Artist Profile
New Order is an English band formed 1980 in Manchester by vocalist and guitarist Bernard Sumner, bassist Peter Hook and drummer Stephen Morris. They formed after the demise of Joy Division, following the suicide of vocalist Ian Curtis. Jillian Gilbert, drummer Stephen Morris' girlfriend and future wife, joined a year after the band formed, playing keyboards and guitar. New Order carried forward Joy Division's post-punk sound, infused it with dance and electro-pop influences, and became one of the most innovative and successful bands of the 1980s, and pioneers of alternative dance. They became the flagship band for the Manchester-based independent record label Factory Records and its nightclub, The Haçienda. While the band's early years were initially overshadowed by Joy Division's post-punk legacy, their experience in the early 1980s New York club scene led them to incorporate dance rhythms and electronic instrumentation into their work. Their 1983 hit "Blue Monday" became the best-selling 12-inch single of all time and a popular club track. New Order's second LP, the superb Power, Corruption & Lies, was released in May 1983. This synth-pop album incorporated some of the post-punk style sound from Joy Division, and their first album, Movement. The band had been hinting at the increased use of technology for a number of years but with Power, Corruption & Lies they found their footing, mixing early techno music with their earlier guitar-based sound and showing the strong influence of acts like Kraftwerk and Giorgio Moroder. To-date New Order has released ten studio albums of consistently excellent standard, plus many more Singles, EP's and live releases. Standout albums include Power Corruption and Lies (1983), Low Life (1985), Brotherhood (1986), and Technique (1989). Other indispensible releases are the 12" Single Blue Monday (1983), the EP 1981-1982 (1982), the live album NOMC15 (2017), and the compilation Substance (1987). Peter Hook's bass sound was integral to the signature sound of both Joy Division and New Order. Treating it as a lead, melodic instrument rather than a traditional rhythm section anchor, Hook's bass lines cut directly through the band's dense blend of loud guitars and early electronic dance music. When he left New Order in 2007 their sound changed irrevocably. In 1988, Bernard Sumner teamed up with former Smiths guitarist Johnny Marr to form the group Electronic. Stephen Morris and Jillian Gilbert release work under the project name The Other Two. Peter Hook has been involved with many projects including working with Killing Joke and touring with the Durutti Column. Hook's current band, Peter Hook and the Light is touring and performing full albums from both Joy Division and New Order. Almost all New Order recordings have distinctive packaging, with Peter Saville as the art director.