20 replies · 805 views
31 votes · voting closed
I've always loved Unknown Pleasures and it's ominous, atmospheric, ghostly qualities, but the band originally wanted a rawer, angrier sound...?
Do you think they should remaster and re-release it, so we can hear it the way the band wanted it to be released?
no i like it the way it is. so what if it doesn't reflect the way the band played live (rawer).
Absolutely no to a remake. Wouldn't be the same. Pity that no out-takes or demo versions other than those we already know about have ever really surfaced.
You never know, maybe one day a soundboard live recording from mid-79 will surface, featuring these songs live as they were intended to be played. Until then, I guess any of the July/August 79 bootlegs will do the job.
Absolutely not, Hannett's production was a big part of what made Joy Division special and "different" so remove him and you just get another scratchy punk album of which there were loads at the time. I don't often buy into the Factory myth too much but he was a sonic genius. Unknown Pleasures and Closer are masterpieces as far as the production goes and they have stood the test of time well.
The Joy Division material has been released and remastered enough so there's no need for anything of this nature. Albums capture a moment in time and messing with them 25+ years after the fact is just pointless.
Definite no here as well... Take away what Hannett did with the drums, the background 'atmospherics', etc. and you have some (admittedly very) good songs, well-played, but no 'spark'...
SHEDi xxx
i personally love UP as it is. but i wouldn't say no to hearing a newer version of it. if it's not as good, noone is making me listen to it
NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO !!!
(yeah i know, coming from somebody that fucked about with the cover art!). That was one of the most complete albums of all time, from every respect including the production, and artwork, so anything else would be a step backwards.
OK, so some demo's would be interesting, but i can't think of many demo versions by any band that i would rather hear over the original.
Well, we've got the Central Sound demos, the Picadilly session and the Genetic demos, so we know what the songs sounded like without Hannett around that time. The first Peel session is also a good clue, as are the live recordings.
I can understand how frustrating it must have been for Bernard and Hooky to have their wall of sound dissipated into something recorded ten miles up the road and swathed in silence.
If such an album were made, I would be curious as to the redefined sound for comparison.
But.
Such an album should not be made.
UP is what it is, from when it was. History is re-invented too much as it is without wishing it on JDNO too.
I bet those that said NO would be first in the queue to buy it 
Anyway, JD was just New Order warming up, with a bad singer 
Aside from all the demo-ish/live related stuff already out there for consumption - if such a thing existed, eh, I'd want to hear it just to know any differences (comparison's sake), but I wouldn't go out and buy something like that. I would think that sort of thing would be best circulated among the fan base as a freebie - it certainly wouldn't sell enough in stores to warrant production.
IMO. I realize some people would buy it no matter what.
This is the kind of project that could go really poorly. However, If Hooky and Bernard remixed it themselves, discovered any 'alternate' overdubs, and some compelling live tracks, it would be a nice package.
Anyone familiar with both the Bowie version of Raw Power and the Iggy remix from '97? I have the latter-it's a bit over the top and the drums sound like muck, but I understood that Iggy wanted to show the Stooges could live up to the title on record (and not just live).
Apparently the Let It Be Naked didn't go over too well with most Beatles fans. Maybe that's 'cause the songwriting wasn't too good on that album, regardless of Spector's additional production on the original.
One suggestion is to always remaster UP again (if they have a decent enough of a copy of the multitracks) and include the alternate mix as a bonus disc. It's been common practice in the industry for a while now. But if they even got around to remastering it, I can't see them doing that since the NO reissues have no bonus tracks either. Probably the same thing as with all those David Bowie reissues that came out after the original Rykodisc ones; Bowie didn't want any of the bonus tracks that were on the Rykodisc CDs to appear on the new ones because he wanted to keep the original albums as they were.
And Bowie's CDs are always so expensive. Thank the good Lord NO is priced well at the local Newbury Comics (except for the $30 tag on In Session!).
I voted maybe. I just purchased Warsaw yesterday, and was surprised at how Ian's vocals differ on Transmission and other songs that made the cut to Unknown Pleasures. Still, I like Unknown Pleasures as is. It would be interesting to compare Ian's vocals, though. 
It be interesting to hear an Unknown Pleasures running order of tracks played live, from the period around the time of the release, as some people have suggested...
Has anyone ever done such a thing, or would anyone like to?
I think as has already been mentioned, an easy way to hear how pretty much all of Unknown Pleasures sounds minus Hannett's input is to listen to the already released:
All commonly available, rip them to your hard drive and compile UP's running order in WMP or iChoons. There's really no further need to scrape the Joy Division barrel for more releases.
They've already broken through to the barrel below anyway.
Was just wondering if anyone has actually done it, would save me a job...
Also not sure if everything is on the main releases... I will have a look though at some point...
If anyone else out there is motivated to do this, (or has already done it) feel free to drop in a post!
Craig W wrote: Also not sure if everything is on the main releases...
Everything from Unknown Pleasures is available live on current official Joy Division releases. Combining tracks from Les Bains Douches, Heart and soul CD4 and Still enable you to compile an "Unknown Pleasures live gig". The only downside is the quality of the live recordings differs between releases but it gives you a good enough impression.
Other folk on here with garages full of JD live tapes will know alot better how to compile an UP gig using the best quality/performances.
I think even Steve said a little while ago in interview if people wanted to hear Joy Division as more of a live band best try Les Bains Douches or "god forbid, the Preston one" as he put it.
The only thing i'm missing is Les Bains Douches; been sniffing around for this for ages...
What Steve said was interesting- I find Preston really entertaining and the breakdowns are hilarious!
