Skip to content

Barney's Book

Archived

108 replies · 111,693 views

This is an archived legacy thread. Replies are closed, but the discussion is preserved.

rosygale wrote:

Another thing that made me buy it was the photo inside the front and back covers which is the ultra cool one that was in, I think it was Sounds, of him walking along a sidewalk in, I think it was New York, around about 1985-ish, that I don't think anyone is aware of within 100 miles of me. Took me right back to some very different times...

Yes, great photo.Amazing there's not yet been a tee shirt made of it.Think it was slightly earlier than 1985 though, maybe 1983 when they did some gig(s) in New York (Paradise Garage was it?) and one or two other American cities?

2 2 likes

Still waiting for my copy to come in the mail. I should not have told my wife -- she asked to read it first.

1 1 like

Yes that is hilarious. But nice with the baked pears eh? I'm nicking "worthless turd flap" for future use. Not necessarily in relation to NO members I should stress.

2 2 likes

The book has been a disappointment so far, but I wasn't expecting too much. Has glaring factual inaccuracies, such as stating Joy Division had already recorded Glass and Digital with Martin Rushent and then gave that to Hannett to remix, which was impossible as the Rushent session didn't take place until Spring '79, yet the Factory Sample was recorded in Late 1978.

Will give a fuller appraisal when I've finished reading it, but Barney has added nothing new to what was already out there.

1 1 like

There's little new in there, TBH, almost all of it has been in various interviews over the year. Though the funkier version of BM? The Quincy Jones remix?

1 1 like

markreed wrote: There's little new in there, TBH, almost all of it has been in various interviews over the year. Though the funkier version of BM? The Quincy Jones remix?

Er, no - Stephen accidentally wiped the 'funkier' version (he didn't say exactly what it was about the original that made it funkier)

2 2 likes
· edited

komakino wrote: Has glaring factual inaccuracies, such as stating Joy Division had already recorded Glass and Digital with Martin Rushent and then gave that to Hannett to remix, which was impossible as the Rushent session didn't take place until Spring '79, yet the Factory Sample was recorded in Late 1978..

It's a nice day outside. I can't be arsed to read this book. Quite honestly I've never been particularly interested in their private lives, just the little music they can bothered to put out. The best book on JD IMO (so it must be true) is http://www.ibs.it/code/9788862310017/di-marco-marco/joy-division-broken.html as it's based on each track rather than Ian boning a Belgian. It's different with someone like Ingmar Bergman, where the life gives you an insight into the art, but would anyone care to give an in-depth analysis of 'Every Second Counts'? I'm looking forward to Gillian's book, 'Nervous giggle, Brush my fringe back, Still can't get a fucking word out after all these years'.

1 1 like

Ken Doherty wrote:

markreed wrote: There's little new in there, TBH, almost all of it has been in various interviews over the year. Though the funkier version of BM? The Quincy Jones remix?

Er, no - Stephen accidentally wiped the 'funkier' version (he didn't say exactly what it was about the original that made it funkier)

Oh, of course, that one and they had to reprogram it? Oh I forgot about that. Wish somsone had asked about why the 2008 reissues were such a bodge job.

1 1 like

Total guesswork but perhaps the "funkier" BM simply had different percussion programming over the same synth melodies; maybe something like the live version they played in the mid to late 80s with the extra congas during the opening beats?

markreed wrote: Wish somsone had asked about why the 2008 reissues were such a bodge job.

We already know why; absent master tapes (for the singles), staff cutbacks at the label and allegedly the band were not sent copies for prior approval before release. Then Steve and Frank Arkwright stepped in to put the fixed bonus discs together. Could be wrong but I get the impression Bernard wasn't involved in that reissue campaign much purely because he generally "prefers looking forward".

I am wondering if they'll ever do "The London Years"... a nicely done Republic reissue would be welcome.

1 1 like

Andy wrote: Guardian Interview

The bag of sick story and the Peter Saville bit gave me a chuckle.

1 1 like

Michael Monkhouse wrote:

The best book on JD IMO (so it must be true) is http://www.ibs.it/code/9788862310017/di-marco-marco/joy-division-broken.html as it's based on each track rather than Ian boning a Belgian

You're giving us links to Italian websites. Well I guess, when in Rome...

Michael Monkhouse wrote:

I'm looking forward to Gillian's book, 'Nervous giggle, Brush my fringe back, Still can't get a fucking word out after all these years'.

Ooh you bitch! Actually Gillian gave a pretty good interview all by herself in recent months. It was posted somewhere on this forurm. I can't be arsed to find it now mind you.

1 1 like

6 page interview/feature in new (November) issue of Uncut.Nothing that revelatory but not a bad piece.Bernard also lists his current reading, about 10 books mostly with a Cold War theme.Also a 4 page interview/feature in last week's NME.

1 1 like

Currently up to chapter 3 of this, enjoying what I'm reading so far, interesting to hear about his upbringing and high school days.I've heard it turns into a bit of an ego-trip from here on in though, will have to wait and see... [read]

1 1 like

Actually Gillian gave a pretty good interview all by herself in recent months.

All by herself? Well done!

1 1 like
· edited

Ah Mr Monkhouse, if ever Charlie Brooker needs a stand-in to present one of his I-am-not-impressed TV shows, he should give you a call. And just to go completely off topic here's an article that Mr Brooker has written about people hyping things up on t'internet: AWESOME!

(p.s. I'll admit that 'all by herself' did sound cheesy, and possibly patronising too)

1 1 like

SHY AND WHISPERS

The Autobiography of Gillian Gilbert

written by someone else

Part 1: My Childhood (nervous giggle, brushes fringe from forehead) Yes, I had a childhood. (giggle) STEVE: So do most of us! (giggle)

Part 2: I Discover Music (nervous giggle, brushes fringe from forehead) I started listening to records. STEVE: What else can you do with them? (giggle)

Part 3: New Order (nervous giggle, brushes fringe from forehead) I was asked to join New Order. Bernard sometimes showed me how to play this computer thing. STEVE: Yeah, Bernard can be a bit of a control freak. (giggle) STEVE: It's not a joke. Sorry.

Next week: The Wilderness Years (Paul Morley thought of that), The Other Two (twenty years for two albums) and Why Hooky Is A Cunt.

1 1 like

2 of the 3 covers ( 'turn the heater on'by keith hudson, and 'in the ghetto', with elvis p. ), are way better than the originals . and even though steve winwood's 'can't find my way home ' is exquisite, bernard 's is awfully good ,too.

1 1 like

bernard mentions liking fleetwood mac and peter green, but also comments that he doesn't like the bluesy stuff and wondered what the commotion was all about as to why don't they ( the white british blues giants) try to sound like a band from england . i could not agree more. spot on comment!! i love and followed the black guitar greats (buddy guy and albert king )for example ,but the last time i saw buddy was in the late 70's , it was a very small crowd , he handed me his guild '57 to hold while he went to get a drink. always smiling he grinned even more when i had mentioned danny kirwan. as a texan i confess that stevie ray vaughan had arrived on the scene too late for me to be interested , and besides our eric johnson was vastly more interesting . to this day beautiful, pastoral english sounds are what i cherish. peter green played 'bluesy stuff ' before danny kirwan joined, and peter green played more 'bluesy stuff ' after he left FM. ( he had said that he wanted to experiment with hallucinogens ( speaking of 'green manalishi') and evident again on his solo lp 'end of the game' , as a way out of blues . so bernard was most likely commenting on peter's songs from 'then play on'. kirwan brought a dozen or so blues originals with him to FMac from his time with his brixton band boilerhouse. those blues originals are not compiled yet , but my burned cd makes the most sublime blues album ever. for example, 'like it this way ', the top dueling guitar song is danny's , not peter's . and danny's version of j roger's 'world's in a tangle' , from his time in chicago with buddy and willie dixon and blues greats is fabulous. the black guys especially liked danny , and at times thought it was peter playing when it was danny. the british migration from the blues to an 'england ' sound happened to clapton, beck , page etc. . danny kirwan, the best blues guitarist, and whose blues songs are the only ones i listen to tried other genres and excelled at all. for instance if heavy metal had been his focus , his songs would likely attract sophisticated listeners, not just adolescents . but then again he was not interested in the silly antics, false bravado, and twatlike emoting . peter claimed that danny's style was not for him. many people have mistaken danny's songs as by peter . 'then play on' features kirwan's FMAC debut , and working alone he wrote 7 songs. peter claimed that 'albatross' does not happen without danny. he also mentioned that 'underway ' includes danny's chords-- like water lapping against a boat. danny asked peter to add a solo to 'world in harmony' and credited him, but even though danny helped on two of peter's best songs , peter only mentioned/ credited danny 30 years later . also, danny plays the phenomenal lead on 'oh well part 1' another of peter's best. danny also worked with tramp ( bob bruning's band , Fmac 's original bassist) and produced christine perfect's version of danny's song 'when you say' in that very busy year, , and made the transition to anything but blues so easily. danny said 'what can a white kid growing up in england know about the blues" , and danny never returned to blues . his 37 songs from his time with fmac are timeless , always playing during my driving job. and there are 37 more from his solo records also on constantly. i think kirwan is not only the best and most interesting singer , and songwriter , and guitarist of the 20th century, but his only rival is bernard. however , bernard attributes all songs to all band members, so he is #2 . all but a few of kirwan's 75 songs are all his , and if i lived 1000 lifetimes i would not get bored with either supergiant. sadly, danny could not go on and has been homeless or in shelter from the time bernard began his illustrious career.

1 1 like

[eek2]

1 1 like

Keepitcoming, just tell your parents you're on drugs. It saves time.

1 1 like

absolutely, but first a nice story about our hero, my king, mr. neutron. after a 4 hr drive i got to dallas ,tx too early for the show, but instead of looking for a hotel, i looked for the venue. standing near a side entrance is a guy with lps , about 15 or so. bernard comes outside, the guy calls out to bernard . bernard said ' but i signed your records 2 hrs ago', but the guy persisted. bernard walked over and signed all of those records with different colored pens as the guy requested. bernard is a treasure .

1 1 like

Loving the New Order Book Club[:)]

1 1 like

Finally got round to reading it, entertaining and lots of detail from his early days...but the technique (ah bum tish) of the writing is pretty poor and all the anti hooky stuff gets boring after a while (it's almost like he's trying to hard - and i'm teambarney !! ) Doubt it would interest many non-fans.

(an i always thought the snowball was in egg)

1 1 like
· edited

Hac wrote:

(an i always thought the snowball was in egg)

For the life of me I cannot hear the sound of the snowball in Temptation. Would anyone point it?

1 1 like

No Barcode wrote:

Hac wrote:

(an i always thought the snowball was in egg)

For the life of me I cannot hear the sound of the snowball in Temptation. Would anyone point it?

In the first minute or so of the 1982 12" version.You can hear a bit of larking about , kind of a wuh?! hey!

1 1 like

Bernard was on BBC 6Music this afternoon on the Radcliffe & Maconie live show from Manchester Library.

go to about 1 hour 9 minutes in

2 2 likes
· edited

Bill wrote: Bernard was on BBC 6Music this afternoon on the Radcliffe & Maconie live show from Manchester Library.

go to about 1 hour 9 minutes in

Appreciate the stereo effect.

1 1 like

You're leaving NewOrderOnline

This link goes to an external website we don't operate, which has its own privacy policy and terms.

Destination:
Continue ↗