'Bernard Sumner' - David Nolan's Book — Forum Archive

13 Jul 2007, 09:48

May be of interest to you, but I was sent this press release by the man himself:

BERNARD SUMNER

CONFUSION: JOY DIVISION, ELECTRONIC AND NEW ORDER VERSUS THE WORLD By David Nolan

Bernard Sumner has read the manuscript of David Nolan's new book 'Confusion' and decided to contribute to the biography.

He's added his thoughts and observations to David's text, put many previously private matters into context and had a right to reply on some of the more controversial aspects of the book.

David Nolan says: "Bernard Sumner has read this book; it was vital that he be allowed to respond to some of the issues raised, particularly the very personal ones.

"To his credit, Bernard took a great deal of time and care offering his thoughts on the manuscript. As a result, where I had initially made a mistake, I have corrected it. Where his version differed to someone else's, I've included both. Where Bernard offers insight into something I could only have guessed at, I have added it verbatim.

"Unofficial biographies often have the sense that the author has the freedom to write whatever he or she wants, but is hampered by a lack of insider knowledge. Official ones have the story straight from the horse's mouth, but sometimes with the suspicion that deals have been struck and harsher words censored. This is an odd mix of both and is all the better for it.

Good luck for the future Bernard. Your past has been a fascinating puzzle to piece together."

David Nolan Manchester, Summer 2007

PUBLISHED BY INDEPENDENT MUSIC PRESS ON AUGUST 30TH, 2007ISBN:0-9552822-6-8 and 978-0-9552822-6-3 234mm x 156mm Paperback 240 pages50 rare and unpublished photographs including 1 x 8 pp glossy b/w plates + 32 integrated pics £12.99

13 Jul 2007, 09:56

Nice one Chris , I'll be snapping up a copy deffo :nod:

13 Jul 2007, 10:25

Excellent! :clap:

Can't wait for the book to come out :nod:

13 Jul 2007, 10:30

spiffy

13 Jul 2007, 10:35

I shall buy this book and probably READ it for once.Still haven't read two of the NEW ORDER books i purchased.One i got in 1995.Hope the PLASTIC bag has done its JOB.Dreading MOVING the ENTIRE collection when i MOVE soon. :nod: :laugh:

17 Jul 2007, 08:39

BERNARD SUMNER – CONFUSION: Joy Division, Electronic and New Order Versus the World by David Nolan BOOK LAUNCH 1 SEPTEMBER 2007 Bull's Head, Market Square, Stockport.

£4 entry on the door. Numbers strictly limited – pre-booking advised.

Live music from TRANSMISSION (Warsaw set/Joy Division set) punk, post punk and dance DJ sets ... Book readings by author David Nolan – plus books for sale ... cheaper than the shops! Get your copy signed.

IF YOU SEND AN EMAIL TO davidnolanwriter@hotmail.com WITH YOUR NAME AND HOW MANY PEOPLE YOU WANT IN – AND YOU ARRIVE BEFORE 8.30PM – YOU'LL GET AN EMAIL BACK AND BE GUARANTEED ENTRY. AFTER 8.30 IT'S FIRST COME FIRST SERVED.

8pm Doors 8.30pm Curfew for 'guest list' ... if you've registered your name you will get in if you are there before 8.30pm. DJ 9.30pm 1st reading plus short 'Warsaw' set 10pm DJ 11pm 2nd short reading plus 'Joy Division' set DJ Close – LATE

17 Jul 2007, 08:52

I reckon that would be worth the journey of a couple of stops north on the West Coast Main line :nod:

17 Jul 2007, 08:52

I just signed up for a notice of when it'll be available. Can't wait!

23 Jul 2007, 21:17

how are americans gonna get a copy of this book??????

23 Jul 2007, 22:36

Probably just pumping him with more lies. :laugh: Nah, it should be interesting. :nod:

23 Jul 2007, 23:14

Tommy Nigro wrote: how are americans gonna get a copy of this book??????

You could always try buying it

failing that,just steal the fucker..

:laugh:

23 Jul 2007, 23:24

Tommy Nigro wrote: how are americans gonna get a copy of this book??????

Well unlike US based companies, companies in the free world are quite willing to sell to overseas customers.

24 Jul 2007, 00:13

Looking forward to this, it may finally put some of the myths to bed. Glad to hear Barney has been involved as well, as David mentions, a lot of these books come out and you never get a right of reply or are left with a one way conversation ;)

:viking:

24 Jul 2007, 01:07

ShugZViking wrote: Looking forward to this, it may finally put some of the myths to bed. Glad to hear Barney has been involved as well, as David mentions, a lot of these books come out and you never get a right of reply or are left with a one way conversation ;)

Er... which "do not work somehow"?

Sorry :read:

24 Jul 2007, 06:01

Well, speaking as an American, I plan on purchasing it through Amazon. If that somehow fails me, I'm a librarian and I have plenty of publishing contacts. *smile*

24 Jul 2007, 06:26

Its gonna be this years biggest selling book. There is no question about it.

24 Jul 2007, 10:41

im saying, through amazon.com its $30.00 to get in america.

I love barney, dont get me wrong and by no means cheap, but i rather go to a store and pay half!!

Does anyone know if this book is getting American distribution??

24 Jul 2007, 11:02

NO Regret wrote: Its gonna be this years biggest selling book. There is no question about it.

24 Jul 2007, 12:28

:abovelol:

I always read that phrase in His voice too :lol:

25 Jul 2007, 06:59

Tommy Nigro wrote: im saying, through amazon.com its $30.00 to get in america.

I love barney, dont get me wrong and by no means cheap, but i rather go to a store and pay half!!

Does anyone know if this book is getting American distribution??

Considering that in the UK if you bought it from Amazon, it would be £12.99, plus £1.50 p&p - that would be around US$28 wouldn't it?

If you went to the shops in the UK and paid £12.99 for the book, plus your £4 bus fare there and back - that's the same as $34 from Amazon.

Stop being a complainy head and be grateful that books are cheaper in your country :nod:

I'm buying one anyway!

30 Jul 2007, 18:39

going to buy five copies one for each of my eyes

30 Jul 2007, 18:45

erm....I'm confused...

30 Jul 2007, 19:14

Jeffari-al-Texani wrote: erm....I'm confused...

all will be revealed,

on the next episode of...

Soap

:nod:

15 Aug 2007, 04:00

Anyone got this yet? Im about a third of the way through. Theres nothing shockingly new in there but theres definitely new light shed on a few familiar stories. Terry Mason is a major contributor. Bernards contributions are set aside from the rest of the text in italics, and tend to consist of "bollocks thats not the way it happened" or, rather predictably "I have no memory of that". They seem a bit tacked on but theres a few interesting insights. Theres a reprinting of the MENs original, month late tribute to "Ian Wilson" lead singer of Joy division. Thought that was quite poignant after fridays sad news. Its marred a bit by some atrocious spelling. Doesnt anyone employ proof readers anymore? Your instead of youre and here instead of hear. No fucking excuse for that. what are they teaching in schools... in my day... blah blah

15 Aug 2007, 07:42

You got a promo copy, Adam? It's not out for another two weeks.

Maybe the release print run has the typos sorted, but probably not.

Anyone got their name down for the Stockport launch on Sept 1st ??

15 Aug 2007, 08:16

Marks just texted me about that too, got it in Borders on Oxford street on monday. There was quite a few of them and surely books get proofread before they go and print a shitload and stick them on the shelves of one of Londons prime bookshops? Or is that a crazy idea? Anyway as I said it`s definitely worth picking up for shedding if not new, then certainly different light on anecdotes that I think most of us would be pretty familiar with.

15 Aug 2007, 08:32

Adam Coglan wrote: Its marred a bit by some atrocious spelling. Doesnt anyone employ proof readers anymore? Your instead of you`re and here instead of hear. No fucking excuse for that. what are they teaching in schools... in my day... blah blah

Imagine if a Hooky autobiography ever sees the light of day! :eek3:

15 Aug 2007, 11:51

eh...maybe he got himself a Chinese bootleg...

15 Aug 2007, 12:12

Jeffari-al-Texani wrote: eh...maybe he got himself a Chinese bootleg...

You mean read it once and half an hour later you want to read it again? Yes, quite possibly!

15 Aug 2007, 14:17

El Jarvo wrote:

Adam Coglan wrote: Its marred a bit by some atrocious spelling. Doesnt anyone employ proof readers anymore? Your instead of you`re and here instead of hear. No fucking excuse for that. what are they teaching in schools... in my day... blah blah

Imagine if a Hooky autobiography ever sees the light of day!

It's apparently due at some point, but not before his Hac book! :p

:smoking:

16 Aug 2007, 01:28

Adam Coglan wrote: Marks just texted me about that too, got it in Borders on Oxford street on monday. There was quite a few of them and surely books get proofread before they go and print a shitload and stick them on the shelves of one of Londons prime bookshops? Or is that a crazy idea? Anyway as I said it`s definitely worth picking up for shedding if not new, then certainly different light on anecdotes that I think most of us would be pretty familiar with.

Thanks for the tip-off Adam. Bought the book last night and read it in one go.

16 Aug 2007, 03:09

Don`t tell me how it ends.

16 Aug 2007, 04:17

For information, the pre-release versions of David Nolan's book contained a few printing errors. The Final edition has been spell-checked/proof read, so no need to worry.

:beer:

16 Aug 2007, 06:48

Adam Coglan wrote: Don`t tell me how it ends.

he sailed off into the sunset

16 Aug 2007, 07:34

Daniel The Boy B wrote:

Adam Coglan wrote: Don`t tell me how it ends.

he sailed off into the sunset

spoil sport :laugh:

16 Aug 2007, 09:25

I'll be interested to read whether Bernard confesses to his racist activities in the late sixties in the book. Quite how Joy Division got such an undeserved reputation for being Nazis I really cannot begin to imagine.

17 Aug 2007, 03:19

a very small boy wrote: I'll be interested to read whether Bernard confesses to his racist activities in the late sixties in the book.

We're talking about something that might have happened when Bernard was 12 or 13 years of age Chris?!. Who didn't do daft things at that age?. And who would want to advertise those daft things in later life?. Britain, in that era, had a completely different attitude towards racism than it does today. A young kid can easily be influenced by their environment and what they see other people doing they are likely to ape.

I'd take more notice of activities from someones adult life, when as individuals we are more capable of making informed choices and have to be accountable for them.

Wouldn't you say collaborations with DoJo, Quincy Jones, Marcel King and Dawn Zee etc provide an alternative and probably stronger indication of Bernard's viewpoint?. Also recall seeing a photo of Rowetta at Bernard and Sarah's wedding.

Easy to rake things up from someones dark and distant past (especially when you were in the same year at school!) but its a bit News of the World territory isn't it?. Don't think it's particularly fair to publicise any potentially embarrassing specifics from that era on these forums either.

There is a fair amount of research on Bernard's time at Salford Grammar and from that point in his life in general so the book should hold more personal interest for you than anyone else on here. Worth a read Chris

17 Aug 2007, 04:15

Johnny Giles wrote:

a very small boy wrote: I'll be interested to read whether Bernard confesses to his racist activities in the late sixties in the book.

We're talking about something that might have happened when Bernard was 12 or 13 years of age Chris?!. Who didn't do daft things at that age?. And who would want to advertise those daft things in later life?. Britain, in that era, had a completely different attitude towards racism than it does today. A young kid can easily be influenced by their environment and what they see other people doing they are likely to ape.

I'd take more notice of activities from someones adult life, when as individuals we are more capable of making informed choices and have to be accountable for them.

Wouldn't you say collaborations with DoJo, Quincy Jones, Marcel King and Dawn Zee etc provide an alternative and probably stronger indication of Bernard's viewpoint?. Also recall seeing a photo of Rowetta at Bernard and Sarah's wedding.

Easy to rake things up from someones dark and distant past (especially when you were in the same year at school!) but its a bit News of the World territory isn't it?. Don't think it's particularly fair to publicise any potentially embarrassing specifics from that era on these forums either.

There is a fair amount of research on Bernard's time at Salford Grammar and from that point in his life in general so the book should hold more personal interest for you than anyone else on here. Worth a read Chris

:clap:

Extremely well put Mark. Though the evil side of me would like to hear more from Mr B.

Chris, you know my email addy :D

17 Aug 2007, 07:26

What Johnny said :nod:

For the record, I was standing next to Johnny when I saw the worst racism I've witnessed this century - at the football game in Serbia. All of us just laughed and said the same thing - it's a 70's world over there in the South Stand. We've all moved on from where we, as a culture, may have been. And thank god for that.

And also what Shug said - all contributions welcome, Small Boy!

17 Aug 2007, 07:36

Yes, perhaps I am being a little bit evil to bring this up as it was almost forty years ago and no doubt every single one of us at that school had a different attitude to racism then. That awful term "Paki Bashing" was prevalent then and it was good fun to go out at night pretending that we would go paki bashing. Truth was there were never any Pakistanis in Salford then anyway and very few now. Do you blame them you may say?

Looking forward to reading the book anyway.

Just one further story (hopefully not too embarrassing)that could possibly shed light on the current war betwen Bernard and Hooky. Their relationship at school was very much on the basis that Hooky would do whatever Bernard said. This wasnt just confined to Hooky but to most people who came into contact with Bernard who was to a large extent feared and not particularly well liked by a lot of people. A mate of mine came round after school and when I opened the door I said to him, "Tony, I'm not supposed to be speaking to you. Barney has issued a schoolwide edict that you have to be sent to Coventry after that incident in chemistry when everyone had to do detention except you". Such was the power that Bernard was able to hold over a large section of people

So I believe that Hooky has eventually got fed up of Bernard dictating all the moves for New Order and with Bernards attitude that New Order is his band and has voiced his own opinions for once.

But just to counterbalance the seemingly anti-Bernard bias of this post, Tony Wilson once told me that Bernard was a genius and I agree, although he did exceedingly well to disguise that from me for a very long time!

17 Aug 2007, 07:51

Genius :bow:

17 Aug 2007, 07:59

I started this off as a pro-Bernard and pro-David Nolan post. Hope it hasn't really gone the other way!

:beer:

17 Aug 2007, 08:10

so no stories of drunken orgies or details of when he cheated on his first wife?

17 Aug 2007, 08:12

Did he pick on benders as well?

:uhoh:

17 Aug 2007, 08:19

Black Monday wrote: so no stories of drunken orgies or details of when he cheated on his first wife?

Wasn't that in connection to the infamous Smash Hits USA tour article?

17 Aug 2007, 08:26

uh yes, Tony Wilson said his wife left him because Sumner was photographed with another women leaving his dressing room half naked or something to that effect.

Yes, sadly I do like the gossip and the private stuff which is what I was hoping for with this Bernard Sumner stuff. Especially since someone on these boards said they witnessed Bernard cozying up to another man! I don't believe it (when pressed for details this person was caught lying) and wondered if the book says anything about that.

I'll get the book anyway.

17 Aug 2007, 08:34

Chris, I certainly didnt mean my original post as a criticism of David Nolans intention for this book. I was just disappointed that a book that was so close to my heart was so riddled with fundamental errors, call me old fashioned but it kind of devalues it a bit in my eyes. I really rate the book though, I think it gives a whole new insight on a lot of stories that we all know about because weve heard them ad nauseum from the same old faces. I think its a really brave thing to take on as a project too. We all know that Bernards probably not the easiest subject for an in depth biography, and this is far from that but it certainly explains the New Order dynamic a lot better than most of the stuff Ive read. Bernards take on the Republic sessions are especially enlightening, and itll also put to rest the whole debate that he met his missus on the set of the Round and Round shoot.

17 Aug 2007, 08:49

Black Monday wrote: uh yes, Tony Wilson said his wife left him because Sumner was photographed with another women leaving his dressing room half naked or something to that effect.

quote]

I remember reading the Smash Hits article at the time (I didn't, however, realise that Sumner was married in those days though). I also remember a subsequent piece (perhaps in the NME?) where the female author of the SH article was rounded upon.

I can't remember the pic though.

17 Aug 2007, 08:51

Black Monday wrote: uh yes, Tony Wilson said his wife left him because Sumner was photographed with another women leaving his dressing room half naked or something to that effect.

Yes, sadly I do like the gossip and the private stuff which is what I was hoping for with this Bernard Sumner stuff. Especially since someone on these boards said they witnessed Bernard cozying up to another man! I don't believe it (when pressed for details this person was caught lying) and wondered if the book says anything about that.

I'll get the book anyway.

That Smash Hits situation does feature. With quotes from AHW included.