Monday, May 18, marks the 40th anniversary of the death of Ian Curtis. The Joy Division frontman died of suicide at the age of 23 while suffering from epilepsy and depression.
His former bandmates in Joy Division, who don’t exactly get along, are paying tribute to Curtis with a couple of streaming specials.
So This Is Permanent: Peter Hook & The Light 24 Hour Live Stream
The most interesting of these is a three-hour concert performance by Peter Hook & the Light called “So This Is Permanent.” The concert was recorded in 2015 in Curtis’ hometown of Macclesfield, England. Former Joy Division bassist Peter Hook and his current band played every song Joy Division ever recorded. The setlist contains 47 songs, including their most well-known cuts “Atmosphere” and “Love Will Tear Us Apart.”
The entire performance has never been shown before, and only 500 fans attended in person. It will stream on Facebook and Youtube and remain online for 24 hours only starting at 12 pm BST. You can RSVP to the Facebook event here.
Moving Through the Silence: Celebrating the Life and Legacy of Ian Curtis
The other two members of Joy Division, Bernard Sumner and Stephen Morris, are participating in another streaming event called “Moving Through the Silence: Celebrating the Life and Legacy of Ian Curtis.” This two-hour livestream will feature interviews and performances. Brandon Flowers, frontman for The Killers, will be talking about the influence of Joy Division on his band.
This event will be streamed on Facebook starting at 8 pm BST. You can RSVP to the Facebook event here.
Both of these events are free to watch, but they’re encouraging fans to donate to mental health organizations. “So This Is Permanent” recommends donating to The Epilepsy Society. “Moving Through the Silence” recommends donating to Manchester Mind.
Hey, why not end the New Order feud?
The former members of Joy Division have been feuding since at least 2007 when Peter Hook quit New Order. But it probably goes back further than that. Apparently, Hooky was pissed that Sumner started another band, Electronic, with former Smiths guitarist Johnny Marr.
Hooky sued New Order for lost royalties. He published a nasty book. New Order reformed without him and recorded a new album. Hooky accused their new bassist of miming to his parts during live performances. It’s all very petty.
Wouldn’t the real tribute to their friend Ian Curtis be to put aside their bullshit and work things out? New Order had to postpone their North American tour with Pet Shop Boys to 2021 because of the COVID-19 pandemic. Plenty of time to patch things up and put Hooky back on the bass.
