New Order's new album, Music Complete, to be released in September on Mute

New Order has announced the release of their new album, Music Complete, out on September 25, 2015.
 

The long awaited album will be New Order’s first full studio release since 2005's Waiting For The Siren's Call, and their debut for Mute. Music Complete finds the group revitalized, and where the group has previously pushed toward electronics or guitars, here the two are in balance. Music Complete also marks a return to the studio for Gillian Gilbert; this is her first album with New Order since 2001's Get Ready.

The album will be released on CD, download, black vinyl and limited edition clear vinyl. In addition, there will be an exclusive 8-piece deluxe vinyl collection that includes the album plus extended versions of all 11 tracks on colored vinyl – Pre-order HERE.

New Order is: Bernard Sumner, Gillian Gilbert, Stephen Morris, Tom Chapman and Phil Cunningham.

Music Complete is produced by New Order, except ‘Singularity’ and ‘Unlearn This Hatred’, both produced by Tom Rowlands, while ‘Superheated’ features additional production by Stuart Price. Long-term collaborator Peter Saville provides art direction.

Live dates to be announced soon…

Michael Shamberg RIP

Michael Shamberg - RIP

Movie of the Week: Who Is Tony Wilson?

Tony Wilson by Paul Wolfgang Webster

Who Is Tony Wilson? was made by Steven Lomas, and features contributions by Kevin Cummins, Dave Haslam and Martin Moscrop. Hat tip to Cerysmatic Factory for this one.

Factory Benelux & New Order To Issue Special Benefit Comp For Michael Shamberg

If you've had the pleasure of seeing New Order in the last couple of years, there's a chance they dedicated the gig to a fellow named Michael Shamberg. Now I can't really blame you for saying "Who?" Only the most trainspotting of us Factory Records fans MIGHT know who he is. He's a very low key fellow - even when he was running the US office for Factory back in the 1980's in NYC. Despite his low key profile, Shamberg played a big part in the success of band's like New Order, and others. Keep reading and you'll find out why a whole bunch of ex-Factory workers have gotten together, and allowed their music to be included on this release. Of note: 100% of the proceeds will go to Shamberg and his medical fund, and the release date is May 26, 2014.

Factory Benelux and New Order present Of Factory New York, a unique benefit album released to assist Michael Shamberg, who ran the NYC office of Factory Records during the celebrated label’s Eighties heyday.

Available on CD and double gatefold vinyl formats, Of Factory New York gathers a selection of classic tracks by artists associated with OFNY including the John Robie remix of Yashar by Cabaret Voltaire, Do the Du by A Certain Ratio, Cool As Ice by 52nd Street, Love Tempo by Quando Quango, the Megamix version of Looking From A Hilltop by Section 25 and an exclusive version of Your Silent Face by New Order, recorded live on tour in America in June 1989.

Homegrown American talent featured on the album includes Ike Yard, Thick Pigeon, Konk, Anna Domino and deejay/producer Arthur Baker. The cover art is based on an original 1983 design by Lawrence Weiner, the conceptual artist closely associated with Shamberg and Factory’s Big Apple operation.

Unfortunately in 2006 Michael was struck down with highly debilitating mitochondrial disease. All artists featured on Of Factory New York have donated their work free of charge, Factory Benelux will take no profit, and 100% of net revenues will be paid over to the medical trust which takes care of Michael.

“Michael has been with us from the very start,” explain New Order. “Initially he was in charge of Factory New York, then became creative producer for all our early videos. He brought our attention to the early works of directors such as Kathryn Bigelow, Gina Birch, Robert Breer, Peter Care, Phillipe Decouffle, Jonathan Demme, Robert Frank, Paula Greiff, Robert Longo, Bailie Walsh and William Wegman. Michael is very ill and needs constant medical attention. We want to help him, and played two fundraising shows in 2011. This new Factory New York compilation album will contribute further financial support towards Michael’s ongoing care.”

Vinyl tracklist:

A1. A Certain Ratio Do the Du

A2. Quando Quango Love Tempo

A3. 52nd Street Cool As Ice

B1. Cabaret Voltaire Yashar (John Robie Remix)

B2. New Order Your Silent Face (live 1989)

B3. Konk Baby Dee

C1. Section 25 Looking From A Hilltop (Megamix)

C2. Streetlife Act On Instinct

C3. Marcel King Reach For Love (New York Remix)

D1. Thick Pigeon Subway

D2. Ike Yard Kino

D3. Arthur Baker Come On

D4. Anna Domino Summer (Arthur Baker Remix)

CD tracklist:

01. A Certain Ratio Do the Du

02. Quando Quango Love Tempo

03. Konk Baby Dee

04. 52nd Street Cool As Ice

05. Cabaret Voltaire Yashar (John Robie Remix)

06. New Order Your Silent Face (live 1989)

07. Section 25 Looking From A Hilltop (Megamix)

08. Streetlife Act On Instinct

09. Marcel King Reach For Love (New York Remix)

10. Thick Pigeon Subway

11. Ike Yard Kino

12. Arthur Baker Come On

13. Anna Domino Summer (Arthur Baker Remix) 

Factory Benelux website

Its nice to be noticed...

...especially when its by one of my all time favorite magazines (proud reader here for almost 20 years). Deputy Editor Andrew Male enjoyed the recent New Order Play At Home film so much he's made it Clip of the Day over at the Mojo website!

Movie of the Week: New Order Play At Home (1984)

New Order's contribution to the Channel 4 (UK) Play At Home series in which groups were given free reign in making their own documentaries.

Peter Saville discusses the origins & influence of the debut Joy Division album cover

New Order setlist: Glastonbury, June 20, 1981

New Order setlist: Glastonbury, June 20, 1981. Via Goldmine Trash.

Before & After: Album Art 9

Before: 

Unused Peter Saville design for New Order’s “Crystal” single, 2001. 

As pictured in the book, Designed By Peter Saville.

After: 

Kanye West, Yeezus, 2013.

 Source, via. Two Kanye mentions in one day is enough, thank you.

Friday Ephemera: Maxwells press release (1980)

That's some great list of upcoming shows. Trainspotters note: Joy Division is listed as playing in September. This is obviously after Ian Curtis killed himself, but before they selected their new name. New Order would play the show.

Movie of the Week: Umbrellas in The Sun - A Crepuscule / Factory Benelux Collection

Following the posting this week of Donald Johnson (A Certain Ratio)'s Stupefied Playlist, let's stick with the Factory Records vibe for the first MOTW for the weekend.

Here's Umbrellas In The Sun - an incredible collection of bands from the Crepuscule, Benelux & Factory loose family of labels. This collection wouldn't otherwise ever be possible without the hard & obsessive work of labels like LTM, so go buy a copy of this, or any of their DVD comps, now!

Umbrellas in the Sun borrows its title from the 1981 video compilation of the same name released by Belgian label, Les Disques du Crepuscule (TWI 099), and features selected clips from that project, as well as clips from A Factory Video (Fact 65), A Factory Complication (FBN 7) and A Factory Outing (Fact 71) plus previously unseen material. Featuring cover art by Crepuscule design director Benoit Hennebert, the DVD contains 23 rare clips filmed between 1979 and 1987 and runs for over 2 hours.  The definitive genre document!

Tracklist:

01. Antena - The Boy From Ipanema
02. A Certain Ratio - Back to the Start
03. Josef K - Sorry For Laughing
04. Cabaret Voltaire - Sluggin' Fer Jesus
05. Marine - A Propositio dei Napoli
06. Section 25 - New Horizon
07. The Names - Nightshift
08. Durutti Column - Marie-Louise Gardens
09. New Order - Everything's Gone Green (live)
10. Crispy Ambulance - The Presence
11. Minny Pops - Dolphins Spurt
12. Malaria! - White Sky/White Sea (live)
13. Tuxedomoon - Litebulb Overkill/Jinx (live)
14. Berntholer - My Suitor
15. Thick Pigeon - Wheels Over Indian Trails
16. Paul Haig - Heaven Sent (live)
17. Kalima - Trickery
18. Stockholm Monsters - Partyline
19. Swamp Children - You've Got Me Beat (live)
20. Kalima - The Smiling Hour
21. Quando Quango - Go Exciting (live)
22. Marine - Une Soiree Avec... (28 minute film)

Joy Division: 1979 Factory Manchester Concert Poster signed by Jon Savage

A very rare concert poster advertising a show by Joy Divison at The Factory, July 13, 1979, with artwork by noted music and cultural critic Jon Savage. This concert was Joy Division's first show in their hometown of Manchester after the release of their debut album, Unknown Pleasures (and took place at their record label's legendary club.)  The poster measures 17' x 25', and is in near mint condition, with only some very minor handling.  Any Joy Division poster is very rare, but this one—for a historic show, and with such great artwork—is highly desirable indeed. Signed in the lower right corner by Jon Savage. Buy it.

Dec. 5, 1986: New Order plays for Ruth Polsky

Pumped Full of Drugs: New Order live (1985)

Recorded live at Shinjuku Koseinenkin Hall in Tokyo

May 2nd 1985
Setlist:Confusion
Love Vigilantes
We All Stand
As It Is When It Was
Sub-Culture
Face Up
Sunrise
This Time Of Night
Blue Monday

Blue Monday

Source

Book events of note: Peter Hook and Richard Hell

Just in from the NY Times East Village Local comes news of two upcoming music book events of note: The first by former Joy Division/New Order bassist, Peter Hook, to promote his Unknown Pleasures: Inside Joy Division. He'll be appearing at The Strand on January 29 with Sasha Frere-Jones, and in order to attend you'll need to purchase a copy of the book or buy a $10 gift card from the store. Get all of the details here.

Order Unknown Pleasures: Inside Joy Division

A little further down the calendar, but no less important (and lets face it, probably more anticipated), are a couple of appearances by Richard Hell following the release of his I Dreamed I Was a Very Clean Tramp: An Autobiography. The book is available on March 12, and Hell will be reading at Barnes & Noble in Union Square on March 14, and also at Bookmarc in the West Village on March 19.

Order I Dreamed I Was a Very Clean Tramp: An Autobiography

Daily Travels: Touched By The Hand of God

New Order at Roseland, 10.18.12

New Order at Roseland 10.18.12

They did not disappoint. Of course I could quibble & nitpick, but I won't. The setlist was great, the sound excellent, and the lights were insane. I'm sorry I don't have a better camera for these events. It was great to see Barney in such happy & good form. The entire evening seemed to be geared towards showing appreciation - to Michael Shamberg who was there & the entire show was dedicated to. To the audience to whom Barney said towards the end of the set, "Thanks for being our fans for all of these years." And finally to Ian Curtis and Joy Division - the two encore songs performed were/are JD classics, and the slide/movie projections behind New Order as they played them showed classic photos of both Ian and the band. The crowd ate it up.

New Order's music has not dated. Thank god we still have them. Let's hope we don't have to wait another seven years before seeing them again.

Via

Setlist - New Order @ Roseland Ballroom, 10/18/2011
Elegia
Crystal
Ceremony
Age of Consent
Love Vigilantes
Here to Stay
Your Silent Face
1963
Close Range
Bizarre Love Triangle
5 8 6
True Faith
The Perfect Kiss
Blue Monday
Temptation
ENCORE:
Atmosphere
Love Will Tear Us Apart

For more photos & a review visit Brooklyn Vegan.

It was 30 years ago today: The opening of the Hacienda

Today is the exact 30th anniversary of the opening of the legendary Hacienda in Manchester...hoorah! Catch a bunch of quality performances at the club from the Smiths, New Order, the Chameleons, and Stone Roses over at Slicing Up Eyeballs.

And check out a remembrance from famed UK DJ, Greg Wilson here. Here's a short list of Wilson's "Five Early Hacienda Classics":

18 Minutes of Elegia - new vinyl from New Order

Originally released in a five minute version on 1985's Low Life, New Order have released a nearly 18 minute version on vinyl of "Elegia," a tribute to Ian Curtis previously only available in a 2002 boxset, and a 2008 expanded CD issue of Low Life. Latin for elegy, "Elegia" is certainly regal and elegiac. The b-sides (as they used to be called) are a John Peel session version of Power, Corruption, & Lies track "5-8-6", as well as another track dedicated to Curtis, "Him" from Movement. Fantastic. Buy it here.