Joy Division "Transmission"

Currently on tour in the US, Joy Division/New Order bassist Peter Hook and his band The Light are performing Joy Division's classic 1979 debut album "Unknown Pleasures" in its entirety. Unfortunately, tonight's show in San Francisco is sold out or I'd be there. Instead, I will dance, dance, dance to the YouTube.

David Pescovitz is Boing Boing's co-editor/managing partner. He's also a research director at Institute for the Future. On Instagram, he's @pesco.

MORE: Entertainment

More at Boing Boing

Eurovision 2013: An American in London

The technology that links taxonomy and Star Trek

Anonymous

Where can I see where they are playing on their tour? Their website linked in the article doesn’t list any dates for 2011-11. Or possibly my browser won’t display it?
Anonymous

thank god!i thought americans listen only to justin bieber……
nixiebunny

A pleasant musical diversion. They changed my life too.
- bklynchris
  
  Changed my life too….still changing it….when my daughter was diagnosed with epilepsy, for some perverse reason, once again, Ian Curtis was the only solace in my life.
  
  @joe blough, HA! Me too, when I found out he had hanged himself I was indignant. My narcisstic response was, “Hey, we were supposed to fall in love and commit suicide together!”.
GaryG

when you’re finished dancing, give Lows rendition a go: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3KEIqsJDQCg

just gorgeous.
- lewis stoole
  
  nice take. i like slow drone.
  a 45 set to 33.33
FAC33

NuOrder72, I’m more and more convinced that the R&RHoF is a crock. If the guys who run it don’t like you or weren’t personally fans of your music, you’re never getting in, no matter how influential, popular, or groundbreaking you are. I’m a huge JD/NO fan and also a huge Rush fan, and what those two very different groups have in common are enormous influence in the music world and devoted fans –but no membership in the HoF.

I’d kill to see Hooky playing bass again.
Anonymous

Saw them last week in Boston, it was fabulous and got to meet Mr. Hook albeit briefly. The Barcelona show from 10/10/2010 had a very raucous crowd and is worth downloading from your favorite BitTorrent site IMHO.
bat21

I am the proud owner of a Joy Division Zune. It sounds as good as it looks.
Anonymous

Dammit! They were in Seattle on Tuesday. I would have gone to see them. Maybe they will come to Vancouver next year. :-(
Brian
dia sobin

Thanks for this, David! I was living in San Diego at the time I first became enthralled with JD… I shortly thereafter moved back to the east coast, cause they made me miss the proliferation of New England gravestones. No shit (well, almost)! :-)
Anonymous

Too bad you didn’t do your homework. Local Joy Division cover band, Dead Souls, played an acoustic set, complete with sitar, violin, viola, etc. They played the “Closer” album, followed by Transmission, Dead Souls and more. It was great, free, and all over by 8:00 PM, in time for attendees to get to the concert, or home to their families (in my case). Way to go Dave Tibbs.
oasisob1

My daughter and I were watching Scott Pilgrim etc, and I said “Hey, I have that album” and she said, “Do you have that shirt?”, so I said “I have that album, I don’t need that shirt”. Oh I miss them.
Anonymous

Stephen Morris tears it up on this track. I’ve always thought he was the most under-appreciated member of JoyD and NO.
Attack Hamster

What an absolute racket. Like dance, dance, dance to a cement mixer.
munk3ymark

Good luck if you do get to see it. Saw the show in Melbourne a couple of months ago. The band (including Hooky jnr) was awesome, and Hooky was a bit nervous, but still fantastic. Only ever saw New Order (being in Australia an’ all), and never thought I’d see Joy Division songs done by anyone who did them the first time- I was tearing up when they played She’s Lost Control, and weeping openly when they came out for the encore (won’t spoil it, but you should be able to guess…)
Anonymous

Steel harmony performing “Transmission”:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7Mm6ycEz2A8
joe blough

man, haters gonna hate.

I LOVE HATERS

i can’t believe i’m missing this… i had no idea. i don’t know how you do this properly without ian curtis, but i’d still go.

saw NO a couple of times but JD was already gone by the time i found out about them. and i’m in my 40s, LOL.
Anonymous

I was there back then – at the university at the time. We all knew JD were fekkin amazing, even as they were happening; it was just barking obvious. I saw the very first NO gig too, in the summer after the suicide, at the Beach Club. They were tentative and a bit lost. — Then I came to America and for years none of that meant anything to anyone, hahaha
Anonymous

i was at the PETER HOOK AND THE LIGHT show in chicago last monday @ the double door… was rocking it… they sounded great… stirred up old ghosts of ian, especially with his rendition of love will tear us apart… was hoping to hear some of hooky’s own music from either new order/ monaco/ revenge/ or freebass but all he played was joy division… otherwise it was a great show with the great bass and bouncing floors… his son jack was also playing there with him on stage… and there are inklings that they will be re-uniting as new order again, soon…

well, here’s a video i took of LWTUA on youtube… enjoy…

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hrOcotXwEjU
Anonymous

63 and the passion still kicks in. Brilliant JD
Pope Ratzo

You were Joy Division? I was Bauhaus and Magazine (the great Howard Devoto).
ottocrat

Magic.
NuOrder72

Did anyone know I was a fan? Joy Division/New Order/The Smiths music was life-changing; it is THAT good!! I couldn’t imagine growing up in the 70′s and 80′s without these bands. The Manchester music scene hasn’t stopped putting out great bands either….Just look at the band, “Hurts”…God Damn, they’re good too! I dare you to listen to “Wonderful Life” by Hurts and not get hooked right away.

It’s time to induct Joy Division, New Order, and The Smiths into the Rock n’ Roll Hall of Fame already…quit passing them up!!!
- bklynchris
  
  Dude, I know Joy Division and Hurts is no Joy Division. Pet Shop Boys meets Robert Palmer, maybe….
J France

David, you dodged a bullet.

I saw the show in Australia and it was sad and disappointing.

Felt less like a tribute and more like a banking exercise.
Anonymous

I’ve got this in picture cover. The advantages of being an old git eh?
dan_coop

Just don’t bother watching Peter Hook DJ’ing

http://www.qbn.com/topics/541410/
Pav The Fiddler

Another song by Joy Division – Love will tear us apart – a very different version by an Irish singer Mary Coughlan http://bit.ly/e6zJCm (youtube).

Disclosure: I play in the band. I just couldn’t resist posting it, I love this song so much.