The 4 March 2010 paper version of the Manchester Evening News also revealed that the Macclesfield Joy Division Festival - also set to commemorate the death of Ian Curtis through a six-week series of events in May 2010 - are GBP 40,000 short of the GBP 200,000 needed to go-ahead.

Potential patrons should contact the Silk Heritage Trust.

Labels: Ian_Curtis, Joy_Division, Macclesfield

Two of Mark Reeder's remixes for the Bad Lieutenant single Sink or Swim will be released digitally via iTunes and other download outlets on Monday 22 February 2010.

In addition, Mark has made a special 5.1 video mix of his Rettungsring remix to accompany a new video cut by director Robert Kind. This will also be out for download soon.

Mark has been invited to exhibit a selection of his photos of Ian Curtis at the forthcoming Macclesfield Ian Curtis exhibition (we await further details on that one).

Finally, and away from the FAC world this time, Mr Reeder is currently remixing Underpass for John Foxx and you can expect a 5.1 mix of that too.

Labels: Bad_Lieutenant, Macclesfield, Mark_Reeder

From Manchester District Music Archive:

Macclesfield Museum is currently searching for interesting Joy Division artefacts for a proposed exhibition due to take place in May 2010. The Curator of the exhibition is Jon Savage.

The museum would like to hear from anyone who may be interested in loaning unseen photos, live recordings or footage, flyers, posters or general rare memorabilia.

If you think you may be able to contribute, please email MDMA at info@mdmarchive.co.uk.

Labels: artefacts, Joy_Division, Macclesfield, poster

Ian Curtis's memorial stone, stolen from Macclesfield Cemetery at the beginning of July, has been replaced.

The font is now sans serif.

Stephen Morris is quoted in the Macclesfield Express article as saying: "I am glad there is a replacement as I often go to visit the cemetery but it was a shock that the old one had gone".

The search goes on for the original, "But since a fruitless raid on a house in Winsford there have been no new clues as to its whereabouts".

Thanks to Alexandra.

Labels: Ian_Curtis, Macclesfield

Our mate Colin at Vinyl Revival (the one true record shop in Manchester) is planning to release a single by Macclesfield's Rambo and Leroy.

Colin says, "Matt and Jake from the band are currently working with Bernard and Steve on the Bad Lieutenant project and they gave me a sneak preview the other week. Sounds interesting. Not as much Electronic as I thought and a lot less New Order without the bass."

Bernard has also agreed to feature on the second Rambo and Leroy release which will be released around May/June time. The releases come out under the Vinyl Revival label name, with the first single being released on 25 February 2008.

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Rambo and Leroy MySpace
Download 'Last One Standing' (iTunes)

Labels: Bad_Lieutenant, Macclesfield, New_Order

Peter Hook treated another Manchester audience to an entertaining, candid conversation and question/answer session on Friday night (19th October 2007) - this time In Conversation with Matt Greenhalgh, script/screenplay-writer of the recent Ian Curtis biopic Control, and Manchester-based journalist/author John Robb.

The event, held at the Cornerhouse gallery/cinema complex as part of its Control season, was attended by Matt's former boss at Manchester's (now defunct) listings magazine 'City Life', Andy Spinoza, and Central Station Design-ers Pat and Karen.

As OMIM was, once again, caught short without any method of recording the evening's extensive dialogue, herewith the main recollections:

On the film itself:
Matt's original script ran to a lengthy 210 pages - with a great deal more character development - but this was always going to be longer that the two hours requested.
Scenes were shot that didn't make it to the final cut.
Matt's treatment was deemed very 'northern' by Hooky, with Anton making a more 'international' film. Both Matt and Hooky would have preferred to see the original screenplay.
Matt wrote the original script without a Director being on board - which is unusual in film production.
Jonathan 'Sexy Beast' Glazer was originally approached to be director, but had other committments.
There were originally two production companies simultaneously attempting to shoot the same film, with two independent scripts being produced (a fact which Matt was completely unaware of).
Matt's real breakthrough with the script came when Annik Honore sent him copies of thirteen letters written by Ian - some of which pre-dated his suicide by a few days. Most of this was cut from the film.
Other scenes that didn't make it into the final version of the film dealt with Deborah Curtis's involvement with mental patients; Ian's fascination with disability and the whole Joy Division nazi thing.
"Tell me about Macclesfield" was a deliberate attempt at northern humour which has largely been misunderstood.

On Ian Curtis and Joy Division:
Ian wrote everything in CAPITAL LETTERS.
Joy Division songs were usually arranged by Ian Curtis during rehearsal jam sessions - which New Order found difficult to reconcile post-JD.
The members of Joy Division hardly ever spoke about the band and their music amongst themselves - the interviews contained in Tom Atencio's forthcoming Joy Division documentary are the first time any of the band have actually heard each other's views.
Like everybody else, it would seem, Hooky was not impressed with the scene in the film that dealt with the recording of 'Isolation'.
The use of actors actually playing the band's music in the film set a new standard in rockumentary film making that will be difficult to surpass.
Ian Curtis was not a very good footballer (but should have made an excellent goalie!).

On other matters Factory:
According to Hooky, Manchester is now known by taxi drivers all over the world for three things (in this order): David Beckham; Manchester United; Twenty-Four Hour Party People.
Factory Records was originally Tony Wilson, Alan Erasmus and the person who first proposed the idea: John Brierley.


Please submit comments and corrections to the message board, and keep an eye out for the whole evening being posted to a certain video website.

Labels: Central_Station_Design, Factory_Records, Joy_Division, Macclesfield, New_Order, Peter_Hook, Tony_Wilson

Chris Hudson in the Macclesfield Express reports on how two guys working in a bike shop in Macclesfield came to be voice coaches on the movie Control. Alreet!?

Labels: Control, Macclesfield

After the pre-reviews, the review proper of Control by Peter Bradshaw in The Guardian.

He says "Corbijn's movie is shot in a stunning high-contrast monochrome, perversely turning Macclesfield's grimness into grandeur. It effortlessly revives a British cinematic style that you might call beautiful realism..."

And "It is in a way comparable to Michael Winterbottom's 24 Hour Party People, ..., but far fiercer, and bleaker, and darker. Control gripped the audience at Cannes; it had atmosphere."

Labels: Macclesfield

Under the front page headlines 'Dancing on the graves', John Harris goes in search of Britain's rock shrines in today's Guardian.

Harris set out to investigate "the strange fixation that rock fans have with their idols' last resting places". His "ultimate UK rock-grave odyssey" began at in Macclesfield where a small stone inscribed with the words 'Love Will Tear Us Apart' marks the passing of Ian Curtis.

Other rock stars featured on the oddly macabre tour include John Bonham, Marc Bolan, Nick Drake and Brian Jones.

Labels: Macclesfield

Filming finally started yesterday on 'Control', the new movie being directed by Anton Corbijn.

'Control' spans the last few years of Ian Curtis’ life leading up to his tragic suicide in 1980. It charts the struggle between his enduring love for his wife and his burgeoning relationship with his girlfriend, his decimating bouts with epilepsy, his incredible talent and his all consuming performances with Joy Division.

Selected Cast

Ian Curtis - Sam Riley
Deborah Curtis - Samantha Morton
Annik Honore - Alexandra Maria Lara
Bernard Sumner - James Anthony Pearson
Peter Hook - Joe Anderson
Stephen Morris - Harry Treadaway
Rob Gretton - Toby Kebbell
Anthony Wilson - Craig Parkinson

Selected Production Crew

Director: Anton Corbijn
Producers: Orian Williams, Anton Corbijn and Todd Eckert under the production company NorthSee
Executive Producers: Becker International, EM Media, Warner Bros Music UK, Film I Vast, Cinema Investment Japan in association with Three Dogs and a Pony and Kate Ogborn
Co-Producers: Peter Heslop, Deborah Curtis, Anthony Wilson and Helena Danielsson from Hepp Films

'Control' has a studio and production base in Nottingham, with location filming taking place in both Nottingham and Macclesfield.

Labels: Joy_Division, Macclesfield, Peter_Hook

Today is the 25th anniversary of the death of Ian Curtis of Joy Division. Here is how the sad news was reported back in 1980 under the headline "Rock singer dies on eve of tour".

"Ian Curtis, lead singer with the Manchester rock band Joy Division died at his home on the eve of their planned tour of several American cities. Curtis, aged 23, a member of the band since its formation about three tears ago, was found at his home in Barton Street Macclesfield. A police spokesman said: "A rope was round his neck but there are no suspicious circumstances."

An inquest will be held.

Joy Division, without a major record company deal, are widely regarded as one of Manchester's most influential new-wave groups. They are the best known of several groups on the local independent Factory label, one of whose partners is Granada TV personality Tony Wilson. He said today: "Ian found life a bit complicated. It's a tragedy. He was a very talented boy."

And the band's manager, Rob Gretton, said: "We are absolutely stunned."

There were high hopes that the group's first American tour - they were due to cross the Atlantic yesterday - might have been a major step to commercial success."

[Manchester Evening News, 21 May 1980]

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Ian Curtis's death is being commemorated today in a series of events across the country.

BBC 6Music is featuring Joy Division throughout the day including music and interviews.

Manchester City Centre's big screen (Corn Exchange) is screening a number of films, videos and interviews in an event called Transmission from 7pm.

Slightly later in the evening (8pm) Barzooka in Blackburn plays host to 'I Remember Nothing - A Joy Division Video Night' featuring a rare chance to see The Joy Division Film by Malcolm Whitehead (Fac 9) not seen for over 20 years and his new 7 minute short She's Lost Control plus rarely seen Ikon/Factory footage.

Time: 8pm
Email: ikonand @ yahoo.co.uk
Tickets: 5 pounds on door
Reservations on request

Barzooka
70 Victoria Street
Blackburn BB1 6DN
Tel: 01254 55607
Map

Labels: A_Certain_Ratio, Joy_Division, Macclesfield, Oliver_Wilson, Tony_Wilson

New Order recently talked to French football website sofoot.com about which football teams they support. The full article is reproduced here in English with many thanks to Marc @ sofoot.com for permission and Nick Mackenzine for translation duties.

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New Order is without doubt one of the greatest English groups of all time. And that didn't stop them from writing the theme song for the England team in the 1990 World Cup, World in Motion. The song is an ode to ecstasy. Just to put you in the mood…

Around the table in a hotel room near the Champs Elysees, we almost have the dream team. Phil Cunningham, Stephen Morris and Bernard Sumner are there. Peter Hook will be speaking to the press tomorrow. The Mancunian group is promoting the new album, Waiting for the Sirens' Call. Smiling and chatty, they're obviously happy to be here. We talk about football, and the natural hierarchy of the group is respected. Cunningham, the newcomer, sits on the bench and listens without saying anything. Stephen Morris supports Sumner the star, full of verve and stories, talking about Giggs in the toilets and the Gypsy Kings on the turntable.

"New Order and Football"

Which teams do you support?

Stephen Morris Macclesfield Town

Bernard Sumner Manchester Utd.

SM I'm from Macclesfield originally. It's a dirty little town south of Manchester. The team's in the Second Division, and frankly they're pretty bad… they even have an Iraqi player in the squad. Not that it means anything, mind you. Last year, they had a good spell. Four or five victories on the trot. The fans were chuffed. I can hear the stadium from my house, and they never stop singing. The media talked about us a bit then, and especially when the Iraqi arrived… But since then it's been calm. Life has gone back to normal in Macclesfield… sad.

BS Me, I grew up in Salford, a suburb of Manchester.

SM Wow, yet another United supporter who doesn't come from Manchester…

BS Salford-Manchester, it's ten minutes, Stephen. Ten minutes on foot! Salford is Manchester. And, if you really want to know, I was born in a hospital in the centre of town. We've got to kill this myth: there are as many United supporters as City supporters in Manchester. People from the north of the town support City, and those from the south support United. It's as simple as that, the division is historic… Salford is north-west of Manchester, so I support United. It's easy…

SM And China, that's north of Manchester? They all support United over there. It's nothing but a commercial undertaking, that club… It's more interesting to support a club in the lower divisions.

BS At Macclesfield, you might get a thousand in the ground. They all tell you "Division Three is real football, it's authentic," etc. But the players all dream of being in the Premier League and playing in the European Cup. They'd give anything for that opportunity… I find this conservative attitude boring. Me, I'm happy when my team wins and I don't have to be ashamed about it.

Do you watch from the stands or on the sofa?

SM When I was a kid, I was traumatised. My father knew a guy who could get tickets for all the England games. One day, this guy gave my dad two tickets for an England-Scotland match, up in Scotland. I was six years old and it was hell. Stuck amongst thousands of supporters, lost in the crowd. You couldn't move and if you wanted to pee, you had to do it in a bottle. Also, there was a real tension, a latent violence. You can't understand just how much the Scots and the English hate each other. I begged my father to get me out of there. We understood from the faces of the Scots that we saw on the way home that England had won. Ever since, I've been afraid of football grounds…

BS Sofa for me, too. But when I was a kid, I went to watch the team play. I discovered football at the time of Best… The atmosphere was fantastic, that was a few years before the match that Stephen's talking about. There were two kops, the Stretford End and the Scoreboard End. A superb time for football, before the hooligans took over. Before it got watered down, as well. You could go to the ground without feeling any danger and without feeling like it was just an expensive fairground… I loved that. I remember that I went to the city centre with Hooky to celebrate the European Cup victory in '68. Charlton was captain. Matt Busby was trainer. There were hundreds of thousands of supporters around St Albert Square. I was twelve and I was overwhelmed by the crowd. In fact, I don't think Hooky was there… In any case, I was literally carried by the crowd. At one point, I couldn't even feel the ground. Incredible!

So when did you stop going to the ground?

BS Something changed very quickly. In 1968, in fact. A few months after the European Cup victory, we played in the World Club Championship, against a South American team, from Argentina, I think, called Estudiantes. Two-leg fixture, away and then at home. I remember watching the first match, in Argentina, on a really old TV. The father of Juan Sebastian Veron was playing for the opposition, but I really remember the referee. The bastard completely ruined the match. A thief, completely corrupt. Everyone who saw the match will tell you that. That day, I understood that there was something wrong with football. After that match (won 1-0 by Estudiantes), I went back to the stadium a few times, but something had changed. I realised that in football, like everything else, there was injustice and cheating. And what happened after that didn't really take away that impression.

So why do you watch it on TV then?

BS You have to defend your colours. At home, I'm the only United supporter. My wife's father played for Manchester City in the 1940s. And my son, Dylan, the idiot, decided he had to support City. What a tragedy! For derby games, we have an agreement. Whatever the result, whether United or City wins, no-one crows about it. No screams of joy, no taunting. Obviously, when City win, this agreement doesn't stop the little brat from making me suffer for hours! But when United win, which is more often, I'm not allowed to do anything. My little lad starts crying! And I wouldn't want to add to his suffering… My daughter supports Arsenal. After United's last victory, 2-0 at Old Trafford, she was really sick. After the first goal, she went ballistic and kicked the TV set. We had to watch the end of the match on another set. At the end of the match, she jumped on me, she attacked me. But she's much better now. In fact, she changes club every week. She had her Liverpool period, and now she's changing her loyalty again. She went to the United training centre the other day with her school and she had the chance to speak to the players. When she came home, she said "Dad, I think I might support United now…" The only problem is that she's fallen in love with Wayne Rooney. Frankly, I don't agree with that!

Have you met Rooney, in town, in a bar or in a brothel?

BS No, but like everyone, I read the article about him and the prostitutes in the tabloids. Apparently, when he went to the brothel in Liverpool, he signed an autograph for the old whore that he had just had. He wrote Thanks for the fuck, Wayne Rooney and wrote the date. What an idiot!

Have you met many Manchester players?

BS Beckham lived in the same street as me. I met him several times, but we never spoke, he didn't know who I was. I could have punched Ferguson on the day he sold him. All of a sudden, his ego overtook his management skills. For his own pride, he ruined our season

Do you think Beckham is a maestro?

BS Of course! The guy is superb and he fights like a dog. In the media, he's shown as a bastard or an idiot, but in fact he's a superb guy. I don't understand how Ferguson can prefer Roy Keane…

Beckham's a boy, Keane is a man

BS He's just a wanker, that guy… he has a nasty side to him. But I must be the only United supporter who thinks that…

Have you met anyone else?

BS I spoke to Ryan Giggs one night at the Hacienda… He didn't make much impression on me. Giggs, he's a typical football player, talented on the pitch, but completely uninteresting off it. In his eyes, there was nothing there. No expression. Like a zombie… A few days later, I met him again in a bar in the city centre. I don't know if I should tell you this, it's a drug story… basically, he was there with a glass in his hand, with this same empty stare… me, I was completely out of it. I was with my mates and we had all taken a few pills. We took Giggs with us when we went into the toilets to have a couple more… and at that moment six bodyguards jumped on us and grabbed us by the shoulders to get us out of the bar. It was the first time I saw an emotion in Giggs' eyes: terror!

Did you ever meet Cantona?

BS I met him a few times, at parties. He even came to my place once. I was having a party and a girlfriend rang me, asking if she could bring along some guys she had met in a bar round the corner. I asked her who these guys were. "Eric Cantona, his brother and a couple of mates". "Shit, yeah! Bring them over!" I talked a bit with Eric, I got the impression that he was someone very… strange! Very intense, very thoughtful. Not like Ryan Giggs! We talked about a few things, and I remember we went into the kitchen, and he saw a photo that was on the fridge door, a photo of him. He looked at the photo, he looked at me, and then he looked at the photo again… it was only a few seconds, it was weird, I was a little bit scared, and I said maybe we'd better go back in the other room... I also remember that Eric, or his brother, I'm not sure, kept putting on a Gypsy Kings CD! Jesus, the Gypsy Kings in my house! And they all started dancing like Spaniards to this crap!

SM Fuck me, you've got a Gypsy Kings CD at home!

BS No, they had brought it with them, I swear it! They were mad! And then Eric was talking to a girl – a blonde, not bad looking. She was a friend of a friend. I don't know exactly what happened, but he stuck his finger up this girl's nose! Just like that! Paf! Up the girl's nose! I didn't know what was going on, I just pretended that I hadn't seen anything… and no, I don't have any Gypsy Kings CDs at home!

Labels: FAC51_The_Hacienda, Joy_Division, Macclesfield, New_Order, Peter_Hook

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