,” “She’s Lost Control.”
We weren’t quite as green as we used to be in terms of being in the studio, so, instead of just sitting around watching other people get on with it, we were a bit more hands-on, happy that we were getting to use this great studio and were being treated well with a trip to the subsidized canteen. I loved that session. I love working for the BBC, actually.
FEBRUARY 2, 1979
Sid Vicious found dead of a drug overdose.
FEBRUARY 10, 1979
Joy Division plays the Institute of Technology, Bolton, supported by the Curbs.
Little Hulton’s right next to Bolton, so I had to drive all the way to Salford to get the gear, pick everybody up, and then drive past my house to do the gig. At the end of the night, when we’d finished, I had to drive past my house, drop everybody off, go all the way to Salford and then back home. Fuck me. Who’d be the driver, eh?
FEBRUARY 16, 1979
Joy Division plays Eric’s, Liverpool, supported by Cabaret Voltaire.
FEBRUARY 28, 1979
Joy Division plays Nottingham Playhouse as unbilled support for John Cooper Clarke.
Joy Division was late appearing, so John Cooper Clarke went on first, then introduced Joy Division (his distinctive accent leading at least one fan, Dominic, writing on joydiv.org, to expect “Geordie Vision”); John Cooper Clarke then played a second time.
We were using Sad Café’s PA, which was operated by my cousin, Chas Banks—who was the first person to ever give me a guitar to hold, when I went round to his house in Stretford. I was fourteen. Fantastic guy, a real legend. We were waiting for the PA to turn up—you can’t do anything until the PA turns up—and I remember being at the back door when Chas appeared, bruised and battered, and went, “Just crawled in from a motorway wreck; let’s get on with it.” We went out and the van was fucking hammered. It had been in a huge crash on the motorway. All the gear was trashed and everyone was frantically trying to put it back together. Proper rock ’n’ roll. That was why John ended up going on twice: because we weren’t ready.
MARCH 1, 1979
Joy Division plays the Hope & Anchor, London. Admission: 75p. “Cellar bar re-opening. Now with real ale!”
This was the gig where Dave Pils and his girlfriend, Jasmine, introduced themselves to us. They ran Walthamstow Youth Centre, which is why we ended up playing there. Dave would become a big part of our lives. He became our roadie and friend and stayed with us for years. Every time we played in London we crashed at their place, which saved us a lot of money. A pair of lovely people. I wonder where they are now. . . .
MARCH 4, 1979
The Genetic Records demo session, Eden Studios, London. Produced by Martin Rushent. Tracks recorded: “Glass,” “Transmission,” “Ice Age,” “Insight,” “Digital.”
MARCH 4, 1979
Joy Division plays the Marquee, London, supporting the Cure. Set list: “Soundtrack” (“Exercise One”), “She’s Lost Control,” “Shadowplay,” “Leaders of Men,” “Insight,” “Glass,” “Digital,” “Ice Age,” “Transmission.”
There’s a set list from this still knocking around, written by Steve: it starts with a track called “Soundtrack,” which became “Exercise One”; we thought it sounded soundtracky. . . . It was exciting being in the Marquee, for obvious reasons, and it was really crowded, but the night was ruined by the fact that we had to drive home afterward. The Cure never even acknowledged us. Everyone was rocking except us: we just played then got dragged off to drive home, which was a bit of a downer.
MARCH 13, 1979
Joy Division plays Band on the Wall, Manchester, supported by the Fireplace. A Manchester Musicians’ Collective gig. Unconfirmed set list: “Walked in Line” (also known as “They Walked in Line”), “She’s Lost Control,” “Shadowplay,” “New Dawn Fades,” “Day of the Lords,” “Insight,” “Disorder,” “The Only Mistake,” “I Remember Nothing,” and “Sister Ray.”
A band with a name like the Fireplace could only be in a collective.
MARCH 14, 1979
Joy Division plays Bowdon Vale Youth Club, Altrincham, supported by Staff 9 (featuring Paul and Steve Hanley and Craig Scanlon, who later join the Fall). Set list: “Exercise One,” “She’s Lost Control,” “Shadowplay,” “Leaders of Men,” “Insight,” “Disorder,” “Glass,” “Digital,” “Ice Age,” “Warsaw,” “Transmission,” “I Remember Nothing,” “No Love Lost.”
Absolutely cracking. A fucking great set list, that one. I wouldn’t put “Disorder” after “Glass,” mind you; I’d change that bit round. But that’s a great set list. Maybe it’s a bit up and down, though, come to think of it . . . so maybe it’s not that great a set list. Great songs, though.
“She’s Lost Control,” “Shadowplay,” and “Leaders of Men” were filmed by Malcolm Whitehead for his Joy Division short film, which was premiered at the Scala, London, on September 13 as part of The Factory Flick (FAC 9). The footage was also later released on the “Substance” video.
That was very exciting, being filmed. Malcolm was a lovely geezer. His idea was to use us in a film he was doing, but in the end the film became more about us than anything else. There are photographs of that gig, too, taken by a very young Martin Ocomin, who started crawling round the stage while we were playing, right up into the drums. I kicked him up the arse and told him to piss off. Photographers they think they’re it. If you want to annoy one just say “shared copyright”—that should see them off.
I met him years later and we laughed about it; he wanted an autograph, and I wrote, “I told you to fuck off.”
“No,” he said, “you told me to piss off.”
MARCH 30, 1979
Joy Division plays the Walthamstow Youth Centre.
Dave Pils’s girlfriend, Jasmine, was a youth worker looking after kids in Walthamstow, presumably trying to keep them on the straight and narrow or whatever, so it was a weird crowd. Very young kids there, running about, ignoring us, like a school hall–type gig. I do remember being horrified when we saw the poster, though. Dave had designed it: a bunch of Nazis on a tank. We were hoping to put all that stuff behind us! Dave was also the singer in SX, the support band.
MARCH 31, 1979
Joy Division starts recording Unknown Pleasures, Strawberry Studios, Stockport. Tracks recorded: “Disorder,” “Day of the Lords,” “Candidate,” “Insight,” “New Dawn Fades,” “She’s Lost Control,” “Shadowplay,” “Wilderness,” “Interzone,” “I Remember Nothing,” “Autosuggestion,” “From Safety to Where,” “Exercise One,” “The Kill,” “Walked in Line.”
APRIL 16, 1979
Natalie Curtis born, Macclesfield.
MAY 2, 1979
The Unknown Pleasures recording session ends, Strawberry Studios, Stockport.
MAY 3, 1979
Joy Division plays an Amnesty International Benefit, Eric’s, Liverpool, with the Passage and Fireplace. Admission: 75p.
When Joy Division left the stage I felt emotionally drained. They are, without any exaggeration, an Important Band.
Ian Wood, NME
MAY 11, 1979
Joy Division plays a Factory Records night, the Factory, Russell Club, Manchester, with John Dowie, A Certain Ratio, and Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark. Admission: £1.20; tickets available from Discount Records and Pandemonium.
I liked OMD a lot as a group. I always thought they were really, really good; nice guys, too. Although it was those two who got me into cocaine, the bastards, at the premiere of Pretty in Pink. And come to think of it, wasn’t one of them responsible for Atomic Kitten?
MAY 17, 1979
Joy Division plays A Factory Sample night, Acklam Hall, London, supported by John Dowie, A Certain Ratio, and Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark. Admission: £1.50 at the door or £1.25 in advance from Small Wonder, Rough Trade, and Honky Tonk record shops.
This would have been the first gig for Final Solution, which was Colin Faver, who went on to become a big DJ—one of the house-music pioneers in the South of England—and Kevin Millins, who went on to run Heaven for Virgin and became a great friend of ours. It led to some great gigs, more for New Order than Joy Division. Acklam Hall became a club later on, and Davina McCall used to do the door. I have a wonderful memory of her bending over the table in my hotel room, with her silver hot-panted bottom stuck right up in the air. I always remind her of it whenever I see her.
OMD also had a guitar stolen and were very upset.
MAY 23, 1979
Joy Division plays Bowdon Vale Youth Club, Altrincham, supported by John Dowie and A Certain Ratio (OMD pulls out).
JUNE 4, 1979
Joy Division plays Piccadilly Radio session, Pennine Sound Studios, Oldham. Produced by Stuart James. Tracks recorded: “These Days,” “Candidate,” “The Only Mistake,” “Chance” (“Atmosphere”), “Atrocity Exhibition.”
Stuart James went on to become New Order’s roadie. I saved his life once in Texas.
JUNE 7, 1979
Joy Division plays the F Club, aka the Fan Club, Leeds, with OMD.
JUNE 14, 1979
Unknown Pleasures (Factory Records FACT 10) released. Produced by Martin Hannett. Engineered by Chris Nagle. Recorded at Strawberry Studios, Stockport. Cover design by Joy Division, Peter Saville, Chris Mathan. Track list: “Disorder,” “Day of the Lords,” “Candidate,” “Insight,” “New Dawn Fades,” “She’s Lost Control,” “Shadowplay,” “Wilderness,” “Interzone,” “I Remember Nothing.”
JUNE 16, 1979
Joy Division plays the Odeon, Canterbury, supporting the Cure, with Back to Zero. Set list: “Disorder,” “She’s Lost Control,” “Shadowplay,” “Wilderness,” “New Dawn Fades,” “Glass,” “These Days,” “Something Must Break,” “Interzone,” “Atrocity Exhibition.”
I don’t think the Cure liked us. I think they resented us in some way, because we’d managed to stay cool, credible, and independent and they’d, well, sort of sold out a bit. The problem was on their side; it wasn’t on our side. But I think they thought, Wish we were Joy Division.
JUNE 17, 1979
Joy Division plays the Royalty Theatre, Kingsway, London, supporting John Cooper Clarke, with Fashion. Set list: “Atmosphere,” “Disorder,” “Digital,” “I Remember Nothing,” “Candidate,” “New Dawn Fades,” “These Days,” “Interzone,” “Transmission.”
We did a series of three gigs with Fashion, both of us supporting John Cooper Clarke, and the idea was that we’d switch: Fashion would open one night then us the next. They were pretty big at the time but I hated their music. It was awful. They were supposed to open in London and us in Manchester. But we ended up being stiffed in London. They left us off the bill then insisted we go on first. It was bedlam backstage that night. Rob threatened everybody. The upshot was that we ended up going on before the doors had even opened. It was either that or don’t play. We played “Atmosphere” and “Disorder” to a completely empty room. Three people came in during “Digital.” The place was beginning to fill up when we finished our set.
JUNE 19, 1979
Joy Division plays the Nuffield Theatre, Lancaster University, Lancaster, supporting John Cooper Clarke, with Fashion.
Horrible gig. Fucking Fashion. I fucking hated ’em.
JUNE 22, 1979
Joy Division plays Good Mood, Halifax.
JUNE 25, 1979
Joy Division plays the Free Trade Hall, Manchester, supporting John Cooper Clarke, with Fashion.
They went on first. HA!
JULY 1, 1979
The first “Transmission” demo session, Central Sound Studios, Manchester. Produced by Martin Hannett. Tracks recorded: “Transmission,” “Novelty,” “Dead Souls,” “Something Must Break.”
Quite a pleasant session, this one. I remember Martin being very nice and helpful.
JULY 5, 1979
Joy Division plays Limit Club, West Street, Sheffield, supported by OMD.
This was the first time we ever went over the Snake Pass and the van was so knackered it was really struggling up the hills. Twinny was really annoyed and reckoned he could run faster. So we took him up on it and he jumped out of the van to race us. Of course, we beat him up the hill easy. By the time he joined us up at the top he was huffing and puffing, all red-faced, calling us bastards for not stopping. Me and Terry had eaten all his sweets while we waited. He didn’t talk to us all night for that.
If I remember rightly Phil Oakey and the other lads from the Human League helped us load in. They were very nice. I met the drummer from Manicured Noise here. It was her twenty-first. Stephanie. Lovely girl. She had a pet rat.
JULY 11, 1979
Joy Division plays Roots Club (Cosmo Club), Chapeltown, Leeds. Set list: “Dead Souls”, “Shadowplay,” “She’s Lost Control,” “Candidate,” “These Days,” “Disorder,” “Interzone,” “Glass,” “Transmission,” “Atrocity Exhibition,” “No Love Lost.”
I’m pretty sure this was where Right Said Fred supported us.
JULY 13, 1979
Joy Division plays the Factory, Russell Club, Manchester. Set list: “Dead Souls,” “The Only Mistake,” “Insight,” “Candidate,” “Wilderness,” “She’s Lost Control,” “Shadowplay,” “Disorder,” “Interzone,” “Atrocity Exhibition,” “Novelty,” “Transmission.” The concert appears on CD2 of the September 2007 remastered edition of Unknown Pleasures.
JULY 20, 1979
Joy Division appears on What’s On for Granada TV, playing “She’s Lost Control.”
JULY 27, 1979
Joy Division plays a Year of the Child benefit concert, the Imperial Hotel, Blackpool, with OMD, the Final Solution, Section 25, the Glass Torpedoes, and Zyklon B. Promoted by Section 25. Set list: “Dead Souls,” “Glass,” “Disorder,” “Autosuggestion,” “Transmission,” “She’s Lost Control,” “Shadowplay,” “Atrocity Exhibition.”
I remember looking out the dressing-room window and seeing a Ford Escort sat outside with the Unknown Pleasures logo on its bonnet. Cool, that was. This was also the gig where we met Section 25, who became great friends of ours. Ian and Rob took a shine to them and ended up producing their first single, which came out on Factory. That must have been a scream and I would have loved to have been there, because Rob and Ian were both hopeless at that sort of thing. Rob’s only advice when you were recording was, “Make it go Woomph.” That was it. “Make it go Woomph.” And Ian, well, he had the ear but he was useless at anything technical.
You may or may not know, but Larry from Section 25 died recently, in 2010. Very sad. I’ll tell you one story about him that made me laugh so much. I mean, he was a proper “character,” and enjoyed fully the rock-’n’-roll lifestyle and some of its foibles, shall we say. His one true love was those flight simulators you get on the computer. What he used to like doing was staying up all night flying long-haul flights in real time. His brother Vinny was telling me that he’d done one where he’d been up all night, flying to New York from London, off his head, and crashed on landing. It had taken him eleven hours to get there! I tell you what, heaven’s got to be a lot livelier with that lot there. Him, Ian, Tony, Rob, and Martin. What a crew.
But yes, the relationship between us and Section 25 was really very solid, much more so than with A Certain Ratio. They never had the acclaim we had and that was something that I think never bothered Section 25, whereas I think A Certain Ratio got annoyed because they felt in our shadow.
JULY 28, 1979
Joy Division plays the Mayflower Club, Manchester, a Stuff the Superstars Special, with the Fall, the Distractions, John the Postman, the Frantic Elevators, the Hamsters, Ludus, Armed Force, Foreign Press, and Elti Fits. Admission: £1.50.
It’s almost impossible to match a recording as good as theirs with an equally good performance. Joy Division pulled it off. THEY WERE BRILLIANT, I MEAN BRILLIANT!
City Fun fanzine
There was always intense rivalry between us and the Fall. They started the same time as us and did a lot better than us more quickly than we did. So we were a bit jealous. There always is rivalry between groups. Never with DJs but always with groups.
JULY 28–AUGUST 4, 1979
The second “Transmission” demo sessions, Strawberry Studios, Stockport. Produced by Martin Hannett. Tracks recorded: “Transmission” (single version) and “Novelty” (single version).
AUGUST 2, 1979
Joy Division plays the YMCA, Prince of Wales Conference Centre, London, with Teardrop Explodes and Echo & the Bunnymen. This is the first show of a four-night alternative-rock festival at the Prince of Wales Conference Centre. Set list: “Dead Souls,” “Disorder,” “Wilderness,” “Autosuggestion,” “Transmission,” “Day of the Lords,” “She’s Lost Control,” “Shadowplay,” “Atrocity Exhibition,” “Insight.”
The truth is they were phenomenal—the most physical hard rock group I’ve seen since Gang of Four.
Adrian Thrills, NME
It was a great gig, that one, and it’s where the famous pictures of us come from—where we’re drinking backstage, post-gig, out of cans, and where Ian’s got the cig and we’re sat on the step. They’re all from backstage at the YMCA, very famous nice pictures. We all look very happy.
AUGUST 8, 1979
Joy Division plays the Romulus Club, Birmingham, supporting Dexys Midnight Runners.
Dexys were diabolically dressed, like something out of Star Trek. This was way before theirs became a big name, of course, but Kevin Rowland still swanned around like he was a god. They were playing jokes on a reel-to-reel tape recorder in between songs: very strange. This was the night I ripped my favorite blue shirt that Rob bought me, on my own bass cab. I was devastated. Stayed in a mad B&B afterward, complete with a saucy landlady.
AUGUST 11, 1979
Joy Division plays Eric’s, Liverpool (matinee and evening shows), with Swell Maps. Admission: £1.10 for members. Set list (matinee): “Transmission,” “Untitled,” “Disorder,” “New Dawn Fades,” “Glass,” “Shadowplay,” “Colony,” “Interzone,” and “Ice Age.” Set list (evening): “Insight,” “Autosuggestion,” “Digital,” “She’s Lost Control,” “Day of the Lords,” “Wilderness,” “Atrocity Exhibition,” “Transmission,” “New Dawn Fades” (instrumental), “Interzone,” “Dead Souls.” Ian has a fit during “New Dawn Fades” and is carried from the stage. He returns during “Interzone.”
AUGUST 13, 1979
Joy Division plays the Nashville Rooms, London, with OMD and A Certain Ratio. Set list: “Atmosphere,” “She’s Lost Control,” “Exercise One,” “Disorder,” “Colony,” “Candidate,” “Autosuggestion,” “Ice Age.”
Annik Honoré saw the band for the first time and met us briefly. This was the night of the van crash, of course. But it was a great gig. Look at that set list, starting with “Atmosphere.” It didn’t have the connotations then that it does now that it’s sort of Ian’s death march. Back then it was a good song to start with—well, we thought so anyway because we were awkward bastards. We liked to come on and defy expectations by starting with something slow and reflective, before building up to the faster songs.
AUGUST 24, 1979
Joy Division plays the Walthamstow Youth Centre, London. Afterward Annik interviews the band at Dave Pils’s and Jasmine’s flat.
AUGUST 27, 1979
Joy Division plays Leigh Open Air Festival, Plank Lane, Leigh, with the Distractions, Echo & the Bunnymen, OMD, A Certain Ratio, Teardrop Explodes and Lori & the Chameleons. Billed as “Zoo Meets Factory Half Way,” this is the last day of the festival. Admission: £2. Set list: “Disorder,” “Leaders of Men,” “Colony,” “Insight,” “Digital,” “Dead Souls,” “Shadowplay,” “She’s Lost Control,” “Transmission,” “Interzone.”
I remember being really upset by Martin Moscrop of A Certain Ratio at that gig. We did “The Sound of Music” at the sound check and I had a bit on the song where I sang, “Hi, hi, hi, hi, higher.” Martin turned round to me at the end and said, “You sounded like the fucking laughing policeman, mate, ha, ha, ha.” I’ve never been able to think of that song in the same way since. He ruined it for me in that one moment. “The Sound of Music” was one I played guitar on and Bernard played bass. But yeah, ruined for me from then on.
AUGUST 31, 1979
Joy Division plays the Electric Ballroom, London, with A Certain Ratio, Scritti Politti, and the Monochrome Set. Set list: “The Sound of Music,” “Wilderness,” “Colony,” “Day of the Lords,” “Shadowplay,” “Transmission,” “Interzone,” “Disorder,” “She’s Lost Control,” “Insight.”
Great gig, this one. I was very impressed that the Monochrome Set’s singer was an Indian prince.
SEPTEMBER 8, 1979
Joy Division plays the Queens Hall, Leeds, third on the bill, with A Certain Ratio, Cabaret Voltaire, and OMD, and with Public Image headlining. This is the opening day of the three-day Futurama Festival. Set list: “I Remember Nothing,” “Wilderness,” “Transmission,” “Colony,” “Disorder,” “Insight,” “Shadowplay,” “She’s Lost Control,” “Atrocity Exhibition,” “Dead Souls.”
This was a great concert too. We went down an absolute storm. It was our first gig with John Keenan, who was a very interesting man to work with financially, and our first indoor festival.
SEPTEMBER 13, 1979
Premiere of The Factory Flick (Factory FAC 9, 1979), the Scala cinema, London. This 8mm film comprises: “No City Fun—Joy Division” (12 min), by student filmmaker Charles Salem, featuring three tracks by the band; “All Night Party—A Certain Ratio” (3 min); “Red Dress—Ludus” (3 min); and “Joy Division” (17 min), by Malcolm Whitehead, featuring footage of “Shadowplay” and “She’s Lost Control” shot by Malcolm Whitehead at Bowdon Vale Youth Club.
SEPTEMBER 15, 1979
Joy Division appears on Something Else, playing “She’s Lost Control” and “Transmission.”
SEPTEMBER 22, 1979
Joy Division plays the Nashville Rooms, London, supported by the Distractions. Admission: £1.25. Set list: “Atmosphere,” “Wilderness,” “Shadowplay,” “Leaders of Men,” “Insight,” “Colony,” “Transmission,” “Disorder,” “She’s Lost Control,” “Atrocity Exhibition,” “Glass,” “Exercise One.”
Terry couldn’t make it, so Twinny said to me, “Can I bring my mate as a roadie?” and I was like, “Yeah, ’course,” thinking that was nice. Then his mate turned up and he was on crutches. I took Twinny to one side. “Look, he’s on crutches. How’s he going to help if he can’t walk?”
Twinny was like, “Oh come on, Hooky, he’s a nice guy. He needs a night out.” I was just shaking my head. I mean, what a liability: some kid on crutches along for the ride. Anyway, at the end of the night we couldn’t find him—he kept us waiting for ages—and when we eventually did he was snogging the face off some girl. So not only had he turned up on crutches, done fuck-all, and drunk all our rider, but he’d ended up copping off as well, the lucky bastard.
SEPTEMBER 28, 1979
Joy Division plays the Factory, Russell Club, Manchester, with Teardrop Explodes and Foreign Press (formerly Emergency). Set list: “Atmosphere,” “Wilderness,” “Shadowplay,” “Insight,” “Colony,” “Twenty Four Hours,” “Interzone,” “She’s Lost Control,” “Transmission” (encore; fight occurs), “Atrocity Exhibition” (encore, minus bass).
The big fight. I was ashamed.
SEPTEMBER 29, 1979
Joy Division plays the Mayflower, Manchester, with Foreign Press.
OCTOBER 1979
The Earcom 2 compilation (Fast Products FAST 9b) released. It features two Joy Division tracks, recorded by Martin Hannett as part of the Unknown Pleasures session: “Autosuggestion” and “From Safety to Where.”
OCTOBER 1979
The “Transmission”/“Novelty” seven-inch single (Factory Records FAC 13) released. Produced by Martin Hannett. Sleeve design by Peter Saville. Later rereleased as a twelve-inch with new cover (FAC 13.12).
OCTOBER–NOVEMBER 1979
The Sordide Sentimental session, Cargo Studios, Rochdale. Produced by Martin Hannett. Tracks recorded: “Atmosphere,” “Dead Souls,” “Ice Age.”
OCTOBER 2, 1979
Joy Division plays Mountford Hall, Liverpool University, as part of the Buzzcocks tour. Set list: “Wilderness,” “Ice Age,” “Candidate,” “Shadowplay,” “Insight,” “She’s Lost Control,” “Twenty Four Hours,” “Disorder,” “Transmission,” “Warsaw.”
OCTOBER 3, 1979
Joy Division plays Leeds University as part of the Buzzcocks tour.
The anguished singer had achieved total physical self-expression by the climax of “She’s Lost Control” and, evidently having lost control, he was helped offstage at the conclusion of a set which, for practical reasons, could not be extended.
Des Moines, Sounds
OCTOBER 4, 1979
Joy Division plays City Hall, Newcastle, as part of the Buzzcocks tour. Set list: “Disorder,” “Shadowplay,” “Colony,” “Day of the Lords,” “Glass,” “Transmission,” “She’s Lost Control,” “Atrocity Exhibition.”
OCTOBER 5, 1979
Joy Division plays Apollo, Glasgow, as part of the Buzzcocks tour.
I remember freaking out at the height of the stage: it was one of the highest I’ve ever played on.
OCTOBER 6, 1979
Joy Division plays the Odeon, Edinburgh, as part of the Buzzcocks tour. Set list: “Leaders of Men,” “Digital,” “Day of the Lords,” “Transmission,” “Shadowplay,” “She’s Lost Control,” “New Dawn Fades,” “Disorder,” “Transmission.”
OCTOBER 7, 1979
Joy Division plays Capitol, Aberdeen, as part of the Buzzcocks tour.
Sarge threw a kid out of the backstage area for having a Scottish accent. He was trying to say he had an interview with Pete Shelley for a fanzine. “I can’t understand a word you’re saying, dickhead, OUT!”
OCTOBER 8, 1979
Joy Division plays Caird Hall, Dundee, as part of the Buzzcocks tour. Set list: “Atmosphere,” “Wilderness,” “Interzone,” “Colony,” “These Days,” “New Dawn Fades,” “Transmission,” “Shadowplay,” “She’s Lost Control.” Ian collapses.
OCTOBER 10, 1979
Joy Division gig at Ulster Hall, Belfast, canceled. Part of the Buzzcocks tour.
OCTOBER 11, 1979
Joy Division gig at Kelly’s, Portrush, canceled. Part of the Buzzcocks tour.
OCTOBER 13, 1979
Joy Division gig at City Hall, Cork, canceled. Part of the Buzzcocks tour.
OCTOBER 16, 1979
Joy Division plays Plan K, Brussels. Set list: “Love Will Tear Us Apart,” “Wilderness,” “Disorder,” “Colony,” “Insight,” “Twenty Four Hours,” “New Dawn Fades,” “Transmission,” “Shadowplay,” “She’s Lost Control,” “Atrocity Exhibition,” “Interzone.”
OCTOBER 18, 1979
Joy Division plays Bangor University, as part of the Buzzcocks tour.
OCTOBER 20, 1979
Joy Division plays Loughborough University, as part of the Buzzcocks tour.
OCTOBER 21, 1979
Joy Division plays Top Rank, Arundel Gate, Sheffield, as part of the Buzzcocks tour.
OCTOBER 22, 1979
Joy Division plays the Assembly Rooms, Derby, as part of the Buzzcocks tour.
OCTOBER 23, 1979
Joy Division plays King George’s Hall, Blackburn, as part of the Buzzcocks tour.
The Blackburn lot ended up being great supporters of both New Order and the Haçienda. Mad football fans.
OCTOBER 24, 1979
Joy Division plays the Odeon Theatre, Birmingham, as part of the Buzzcocks tour.
OCTOBER 25, 1979
Joy Division plays St. George’s Hall, Bradford, as part of the Buzzcocks tour.
OCTOBER 26, 1979
Joy Division plays the Electric Ballroom, London, supported by the Distractions and A Certain Ratio, during a break from the Buzzcocks tour. Set list: “I Remember Nothing,” “Love Will Tear Us Apart,” “Wilderness,” “Colony,” “Insight,” “Day of the Lords,” “Shadowplay,” “She’s Lost Control,” “Transmission,” “Disorder,” “Atrocity Exhibition,” “Interzone.”
Something I remember about the Buzzcocks tour is that they played the same set every night, whereas we always varied ours. We did it to keep ourselves interested, so that all the songs got an airing, to try to find that ultimate moment and sometimes, again, just to be bloody awkward. If the audience was really wild, we’d start with “I Remember Nothing,” just to wind them up. One thing that punk taught you was to be challenging—always try to break the rules, to forge your own way. Being on Factory reinforced those ideals. It was like, whatever the game was we weren’t going to play it. Whatever was expected of us we did the opposite. I was really inspired by Throbbing Gristle back then. Genesis P-Orridge, what a man. I loved how awkward they were—how they used to try to drive their audience away every night. I wouldn’t have minded us being a bit more like Throbbing Gristle, actually.
OCTOBER 27, 1979
Joy Division plays the Apollo Theatre, Manchester, as part of the Buzzcocks tour. Set list: “Dead Souls,” “Wilderness,” “Colony,” “Autosuggestion,” “Love Will Tear Us Apart,” “Shadowplay,” “She’s Lost Control,” “Transmission.”
OCTOBER 28, 1979
Joy Division plays the Apollo Theatre, Manchester, as part of the Buzzcocks tour. Set list: “The Sound of Music,” “Shadowplay,” “Colony,” “Day of the Lords,” “Twenty Four Hours,” “Disorder,” “Walked in Line,” “I Remember Nothing,” “Transmission.”
OCTOBER 29, 1979
Joy Division plays De Montfort Hall, Leicester, as part of the Buzzcocks tour.
OCTOBER 30, 1979
Joy Division plays the New Theatre, Oxford, as part of the Buzzcocks tour. Set list: “Walked in Line,” “The Only Mistake,” “Leaders of Men,” “Insight,” “Ice Age,” “Love Will Tear Us Apart,” “I Remember Nothing.”
NOVEMBER 1979
A photographic session with Anton Corbijn results in yet more iconic images of the band and sees the start of a relationship that will eventually culminate in the multi award–winning film Control, Corbijn’s biopic of Ian Curtis.
What I loved about Anton was that he did the pictures really quickly, with no fuss, no fucking about: bang, bang, bang, and it was over. At the time, I thought, Now, that’s how a photo shoot should be. Those shots he took of us in the tube station: absolutely brilliant. The way that he works, he almost does it like a throwaway gesture. When he did New Order in America, he was with us for four days, pissed as a fart, having a great time; when we were all sat on the grass outside the gig on the afternoon of his last day he went, “Oh, I’m sure there’s something I’ve forgotten. What have I forgotten?” Then the color drained out of his face and he went, “Oh my God, I’ve forgotten to take any pictures.”
All his gear had gone to the airport so he rushed to a garage across the way, bought a couple of instamatic cameras, and took us into a fairground opposite the venue, where he got Steve to wear these daft glasses and did the photo shoot. He’d been there for four days and did the shoot as the car was waiting to take him to the airport. Class. And this is the thing—they were brilliant. The guy is either a fucking genius or somebody up there likes him, without a shadow of a doubt. He’s a nice guy as well, really easy to be with. He’s sweet and patient—one of those people that you feel so comfortable with and happy to be with—which is a gift for a photographer. He did a great job of Control and I knew he would. He is a perfectionist, though, and in that respect working with him wasn’t easy. Doing the soundtrack was the last nail in the coffin for New Order. I realized after that me and Barney were poles apart, too far apart, and no one seemed able to bring us back together. I thought our management was useless and Steve seemed lost. It was awful. The music was great, though. Typical: you’re always better when you’re full of anger. One thing I was happy about was that Natalie Curtis was included in the publishing for the songs. The credits are “Curtis-Hook-Morris-Sumner.”
NOVEMBER 1, 1979
Joy Division plays the Civic Hall, Guildford, as part of the Buzzcocks tour. Set list: “No Love Lost,” “These Days,” “Disorder,” “Candidate,” “Shadowplay,” “Autosuggestion,” “Warsaw,” “Transmission,” “The Sound of Music.”
This was the night that Pete Shelley slipped Twinny (£3.50) to get the key to his room so he could play a practical joke on Dave Pils. Dave was awoken by a drunken Buzzcock tickling his feet under the covers. Dave ran away screaming.
NOVEMBER 2, 1979
Joy Division plays the Winter Gardens, Bournemouth, as part of the Buzzcocks tour. Set list: “I Remember Nothing,” “Love Will Tear Us Apart,” “Interzone,” “Colony,” “Insight,” “These Days,” “Digital,” “Transmission,” “Atrocity Exhibition.” The set is cut short because Ian has a fit and is taken to the hospital.
NOVEMBER 3, 1979
Joy Division gig at Sophia Gardens, Cardiff, canceled. Part of the Buzzcocks tour.
NOVEMBER 4, 1979
Joy Division plays Colston Hall, Bristol, as part of the Buzzcocks tour.
NOVEMBER 5, 1979
Joy Division plays the Pavilion, Hemel Hempstead, as part of the Buzzcocks tour. Set list (possibly incomplete): “Dead Souls,” “Wilderness,” “Twenty Four Hours,” “New Dawn Fades,” “Digital,” “Disorder,” “Interzone.”
The practical jokes went up a gear here. The Buzzcocks’ road crew told Terry that swallowing a huge lump of dope would give him a mild buzz. He was incapacitated. We arrived to find him leaning against a wall outside the venue, whimpering. We put him tenderly in Steve’s car to recover and sleep it off, then Twinny, me, and Barney took it in turns to shove lit bangers up the car exhaust and repeatedly scared him to death. Rob did the sound for the gig.
NOVEMBER 7, 1979
Joy Division plays the Pavilion, West Runton, as part of the Buzzcocks tour. Set list: “Colony,” “These Days,” “Autosuggestion,” “Twenty Four Hours,” “Love Will Tear Us Apart,” “The Sound of Music,” “Atrocity Exhibition.”
NOVEMBER 9, 1979
Joy Division plays the Rainbow Theatre, London, as part of the Buzzcocks tour. Set list: “The Sound of Music,” “Shadowplay,” “New Dawn Fades,” “Colony,” “Insight,” “Love Will Tear Us Apart,” “She’s Lost Control,” “Transmission.”
NOVEMBER 10, 1979
Joy Division plays the Rainbow Theatre, London. The last date of the Buzzcocks tour. Set list: “Dead Souls,” “Wilderness,” “Twenty Four Hours,” “Day of the Lords,” “These Days,” “Interzone,” “Disorder,” “Atrocity Exhibition.”
NOVEMBER 26, 1979
Joy Division records their second John Peel session, BBC Studios, Maida Vale, London. Produced by Tony Wilson (not the same one). Tracks recorded: “The Sound of Music,” “Twenty Four Hours,” “Colony,” “Love Will Tear Us Apart.”
DECEMBER 8, 1979
Joy Division play Eric’s, Liverpool (matinee and evening shows), with Section 25.
DECEMBER 18, 1979
Joy Division plays Les Bains Douches, Paris. Set list: “Passover,” “Wilderness,” “Disorder,” “Love Will Tear Us Apart,” “Insight,” “Shadowplay,” “Transmission,” “Day of the Lords,” “Twenty Four Hours,” “Colony,” “These Days,” “A Means to an End,” “She’s Lost Control,” “Atrocity Exhibition,” “Interzone,” “Warsaw.”
DECEMBER 31, 1979
Factory office party at Oldham Street, Manchester.
Rob bought about two hundred cans of beer for 25p each—the idea being to sell them for 50p and make back the money that we paid for the PA and the lights, so we’d break even. It was a nice idea; quite forward-thinking, actually. Rob said, “Right, I’ll sell the fucking beer. I can’t trust you bastards. I’ll do it.” But what he didn’t do was get a float, so when the first kid came up with a pound note to buy a 50p drink, Rob had no change. So he said, “Fucking have two cans.”
The kid said, “I don’t want two cans. I want one.”
“Look, we’ve got no change.”
“Well, give me the beer then.”
“Come back later and get your fifty p.”
“No, no, I’ll come back later and give you fifty p.”
Rob was like, “Oh, fucking hell!” and gave him the beer.
Anyway, so the next kid came up: same story. Rob had to keep giving the beers away and in the end he got so fucking fed up he just went, “Fuck off, the lot of you; you can have it.” And he just walked away and left the bar open.
That was when we discovered that it was easier to give drink away than it was to get people to pay for it—an important lesson, that, and one we made great use of during the Haçienda years.