Biographic - Sunday October 14, 2007 Comic Strip Licensing and Permissions

Transcript

Joy Division. Having formed as Warsaw in the Northwest of England in 1976, they renamed themselves Joy Division, self-releasing the debut EP "An Ideal for Living" in 1978. Joy Division's first album "Unknown Pleasures" was released on the fledging Factory label in 1979, produced by Martin Hannett, the album's dark sound-complimented by an iconic Peter Saville sleeve design- established the band as post-punk pioneers. But the group's burgeoning success throughout Europe was married by the deteriorating health of frontman Ian Curtis. His personal life was in turmoil, and he was also taking strong medication prescribed to combat the increasingly frequent epileptic attacks he was suffering both on and offstage, on May 18 1980, on the eve of the band's first U.S. Tour, the 23-year-old-singer took his own life. Following the release of the haunting album "Closer" the remaining members of the band- Bernard Sumner, Peter Hook and Stephen Morris- recruited Gillian Gilbert on keyboards and resurfaced as New Order. Although Joy Division only achieved moderate success at the time, the bands impact on music cannot be overstated, and U2, George Michael, the Smashing Pumpkins, and Interpol are just a few who cite the band as a major inspiration. Based on a book by Ian's widow, and starring newcomer Sam Riley as the tragic singer, the movie "Control" premiereed to rave reviews at the 2007 Cannes Film Festival.

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