Every truly great band has its figurehead, leader, and creative driving force that is the proverbial wind in their sails. Whether this be Nirvana’s Kurt Cobain, Oasis’ Noel Gallagher or Led Zeppelin’s Jimmy Page, the history of music is speckled with outfits who wouldn’t have been so consequential without such influential characters. Undoubtedly, one of the most significant of them all is the late Ian Curtis, the frontman of post-punk pioneers Joy Division.
Curtis and the band’s stories are coated in tragedy due to his 1980 suicide, which brought things to an abrupt and crushing halt. Adding an extra dose of melancholy, it occurred when the group were on the eve of their first tour of America, and, likely, untold commercial and critical success. Yet, although they perhaps never fulfilled their true potential, the songs he left behind remain a clear reflection of his artistic prowess, and skill in bringing his unique vision to life.
Joy Division’s music was always far more multifaceted than that of their contemporaries. In one regard, they followed closely in the footsteps of the Sex Pistols by crafting punishing sonics that drove deep into the hearts of listeners. Yet, in another aspect, they were glacial and melodic, a facet that was inspired by the towering ghosts of Manchester’s industrial past that surrounded them, as well as the stark, windswept moors that cushion the city’s limits.
The multifarious sonic character of Joy Division, and deeply artistic spirit is attributed by the surviving members as mostly being down to Curtis’s direction and the experimental groups he loved such as Can, Kraftwerk, The Velvet Underground and The Stooges.
Speaking in a Q&A with The Guardian, bassist Peter Hook recalled: “It was Ian that introduced us to Iggy and things like that, because Bernard and I were listening to pop, reggae, Led Zeppelin, Deep Purple. Ian didn’t push it on you, he wasn’t pushy with us at all, and he was just great to be with, he completed your education.”
Recalling how instrumental Curtis’ direction was, guitarist Bernard Sumner added: “He brought a direction. Ian was into the extremities of life. He wanted to make extreme music, and he wanted to be totally extreme on stage, no half measures. If we were writing a song, he would say: ‘Let’s make it more manic! It’s too straight, let’s make it more manic!’”
“The Instigator”, “The Spotter”, these were the titles Joy Division bestowed upon their frontman. Not only did he introduce them to some of their most boundary-pushing influences, but he was the one who would spot a melody or chord at rehearsals and then jump on it, recognising its potential to be truly outstanding. Without him, most of their finest work wouldn’t have come to fruition.
