Joy Division….why such acclaim?

I’m 44 so JD were over when I started secondary school.

I’ve been watching some of their videos on YouTube and I have to say, I am amazed at how much critical acclaim they received for the work they did.

I read that Ian Curtis is perceived as some kind of deity.Is there a reason for this as I didn’t sense it myself.

IMO, the material is lyrically poor, backed by average music and delivered in a faux baritone voice.

Now, The Chameleons….

I feel the same about Pink Floyd. No one else seems to agree with me though.

Joy division were another one of those bands that were so appalling and dull that only the supercool could tolerate them, as we all know, the supercool will tolerate almost anything in a bid to improve their (justifiably) low self esteem..

very similar to The Smiths and The Cure in that respect

I feel the same about Pink Floyd. No one else seems to agree with me though.

I do. Pretentious, self-indulgent noodling.

Joy Division and The Smiths were great though.

I’m not even remotely cool and I ****ing love Joy Division! Its just the kind of angry angt-ridden miserablism you should be listening too as a yoot. Admittidly I should probably have grown out of by now.

Derek…. I saw the Chameleons last December. They still gig occasionally. They were awesome!!!

I like Joy Division but love New Order. Ceremony IMO is the most haunting song I have ever heard. I am though very insecure but equally supercool.

Raw honesty. Mostly appreciated by those in touch with a modicum of their own emotional intelligence.

Is it because they are not New Order?

Here here Binners. Ian Curtis properly gets inside your head.

I am with binners…angry angsty and stylish . 100% original.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pWeRthcQxyc

The chameleons are **** awesome too but have done more shit stuff

I recall as a teenage punk/goth of the late 70’s / early 80’s, they were a band very much for the cool Uni student of that period, I don’t recall any kids at school or around town being into them.

I discovered them years later and really like most of it. I assumed their more recent deity status being down to a combo of dark mysterious troubled lead singer meets early death, Factory Records troubled history, Hacienda connections, cool film prompting lots of people to bend the truth about being really into them back in the day, when in fact they weren’t that big a band at the time.

I loved them at the time and love them now I even have the oven gloves. I was the least cool kid at school and at poly. I’m not sure you tube is the way to appreciate them though better on a c 90 cassette played on a cheap gehetto blaster.

why such acclaim

their long term influence on music

Agree with the sentiment on Ceremony – proper tune.

As a massive New Order Fan, I didnt get Joy Division at 1st but its that kind of music that grows and grows I love em now. Like Binners says he gets in your head.

All about originality. Like the Chameleons weren’t.

There are leaders and there are followers – some people prefer the followers.

Most Joy Division stuff does sound really dated now though. To be expected I suppose.

Also, there’s a real emotional undercurrent in JD’s music – from every instrument. I still feel tearful when I her ‘Atmosphere’ as it was the first song I heard when John Peel died. I mean the guitar in Dead Souls and New Dawn Fades. If you don’t get it, you don’t get it!

All about originality. Like the Chameleons weren’t.

The Chameleons were before the Smiths and EATBM, think they even produced their first album

I listened to JP all the time around the Chameleons era and they were just another band to me, ok songs, but nothing special.

I would have thought both the Cure and Smiths weere pretty original too.

and a b side

So, we’re that bereft of culture that, as long as something has a bit of originality, or angst (emotional intelligence in woppits rather optimistic vocabulary), or (his holy reverence) john peel told us to listen to it, then whether it’s any good or not is immaterial?

There are leaders and there are followers – some people prefer the followers.

No, there are no leaders without followers

Lyrically poor?
Tell us a which songs you admire the lyrics to, just so we have a valid point of comparison.
IC came up with some of the most brutally honest lyrics I can think of.
Silly sod was a bit of a genius that way.

I’m 44 as well, they’ve been part of my musical life since I was 11.
The sparse arrangements were unusual at the time, with the bass playing what would normally be the guitar parts.
It all works though.

I don’t believe in good or bad music. But I think JD’s music is so emotionally charged I find it difficult to believe that it could fail to gain a reaction in anyone who has actually bothered to listen.

No, there are no leaders without followersNo, there are no leaders without followers

What? Is that some kind of spam? Freak.

something has a bit of originality, or angst

…and with both. Great!

(Jeez, I can’t believe I’m discussing the merits of Joy Division in 2013. I’m not even sure if they are on my iPod)

Liking Joy Division makes you bereft of culture? Sorry Yunki, but as far as popular culture goes, I think Ian Curtis is a pretty high watermark. I can’t think of many others who can express such raw emotion so poetically and honestly.

The sparse arrangements were unusual at the time, with the bass playing what would normally be the guitar parts.
It all works though.

wall of sound production ?

One song played 50000 times, thats how I see JD.

Well said.
Billy Bragg and Mozzer are the only other songwriters that occassionally embarass me with their honesty.

Martin Hannett was a genius of a producer as well, let’s not forget.

I’m only trolling, the whole navel gazing genre utterly passed me by

One song played 50000 times, thats how I see JD

They all sound the same?? 😆 That’s what my dad used to say about punk.

And if we’re posting our favourite joy division videos… 🙂

All about originality. Like the Chameleons weren’t.

I really struggle with this. I followed the Chameleons when they were fresh out and I can’t for the life of me think who they were ripping off? Their guitar sound was a real breath of fresh air at the time.

[edit] I didn’t get the Chameleons… and the OP doesn’t get Joy Division. Takes all sorts eh?

I like Joy Division but love New Order. Ceremony IMO is the most haunting song I have ever heard.

Ceremony is a Joy Division song!

Awesome, loved them as a teenager, still love them.

Different people like different music shocker!

Like what you like, enjoy it, don’t worry about what other people like, unless you have to live with them and share a stereo.

What I find a bit odd is that there seems to be a cultural pressure to either like or dislike a band or genre as a whole. I like lots of bands, but I’m struggling to think of any where there aren’t some songs that I don’t like. There’s also plenty of bands that I’m not really a ‘fan’ of, but I like something(s) they’ve done.

Understandable when you’re a teenager maybe, when the music you listen to can be part of how you define yourself as a person, putting the band’s logo on your school bag, wearing the t-shirt and all that, or being part of a “scene” but surely by the time you’ve reached the middle-aged Audi driving phase of life, the pressure’s lifted and you can like whatever sounds good in your ears?

you can like whatever sounds good in your ears

Now there’s a novel idea! 🙂

Atmosphere.

/end thread./