Now I am not going to pretend I know anything about playing the drums, but I know that Stephen is the best drummer I've ever seen or heard. He is so unique in his style. If I heard him playing by himself on some recording, I could tell who it is. From songs like Disorder, She's Lost Control, and Isolation to Everything's Gone Green, Touched by the Hand of God, and Age of Consent; he always brings his own distinctiveness to JD/NO songs. That is why Stephen is essential to making New Order, New Order.
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Is Stephen Morris the best drummer ever?
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This is an archived legacy thread. Replies are closed, but the discussion is preserved.
Yes he is. But Sumner & Hook would still replace him if they had to. No more Stephen does not necceserily mean no more NewOrder, peeps, accept it!
Originally posted by James Stephen Barnes No more Stephen does not necceserily mean no more NewOrder, peeps, accept it!
How do you - or any of us, for that matter - know that for sure?
Originally posted by Shelley Blair > Originally posted by James Stephen Barnes> No more Stephen does not necceserily mean no more NewOrder, peeps, accept it!
How do you - or any of us, for that matter - know that for sure?
We don't, my dear, but I have an inkling that Barn & Pete don't consider a true NO line-up as important as they would have, say, 15 years ago. Look at the ease in which they replaced Gillian, & they didn't even have the decency to issue some sort of press release to explain her departure & thank her for her years of loyal service to the band.
Watch the interview with Miranda Bintfeatures on '3 16'; Steve & Gill can't barely get a word in between Sumner & Hooky, & you can tell by the looks on their faces, particularly Steves, that they feel surplus to requirements.
We may never know a New Order without Morris, no doubt he'll remain in the band till the bitter end. But, & this is the point I was trying to make in my Stephen Morris poll thread a few weeks back, anyone who thinks that he is not indispensible to a NewOrder so obviously dominated by Bernard & Peter, is, quite honestly, deluding themselves.
I like his playing, but he doesn't "wow" me. Half the time he plays, it sounds like its programmed anyway. With JD and early New Order he was distinctive, but not now.
But how much of an influence does he have in the music creation? For example, Lars of Metallica is the "ringleader" when they are in the studio.
JSB -- Gillian is STILL a member of New Order and always will be.
Hence, no press release.
Period.
The original line-up of the Order was Steven, Hookey, & Barney, not neccessarily in that order or any order for that matter.
As far as I know Gillian has never officially been told if she was in or not. Yes I do think of her as an integaral member.
The answer to the original question is
Yes.
Steve is the silent genious behind the band. think Barney does all the programming himself?? Ever listen to Video 586? I think that if Steve quit the band would fold. No reason to carry on the NO banner.
As for Gillian, she is just taking a needed break for real life issues.
none of them are the best musicians ever. but they do what they do well (with the exception of some of barney's lyrics). steve's drumming is damn catchy and that's what's important.
Steve's super expensive electronic drum kit does all the work for him now. Watch him drop his drum stick at reading 98 and the drums just carry right on unchanged...
Originally posted by I don't want to be just a number in Society JSB -- Gillian is STILL a member of New Order and always will be.Hence, no press release.Period.
Wish I had your eternal optimism.
PS You're not a 'Prisoner' fan, are you?... :)
certainly in JD, steve was very very important (see interviews with hannett). theres more to being in a band than what % of the musical output you are responsable for. New order would have been a very different band without gillian.
electronic dont cut the mustard monaco/revenge dont cut the mustard the other two dont cut the mustard
New order do.
No member is indespensable.the fact they always had a female member in the band, in the studio, on stage, in my opinion, was decisive.
soundtrack was just hooky and steve
steve and gillian wrote the melody to WIM
the list goes on.
i wouldnt relish a hooky/barney album.
Originally posted by Major Tarantino Watch him drop his drum stick at reading 98 and the drums just carry right on unchanged...
Tell me you are joking! I would die laughing if I saw that. Sort of like Milli Vanilli. Is that video clip online somewhere?
Sorry to disappoint, but Gillian definitely isn't in the band anymore, they say so themselves. They would know.
Is Steve the best drummer ? Dunno, but he's a bloody good one and a very innovative one. His sound has shaped so much.
As for Steve dropping his stick, he always plays with a beat in the back, so no wonder the beat kept on going, but he actually plays on top of it... Check out Temptation.
As for his being THE BEST drummer is the world, well, he's pretty good, his drumming in Joy Division was certainly very distinctive and original, but don't be daft... Neither of them are great musicians (in the technical sense of the term), but very creative artistes, which is what counts, I suppose, being that they started out as punks... And Steven is by far the most musically trained, the only actual musician in the band, at least in the first days of Joy Divison. Not nowadays, though... I suppose they all know their stuff by now. But that's sily, anyway, Lars Ulrich is one of the best drummers in the world, even though Metallica says nothing to me personally, and that's all there is to it. No one in New Order can play very well, even though they're incredibly talented and creative. Just ask anybody who's had some training in music.
Originally posted by afr0puff > Originally posted by Major Tarantino Watch him drop his drum stick at reading 98 and the drums just carry right on unchanged...
Tell me you are joking! I would die laughing if I saw that. Sort of like Milli Vanilli. Is that video clip online somewhere?
I think it's during true faith. It's really obvious on 3 16. 
Originally posted by Detweiler 3.63 Sorry to disappoint, but Gillian definitely isn't in the band anymore, they say so themselves. They would know.
New Order has never been a band of "status" -- so stating anything on Gillian's role in the band isn'T like them IMHO.
She might not be involved at all now, but who says she won't be part of the album after the next one? Who says she won't be contributing backing vocals on some tracks?
He seems to be a good rhythm drummer, but Jimmy Chamberlin of Smashing Pumpkins (who originally started doing jazz), Boris Williams of the Cure from '85-'93, and Lars from Metallica are all better drummers, in my opinion. Even Jason Cooper of the current Cure lineup seems to be a better drummer, techincally, although Steve seems to be more memorable.
Originally posted by James Stephen Barnes We don't, my dear, but I have an inkling that Barn & Pete don't consider a true NO line-up as important as they would have, say, 15 years ago. Look at the ease in which they replaced Gillian, & they didn't even have the decency to issue some sort of press release to explain her departure & thank her for her years of loyal service to the band.
Sounds to me like a typical New Order-ish way to handle things. Why should they make sure that media and fans know the setup of the band? Isn't the music that New Order produces the important thing here?
Even if she doesn't play anymore and instead focuses on other priorities, doesn't mean she can't provide input and ideas on new material. Surely there must be some studio-talk around the dinner table.
She is also on location (when possible) when they are playing a show. Moral support?
Watch the interview with Miranda Bintfeatures on '3 16'; Steve & Gill can't barely get a word in between Sumner & Hooky, & you can tell by the looks on their faces, particularly Steves, that they feel surplus to requirements.
The loudest people aren't automatically the most important people... 
Originally posted by Major Tarantino Steve's super expensive electronic drum kit does all the work for him now. Watch him drop his drum stick at reading 98 and the drums just carry right on unchanged...
But someone has to program the boxes. Try to sit down with some computers, synthesizers, drum-machines, etc. and produce a track that is good enough to be played on the radio. It's a lot harder than you think. These days the people-playing-synthesizers-aren't-real-musicians-attitude should be long gone. The computer/synth/drum-machine is a tool. Just because you have it, doesn't always make you a good artist.
/TLV
Bruce Mitchell is the greatest living drummer. Topper Headon was quite good in his day too (check out "Tommy Gun"). Steve Morris is a good drummer, but no way is the best ever. Don't forget Steve Brotherdale too :D Let's face it, if he was still in the band I bet half of you would be raving over him just as much!
don't know if he's the best, necessarily, but he is very good (not that i'm a drumming expert). i'm always impressed by his playing whenever i listen to their music or watch my NO DVDs and videos, and i wish he'd get more credit as he's certainly versatile.
he is, however, one of the sweatiest drummers ever.
I think creativity is extrememly important in talking about the best at something. Steve being creative and unique makes him great, in my opinion. Not to mention, he does know his craft very well.
One of the things that make the Joy Division sound so unique is Steve Morris's drum style. Listen at Attomsphere and you cannot possibly say he is not a good drummer. He is up there with the best.
He works very hard and you can see he is physical sweating if you watch the live DVDs. He is parahps with Gillian left in the shade a little bid as Barney/Hooky tend to get most the credit.
Morris is also a good keyboard player as well don't forget.
P.S I tried playing creating some music on the computer once and it sounded awful. I am very technicaly minded and I am a computer programmer and I know how MIDI/wave sampeling works, it sounded awful because I have as much creativity as a dead tourtose so anybody who says people who use computers are not real musisians are wrong.
not sure how you would decide, his sound is so tweeked anyway. certainly his anti- rock style of less is more, is not only very memorable but helps the emotion of the music greatly in JD and 80s NewOrder... and has influenced many in indie rock such as Steve Albini's production style and others.
Steve is cool... he has made his mark... nothing left to prove... what more do you need?
He is a different kind of drummer really,some stuff is banged out on the kit,but some is probably put together with the computers etc,more like a producer. Its most likely the first track they put down,then work round it. So best drummer,who knows? Important part of New Order? Damn right.
He is unique in his style. Listening to some Joy Division right now and Stephen's drumming is a highlight. He's mainly why I have taken up drumming.
i've noticed that Steve gets last credit as far as writing in Joy Division, in the box set Heart and Soul, behind Sumner who is third so alphabetical order is ruled out... so what gives??? 
why are they dissing Steve?
Perhaps it would have been easier if the question had been "Is Steven the best drummer in New Order?:)
Originally posted by death of art Perhaps it would have been easier if the question had been "Is Steven the best drummer in New Order?:)
Uh, I think that question would be more appropriate for the Cure, who have had Lol Tolhurst, Andy Anderson, Boris Williams, and Jason Cooper as drummers.
Yeah, but New Order have had Steve and, erm some drum machines, and erm, Hooky on TPK. Anyway, it was only a fucking joke. Sheesh.
