Joy Division

I must admit that this is a band that I don't understand. Or at least I don't understand what is so great about it. Yes, it is dark and intense, but except for a few songs the melodies are not great and the vocals just don't work for me.

From NJ 08/11/2019 04:46 | #241053

Between this band and Radiohead, I'm gonna have to give the position of "my favorite" to the latter due to their longevity. But the things Joy Division were able to do in a measly 3 years is amazing. They released two of the greatest albums of all time, yet perhaps their three best songs were just singles. New Order is good, and Joy Division was definitely moving in that direction, but it's a shame Ian didn't get to continue. Perhaps his legacy would be more common knowledge if he had.

Can Only wonder how great their third record would have been.

Great post-punk act. Sad they only released 2 amazing albums.

Really not a fan. Music is interesting if not atmospheric, but ultimately for me falls a bit short of the mark. Although they manage to make the listener feel claustrophobic, and that in itself is quite a talent, it is quite boring and stuck in 3rd gear for me, and I really don't like Curtis' voice, but may he RIP.

Very few bands know how to create atmosphere like Joy Division.

From souplipton 09/04/2016 21:05 | #174283

Joy Division is one the most unique, and uniquely powerful bands ever. Their music is extremely emotional, and gives off a sense of loneliness and isolation which is unparalleled. The loss of Ian Curtis is one of the biggest tragedies in music history.

Did you know that an earlier incarnation of the band were called Boy Division; Ian, Barney, Stephen & Hookie would sit on stools, sing Ian's dark lyric in unison, standing up for the second chorus

From DeusExMackia 05/18/2016 17:59 | #166414

(Rewriting my comment, as my previous simply doesn't do them justice.)

Take Joy Division for what they were literally, and you have a superbly dark and moody band who captured the very essence of their time and place and converted it into music.

Go further than that and you will discover one of the most hard-hitting, innovative and truly groundbreaking bands of all time. Their influence alone is proof enough of their skill - it stretches far beyond the realms of Post-Punk and far into all forms of modern culture.

It's been said a million times before, but there is no denying how Ian Curtis drove this band. His words, most importantly, define Joy Divisions legacy. But there can also be no doubt that the work of his fellow band members - Sumners, Hook, Morris - and that of their producer Martin Harnett helped to vastly expand Curtis' message and give it more life and figure than they could have possibly imagined.

I don't see a band when I see Joy Division, I see a vision. That vision was so well realised and so well designed that the music it produced continues to be just as powerful, bold and enlightening today as it was in the late 70s. Perhaps it is even made more effective by the tragedy of Ian Curtis, who's story is so deeply woven into Joy Division's sound and perception.

Few artists can claim to be quite as effective as Joy Division, and almost none can claim to be better. One of the most important, groundbreaking and incredible bands of all time.

Undeniably classic, innovative, and influential. I was drawn in by the proto-80s production, Morrison-esque singing and atmosphere, and bass dominance. Don't let their punk roots scare you off.