Ian Curtis 40th Anniversary of his Death

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an tha

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Ian Curtis 40th Anniversary of his Death
« on: May 18, 2020, 01:42:44 PM »
Closer by Joy Division is one of my favourite albums of all time.

I was totally obsessed with it as a teenager.

40 years ago today Ian Curtis took his own life.

Thank you, Ian - for leaving an indelible mark.

https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/music/features/ian-curtis-joy-division-death-anniversary-peter-hook-closer-unknown-pleasures-a9511671.html



My favourite Joy Division tracks:



So this is permanent, love's shattered pride.
What once was innocence, turned on its side.
A cloud hangs over me, marks every move,
Deep in the memory, of what once was love.
Oh how I realized how I wanted time,
Put into perspective, tried so hard to find,
Just for one moment, thought I'd found my way.
Destiny unfolded, I watched it slip away.
Excessive flash points, beyond all reach,
Solitary demands for all I'd like to keep.
Let's take a ride out, see what we can find,
A valueless collection of hopes and past desires.
I never realized the lengths I'd have to go,
All the darkest corners of a sense I didn't know.
Just for one moment, I heard somebody call,
Looked beyond the day in hand, there's nothing there at all.
Now that I've realized how it's all gone wrong,
Gotta find some therapy, this treatment takes too long.
Deep in the heart of where sympathy held sway,
Gotta find my destiny, before it gets too late.




Here are the young men, the weight on their shoulders,
Here are the young men, well where have they been?
We knocked on the doors of Hell's darker chamber,
Pushed to the limit, we dragged ourselves in,
Watched from the wings as the scenes were replaying,
We saw ourselves now as we never had seen.
Portrayal of the trauma and degeneration,
The sorrows we suffered and never were free.
Where have they been?
Where have they been?
Where have they been?
Where have they been?
Weary inside, now our heart's lost forever,
Can't replace the fear, or the thrill of the chase,
Each ritual showed up the door for our wanderings,
Open then shut, then slammed in our face.
Where have they been?
Where have they been?
Where have they been?
Where have they been?



Procession moves on, the shouting is over,
Praise to the glory of loved ones now gone.
Talking aloud as they sit round their tables,
Scattering flowers washed down by the rain.
Stood by the gate at the foot of the garden,
Watching them pass like clouds in the sky,
Try to cry out in the heat of the moment,
Possessed by a fury that burns from inside.
Cry like a child, though these years make me older,
With children my time is so wastefully spent,
A burden to keep, though their inner communion,
Accept like a curse an unlucky deal.
Played by the gate at the foot of the garden,
My view stretches out from the fence to the wall,
No words could explain, no actions determine,
Just watching the trees and the leaves as they fall



« Last Edit: May 18, 2020, 02:01:36 PM by an tha »
I know you are here to kill me. Shoot, coward, you are only going to kill a man

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Smee

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Re: Ian Curtis 40th Anniversary of his Death
« Reply #1 on: May 18, 2020, 03:31:58 PM »
RIP Ian. Thank You for everything. From a fan
« Last Edit: May 18, 2020, 03:37:42 PM by Smee »
In the garden I was playing the tart
I kissed your lips and broke your heart
You
You were acting like it was the end of the world

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an tha

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Re: Ian Curtis 40th Anniversary of his Death
« Reply #2 on: May 18, 2020, 04:27:06 PM »
Good article from Consequence of Sound ranking all Joy Division tracks.

https://consequenceofsound.net/2020/05/ranking-joy-division-songs/
I know you are here to kill me. Shoot, coward, you are only going to kill a man

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Codeguy

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Re: Ian Curtis 40th Anniversary of his Death
« Reply #3 on: May 18, 2020, 05:01:54 PM »
Good article from Consequence of Sound ranking all Joy Division tracks.

https://consequenceofsound.net/2020/05/ranking-joy-division-songs/
Great article. Wasn't the same after Curtis' suicide, though New Order did have a few decent songs.
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Too tall to be a despot

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an tha

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Re: Ian Curtis 40th Anniversary of his Death
« Reply #4 on: May 18, 2020, 05:09:50 PM »
Good article from Consequence of Sound ranking all Joy Division tracks.

https://consequenceofsound.net/2020/05/ranking-joy-division-songs/
Great article. Wasn't the same after Curtis' suicide, though New Order did have a few decent songs.

They were a snapshot in time and a reflection of Curtis' tortured mind - what they went on to be after his death was a different beast.
I know you are here to kill me. Shoot, coward, you are only going to kill a man

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Codeguy

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Re: Ian Curtis 40th Anniversary of his Death
« Reply #5 on: May 18, 2020, 09:34:02 PM »
Good article from Consequence of Sound ranking all Joy Division tracks.

https://consequenceofsound.net/2020/05/ranking-joy-division-songs/
Great article. Wasn't the same after Curtis' suicide, though New Order did have a few decent songs.

They were a snapshot in time and a reflection of Curtis' tortured mind - what they went on to be after his death was a different beast.
Isn't it true that the greatest art comes from a terrible place.
-------

Too tall to be a despot

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MPare1966

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Re: Ian Curtis 40th Anniversary of his Death
« Reply #6 on: May 18, 2020, 11:19:36 PM »
My story with Joy Division and Closer is very much tied up to my school radio crew, back in 83-84. One of the guys, Phil, was the resident guru in all-things alternative. He knew about bands that were never played on local FM radio, like JD, of course, but others like Bauhaus, Echo and the Bunnymen, Violent Femmes, English Beat, Siouxsie and the Banshees, etc... He was buying imported records from a small independent shop in MTL and was very protective of his “discoveries”, like he wanted to keep it to himself, if you get what I mean.

He would tell the rest of us that we were basically not worthy, with all of our worship of the Led Zeppelin-Pink Floyd-Who dinosaurs. He wasn’t too impressed with U2 either, saying they were already sell-outs with UABRS...

I remember Love Will Tear Us Apart being played at a few house parties, but that’s about it. Alas, I never really got into the band. It was like a “OK Phil, keep your fringe bands to yourself” kinda thing. A bid sad actually. I did get to listen to a lot of New Order later on, if that counts as some sort of redemption....

This is what Phil wrote in my yearbook, when our stint in high school ended that year (loose translation)

Dear Martin, even your beloved Bono loves Joy Division. So, amongst all your idols, two of them admire this wonderful band. ANARCHY!



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an tha

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Re: Ian Curtis 40th Anniversary of his Death
« Reply #7 on: May 19, 2020, 04:17:54 AM »
Good article from Consequence of Sound ranking all Joy Division tracks.

https://consequenceofsound.net/2020/05/ranking-joy-division-songs/
Great article. Wasn't the same after Curtis' suicide, though New Order did have a few decent songs.

They were a snapshot in time and a reflection of Curtis' tortured mind - what they went on to be after his death was a different beast.
Isn't it true that the greatest art comes from a terrible place.

Yes - absolutely IMO.

I am not saying it has to come from a bad place, but much, much more often than not it is the case for me.
I know you are here to kill me. Shoot, coward, you are only going to kill a man

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an tha

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Re: Ian Curtis 40th Anniversary of his Death
« Reply #8 on: May 19, 2020, 06:02:25 AM »
My story with Joy Division and Closer is very much tied up to my school radio crew, back in 83-84. One of the guys, Phil, was the resident guru in all-things alternative. He knew about bands that were never played on local FM radio, like JD, of course, but others like Bauhaus, Echo and the Bunnymen, Violent Femmes, English Beat, Siouxsie and the Banshees, etc... He was buying imported records from a small independent shop in MTL and was very protective of his “discoveries”, like he wanted to keep it to himself, if you get what I mean.

He would tell the rest of us that we were basically not worthy, with all of our worship of the Led Zeppelin-Pink Floyd-Who dinosaurs. He wasn’t too impressed with U2 either, saying they were already sell-outs with UABRS...

I remember Love Will Tear Us Apart being played at a few house parties, but that’s about it. Alas, I never really got into the band. It was like a “OK Phil, keep your fringe bands to yourself” kinda thing. A bid sad actually. I did get to listen to a lot of New Order later on, if that counts as some sort of redemption....

This is what Phil wrote in my yearbook, when our stint in high school ended that year (loose translation)

Dear Martin, even your beloved Bono loves Joy Division. So, amongst all your idols, two of them admire this wonderful band. ANARCHY!

Nice!
I know you are here to kill me. Shoot, coward, you are only going to kill a man

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Smee

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Re: Ian Curtis 40th Anniversary of his Death
« Reply #9 on: May 19, 2020, 11:51:49 AM »
Well...i did my part in paying tribute to Ian Curtis yesterday. I listened to Closer and Unknown Pleasures, watched a 3 hour live feed celebrating (for the most part) Joy Division and Ian Curtis. Then i watched COntrol (brilliant movie) and ended off the day watching an interview with peter Hook, about Joy Division and New Order.
Kinda sad to see only 4 people commenting on this thread.
In the garden I was playing the tart
I kissed your lips and broke your heart
You
You were acting like it was the end of the world

*

guest532

Re: Ian Curtis 40th Anniversary of his Death
« Reply #10 on: May 19, 2020, 12:00:58 PM »
Well...i did my part in paying tribute to Ian Curtis yesterday. I listened to Closer and Unknown Pleasures, watched a 3 hour live feed celebrating (for the most part) Joy Division and Ian Curtis. Then i watched COntrol (brilliant movie) and ended off the day watching an interview with peter Hook, about Joy Division and New Order.
Kinda sad to see only 4 people commenting on this thread.

Control is a good film and I'm not even a fan of the band.


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Smee

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Re: Ian Curtis 40th Anniversary of his Death
« Reply #11 on: May 19, 2020, 02:38:26 PM »
Well...i did my part in paying tribute to Ian Curtis yesterday. I listened to Closer and Unknown Pleasures, watched a 3 hour live feed celebrating (for the most part) Joy Division and Ian Curtis. Then i watched COntrol (brilliant movie) and ended off the day watching an interview with peter Hook, about Joy Division and New Order.
Kinda sad to see only 4 people commenting on this thread.

Control is a good film and I'm not even a fan of the band.

It sure is a great movie. Very powerful ending, with Atmosphere playing. Really got to me last night.

*PS, i am shocked. I just went to check out Control on IMDB. I totally did not click that Samantha Morton played the part of Ian Curtis's wife in the movie. Didnt even look like her.  :o
« Last Edit: May 19, 2020, 02:43:40 PM by Smee »
In the garden I was playing the tart
I kissed your lips and broke your heart
You
You were acting like it was the end of the world