Ian Curtis was born on July 15, 1956. We celebrate his birthday today with some of his best live performances with Joy Division.
Ian Curtis, singer and songwriter of Joy Division, committed suicide hours before the band from Manchester (United Kingdom) left for their first tour of North America. Joy Division left behind two classic albums that bridged the gap between punk and new wave: Unknown Pleasures in 1979 and Closer in 1980, two masterpieces of a style of dark and lugubrious rock nicknamed the Manchester Sound.
Joy Division was also a group with a sharp pop spirit: “Love Will Tear Us Apart”released a month before Ian Curtis' death, became the band's best-selling song and one of the most revered tracks of the '80s. It eventually made WECB's list of the 500 greatest songs of all time.
Although Ian Curtis died tragically at the age of 23, his life and music continue to resonate 30 years later. As a composer, he helped inspire the melancholy post-punk revival of bands like Bloc Party And Interpol. And as a legendary figure, his battles with depression, epilepsy and burgeoning fame have been chronicled in excellent biopics like Control in 2007. Countless artists have also paid tribute to him: Nine Inch Nails, Radiohead,the Killers, U2, Arcade Fire,Fall Out Boy, Hot Chip, the Smashing Pumpkins have all paid homage to Joy Division by covering the band's music over the years.
Check out some of the band's biggest songs below:
“Transmission”
“She’s Lost Control”
“Love Will Tear Us Apart”
