[Music] Closer - 40 years old

[Weststander]

I got into Joy Division in 81, I was 13.
They changed my taste in music

Closer is a perfect album to me. Not a single duff song on the album.
Unknown Pleasures is fantastic, but i can do without, I rememember nothing.


I hadn't listened to Closer for a long time I bought it on CD in the 90s, because I knew I needed it in my collection, but never put it on.

About 10 years ago i was playing some songs on Spotify and for some reason Closer came up as a suggestion of other stuff to play.
I put it on expecting it to sound horribly dated 80s synth goth/indie rock.
It blew me away again, probably more so than when I was a teenager.

Listening to it again recently having just rewatched the film Control,made the lyrics even more poignant.
I read somewhere that Curtis told Sumner that writing the lyrics was the easiest thing he had ever done. "as if the songs were writing themselves"

It is an exceptional piece of work.

A similar story to yours, but I’m a couple of years older. Thankfully my mates also loved the same genre and artists, on a musical journey over much of our lives. Too young to see JD, but we saw New Order a few times in the mid 80’s.

Song writing (lyrics and the music) - all these bands in their autobio’s talk about the struggles, having to be in the right mood .... The Cure, The Smiths, JD and New Order. But without formal music training or rich parents funding a childhood on piano or guitar lessons, each reeled off countless innovative pieces of pop genius. Incredibly, mainly done in their late teens and early twenties, despite a lack of self belief, lyrics often scribbled down and music created in bedrooms at their parents homes.

I’d put The Stranglers and The Jam in that genius bracket too.

 

[The Large One]

Two things

1) You’re not the first generation to say music was better, or more “dramatic” to use your exact term, in my day than it is now...and you won’t be the last

I didn't say the music was more dramatic. I said the change of styles and sub-genres in that short space of time was more dramatic.

2) I’m pretty certain in the future there will be a time when we will be able to look back on the past decade and highlight and pinpoint key moments and changes.....just like you’re doing now with your era.

I'd VERY much doubt that. People knew at the time of the rapid change of styles in that time. They were highly self-aware of the changes they were affecting. No-one has said that for this past decade of popular music.

 

[Herr Tubthumper]

I didn't say the music was more dramatic. I said the change of styles and sub-genres in that short space of time was more dramatic.

Fair enough, I misunderstood. That said, for example, you listed 4 derivatives of rock music, how dramatic were those changes/differences? Any more than, say, the emergence of U.K. rap, garage, grime and drill? You also mentioned the advent of the 12 inch single. Spotify has been a fairly dramatic change, arguably more so than the 12” single.

I'd VERY much doubt that. People knew at the time of the rapid change of styles in that time. They were highly self-aware of the changes they were affecting. No-one has said that for this past decade of popular music.

Stormzy headlining Glastonbury has been spoken of as a changing moment. Daft Punk at Cochella was the starting point of EDM according to many observers, which is a huge genre. And according to some they saw this in front of their eyes that night. As an aside, Daft Punk also radically changed the business model of music when they licensed their album to Virgin. I’m no expert but there are others I could mention.

That said, I’m not entirely convinced many actually know the changes to the landscape and the long term impact they’re making at the time.

 

[ozzygull]

This arrived on Friday. New 12”

 

[Weststander]

This arrived on Friday. New 12”

View attachment 126274

The cover and song, a thing of beauty. Goosebumps.

 

[Return of the Rev]

Love Will Tear Us Apart is the greatest track ever

For me it's bottom of the list from Joy Division, still decent but plenty better. Never saw them as Joy Division but saw them as Warsaw and New Order.

 

[osgood]

No comparison is there? I lived in a run down house shared with three other blokes in the early 1970s in London Road. Each of us had completely different tastes in music, which in turn, made me appreciate the whole gamut of sounds.

One of the blokes was into Bob Marley, Van Morrison, Zappa, Beefheart - he called Yes mogadon music!
Another enjoyed Roxy Music and Bowie. Me? Led Zep, Who, Traffic, Fairport Convention and . . . Yes.

We all went to see various bands at pubs, the Dome, Brighton Poly, even Hove Town Hall where I saw Captain Beefheart and Gong!! Best gig for me was Bad Company at the Rainbow in Finsbury Park.

Heady days indeed.

Yes = Mogodon music , thats fair comment ,

Tales from the Topographic ocean , heady stuff indeed !

 

[el punal]

Yes = Mogodon music , thats fair comment ,

Tales from the Topographic ocean , heady stuff indeed !

Never had that one! Close to the Edge and Yessongs was my stash. Looking back on it some prog rock was complete pretentious bollocks - enjoyable pretentious bollocks though.

 

[osgood]

Never had that one! Close to the Edge and Yessongs was my stash. Looking back on it some prog rock was complete pretentious bollocks - enjoyable pretentious bollocks though.

Your were a stoner ,man !