New Order's Peak

When do you feel New Order were at their peak? Not of commercial success, but when they were at their best.

For me it was Summer 1987. True Faith is released and charts at 4. New Order do a mini-tour including an awesome gig at The Hacienda and a Glastonbury appearance. I remember the "New Order Summer 87" t-shirt which was the fashion item to wear at the time.

In 1987 They are a band playing by their own rules. Their artwork is like nothing else. Their music soars and they have got tight on stage.

This for me, was New Order's peak.

Any comments, anyone?

the current period is very productive as well.

two albums numerous singles and gigs.

For me 1981 - 1985 inclusive. Innovation/mystery and a certian defiance of convention was their game and they lost that after 1986......

do you mean musical peak or sexual peak?

1984 sublime era

El Jarvo wrote: About 2120hrs usually.

When Ceremony's playing.

Their live peak has to be 1984, 1985, 1986.

Having said that I have to agree that Ceremony live sounds as good today as it ever has.

For me personally,'85-'89,commercially,probably '87-'89.They would have been as big as U2 if they had pushed on around this time but made a conscious decision not to having seen the sacrifice & compromise U2 in particular had to go thru' to get there,& I for one,am very happy they didn't.They wouldn't be what they were or are if they had

Defo 89 for me

For the mainstream success, yes, 1987 was a breakthru. Within 12 months you got gigs at Glastonberry, Wembley, three top-notch singles (BLT, TF, TBTHOG), Substance, video rotation on music channels.

To me the most interesting period was though 1982 - it was when they were sandwiched between electro, post punk and reggae - the most intriguing time.

They peaked for me in '85.

Not sure if I've peaked for them yet.

1981

Judging from the studio stuff and the few live bootlegs I've heard, I think NO had two definitive peaks:

82/83: PCL-a great album and the genre pushing/breaking of Blue Monday. By now, it seemed that the group were getting steadier live without losing their experimental charms and (feigned?) nochalance.

88/89: Technique is so effortlessly sublime you realize the hit and misses of the mid 80s were essential to them reaching this degree of fluidity.

Since I was born in '85, I can only really speculate on their peaks since I didn't get to witness their ascendancy.

October 2nd 1986.

June 25th 2005 - Jetstream at Glastonbury.

Awesome

4th September 1988

18/04/1981 of course :yes:

Tomorrow night...

Who the fcuk am I kidding... 20 odd years too late...

81-85 for me...

Snorri xxx

J.A.K wrote: 4th September 1988

Same for me i think.

I might extend it to the release of World in Motion though; not because its a classic song, but because at the time doing the England song was a career ender for many bands, having not inspired a hit for years. NO managed to make a song which sounded like NO and a footie song, and hit no 1, while still sounding cool to anyone in the UK.

Now bands fight each other to do the Euro/WC football song.

Their peak is when I listen to their music. So it can be anytime past, current, future.

Digital Mike -The People's Moderator wrote: 1984 sublime era

The 07- 07-84. BARCELONA HURT. now listed on You TUBE videos. and 1984 Bradford Ceremony, 586 and YSF.

1983-85. Before they came up for air is class. With Hurt, DNE still Live. Currently 06 sounds like the wind is back in the sails. If it ever really left.

1983-1985 : varied and soemtimes surprising setlists, bad attitude towards audiences, heart-felt performances, and two of their greatest albums (PC&L and Low-Life). It all went downhill from there.

To my ears, 87-89 was their time at the top.

But, with all the JD stuff happenin in the next year or so and hopefully a new album in the next 2-3 years, they could maybe hit another peak???

Burt Reynolds wrote:

J.A.K wrote: 4th September 1988

Same for me i think.

I might extend it to the release of World in Motion though; not because its a classic song, but because at the time doing the England song was a career ender for many bands, having not inspired a hit for years. NO managed to make a song which sounded like NO and a footie song, and hit no 1, while still sounding cool to anyone in the UK.

Now bands fight each other to do the Euro/WC football song.

made the date up!:p :D

oldmonkey wrote: October 2nd 1986.

Before Barney learned how to sing properly. After that, there's some great stuff, but I just don't like it as much.

methanolcereal wrote: Before Barney learned how to sing properly. After that, there's some great stuff, but I just don't like it as much.

Before last Sunday?

They were at their peak between 1981 and 1983. Live, they've never bettered 1981.

DC wrote: They were at their peak between 1981 and 1983. Live, they've never bettered 1981.

For tightness maybe, but some of the gigs since then have seen amazing peaks. When it all clicks together they are still unbelievably good, it's a different type of experience these days, but there are fewer WTF gigs and more crackers.