Joy Division's financial worth?

Watching one of the interview extras on the documentary DVD, Lyndsey Reade mentions that Ian Curtis only made about £2,500 from the band during his lifetime. I've often wondered how much the Joy Division catalogue and various offshoots would be worth. I can't even make a guess. Does anyone have any idea?

$4.50 CANADIAN

j99 wrote: Lyndsey Reade mentions that Ian Curtis only made about £2,500 from the band during his lifetime.

Don't forget all the gigs were probably 'cash in hand'.

I suspect that Debbie Curtis is worth a few spots, seeing as she didn't open a club, didn't buy a bar, didn't travel all over the world ingesting anything remotely high-inducing and didn't piss a good chunk of her life up the wall. The only thing any of them would change though would be not losing Ian.

His Holiness, The Pope wrote: $4.50 CANADIAN

So about $4.49 to $4.51 American then, depending on the week.

Hope the band members get something out of their legacy, but i'm sure its hardly but a small tiny fraction of what Led Zeppelin or The Beatles have collected in the last 3 decades.

They probably didn't get shit in the Factory era. Heart and Soul box set and the reissues are still hardly mainstream, but garner some attention. The Killers did a cover that gets played on the radio. They had the documentary and the indie movie, doesnt add much money wise. Thats about it. Neil Diamond prolly rakes in millions more each year.

In terms of annual royalties, it probably isnt enough to live on.

When Andy Rourke sold his royalty chain from The Smiths a few years ago, that was only worth a few hundred pounds a year, if i recall.

Has Joy Division songs ever been used much in TV ads?

0_o wrote: Has Joy Division songs ever been used much in TV ads?

In the UK, there was a bank commercial that used the atmosphere music a few years back. Not sure which bank though.

We often read many myths about Factory and its bands (like 'Blue Monday cover was so expensive that they actually lost money for every copy sold') so I wouldn't be surprised if this is another one. Also, there is no doubt that Joy Division made much more money after Ian's death.

Well, I am privy to an account where I work and for account holder "Division, Joy" the account balance at the moment is: $1450.86. Hope that helps.

I'm sure I remember Hooky saying that he gets more in publishing from JD than NO. Not sure when that was.

I suppose the JD catalogue was ring-fenced and shared between the members of the band, not bought and sold as various companies went to the wall or sold assets on. The more companies that have a slice of the pie, the less the band get.

Also, being a current band NO will have had management, publicity, recording, production, touring and equipment costs to meet out of their publishing and gig ticket income. JD had none of these - just cheques.

(Note: all this is guesswork, I don't actually have a clue)

DJ Diamond wrote: I'm sure I remember Hooky saying that he gets more in publishing from JD than NO. Not sure when that was.

Something to do with him renegotiating NO royalties in the wake of the Factory collapse?