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I had Unknown Pleasures album but never thought they were that good to be honest. That was 15 years ago, saw live 1978 peformance of "Transmission" and "Shadowplay" just the other day - could not believe it they were so much better live than the album recordings..
Just wondering if others feel the same way about those live performances being soooooo much better than the studio recordings...........Or am I missing something?
Go and get Still or any of the good live bootlegs and prepare to get blown away 
Fantastic live band
Personally, Hannett's production on the records is a big part of what made Joy Division a great band for me. I'm not knocking that the songs were different and in certain cases better live but JD would've been just another run of the mill post-punk guitar band without Hannett in charge. If Barney and Hooky had gotten their way with the sound I doubt JD would have the same legacy they do now.
Hannett also managed to make JD's albums sound almost timeless. You put something like Closer or UP's production next to New Order's mid-80s work and the more modern stuff sounds fcuking awful by comparison, even the songs with minimal keyboards!
Martin Zero
It's almost like two separate beasts. On record they have this timeless, almost ethereal quality, with some of the production techniques used being years ahead of their time, but there is always this sense of something being kept on a leash. That leash was the live beast, ear-splitting volume that allowed Bernard's AC30 and flanger to cauterise the venue, a venue already captivated by Ian's mesmeric medium dance. Underpin that with machine-like percussion and forcefully melodic bass and you have a formula to be reckoned with.
For me, one of the best live bands ever.
Fook me that was Q-readeresque!
hear hear
the other world city alienation 79 stuff from the studio gets cranked into the raw emotion of jd live. both different, both awesome. why doesnt dead souls get a revisit?
I think that Barney and Hooky might agree with you about the studio albums.
Barney said the following around the time of the release of Unknown Pleasures:
"Well, it worries me, seeing that album go out to people. I'm not sure if I like it, you see. I think Ian does, but me and Hooky listened to it the other day and we decided that we hated what Martin had done. The sound seems 'drained'... weedy. It just sounds so much better live. It's just not really us at the moment."
Wouldn't say I hate JD albums, but I think you're right, I listen to Les Bains Douches much more than either Unknown Pleasures or Closer. Even on bootleg, JD sound absolutely brutal live. As Tim perfectly summarized (more mojo than Q to be honest mate 
), every single element comes together beautifully....
on record they always sounded "compressed" not much variation in sound Peaks & Valleys. Granted I usually have to be in a certain mood to listen to JD.
Les Baines Douches floored me, it was raw primal and PUNK just as should be.
I think they got "closer" to perfecting their genuine sound on the second album, but Unknown Pleasures is a bit slow for me at times. A dark, brooding sound takes place which is great for reflection and depression, but might not be the most representative of their true sound and aesthetic. I think Closer is a better representation of the true JD, and where they were going had Ian not ended his life shortly.
J
Stuck in the Past wrote: I had Unknown Pleasures album but never thought they were that good to be honest. That was 15 years ago, saw live 1978 peformance of "Transmission" and "Shadowplay" just the other day - could not believe it they were so much better live than the album recordings..
Just wondering if others feel the same way about those live performances being soooooo much better than the studio recordings...........Or am I missing something?
The recordings I refer to in my OP:
“Transmission” from ‘Something Else TV Show’ 197?
“Shadowplay” from ?some studio Sept 1978 (Check out Ian’s dance)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AGKh1\_qvYVo&mode=related&search=
Both really good recordings thanks to the people who originally posted them at youtube.
Please provide more info on these recordings if you know more like which albums these live recordings are on. Thanks
Tim wrote: It's almost like two separate beasts. On record they have this timeless, almost ethereal quality, with some of the production techniques used being years ahead of their time, but there is always this sense of something being kept on a leash. That leash was the live beast, ear-splitting volume that allowed Bernard's AC30 and flanger to cauterise the venue, a venue already captivated by Ian's mesmeric medium dance. Underpin that with machine-like percussion and forcefully melodic bass and you have a formula to be reckoned with.
For me, one of the best live bands ever.
Fook me that was Q-readeresque!
I was thinking that with bullshitting talents like that surely NME beckons? ;)
DiscoShed wrote: Granted I usually have to be in a certain mood to listen to JD.
i'm the same way. i can't just pop in a JD CD or bootleg at any time. however, the bootlegs are far superior to the albums. the albums, while they hold their own, just don't have the visceral sound of the bootlegs.
I got into NO before JD. Basically, it takes time to get used to. I have live recordings which include the Peel sessions and the BBC sessions. In addition, I have Still, Let the Movie Begin, and Remains. JD is like rock on lead. Heavy, but beautiful.
Stuck in the Past wrote:
Stuck in the Past wrote: I had Unknown Pleasures album but never thought they were that good to be honest. That was 15 years ago, saw live 1978 peformance of "Transmission" and "Shadowplay" just the other day - could not believe it they were so much better live than the album recordings..
Just wondering if others feel the same way about those live performances being soooooo much better than the studio recordings...........Or am I missing something?
The recordings I refer to in my OP:
“Transmission” from ‘Something Else TV Show’ 197?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6ZwMs2fLoVE&mode=related&search=
“Shadowplay” from ?some studio Sept 1978 (Check out Ian’s dance)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AGKh1\_qvYVo&mode=related&search=
Both really good recordings thanks to the people who originally posted them at youtube.
Please provide more info on these recordings if you know more like which albums these live recordings are on. Thanks
I believe, the recording of this live version of Trasmission you're looking for can be found on The Complete BBC Sessions CD.
They sound incredible on studio recordings as well as live....Still is definitely my favorite of all JD albums...
I think Joy Division sounds well live... They sounded more angry and heavy. I love the Preston Warehouse live recording a lot.
Doctor? wrote:
Tim wrote: It's almost like two separate beasts. On record they have this timeless, almost ethereal quality, with some of the production techniques used being years ahead of their time, but there is always this sense of something being kept on a leash. That leash was the live beast, ear-splitting volume that allowed Bernard's AC30 and flanger to cauterise the venue, a venue already captivated by Ian's mesmeric medium dance. Underpin that with machine-like percussion and forcefully melodic bass and you have a formula to be reckoned with.
For me, one of the best live bands ever.
Fook me that was Q-readeresque!
I was thinking that with bullshitting talents like that surely NME beckons? ;)
Maybe 15 years ago. Nobody who write for NME or Q these days uses words with more than one syllable.
I swear the NME will consist of glossy pictures and no text at all within 18 months.....
