Electronic — Forum Archive — New Order Online

30 Jan 2005, 09:15

I was wondering if Barney and Johnny will ever choose to work together again or whether Twisted Tenderness will prove to be Electronic's final album.

There were five years between the debut album and Raise The Pressure so, if that's owt to go on, maybe there could be one at the end of this year...but nowt's been said!

It's all subjective but I think the first two albums are great overall but TT isn't too hot as it lacks focus, apart from the title track. What's Marr up to at the moment, anyone know?

30 Jan 2005, 10:30

Johnny Marr has its own band (Johnny Marr & The Healers), Bernard is back with New Order.

You can never say never, but Electronic is indeed over.

Plus, the last time around, the label dropped their 2nd single (Late At Night), so I don't know if their current label see any future with Electronic.

30 Jan 2005, 11:04

I remember reading in the (I think it was) Uncut magazine 1998 interview that the band (including Gillian) did around about the time they reformed that the side-projects were pretty much history. I personally know that Monaco was wound down due to the NO comeback combined with Pottsy's boredom of having every new song he wrote morphing into a New Order sounding one (Understandable, especially as some would say Hooky's basslines ARE New Order). The Other Two are definitely finished, Gillian's absence from today's New Order is the biggest hint of that. I think Steve also said in that particular Uncut interview that The Other Two's records "were fun but no more will be made".

I don't think Barney's said anywhere that Electronic is specifically finished, but the signs aren't good. I recall him saying that "at his time of life" he wanted "his workload to reduce not increase" and that would certainly not be conducive with coming up with new albums for two seperate bands. As New Order basically made up a large part of his entire adult life and was potentially the biggest cash cow (business-like, but an important choice for his bank balance) plus they had the biggest following, so he chose NO and duly wound down Electronic. It's a shame for Marr because his Healers records are dismal, with perhaps two good tracks on the debut and even the minimal guitar work on the Electronic records sound miles better than the pub-rock he's currently churning out. I used to think Marr was a genius, but I think the truth is he exhausted his ALL his genius on The Smiths and the debut Electronic LP. A crying shame because I'm a huge Smiths fan too, but even I can see the majority of Moz's solo career including his latest singles "First Of The Gang To Die" and "Irish Blood, English Heart" contain far better melodies than Marr could ever hope to achieve these days. It's just even more of a shame that Alain Whyte, essentially Marr's main counterpart on Morrissey's solo records has seemingly left his band.

Sorry went a bit off topic there but nevermind :)

Ally.

30 Jan 2005, 12:07

The Other Two was only stuff that wasn`t used for NewOrder tracks,i dont think they actually set out to write an album.

Revenge is obviously dead. Monaco too.

Electronic? Who knows,of the lot its the most likely to return. The Healers album flopped,and got poor reviews at the time of release. I would say there was definitely the possiblity of a Best Of package,but a new album? Doubtful.

30 Jan 2005, 18:32

Yeah, just gotta face it really, they're born new order! There was nothing wrong trying new grounds though, but at the end of the day, they're new order, thats it!

30 Jan 2005, 20:01

Johnny Marr is the third Pet Shop Boy.

31 Jan 2005, 01:35

It's not such a bad thing that the side projects are not happening, as that can only mean one thing, they don't have time for them as they are working together as New Order.

Whatever happened to Freebass, out of curiosity? Not that I had any wish to hear the collaborations.....

31 Jan 2005, 02:49

I suppose all good things regarding their side projects have to come to an end.

Revenge: Pottsy and Hooky's first collaboration, produced One True Passion and the live album. Anyone know if there was a second album sometime after the Gun World Porn ep? I never saw them live.

Monaco: The second time they'd teamed up. Great debut album and pretty good second. Second single from Monaco (the album) was never released due to a sample of another song not getting clearance apparently. Saw them live at London's tiny Scala in King's Cross where Hooky called us "Cockney bastards". Charming!

Electronic: stonking debut single in '89 and brilliant debut album in '91. Raise The Pressure is also cool (great to see former Kraftwerk percussion god Karl Bartos on it), third album Twisted Tenderness not so great. I wonder why Parlophone/EMI decided not to release Late At Night. Saw them live at Wembley Hall 1 around Christmas '91. Top gig with the Pet Shop Boys helping on the superb Patience Of A Saint, Getting Away With It and the live debut of Disappointed.

(The) Other Two: patchy first album, a great debut single in Tasty Fish and then the excellent Super Highways. As far as Gillian's vocals go, she did a really fine job on the second album and was far more confident than on the debut IMHO. The first album was completed and shelved for over a year as Factory bit the dust and London held back its release so as not to detract from Republic. I miss Gillian in the Order but I understand her reasons.

So what would you like to see as a full stop side project-wise? I'd like to see an Electronic double CD with one disc a compilation of their finest moments and another featuring that great night at Wembley. How about it Emmie?