20 Years since Low -Life.What do you remeber from when it came out?.

Blimmin ell.20TH anniversary of this New Order classics release.To me, THE essential New Order album.

It was their first album since i had got into them about 18 months before so it was an exciting time for me.Always remember hearing 6 tracks on Peelie one May Bank Holiday Monday night about a week before it came out.Of course, i taped them and played them over and over again til the early hours.Hearing Love Vigilantes for the first time was awesome.The next day after cutting the lawn at my mum`s house I sat down and listened to the tape with the tracks Peelie had played and from then on the smell of freshly cut grass always me of those first few days of listening to the album!

I was a bit too young to see them gigging around that time which was a shame.Didn`t see them til the Brotherhood tour in 86.

Hehe and I was even younger than, got into NO in 1993 but that was not the very first time I heard about them. Bought Low Life in 1993 and it has been my favorite NO album ever since.

Remember it was shite then and is now, but the live gigs were ace

Back to 1985... :car:

I was 12 and I haven't discovered New Order yet. I probably listen to my Ghostbuster 7" and Oxygene LP by Jean Michel Jarre

I was introduced in New Order music later in august 1989 with hearing Kiss Of Death ! I was amazed with the stereo effects. The first CD I bought was Substance, probably in september 1989, followed in october by Low-Life & Technique together.

Low-Life (8 tracks only!) still now one of my fav.

Yeah i was DJ'ing in a famous place in MANCHESTER at that time. STRANGEWAYS FM BUMMIN' IN YER EARS :D

I wasn't born.

MYOB wrote: I wasn't born.

BEFORE LIFE?

My first and favorite. I was 14. Over the course of the following year I played that album every chance I could. Puffed weed for the first (of many) times, and even lost my cherry to an older girl.

It's those damn frogs in Perfect Kiss that get me every time though. Every spring I come across some peeper toads chirping at dusk, and it just brings me back to my coming of age year, and the most excellent soundtrack that accompanied it.

Hmm...I was 17. I remember that I took $100 out of the college money I'd earned bagging groceries and bought a used Roland RS-202 String Machine out of the classifieds and taught myself to play "The Perfect Kiss."

I also remember thinking a lot, "Should I put on Low-Life or PC&L?" since PC&L was released on Qwest in the U.S. that year.

P.S. Mr Jarvis, do you have a salacious Ana M story to share? Agent Wood suggested you might...

I was 13, and living in a very small, remote country town at the time. My elder brother returned from a few weeks in Melbourne ('the big smoke') in his '77 Celica carrying an intriguing bit of vinyl with a tracing paper cover, all clothed mysteriously in a "Missing Link Records" bag. I'm pretty sure we were the only household in about 100km radius who had the album or had even heard of NO - we are talking about a town where AC/DC and Cold Chisel were the only 'kid's music' allowed - strictly mullets, flannelette shirts and farm boys who weren't into music.

He proceded to play it ad nauseum for the entire weekend on his stereo, which was located in the same bedroomm we shared. Needless to say, by the time that sunday evening came around, most of it had sunk in nicely - although Barn's vocals on LV were memorably poor. I made a tape copy for my newly-acquired walkman, and haven't looked back...until now CTB

So CTB tell us where are ya from? Wangaratta?

Myself I only got it a year after it came out, was doing year 12 at the time.

hmmm 20 years ago. i was 6...watching MTV quite a bit and probably listening to whatever crap was on Casey's Top 40 each week on the radio here in the US.

i mean... the Miami Vice Theme and that stupid instrumental from Bevery Hills Cop was the cheese i was into. i was a big James Bond freak because of my dad so i was into Duran's song for the movie that year along with Arcadia.

and oh yeah.. can't forget Starship's "We Built This City"... the follies of youth! but i think A-Ha redeems be since "Take On Me" was/still is one of my all time fave songs. viva la cheesy synthpop!

Bought a new car for me in the spring of 85, took it for a drive, and first song I heard on the radio on that bright sunny day was Love Vigilantes. Still makes me smile thinking about that day.

Ronald Kirsch wrote: So CTB tell us where are ya from? Wangaratta?

Myself I only got it a year after it came out, was doing year 12 at the time.

Ha! Wangaratta is huge compared to my home town (which will remain nameless for the time being - still have family there!). About 800 people all from about 6 families CTB

I remember being very high after smoking up with a hot metal chick then dropping her off. I was driving a POS 82 Skylark and listening to TPK on its shitty stereo. I think I recorded it off the radio. I remember pulling over to listen t the song think that this was the greatest thing I ever heard.

When I purschased the vinyl I remember that I had to go to my GF (now wife) college. She had a volley ball game so I sat in the bleachers going through the lp wishing I was somewhere else at that moment.

I was two years old then. Not much to remember except the primal scene.

I was kicking at my mum's belly from the inside and eating through a nice tube in my paunch.

i was 10/11 years old and had a poster of prince and the revolution over my bed--the one that came with the purple rain LP; i was in love with john taylor of duran duran and danced in my backyard to madonna (especially 'dress you up'). i was also getting into the talking heads at this time (little creatures). this was also the year in which i developed an obsession for the book and film to kill a mockingbird, an obsession which i maintain to this day.

i also saw the shining for the first time in 1985, and i spent two weeks checking under my bed before i went to sleep to make sure jack nicholson wasn't hiding under there with an axe. my father took full advantage of this irrrational fear by peeking into my room and saying 'heeeere's johnny!' just as i tucked myself in.

I was 22 and bought it on the day it came out. Went back to the record shop three times that day as it wasn't in the first two trips. First thing I remember was before I even listened to it - how *beautiful* the packaging was. I would stroke the tracing paper and, even then, I was stunned that it was Steve and Gillian on the cover as Barney and Hooky were clearly the front men.

Once I played TPK, my musical life was never the same again. Still in my top 10 songs of all time...

COlin

Primarily the album inspires memories of the Sunderland to Heaven tour during the latter stages of summer 1984 where the band played at venues one would only dream of seeing them at now and of course the 'Rock around the Clock' broadcast which went out simultaneously live on TV and Radio.

Anyone who had the pleasure of seeing the band over that 2 week period will agree that it was indeed a very special time.

The tracks on the album had been pretty well 'gigged' long before the release so there was already a familiarity aspect to them when it eventually came out in 1985 which is very much in contrast to these days.

Highlights are, and I guess still are, SUNRISE, which has arguably the best baseline in NO history attached to it, SUBCULTURE, which for some reason ALWAYS brings back memories of the Tower Ballroom, and LOVE VIGILANTES.

Happy days.

DM

Tons of happy memories. Low Life wasn’t just an album, it was an era. An era that began with the summer of 1984 gigs and the introduction of four new songs, that seemed to evolve before our very eyes and ears. All of them seemed to go on for ever, all of them seemed to be a blend of electronica and powerful high bass, the definitive New Order sound. Things boded well, and the August 84 tour was the highlight of the year, with 20 minute medleys of EGG, Temptation and 586, a diverse selection of venues from Sunderland to Margate, Chippenham to Cornwall. All topped off by the musical orgasm that is Perfect Kiss.

The band reappeared in January at Blackburn after four months writing more songs, and hit us for three consecutive nights with a barrage of new material, the bulk of what was to become Low Life. Every song a gem in the live environment, it was all very promising. I can still remember (in fact, I still have it on tape) the excited words of John Peel “and now we have the first two of tonight’s four tracks from the new New Order LP. I haven’t heard it yet and I am as excited as you are” (cue the drum intro to Love Vigilantes). Perfection. It sounded better on record than we’d hoped. Let me at it now!!!

Two more songs had also crept into the live set – we didn’t know at this stage whether they would be also on the album, would be singles or maybe B-sides. Neither had a title either as far as we knew, one had no words and one would pass for LWTUA at the very start.

May 1985. I almost ran home with my precious vinyl copy, replete with tracing paper sleeve. It didn’t leave the turntable for weeks, make that months. Yes we could all have gripes about some of the production, no bigger than the gripes the band themselves apparently had (and it was they who were behind the desk). Yes it was too short. Yes the editing was typically Factory amateurish, particularly on Elegia and Perfect Kiss (which should never have been on there in condensed form). Where was Let’s Go, with or without lyrics? Who cares?

As soon as I hear those drum beats that signal the start of Love Vigilantes now, I am immediately transported back to a happy time with plastic palm trees, sleeping in cars, waiting for the postman’s call with another live tape, waiting for the next gig to be announced, trying to find out what they’d played in Japan and Australia. Not much changes over time!

I was 16 and largely disappointed. It wasn't as good as PCL.

Gnu Odor wrote: Hmm...I was 17. I remember that I took $100 out of the college money I'd earned bagging groceries and bought a used Roland RS-202 String Machine out of the classifieds and taught myself to play "The Perfect Kiss."

I also remember thinking a lot, "Should I put on Low-Life or PC&L?" since PC&L was released on Qwest in the U.S. that year.

P.S. Mr Jarvis, do you have a salacious Ana M story to share? Agent Wood suggested you might...

Nice memories, folks, but could we hear this "salcious story", please?

1985 - jeez, its 20 years since I left school Lowlife came out on school sports day - i was studying furiously for the leaving cert(A levels in UK?) - studing furiously means sitting on the ledge outside my window, reading lord of the rings & listning to PC&L (just like 2 years before for the inter cert).

So, after the 'sports day' was over for me - finally finishing the 1500m about 1/2 hour after the rest - I traipsed off into town to drown my sorrows in the new NO album & TPK. The depressing shite that is Love Vigalantes didn't help my mood, but This time of Night & Sunrise did - and the Perfect Pit - loved that too, for some reason

I vaguely remember when this came out, as I was just finishing up a year at university in the UK. However by then I was definitely in the middle of my Smiths phase, and my new favorite band was the Jesus and Mary Chain. I didn't actually own a copy of Low-Life until recently, so it's still kind of fresh for me (hard to believe!). Sad story, but true.:(

I had just turned 16 and the summer of 1985 was one of the best I ever had. I'd throw L-l in my Walkman and ride my touring 10-speed 12 miles round-trip in the blazing summer heat every day to see my girlfriend at the time. I wore out L-l, Songs from the Big Chair, and Around the World in a Day that summer. Can't beat an album with a song called "Temptation" on it.

Great girl. And if it was warm she wouldn't wear much more...

I think I said Holy Sheet!!

This is the best album I've ever heard.

I put it on today and say the same thing.

e C K o H (The Symbiont)

i was 23 a\t the time,i remember being suprised that they was on the cover,not because they hadnt done it before but because they clearly where/are ugly bastards and the pics would have done em no favours. as for the album i was quite pleased,love vigilantes,sub-culture ,this time of night all very good,i was appalled at face up it was a washed out produced to death murder of an exellent live song. all in all not bad.

Twenty years ago. That album was so special to me back then, still is. I was a very moody teenager, New Order sort of sang about the feelings I had at the time, which where pretty miserable. The last track 'face up' really hit a note with me, reminded me of my first love at school.

Twenty years ago. That album was so special to me back then, still is. I was a very moody teenager, New Order sort of sang about the feelings I had at the time, which where pretty miserable. The last track 'face up' really hit a note with me, reminded me of my first love at school.

i wasent born lol

i need to add my 2cents...

i was 16, listened to the cassette on a walkman for days straight... it was my first new order lp. i can't even remember why or how i bought it, cause i knew nothing about them, didn't even know they had been joy division... prior to hearing it, i was mainly a new wave, prince, frankie, etc type of kid... it was the lp that honestly made me realize music is more than just consumer pop, but a possibility into art...

lowlife caught me just right. i still love it.

changed my life forever.

Yeah that whole era was so special.Although i didn`t see them live the year or so up to the release was great.I remember going into town on the day of releaese one rainy lunch hour and getting my hands on that tracing paper cover and the silver TPK 12" sleeve.All i could do for the rest of the afternnoon at work was hold and look at the bloody things without being able to listen to them til i got home.

20 fecking years.

Thats a long time..A superb album which was even better live.

Fav mems/experience of Low-Life

1..Sunrise..Fac51,PH how low can you go

2..Love Vig..Intro

3..TPK..Remember AR twiddling with the kit at midnight before they came on at Leeds Tiffs..We got a sneak preview of the opening,then we just knew it would kick off one of the best gigs ever.

Bought it on the day of release. Wish I could remember what shop, probably in Harrow or Edgware after college.

Happy memories of a great album.

Doctor Clayhead wrote:

Gnu Odor wrote: Hmm...I was 17. I remember that I took $100 out of the college money I'd earned bagging groceries and bought a used Roland RS-202 String Machine out of the classifieds and taught myself to play "The Perfect Kiss."

I also remember thinking a lot, "Should I put on Low-Life or PC&L?" since PC&L was released on Qwest in the U.S. that year.

P.S. Mr Jarvis, do you have a salacious Ana M story to share? Agent Wood suggested you might...

Nice memories, folks, but could we hear this "salcious story", please?

sorry, boys. nothing to share. he just went on and on like a schoolboy about how much he fancied her. i was just taking the piss more than anything! ;)

20 years ago in 1985, I was nine years old...not much into music except the top 40 80's stuff. My first recollection of Low life was hearing Love Vigilantes, circa 1986, playing from my elder sisters bedroom and thinking how interesting/sad a story was told through that song. Someting totally different from the WHAM! that was on MTV.

Two years later I was formally re-introduced to New Order via Substance, and really enjoyed TF and BLT. What really grabbed me was the video for True faith..this is when I started developing my taste for music...I was all over the place...listening to the Beasties boys 1st album...along-side Substance...along side Lisa Lisa & Cult Jam (the 1st music cassette I ever bought)

The rest, as they say is history. Round and Round made me a fanataic...after which I went and bought their back catalogue on vinyl. Highschoool weekends consisted of going to Queen Street record stores and picking up 7"s and 12", imports, and I remember specifically being teased by my DM, Cure friends about the sillyness of "World in Motion". Heck..they just didn't get it...New Order didn't give a F*&k. They were taking the piss, and something about liking the band made me feel like I was in on a secret...a bit more smarter than the others. It was all about ME and related to ME..the voice, the music, the bass, the 'non image', the packaging...the fusion of low and high art, the notion of perfect imperfection.

Low Life is my Fav New Order Album..and what makes the CD more valuable to me is getting it signed by Hooky.

Most memorable lyric from the album: "We had a party in our hotel last night, It ended up in an awful fight"

CHeers.

nancyo wrote: and my new favorite band was the Jesus and Mary Chain.

On the same day i went to Readings in Glenferrie Rd to buy Low-Life i also bought a copy of Psychocandy, both great albums.

My god... 20 years... Where have they gone?

I was 13... Perhaps I heard "Blue Monday" years before, but I didn't care about New Order back then (even though I was interested in electronic music). 1985 was the year when I became fan of the Simple Minds (sigh)...

I would have been 9 and I didn't even know New Order existed. I have absolutely no recollection of even having heard any of their music back then. I was far too interested in Duran Duran and the likes at that point!!!

And I've got the nerve to call myself a New Order fan

It was my second NO album, I was 16 coming up 17, on a YTS, (that was Thatcher speak for slave labour), my boss loved No aswell so we played it at work more than most people appreciated, saw NO live a Preston Guild Hall that year where they also played AIIWIW, State of the nation and something else from brotherhood which I can't remember wothout getting my tape out, but I remember the deep synth intro to Sunrise made my balls rattle in the most satisfying way, Subculture was played on Granada reports quite a bit from what I remember.

Still love that album, glad they still do love vigilantes live.

I was hoping that my 100th post would not just be a stupid put down of someone so I'm glad I found this thread.

I would have been 8 months old

I think Low-Life is the most 'defining' new order album. My only complaint with it, is that is has the shorter version of the perfect kiss. Not that I don't like it but the 12inch is miles better. I think it's their most varied album it has depressive moments (subculture, elegia), angst (sunrise), and upbeat (face up) along with love vigalanties, unlike anything else they've done. It's also my favourite sleeve of theirs.

It seems alot of us were 16 or 17 in 1984.

I was barely two...my parents were listening to a lot of Peter Gabriel, Phil Collins, Madonna around that time, no New Order sadly.

Rocket Mick wrote:

MYOB wrote: I wasn't born.

BEFORE LIFE?

Neither was I. But I did arrive just in time for Brotherhood.

I turned 17 in March of '85 and remember seeing the video for "A Perfect Kiss" come on channel 17 all the time - then on a vacation to L.A. I bought the Low Life cassette at a swap meat (flea market in east coast lingo) - I played it over and over again loudly anywhere I was in public (poolsides?) as well as in private just to annoy people and take in the music.

Well guys, I never even existed back then, I wasn't even planned for existence. 20 years later though, i'm listening to NO pretty much every day.

oi remember, oi were twelve and i would listen to the thompson twins and "thriller" oh and that duran duran "arena" and then them pet shop boys

It was the first album I looked forward to after starting to listen to them. Low-Life cemented them as an all time favourite due to the fact that it was so varied (stylistically) yet consistant (quality-wise). I was introduced to them by a friend in 1984 because I liked Blue Monday. He said they had much more to offer than BM but I only liked the singles and a few cuts off the 1st two LP's. I've grown to appreciate Movement and PCL (especially) but Low-Life is untouchable.

1985: I was a tremendous Duran Duran fan, and they were the biggest thing since sliced bread then. Live Aid came out that summer also I believe, and I watched it all day from my job at a rectory (Holy Cross Church) in Hell's Kitchen, NYC (Queen and Dire Straits were the best performances IMO!). Sting just launched his solo career apart from The Police also around that time. Madonna also launched her first major world tour. I didn't discover JD/NO until 1987.