Many believe that Unknown Pleasures is what started it all for Joy Division. Technically speaking, this is true as it was the band’s first album; however, there is too much evidence to say that it was the only contributor to their rise in prevalence. In the same sense, it is not enough to conclude that Joy Division only had an everlasting effect on the music industry either.
From my perspective, the band’s popularity still remains strong despite only having two released albums a little over forty years ago. I find it utterly fascinating that regardless of the amount of time that has passed, we are still seeing new and old fans alike keep this band alive and prospering. “But why?” you may ask. Why does a band this brief and this “old” still receive this much love and support?
For me, I know that I was exposed to Joy Division from a very young age via my mother. It was something that she listened to while growing up–along with The Cure, New Order, The Smiths, and the Pet Shop Boys. She is what kept this band alive for me and inspired me to explore the topic a little more. Although there are many who can relate to my story, it still does not answer our question upfront. Instead, it requires a little more digging. For instance, did you notice a trend within the bands I listed? Each band not only came out after Joy Division, but also harbours similar stylistic choices and genres within their music.
Joy Division marked the beginning of the post-punk era of music influenced by the increased use of synthesisers, jangly guitars, pop hooks, Angular sounds, and a whole lot of emotion hidden in between lyrics. Individuals at the time found this evolved genre to be intriguing and unique which is why they rose in popularity so quickly. In future years, their workings only inspired countless artists worldwide, many of which hold the utmost respect for the band. (this is explored more thoroughly in another post)
Likewise, there is one more thing I would like to add before closing this introduction. I also believe that another prominent contributor to Joy Division's eternal flame is the humanity that they expressed through their music and backgrounds. In truth, they did not know what they were getting themselves into when they decided to form the band. They were all young–late teens to early twenties–individuals, balancing their own unsatisfying jobs and greyscale lives with an opportunity that had unbeknownst outcomes for all of them. Moreover, they had their own struggles and hardships–especially lead vocalist, Ian Curtis– which they managed to convey throughout the workings of their music. Thus, allowing for others to relate to these feelings for endless years to come.
Sources:
Coombs, Charlie. “How Joy Division Changed Music - Thred Website.” Thred Website, 18 June 2019, thred.com/culture/how-joy-division-changed-music/. Accessed 30 May 2023.
Today, many are aware that Ian Curtis suffered from an abundant amount of mental health issues throughout the Joy Division’s active years, primarily caused by his anti-seizure medications for his epilepsy. Likewise, even more know about his unfortunate self-inflicted end via suicide. This awareness of Curtis' inner turmoil was not always apparent to those he surrounded himself with, through. In fact, his own bandmates, wife, and family knew little about what was going on until it was too late.
Within the music industry, this story is more common than you may think. For years, artists of every kind have been seeking out forms of coping mechanisms and alternative outlets to help subdue or hide their mental or physical hardships. Personally, I do not believe that there is an artist–let alone an individual–who has not struggled in some shape or form, yet this trend seems to be more frequent within the music industry.
But why is this so?
Well… although Curtis’ prescribed drugs played a large role in his overall health, there were other factors that can undoubtedly be generalised to the entire music industry. For instance, one of the most prominent points includes that as an individual gains more popularity, the worse their mental health becomes. This was true for Curtis as he had already been dealing with depression since he was sixteen and it only proceeded to get worse when the band moved from underground to above ground performances. In other words, his life started to become more hectic and high-pressure due to an increase in popularity. Ironically–like many struggling artists–his deteriorating health helped to shape the many themes of Unknown Pleasures which countless fans could relate to (ex. pressure, failure, lack of control, coldness and cruelty).
I wish I could say that Curtis’ mental health and morbid outcome served as an eye-opener to all musicians and struggling individuals alike, but I can't because it is just not true. The music industry has been plagued with this ‘tragic poet’ curse for centuries and this dark reality is one that many overlook or desensitise for all the wonderful things it brings to our world. As mentioned previously, eternal demise is what this industry is built upon as well, because if we take away the humanity and realism within songs, then we as a society will never be able to relate to them. Thus, the best we can do to assist others in these dark times and prevent the path that Ian Curtis took is to raise awareness on this topic and not let it become just another story for the books.
Sources:
Division, Joy. “Joy Division: Transmissions | on Recording Unknown Pleasures.” YouTube, YouTube Video, 20 June 2019, www.youtube.com/watch?v=tBklD89yOxo. Accessed 28 May 2023.
Devereux, Eoin, and Martin J. Power. “Joy Division’s Influences and Enduring Cultural Legacy.” The Irish Times, The Irish Times, 14 Dec. 2018, www.irishtimes.com/culture/books/joy-division-s-influences-and-enduring-cultural-legacy-1.3729068. Accessed 30 May 2023.
Will Joy Division’s Impact on the Music Industry ever Disappear?
In my opinion, this answer is pretty straightforward given how much Joy Division has already impacted not only the music industry, but society as a whole. If you feel otherwise, then I would like you to hear me out on this one point before committing to such an upfront conclusion.
It has been just over four decades since Joy Division Disbanded in 1980 and still their impact on the music industry has not diminished. Forty years proved to be enough time for a society to evolve in many ways whether that be through something as straightforward as technology or as complex as internal morals and societal values and yet, Joy Division remained a constant staple throughout this progression.
In fact, their legacy has only grown stronger over time due to increases in musicians and listeners wanting a nostalgic taste of the not-so-distant past of the late 70s, 80s, and 90s. Even if the post-punk era has significantly decreased in the past few years, this does not mean that its characteristics are not being utilised. Furthermore, even in their short time, they manage to fabricate parts of our cultural identity as we know it today, allowing individuals to relate to Ian Curtis’ introspective lyrics as well as captivate inspiration from their evolved punk rock sound.
What I am trying to explain is that the music of Joy Division is timeless. Even if individuals do eventually forget the origins of post-punk, contemporary music within similar categories will always have the stylistic roots tied into their songs. The domino effect is a good metaphor for this notion since it describes time passing with the impact of the initial force always present. In other words, as the years go by and more music is being produced, Joy Division’s musical style and collective messages will forever be apart of it.
Joy Division's Impact on Manchester: Is this Good or Bad?
It is undoubtable that Joy Division left a huge impact on the city of Manchester even after their disbandment. Despite the fact that the band never specifically wrote lyrics about the city, their presence still remains intertwined within Manchester’s culture–especially, regarding their tourism. Some even believe that the death of Ian Curtis marked the beginnings of the city’s commodification as well as its marketisation–essentially bringing in revenue due to the band's popularity–as individuals began to view him as a myth living on throughout the music he helped create. Although Joy Division’s signature on the city is remarkable, the question on whether this is good or bad still remains.
Like many things in life, these notions all relate back to money. For instance, marketialiation and commodification is viewed as a great importance to businesses as they often take advantage of commercialising services or goods that others find appealing. In other words they are able to gain a profit through a combination of personal and external work (ex. Joy Division themed bar). This can be viewed both good and bad as (1) it provides more diverse opportunities of gaining income and (2) it damages our societies ethic and relationships, thus making it more unequal. Each point is valid, but can be shifted by the idea of unprofitable tourism where goods and services provide very little to no profit for a higher cause (ex. murals, statues, landmarks etc.). Likewise, this empirical overview raises yet another question: How can something that is promoting the wondrous culture of such an extraordinary band be considered bad?
Personally, I believe that there is no conclusive answer when it comes to this, but just hear me out before judging my conclusion. Even though things like a Joy Division themed bar and self-created merchandise does indeed bring in a profit, it still succeeds in connecting and educating individuals with one another. If they are sincere and truly passionate about what they are commercialising, then it should not matter whether or not they personally benefit from it or not. Of course, my thoughts undoubtedly change if they harbour opposing intentions. In the same sense, there is nothing wrong with harmless tributes to these artists as long as they are in a respectful location (ex. A statue placed in an open park rather than next to someone's home).
Furthermore, those who worry about the influx in tourism must first consider the area they live in. Manchester is a matured city which has been around for a very long time, thus the increase in bodies is inevitable which makes it barely noticeable. This being said, a small countryside town may see more differences which can absolutely lead to disturbances.
Sources:
“Commodification - Pros and Cons.” Linkedin.com, 2020, www.linkedin.com/pulse/commodification-pros-cons-dana-johnson. Accessed 30 May 2023.
Fisher, Brian. “The Dangers of Marketisation.” Health Service Journal, Health Service Journal, 23 Jan. 2013, www.hsj.co.uk/comment/the-dangers-of-marketisation-/5053782.article#:~:text=Marketisation%20damages%20our%20ethics%20and,not%20be%20bought%20and%20sold. Accessed 30 May 2023.
In my opinion, I believe that Joy Division’s hit song “Love Will Tear us Apart” did in fact change music by its lonesome, but also evolve it into something more. For instance, the song begins with a simple D major chord and then transitions with rhythmic drums, then strong bass melody which is something not usually seen before. Typically, bass guitars assist the percussion section and provide the song with its rhythm; they help set the foundation of the song.
The reason why the bass guitar is so prominent in “Love Will Tear Us Apart” is because their bassist–Peter Hook–desired to break away from the conventional role of the bass and escape from guitarist’s orders (ex. “Could you play the root note for me?”). The tune is a little higher and more melodis than usual which seems to have stemmed from his pet peeves of not being able to hear himself. Moreover, Hook plays the melody and the drone in the song, thus helping to keep the band moving and bouncing around him. Alone, Hooks choices managed to develop that iconic post-punk bass which helps bring the instruments–and musician–out into the spotlight for a while as they never get a chance.
Similarly, Ian Curtis often insisted that no matter the song, Joy Division’s lyrics were always up to personal interpretation; however, with “Love Will Tear Us Apart”, the meaning is tragically clear. The lyrics are derived from Curtis’ personal life, depicting his relationship with his wife falling apart. The exact reason is not mentioned in the song, but hinted at through one of the lines “Do you cry out in your sleep? All my failings exposed” (2:03-2:10). With further research, it was revealed that Curtis’ was the one at fault as he had an intimate affair with another woman.
Joy Division’s “Love will Tear Us Apart” made a massive impact on the music industry, being labelled the band's first chart hit, reaching number 13 on the UK singles. Likewise, a few months later, the enemies named it as the 1980 single of the year and in 2002 named it as the best single of all time.
Sources:
Like, Produce. “Songs That Changed Music: Love Will Tear Us Apart - Joy Division.” YouTube, YouTube Video, 30 Sept. 2020, www.youtube.com/watch?v=uY-PlZxIQ4k. Accessed 1 June 2023.
More than Just Inspiration: Joy Division's Impact on The Cure and The Killers
As mentioned in other posts, Joy Division has impacted countless bands in the past few decades. Oftentimes, this is through inspiration of stylistic choices, genre, or even personal morals and views on life. There are also many instances of bands incorporating structural aspects of Joy Division’s music and transforming it into their own unique techniques and products. In my opinion, I believe that both the Cure and the Killers represent this notion very well as they come from two very different eras with members that are all different ages.
Much like Joy Division, The Cure began their journey in the late 1970s in a large town about 45 km south from London and 298 km from Manchester. Despite their geographical separation, Robert Smith–lead vocalist of the Cure–took a liking to Joy Division's first album. This was so much so that he selected them to be their opening performance during a series of Sunday gigs at The Marquee Club in London. Smith found them to be “just fantastic”, specifically highlighting how powerful they were with the style of their vocals and backings alike.
Similarly, the Killers were also strongly influenced by Joy Division as well. They began in 2001–just over two decades after Joy Division and the Cure–in the populous city of Las Vegas. Lead vocalist–Brandon Flowers-–admitted that since he was young he had been a fan of New Order as as he got older and more invested into music, he found the origins of the band. In an interview, he described Joy Division’s music as “unparalleled, stark, beautiful, primitive, and soulful”.
What I find interesting about these bands is that they did not just copy the exact style and genre that Joy Division so profoundly popularised. Instead, they morphed it into something of their own and unique to the world. For example, all albums of The Cure were heavily guided by the use of synthesisers, jangly guitars, pop hooks, and some angular guitars–all of which being prominent qualities within the post punk genre. Similarly, each album also had the inclusion of lighter and more melodic sound which differed from and broadened punk culture entirely.
Likewise, The Killers’ first Album–Hot Fuss–relied solely on synthesisers as well as some Angular and jangly sounds within their guitars. Its genres focused on post-punk under the umbrella term of alternative rock. This being said, each album released after Hot Fuss sounded completely different to the last; they still managed to have traces of the post-punk genre, yet never all characteristics. For instance, their second album–Sam’s Town–focused more on the typical rock-style guitar movements and drum rhythms, but still had traces of synthesisers in some of the songs.
Sources:
Ferrier, Aimee. “The Cure’s Robert Smith Explains Why Joy Division Were ‘the Best Thing I’d Seen.’” Far out Magazine, 26 Apr. 2023, faroutmagazine.co.uk/the-cures-robert-smith-joy-division-best-thing-id-seen/. Accessed 2 June 2023.
Radio X. “WATCH: Brandon Flowers Reveals ‘Profound Impact’ Ian Curtis and Joy Division Had on Him.” Radio X, Radio X, 19 May 2020, www.radiox.co.uk/artists/the-killers/brandon-flowers-impact-ian-curtis-joy-division/. Accessed 2 June 2023.
“Post-Punk Music Guide: History and Sounds of Post-Punk - 2023 - MasterClass.” MasterClass, 2020, www.masterclass.com/articles/post-punk-music-guide. Accessed 2 June 2023.
The Unconditional Style of Unknown Pleasures: How It Inspired Others
Joy Division is said to have been the main contributor to the modernisation of the post-punk genre within the late 1970s. They helped to inspire the expansive genre using a variety of unique styles as well as embracing regular harmonies, melodies, rhythms, and lyrical content with regular punk influence. This ‘uniqueness’ is what made their music unconditional as no one had openly used these styles before.
There are two reasons why I believe that so many other artists took inspiration from Joy Division and why they looked up to them so much.
The first reason being exactly what I mentioned prior: they had the utmost unique style. Joy Division set in motion countless idiomatic characteristics like the use of synthesisers and jangly guitars to produce an electric feel supported by trebly strings. Likewise, it was common to hear a lot of melody occurring in the bass. Joy Division also influenced the use of pop hooks which often took the form of a short riff, phrase, or passage; and “Angular” sounds, having more edges (starts and stops) than most rhythm sections (usually straight and unbroken).
This being said, I also believe that many individuals felt inspired by this group due to how real their lives were. For instance, the band was simply formed by childhood friends–Bernard Sumner and Peter Hook–after they separately attended the Sex Pistols concert in June of 1976. They were so inspired by them that they decided to post a “needed singer” poster on a radio shack to start their band. They were just regular teenagers from Manchester, hoping to share their creativity with the world. They often struggled to balance their own lives with the needs of the band, only practising for two hours on wednesday nights and three hours on Sunday as it was all they could afford. In the same sense, they all struggled with the presence of mental/physical health, even if they weren't the ones personally experiencing it (ex. Ian Curtis suffered from severe depression and epilepsy).
Sources:
“Post-Punk Music Guide: History and Sounds of Post-Punk” MasterClass, 2020, www.masterclass.com/articles/post-punk-music-guide. Accessed 30 May 2023.
Gonzalez, Tomas. “Joy Division Influences and Ian Curtis Legacy - Music Data Blog.” Music Data Blog, 18 Oct. 2021, musicdatablog.com.ar/en/influences/joy-division-ian-curtis-legacy/. Accessed 1 June 2023.
