Could This Be the First Show I Object To on "Political" Grounds?

"Political" being a general term for beliefs here, not strictly speaking in party terms.

Would you see Peter Hook and his new band the Light play Movement and Power, Corruption & Lies in their entireties even if none of the other original members of New Order were involved or even approved? The former Joy Division and New Order multi-instrumentalist is bringing such a show to the Venue on September 23.

On one hand, I love those albums, and at least it's one original member of Joy Division and New Order; also, I could just think of the Light as a REALLY good cover band. On the other, it's only one original member, and I don't quite support the idea of shoving money into Peter Hook milking JD's and NO's legacies without the other members' consent. Also, I hate cover bands.

I should ignore the band-turmoil, as it is not my business, and just enjoy the music - strip everything away, from album art to the personas and characters and cultures/mythologies surrounding musical figures, albums, songs, etc. - that old cliche. But you're also the things you consume: the food you eat, the hobbies in which you partake, the television shows/movies/books/music you choose for entertainment. Both views are valid, but I guess I have until September 23 to decide which I'm more aligned with.

What Would Life without New Order/Joy Division Be?

Certainly a more apathetic thing:

Joy Division Unknown Pleasures Tattoo

Wow. What a God-damned tattoo. It is, of course, the cover image of their 1979 debut album Unknown Pleasures.

Embedded below is a remix of JD's "Atmosphere" by iamxl, a DJ I'd never heard of before stumbling upon this post but who happens to be based in Vancouver. Click here to download the track for free.

One of the Most Badassed Songs

Few songs make me feel as badassed as Joy Division's "Shadowplay" from their 1979 debut album Unknown Pleasures (Factory Records). The song is cold, distant and mechanical, yet there is an undeniable palpability that only comes through a certain contradictory warmth primarily embedded in the unsettling bass line that prowls beneath a shower of cymbals like a stalker in the rain. There's nothing quite like the way the predatory guitar riff just pounces on the victim/listener at 1:59 - truly the song's highpoint for me.

Rainy Day Music: Joy Division Edition

Every Time I Read Something Related To World War II, I Have To Listen To Joy Division.

Specifically "Warsaw." But anything by them usually does the trick. They definitely make Mother Midnight by Kurt Vonnegut more enjoyable: