Ian Curtis's Gravestone Has Been Stolen

BBC reports: *The gravestone of former Joy Division frontman Ian Curtis has been stolen from a Cheshire cemetery. Curtis was 23 when he hanged himself in the kitchen of his Macclesfield home in May 1980, shortly before the band was due to go on tour in the US. Cheshire Police said his memorial stone was taken from where he is buried in Macclesfield Cemetery. Officers are appealing for anyone with information on its whereabouts to contact them. Detectives said the stone, which has the inscription "Ian Curtis 18 - 5 - 80" and the words "Love Will Tear Us Apart" was taken sometime between Tuesday afternoon and Wednesday morning.* Read more here.

MP3: Joy Division - Transmission

CONTEST: Joy Division Prize Pack

Wanna own the following goodies?

-A DVD of the Anton Corbijn directed flick: Control (out 6/3)
-An eponymous doc showcasing the legendary act (out 6/17)

E-mail us for a chance to win! (US only)

Victor will be selected randomly on Saturday @ 5pm.

Watch a trailer for Joy Division here.

MP3: Joy Division - She's Lost Control (Demo)

New Order Drummer Continues To Deny Split

Watch S. Morris discuss the longevity of Joy Division & the future of New Order below.


MP3: New Order - World In Motion

'Control' Wins Big At Brit Film Indies

NME reports: *'Control', Anton Corbijn's film about Joy Division frontman Ian Curtis, has won five awards at the British Independent Film Awards, including Best British Independent Film and Best Director. The ceremony, held at London's Roundhouse, saw former NME photographer Corbijn awarded Best Director and Best Debut Director. Sam Riley, who portrayed Curtis in 'Control', received the Most Promising Newcomer award. Toby Kebbell, who played Joy Division's manager Rob Gretton, took home the gong for Best Performance By A Supporting Actor Or Actress In A British Independent Film. The winners were chosen by a panel of filmmakers, actors and members of the film industry.*

MP3: Joy Division - Love Will Tear Us Apart (via Colon)

Retro Clip: Joy Division Visits BBC, Circa '79

Check out legendary performances of 'Transmission' & 'She's Lost Control' below.

MP3: Joy Division - Disorder

The World Of B-Sides & Rarities, #220

Dr. Dre - Let's Get High (Joy Division Mash-Up)

'Let's Get High'

PLUS

'A Means To An End'

EQUALS

MP3: Dr. Dre - Let's Get High (Joy Division Mash-Up)

The World Of B-Sides & Rarities, #176

Joy Division - She's Lost Control (12" Remix)

Quite possibly my favorite track from the legendary band.

Enjoy a rare remix of the tune below.

Info on JD's newly reissued LPs can be found here.

MP3: Joy Division - She's Lost Control (12" Remix)

Peter Hook Shares His Post-New Order Plans

Billboard reports: *Peter Hook has no interest in being idle. The former New Order/Joy Division bassist is making progress with his new project Freebase, which gathers Smiths bassist Andy Rourke & Stone Roses' Mani. "I've sat down with Mani & Rourke and we desperately want to play the festivals next year... We're going to work our balls off up until Christmas to get this f*cking record finished." Hook reckons the album is more than a third, but less than half, complete.

A Freebase work-in-progress, "I Envy Us," is posted on Hook's MySpace page because, he explains, "I was sick of talking about it without it being there." As previously reported, some of Manchester's finest frontmen have been involved in the project, including the Charlatans' Tim Burgess and Stone Roses' Ian Brown. "With the demise of New Order, I was happy to just not play for a while but now I'm missing it. And I want to get into it as soon as possible. There's quite a few things as a musician that I want to get into." Hook has his fingers in a few other music pies. The artist has penned a track for Tony Wilson, the late entrepreneur who signed Joy Division & New Order to his Factory Records label, and will reform Monaco for a late September charity performance in Manchester, England. But after engaging in a recent war of words with his New Order bandmates, Hook admits there is no hope for a reunion. "We're getting on like a house on fire. We've patched up. But the bottom line is we won't be working together again."*

MP3: New Order - The Perfect Kiss (live) (via Street Party)

New Order Records New Instrumentals For 'Control'

"Exit", "Hypnosis" and "Get Out" are all brand new instrumentals recorded by New Order (before their split) for the upcoming Ian Curtis-based film, Control. The soundtrack, which is out in the UK on 10/1, does not have a U.S. release date, thus far. However, the Anton Corbjin-directed flic will make its way towards American theaters on October 10th. Can't wait!

Control track listing:

New Order - Exit
The Velvet Underground - What Goes On
The Killers - Shadowplay
Buzzcocks - Boredom (live)
Joy Division - Dead Souls
Supersister - She Was Naked
Iggy Pop - Sister Midnight
Joy Division - Love Will Tear Us Apart
Sex Pistols - Problems (live)
New Order - Hypnosis
David Bowie - Drive-In Saturday
John Cooper Clarke - Evidently Chickentown
Roxy Music - 2HB
Joy Division - Transmission (cast version)
Kraftwerk - Autobahn
Joy Division - Atmosphere
David Bowie - Warszawa
New Order - Get Out

MP3: Joy Division - Disorder

Joy Division's Classic LPs Re-Released W/ Bonus Material

Unknown Pleasures, Still & Closer will all see a re-release next month (just ahead of the UK premiere of the much-buzzed Ian Curtis-based film, Control). Each record will come with an extra live CD. Full track listing to these bonus discs can be found below. Additionally and in particular, 'Love Will Tear Us Apart' will be re-released as a single next month, as well. Read more about the re-release schedule here.

'Unknown Pleasures': Live At Factory Manchester (1-14) and The Moonlight Club, West Hampstead (15+16)

'Dead Souls'
'The Only Mistake'
'Insight'
'Candidate'
'Wilderness'
'She's Lost Control'
'Shadowplay'
'Disorder'
'Interzone'
'Atrocity Exhibition'
'Novelty'
'Transmission'
'Novelty' (mono)
'Transmission' (mono)
'Love Will Tear Us Apart'
'Glass'

'Closer': Live at ULU

'Dead Souls'
'Glass'
'A Means To An End'
'24 Hours'
'Shadowplay'
'Insight'
'Colony'
'These Days'
'Love Will Tear Us Apart'
'Isolation'
'The Eternal'
'Digital'

'Still': Live At High Wycombe

GIG:'Isolation'
'The Eternal'
'Ice Age'
'Disorder'
'The Sound Of Music'
'The Eternal'
SOUNDCHECK: 'The Sound Of Music'
'A Means To An End'
'Colony'
'24 Hours'
'Isolation'
'Love Will Tear Us Apart'
'Disorder'
'Atrocity Exhibition'

MP3: Joy Division - Dead Souls

RIP Tony Wilson

NME reports: *Anthony H. Wilson, co-founder of Factory Records, has died of a heart attack today at the age of 57. Wilson is best known for signing legendary bands including Joy Division and New Order to his label, and as owner of the Hacienda nightclub in Manchester. He played a key role in the Madchester scene of the late 1980s and early 1990s, signing the Happy Mondays. Wilson passed away on this evening in the hospital after suffering a heart attack that his doctor said was unrelated to his recent battle with cancer.

Professor Robert Hawkins, his doctor at Christie hospital, told the Guardian: "It's very sad. He died as a result of something unrelated to his cancer. His cancer was responding well to treatment but obviously did contribute to his poor health". Recently it was recommended he take the drug Sutent after chemotherapy failed to treat the disease effectively, but the NHS refused to pay for the £3500-a-month treatment. However, the Happy Mondays and other bands he signed had started a charity fund to help pay for Wilson's treatment. His family are reportedly declining to comment at this time, but thanked the staff at the MRI and Christie who have provided "fantastic" care for him over the last few months.*

MP3s: Joy Division - Glass + New Order - Blue Monday

Editors Respond To Interpol Comparisons

It doesn't sound like Editors frontman, Tom Smith, is a happy camper. Check out the following quotes, via Culture Deluxe regarding the band's much-discussed similarities with Interpol: "If you're a music journalist saying that then you're deaf and need a new job."

"When people dismiss us as a second-rate whoever it pisses you off. Vocally there is a similarity with Interpol and that's fine but our first album 'The Back Room' doesn't sound anything like them. What amazes me is we still get that on this record, 'An End Has A Start', which sounds nothing like Interpol or Joy Division."

No disrespect to Tom, as I understand his frustration and have much love for Editors, but to say that the band sounds 'nothing like Interpol or Joy Division' is really quite absurd.

(photo via SF Station)

MP3: Editors - All Sparks

Peter Hook Responds To 'Control'

The former Joy Division & New Order member speaks to XFM about his reaction to the Ian Curtis-based, critically revered biopic, Control:

"I really enjoyed it... But it was like having your heart stamped on. The weirdest thing was at the end, when it really hurt and everybody started clapping. It would've been nice to have a dignified silence.

"You're sat there thinking "Fuck me I lived that!" It was like being dissected. And then I went to take a piss and Ian and Bernard Sumner were next to me... well the actors that played them and I was like that... 'Aaaaah!'. That was surreal.

"The way I always like to look at it is that you can judge how good a film is by how many people go to take a piss during it, and only two people went for a piss - Bernard and a 70-year-old woman."

MP3: Joy Division - Ceremony

'Control': The Official Trailer

On Monday, I shared with you an interview with Control director, Anton Corbijn, as well as some tiny clips from forthcoming Ian Curtis-basd movie. Today I bring you the film's official 4-minute trailer. It's going to be a difficult task waiting any longer for this one! Judging from these brief YouTube videos, it seems as if the film is going to be spectacular.


MP3: Joy Division - Warsaw

Your First Taste Of Joy Division Biopic

An interview with director, Anton Corbijn, plus some small teaser clips from the heavily-buzzed, Control, can be seen below. I surely hope you enjoy subtitles...


If you haven't already heard, the movie has been extraordinarily well-received at this year's Cannes Film Festival. It should make its US premiere sometime around September. We'll keep you updated as we receive info.

MP3: Joy Division - Shadowplay

Covering Joy Division Is The New Black

First The Killers, now LCD Soundsystem. Both within the past 45 days. Who's next?

Seems like while we were preoccupied with the thought of Franz Ferdinand & John Cale covering LCD's 'All My Friends', we forgot to mention that the upcoming single also includes a kickass Joy Division cover of 'No Love Lost'.

Two thumbs up, James Murphy, well done. Take a listen to the tune below.

While we sadly missed Saturday's LCD show at Studio B, Product Shop NYC has a great recap of the evening, including photo and setlist. Looks like it was a great night. Check that feature out here!

MP3: LCD Soundsystem - No Love Lost

Killing The Joy?

Just this morning we were telling you how the upcoming Joy Division flick will make an appearance at this spring's Cannes Film Festival and now, ironically enough, we've got the first cover from Control's soundtrack to share with you.

It's The Killers' take on Joy Division fave 'Shadowplay'.

Take a listen to the tune below and tell us what you think.

I'm still undecided on this one.

MP3: The Killers - Shadowplay

Joy Division Biopic Headed To Cannes

Via NME: "The forthcoming Joy Division movie based on the life of late frontman Ian Curtis is to feature at this year's Cannes Film Festival. The biopic, directed by Anton Corbijn, has been chosen to open the Directors' Fortnight section of the prestigious event next month.

Based on the book 'A Touching Distance', by Curtis' widow, 'Control' trails the final years of the Joy Division singer, who committed suicide in 1980. Corbijn's film debut feature focuses on the singer's rise to fame, as well as his relationships and his struggle with epilepsy.

Leeds newcomer Sam Riley and German actress Alexandra Maria Lara will play the part of his lover Annik Honore. Curtis' widow is played by Oscar-nominated actress Samantha Morton. The Killers have contributed a cover of the 1979 Joy Division track 'Shadowplay' - which they debuted at this year's Shockwaves NME Awards - for the film's soundtrack and New Order have recorded the incidental music for the movie.

Cannes' Directors' Fortnight takes place from May 17-27."

MP3: Joy Division - Love Will Tear Us Apart

Introducing The Joy Division Sneaker

Info on the sneaker via HypeBeast:

Here is an interesting sneaker if you’re a fan of New Balance or English rock band Joy Division. It looks like New Balance has produced a tribute sneaker for this legendary group. The sneaker is done in white and grey featuring Joy Division’s first album cover graphics on the tongue and insole. We don’t know if these are going to release, but we will certainly keep you posted when more information surfaces.

More images here.

MP3: Joy Division - Colony

The Killers Cover Joy Division!

Oh... no.

This just in: A new Killers cover of the 1979 Joy Division song “Shadowplay” will appear on the soundtrack of a new movie called Control, directed by Anton Corbijan. The movie will come out next month.

No word yet on the release date for the soundtrack. Is there any chance at all this cover will be decent?

I'm feeling quite hesitant. 'Shadowplay' is one of my all-time fave Joy Division tunes. Your thoughts?

MP3: Joy Division - Shadowplay (via Something I Learned)