Get to Know: New Order

Sometimes when we’re sitting around the office thinking about songs we like, we realize that there are certain tracks that we know all the words to, even though we don’t know anything about the band that’s singing them. New Order is one such example, and so, we give you the history of New Order, in, uh, chronological order. 1980: Bernard Summers, Peter Hook and David Morris, the remaining members of Joy Division, form New Order after the suicide of JD singer Ian Curtis, who killed himself the day before New Order was set to embark on their first American tour. Said Hook: “We didn't cry at his funeral. It came out as anger at the start. We were absolutely devastated: not only had we lost someone we considered our friend, we'd lost the group. Our life basically." 1981: New Order’s first album, Movement, is released and contains the successful single “Ceremony.” The album continues Joy Division’s trademark dark, melodic synthesizer based songs, although a change in musical direction would happen this same year, when the band discovers post-disco, latin and electronic music in New York. 1983: The band releases Power, Corruption and Lies, which unveils their new dance sound. They also release their hit “Blue Monday” as a single, and fans are angry that the track is not included on the new album. 1985: The band releases Low Life, which contains the single, “The Perfect Kiss,” the video for which is shot by revered director Jonathan Demme. The band gets further exposure when their single “Shellshock” is included on the Pretty In Pink soundtrack. 1986: The band releases Brotherhood, a double album which explores both the group’s darker, rock tendencies and more upbeat synthesized dance sounds. The album contains the massive hit “Bizarre Love Triangle,” which currently occupies spot 204 on Rolling Stone’s list of the 500 greatest songs of all time. 1989: The group’s next album, Technique, explores a more Mediterranean acid house musical style, (much of it was recorded on the Spanish island of Ibiza), and enters the  U.K. charts at number one. New Order supports this album by touring with Bjork’s then group, The Sugarcubes. 1993: New Order go on hiatus between 1993 and 1998, allowing all members to participate in various side-projects. The band reconvened in 1998, and in 2001 released Get Ready, their first album in eight years. September, 2011: Bassist Peter Hook will play a series of shows with his new band Light in the United States. For these concerts, Hook will perform Joy Division’s Substance and Unknown Pleasures in their entirety. September, 2011: New Order reforms, sans Peter Hook, and announces plans to tour. Hook is “saddened by this news, saying “I’m gonna say it’s not New Order. It’s some members of New Order going out as New Order. It’s like me saying I’m going out as Joy Division.” Be sure to check out: The String Quartet Tribute to New Order and Joy Division Available now at iTunes and Amazon