30 replies · 1,705 views
31 votes · voting closed
Fans seem to have different viewpoints/expectations about New Order. Do you perceive New Order as being more...
"Indie" band... independent label, mostly non-mainstream, more experimental, post punk, leftfield club... that just happened to crossover at times to greater popularity.
"Pop" band... mainstream 80s synth pop, less experimental, radio play, mainstream dance club... they just had an unusual independent label beginning.
I think you can't really tell. They developed and changed a lot throughout the years. But I think it's mainly Pop/Rock in the end.
The way I see it
1981-1985 they were at their indie-est: in terms of doing what the fuck they wanted, music- and image-wise. This, to me, is the era that made New Order such a unique, fantastic band.
Brotherhood-Republic era was increasingly a bit of a hodgepodge of trying to mix in their indie success with more mainstream sounds. They traded in some of their ideals and naivete for a more Bernard-led songwriting structure and more commercial attitude, particularly when the 80s ended and Electronic took shape.
They've been just another guitar/drums band since they got back together. Some very good pop songs but pop songs all the same.
If we're talking legacy, I hope we remember New Order 1980-89 as the true distillation of what made them such a great band.
What is with the American music fan's preoccupation of labelling every band or type of music and putting them into little boxes? :p
Clearly between 1977 up to about 1990 they were an indie band on an indie label with indie "principles". After the Factory era the waters get a bit muddy. They're on a major label, working with big name producers but arguably neither a "pop" band nor an "indie" one. Get Ready is far from a "pop" record.
None of the above, basically.
NotAMod wrote: What is with the American music fan's preoccupation of labelling every band or type of music and putting them into little boxes? :p
Clearly between 1977 up to about 1990 they were an indie band on an indie label with indie "principles". After the Factory era the waters get a bit muddy. They're on a major label, working with big name producers but arguably neither a "pop" band nor an "indie" one. Get Ready is far from a "pop" record.
None of the above, basically.
They are just labels but they can lead to deeper discussion - I do think New Order's style since they reformed in 1998 has been easily more throwaway in terms of the depth of their music, and it's coincided with a more commercial, mainstream sound.
NotAMod wrote: What is with the American music fan's preoccupation of labelling every band or type of music and putting them into little boxes? :p
Clearly between 1977 up to about 1990 they were an indie band on an indie label with indie "principles". After the Factory era the waters get a bit muddy. They're on a major label, working with big name producers but arguably neither a "pop" band nor an "indie" one. Get Ready is far from a "pop" record.
None of the above, basically.
Fair enough, and I wouldn't disagree with you.
It just seems to differ how people started into JD/NO. In the 90s it seems like some started liking New Order because they seemed more mainstream than the other music of the era, and they look fondly on Republic, so they have different expectations. Different paths to the same destinations.
I've always thought of them as an awkward pop group almost by accident. I'm glad New Order is different from U2, Depeche Mode, Duran Duran...
0_o wrote:
NotAMod wrote: What is with the American music fan's preoccupation of labelling every band or type of music and putting them into little boxes? :p
Clearly between 1977 up to about 1990 they were an indie band on an indie label with indie "principles". After the Factory era the waters get a bit muddy. They're on a major label, working with big name producers but arguably neither a "pop" band nor an "indie" one. Get Ready is far from a "pop" record.
None of the above, basically.
Fair enough, and I wouldn't disagree with you.
It just seems to differ how people started into JD/NO. In the 90s it seems like some started liking New Order because they seemed more mainstream than the other music of the era, and they look fondly on Republic, so they have different expectations. Different paths to the same destinations.
I've always thought of them as an awkward pop group almost by accident. I'm glad New Order is different from U2, Depeche Mode, Duran Duran...
I agree with you. I first heard the Best Of and the opening five tracks - Let's Go, Dreams Never End, BLT, True Faith, 1963 - were all so different to each other, I didn't know what the fuck was going on, but it was instantly intriguing as a 15/16 year old.
Ha, an indie band can always go pop and still would be indie. But a pop band can never go indie. A simple fact. 
|| | ||| 6217|| 8 || 3 wrote: Ha, an indie band can always go pop and still would be indie.
Which is why U2 and Coldplay still get played on "alternative" radio.
Ive no idea. Could you include an option called 'Stubborn Northern Bastards'. Id click on that one.
They were always an Indie band to me.
As long as no-one lumps them in the same category as The Cure, Erasure and Depeche Mode (something our cousins on the other side of the water do frequently) I couldnae give a fuck. Anyone who does do that wants battered over the heid wi a wet fish until they beg forgiveness for being a cunt.
Hope this helps.
johnny wrote: Relieved to see 'None of the above' is way ahead in the poll
Johnny I'd be interested to hear how you'd interpret them. No more than 5000 words mind. GO!
In most people's mind they were a 80ies one hit wonder, that released their only hit all 5 years as a new remix - at least outside the UK.
joe davola wrote: In most people's mind they were a 80ies one hit wonder, that released their only hit all 5 years as a new remix - at least outside the UK.
Um... more like a 3-hit wonder: BM, BLT, TF. At least that's what I can pick up here in the States from people who are not fans but kinda like 80s or, ahem, indie music.
|| | ||| 6217|| 8 || 3 wrote:
joe davola wrote: In most people's mind they were a 80ies one hit wonder, that released their only hit all 5 years as a new remix - at least outside the UK.
Um... more like a 3-hit wonder: BM, BLT, TF. At least that's what I can pick up here in the States from people who are not fans but kinda like 80s or, ahem, indie music.
Regret made 28 on the Billboard Top 100, True Faith made 32.
And that's about it really.
I pretty much call that a 'no hits' wonder. 
Shug wrote: As long as no-one lumps them in the same category as The Cure, Erasure and Depeche Mode (something our cousins on the other side of the water do frequently) I couldnae give a fuck. Anyone who does do that wants battered over the heid wi a wet fish until they beg forgiveness for being a cunt.
As a cousin on the other side of the water, in our defense these bands were often lumped together on MTV ('they're weird! They're British!') and radio and record store marketing, so usually fans of one band were fans of the others as well (the Cure/Bunnymen/Smiths/Depeche/Siouxsie/NO/etc). Believe me, if you'd grown up with Color Me Badd and New Kids on the Block on your mainstream radio, you'd fucking adore Erasure too.
Housey wrote:
Shug wrote: As long as no-one lumps them in the same category as The Cure, Erasure and Depeche Mode (something our cousins on the other side of the water do frequently) I couldnae give a fuck. Anyone who does do that wants battered over the heid wi a wet fish until they beg forgiveness for being a cunt.
As a cousin on the other side of the water, in our defense these bands were often lumped together on MTV ('they're weird! They're British!') and radio and record store marketing, so usually fans of one band were fans of the others as well (the Cure/Bunnymen/Smiths/Depeche/Siouxsie/NO/etc). Believe me, if you'd grown up with Color Me Badd and New Kids on the Block on your mainstream radio, you'd fucking adore Erasure too.
I'd take New Kids On The Block over Erasure every single fucking day and I will tell this to anyone who listens. I fucking detest Erasure, I put them in the same category as Roxette and Michael Fucking Bolton. Wear sound protection. Fac1 
Shug wrote: I'd take New Kids On The Block over Erasure every single fucking day and I will tell this to anyone who listens.
God, seriously?!
