Most definitely - I don't think Hook ever gets enough credit for his great bass playing. He IS the sound of New Order.
Stephen Morris (and to some extent Martin Hannett) contributed as much to the sound of New Order as Peter Hook and Barney Sumner. NO sound the way they do because they're a band. the sum is MUCH greater than the parts (see: Revenge, Electronic, etc.) carry on...
sorry, I was getting off topic, my comments were in refernce to the "holy trinity" post and new wave posts and also the fact that no one else was discussing Joy Division (even though any discussion on New Order demands it)
ive always prefered new order to joy division. there i said it. you want to hear real blasphemy though - viva hate is the best album morrisey has ever done, including his work w/ the smiths.
I love The Smiths and Morrissey(solo)...but I might have to agree with you. I think Morrissey's (band) sounds were a lot more melodic and *danceable* than anything The Smiths did (with the exception of 'How Soon Is Now'). But relating this argument, it's sorta like choosing cake with white icing or off-white icing. It's still cake and both will taste almost the same. The Smiths...great band...horrible egos (Morrissey specifically). I wonder if that guy ever downed a cheeseburger or got layed?
Agreed! They made some really catchy and danceable tunes! They were right on the cusp of the electronic dance music explosion that would take place a few years later.
Any fan of Joy Division and New Order needs to see the movie "Twenty-Four Hour Party People". And I think that it says a lot about New Order when you can still hear "Bizarre Love Triangle" in dance clubs without it being 80's night.
While I'm almost always in agreement with mi amigo jo mama, I not only think Joy Division is a much more important Band than what became New Order, but more importantly, I just listen to their LP's much more. On the flipside, I too prefer Morrisey's Viva Hate over any of the Smiths LP's; and that's tough to admit as I hold 'Hatful of Hollows' in such high regard. I can listen to both of them over and over, but Viva Hate wins out with sheer abundance, weighing in a good 20-30 minutes longer of nothing but sugary bliss. Stephen Street is grossly underated and does the unthinkable here in measuring up to Johnny Marr.
I don't think I quite analyze music like you do, but... lol New Order, Depeche Mode, Petshop Boys, etc. were some great groups. The Substance CD set is still one of my maybe top 3-5 CD's ever bought (not that I buy much music).
I can only listen to New Order when I'm on ecstasy. Someone mentioned the Astroworld show in the mid 80s. I was at that show with a bunch of Clear Lakers and I've never seen so many wigging high school kids dancing in my life. The singer was wearing some pink fish net dress or something. I didn't quite identify with that. The concert was like the biggest drug deal I've ever seen at a concert. People were dancing over to the guys with the X, buying it, and dancing back over to their friends with it. Half the crowd must have been wigging...it was truly a spectacle. Anyway, it's a good thing I stopped listening to New Order upon exiting high school. I won't listen to those techno chumps ever again...unless someone here can take 20 years off my life.
While I preferred Joy Division and Gang of Four, New Order's Power Corruption and Lies LP remains one of my favorites.
I don't think anyone can deny it was a group where the whole was greater than the sum of its parts, and that everyone especially Martin Hannett played a part in their sound. However, that doesn't take away from Peter Hook's distinctive and innovative style which still stands out.
i agree that joy division was much more influential. i just like new order better - i got into them first, so ill probably always like them better. their catalogue vs. joy division gives them an edge too. they have as many great records as joy division does total records. but it would have been really interesting to see how much joy division would have or would not have gone in a more dance/electro sound in the 80's. amen! every song on that record is great. speaking of all the starplex shows, i did see morrisey there in i think 1991 on the kill uncle tour (another great album). i remember joyously "slam dancing" w/ my friends to everyday is like sunday.
I was at that show also but with my crew from Katy and my girl friend. I woke up the next day in this others girls bed in spring and I was freaking out because it was her parents house and she wasn't my girl friend. She said it was ok and when we went downstairs her dad was smoking a joint. I called my friends but they were sleeping, then I called my girlfriend who had no idea where I had disappeard to and she came and picked me up. I never new the other girls name or saw her again. Bizzare love triangle
