New Order - The Surprise Formation

In the realm of popular music, most bands have made themselves known, by playing in clubs and small venues, and eventually getting a record deal and making hits - that's the traditional way.

But what happens when a few guys reform after losing a frontman, and then begin to take over the world? Well, that's exactly the birth of...New Order!

Before New Order, there was Joy Division

In 1977, Ian Curtis and Bernard Summer formed Joy Division. They had a massive hit with Love Will Tear us Apart from their 1979 debut, Unknown Pleasures. Having completed their second LP, Closer, to be releaed in the summer of 1980, the band were gearing up for their first ever tour on the other side of the pond; however, singer Ian Curtis felt a budding depression following his epilepsey attack and marriage problems with his wife, who was not in the inner circle with the band. Curtis finally hung himself on May 18. 1980 - a day before the flight. 

And lo and behold, today marks forty years since guitarist/vocalist Bernard Summer, bassist Peter Hook, and percussionist Stephen Morris reconvened at Manchester's Beach Club at the arrangement of manager Rob Grefton. Grefton is also responsible for deriving the "New Order" name, coming from the 1976 New Order of Kampuchea.

It's also worth mentioning that the band is one of few with a feminine touch. In October of 1980, guitarist/keyboardist Gillian Gilbert joined the trio, as Grefton felt they should pick a fourth member their own size. 

A Slow Rise to the Top

New Order's 1981 album Movement, was a lackbuster release, in which the band took on a dark wave direction; however, they introduced more synthesizers than heard with Joy Division. The LP featured their first single, Ceremony, backed with In a Lonely Place. 

It was then that New Order began traveling to New York City, and got into Italo Disco - a la Giorgio Moroder, which ultimately lead to an electronic rich-sound, that only showed pockets of Joy Division. This was particularly the case with their 1983 album, Power, Corruption, & Lies. The sound on the album saw an increased use in synthesizers.

Disco and Rock Rejoice

Around this time, one of their signature songs, Blue Monday was released as a single. Despite not making the cut on PC&L, it was declared best-selling 12-inch record by 1984, and is one of the most successful dance hits of the 1980s. 

Order followed through with more singles, including Confusion and Thieves Like Us, followed by 1985's Low Life album. The album included the hit, The Perfect Kiss, and saw an even split of electronic music and guitar-driven sound. The band hit their peak with the 1986 LP Brotherhood, featuring another one of their signature songs - Bizzare Love Triangle

What goes up...must come down

Unfortunately, New Order did not maintain popularity following 1986's Brotherhood. In 1990, they wrote the theme song for the English National Soccer Team for the 1990 World Cup taking place in Italy. Written under the working title E is for England, rejected as "E" was thought to represent ecstasy, and renamed World in Motion. The track is their one and only number 1 hit in the UK.

Beyond this, New Order decided to split. Bernard Summer hooked up with Johnny Marr of The Smiths to form the short-lived New Order child group, Electronic (also featuring Neil Tennant of Pet Shop Boys). 

New Order has continued releasing albums, and has had several lineup changes since the 90s, but like most other punk/post-punk acts, their work has been forgotten as a result of their waned popularity. Nevertheless, Blue Monday and Bizzare Love Triangle, still get occassional radio play.
 

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