Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark Wiki
Joy Division 1 bw

Joy Division (l-r: Sumner, Curtis, Hook, Morris)

Joy Division were a post-punk group hailing from Manchester, UK formed by Ian Curtis (vocalist), Peter Hook (bass), Bernard Sumner (guitars and keyboards) and Stephen Morris (drums). Discovered by entrepreneur Tony Wilson after releasing their self-financed debut EP An Ideal For Living, they were one of the first signings to the city's independent Factory label and became pioneers of the indie movement of the late 70s.

On 18 May 1980, just weeks after completing their second album Closer and on the eve of a tour of the US, the group's vocalist Ian Curtis committed suicide at his own home. Joy Division effectively ceased to exist after Curtis' death, the surviving three members going on to form New Order

Links to OMD[]

Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark were briefly 'label-mates' with Joy Division during their time as a Factory band (even though there were famously no written arrangements with the artists on the label's roster). Like Joy Division, OMD had been 'discovered' by Factory boss Tony Wilson. They consequently shared the same live bill on several occasions, including the "Factory v. Zoo" festival in Leigh in the summer, 1979.

Both bands made their UK chart debuts in the Spring/Summer of 1980. Joy Division entered the charts with Love Will Tear Us Apart in the first week of June, just as OMD were going down with Messages (nos. 30 & 20 respectively). The same feat was achieved the following week (the respective singles were at nos.18 & 39).

OMD were influenced by the Joy Division, and especially by Curtis. The song Statues is said to have been written about Curtis' death, which occurred when OMD were writing and recording for the Organisation album.

In the duo's 'All Time Top tens' published in Smash Hits in September 1980, Andy McCluskey placed Joy Division's Decades as his no.1 choice, and Atmosphre at no.5, while Paul Humphreys placed Atmosphere at no.1 and Isolation at no.7. McCluskey chose Atmosphere as one of his Tracks of My Years in 2013

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