New Order 1981 recordings

Could someone please explain to me the chronological order that NO recorded Movement, Ceremony, EGG, Procession, Cries and Whispers and Peel Session?

Im just curious to know where Movements recording fitted in with the timeline, as I feel all the other songs are much more crisp and polished sounding with higher production values (although as I understand Martin Hannett produced these tracks too).

I know that the Peel Sessions were recorded after Movement and (to me)this shows NO redeeming themselves by shaking off the shackles of Martin Hannetts stiffling production as they are able to display more freedom and expression on these recordings.

Did NO have more input on the final mix with the non-Movement tracks or are there other explainations? (if any of these werent recorded in 1981 then I apologise to those who know better).

I look forward to hearing what folk say about this as I think its NO's most interesting recording period.

I think EGG/Procession were recorded at the same time as Movement, possibly just after, as I think EGG was the last thing NO did with Hannett

Ceremony/IALP(1st versions)-Sept '80 Ceremony(re-record with Gillian)-Oct '80 1st Peel Session-recorded Jan '81,broadcast Feb '81 EGG/Procession sessions-March '81,released Sept '81 Movement sessions-Jan '81 to June '81

not sure when Mesh/Cries & Whispers were recorded,but as they were two of the first batch of 'new' songs written,so older,it would've been somewhere around the same time as the Movement sessions.

I'd be very surprised if EGG was recorded that early as it didn't make a live appearance till the May 81 European tour and bore little relation to the recorded version before about September.

Indeed. Mark Johnson probably got his dates the wrong way round again for that one. No way was EGG recorded in March 81 - not even in their most contrary of moods would New Order record something and then revert to a more primitive version of it to play live for four months! EGG first appeared in a soundcheck on the European Tour of May 81, and it was only in September 81 that it began to really sound like the eventual recorded version, so we can probably deduce from that, and given Factory's approach to putting records out etc, that it was recorded between the Glasto appearance in June 81 and the end of August 81, a time when they weren't gigging.

Tim wrote: Indeed. Mark Johnson probably got his dates the wrong way round again for that one. No way was EGG recorded in March 81 - not even in their most contrary of moods would New Order record something and then revert to a more primitive version of it to play live for four months! EGG first appeared in a soundcheck on the European Tour of May 81, and it was only in September 81 that it began to really sound like the eventual recorded version, so we can probably deduce from that, and given Factory's approach to putting records out etc, that it was recorded between the Glasto appearance in June 81 and the end of August 81, a time when they weren't gigging.

I do agree in part Tim,& I did source info' from AIFL,knowing full well about Mark Johnsons' dubious workings on the book,& also we've discussed this previously about dates concerning how EGG came to be named.The only problem I have with what you've said,taking into account the N.O./Factory/Saville speed for doing things,is that would something recorded even in July/August '81,get released as early as Sept '81 as we know EGG was? Doesn't quite add up to me,tho' possible. :\ohwell:

1981 – the year of living dangerously!

Procession/EEG must have been recorded much earlier than August, the multicoloured sleeve options would have to have been arranged with decent lead time?...

The 7" was released on 25 Sept 1981. This I remember well. Went to the Walthamstow gig the same evening.

Concerning all around this time, it isn't only a question of when things were recorded, but when they were finally mixed.

Factory had cashflow problems, Rough Trade's distribution was stuttering under the weight, Still was an expensive item as would Movement prove to be.

The Jan 81 John Peel session was a "clear spot", recorded, mixed and broadcast within a few weeks.

Procession/EEG must have been recorded much earlier than August, the multicoloured sleeve options would have to have been arranged with decent lead time?...

well the sleeve makes no mention of the track titles, so for all we know it was to be Procession and a B-side like Cries And Whispers or Mesh. Then along came EGG and they changed it (perhaps?)

Well we know that by the time of Walthamstow the song had its full structure but at Glastonbury it most certainly didn't ( not from the lyrics or the music). So it must have been recorded after Glasto, the next show was Helsinki in early September and it was played in the shortened version so how did it sound then? I must have this somewhere so will have a listen. Plans for a single release and artwork could have been well in advance of NO knowing exactly what was going to be on the release.