Anyone met New Order in person?

symphonie wrote:

DC wrote: Knew 'em quite well from when I used to follow Joy Div around the country. I used to talk to Ian and Hooky the most, never really got to know Barney. Nice bloke though. My sister knows them better than me, especially Steve and Gillian.

will you tell more? what was ian like to speak with? did he engage and keep eye contact in conversation or did he keep looking around the room? when was the first time you saw them - were you struck right off that they were extraordinary? was he a charismatic person? videos and dvd's don't communicate charisma.

IC was a normal friendly bloke. A couple of times he was obviously struggling with his health and didn't say much, but most of the time just wanted to talk about music, football, beer, women...!! I'd say offstage he wasn't particularly charismatic, but something happened when he went onstage.

Spotnick wrote:

Veronica wrote: Just wondering if anyone could give me an idea of what they were like in person if met for an autograph on the street, at a show, etc? Is Bernard really as grumpy as he is made out to be, or is that crap?

Thanks, Veronica

Met the 4 of them yesterday... but only chatted with Bernard & Phil really...

What did Bernard and Phil talk about?

Bernard talked about how big his penis is, if the past is anything to go by!

If that's the case, how big is it then?

Just curious :D

DC wrote: IC was a normal friendly bloke. A couple of times he was obviously struggling with his health and didn't say much, but most of the time just wanted to talk about music, football, beer, women...!! I'd say offstage he wasn't particularly charismatic, but something happened when he went onstage.

thanks for reply. when i was at the age of hearing NO for the first time and then intro'd to JD; IC was, of course, already gone. there has always been a sense of loss without having anything more then music, some vids and pictures to go by - so to hear anything from someone who was literally in the room, even the ordinary, is something.

well. you ALL know my experience on NYEve&seen scary photo! I must say, I was also really nervous about meeting /seeing them in the flesh. I was especially nervous about meeting Bernard, as he's been such a huge and enormously important feature in my life, for over 20 years, I was scared that he'd be really horrible, and I'd be so crushed!!! However, nothing could be further from the truth. He also kept thanking me for the nice things I was saying about him and the band and their music. He was also very patient with me when I told him how much I loved him....! The main thing I noticed was how 'interested' he was in what people had to say....he wasnt doing the big superstar thing (although a few of the people 'around him-security etc were..... ) He was great-he seemed like a really genuine guy- .. likes a beer, like a boogie and has got time for pissed / over emotional fans!.... (Don't think I managed to tell him I had a cat/ hamster &budgie named after him at some points in the last 25 years!!!:\ohwell: currently have 4 year old black cat---Bernard III probabaly didnt need to know that at 3am on NYeVE!!!)

Met the Hook-Monster back in 87'...NO was having a concert with SugarBoobs in Minneapolis at a concert hall ...Hooky was laying out on the steps sunning himself on the back stairs of the hall (or nursing a hangover?) when I recognized him (had the Cuttings books then so finally found out what the faceless ones looked like.)...as for autograph and Hooky mumbled something that "I from Boston" and went back to sleep (or whatever)...

Reading about their touring experiences now, I can see why he was a bit of a crab that day..

No one seems to have had a really bad experience, do they? What a class act these guys are.

I kinda mentioned this before but, after the Oakland show we had a chance to see Bernard and Hooky leaving the show. Hooky hung out with the fans waiting out back, for quite awhile. When Bernard came out he looked beat and not up to too much interaction, but he did agree to pose for a pic with the guys I went with. When he heard they were from the New Order cover band out of Seattle, Love Vigilantes, He perked right up and said he knew of them and has even visited their web site. I thought that was really kewl.

I've met them four times (+ 1 Monaco earlier) and overall I can say Steve and Gillian were very quiet but kind, Rob Gretton was absolutely wonderful, Tony Wilson too. I met Phil just once but he seems just like Pottsy, very friendly and more like a lucky fan just joining the band rather than a superstar. Andy is just the right person to replace Rob. Bernard can be different, always kind enough but it really depends on how he feels, if he doesn't feel comfortable he won't fake to have any interest in you other than shaking your hand, if he's in the right mood he can be as friendly as Hooky, who is indeed the friendliest and I can confirm he amazingly remembers people (probably he has a better memory than Bernard and wouldn't need an autocue). Who knows how many thousands faces he sees during a tour and yet he can remember you and sooner than you can wonder what's happening it's not you asking but him inviting you backstage! Though it's not as essential to meet them as years ago of course I'd be happy if it happened again when they come in Turin but funnily enough it will be more difficult to meet them in my own country than in England. I've always met them by chance, usually it was easy because we came from Italy and there wasn't a lot of people around them before shows so we didn't even try too hard and the security guys were kind with us because we travelled to see them (except Sarge of course ;) ). I know how Italian festivals are, and I'll just be one like every other person in the audience, so I'm not really expecting anything (also I don't think I'll try to catch them before the concert as I'm with my girlfriend and we'll just hang around the festival, maybe later if there's any chance of a pass)... I'll be already happy to see them play in my country and I still have all those great memories with them...

This was an amazing thread guys...loved reading everyones stories...i just met Hooky a few days ago at the after party, and i can confirm, he is a good guy, quite funny also.