Ask New Order

Hello everyone;

i'm going to interview New Order in 3 days about the new live album. If someone wants to ask them something, feel free to tell and i'll do the middleman.

cheers

Doubt they’ll remember but I’ve often wondered which songs they had originally planned to do at the BBC Rock Around The Clock thing in 1984. My understanding is that because they got there late they had to scrap the planned set. Which songs did they originally plan to do? It’s a longshot . Maybe Steve remembers.

Do they have to be questions about the forthcoming Live album? I'll start with a couple of questions on that, and then...all sorts of random fan questions.

1. Which neglected live track did NO most enjoy including in the MIF gigs?
2. Was there ever a thought to play the MIF gigs at any other UK locations besides Manchester? A couple of nights at London's Roundhouse might have been good, for example.
3. Having used a synth orchestra for MIF, do NO feel that going back to using pre-programmed Apple Macs at "normal" gigs is kinda cheating?
4. Is there a temptation to concentrate on the live aspect of NO rather than make another studio album, conisdering many people don't buy music any more?
5. When playing True Faith live have you considered going back to the 1987 way of playing it? It sounded great on TOTPS2 recently!
6. What's their favourite cover version of a NO or JD song?
7. Where did the song title for Temptation come from?
8. What were the best drugs NO ever took?
9. When was the last time Bernard called someone a cunt because he wasn't happy with the lighting or other aspects of the stage show? [A former forumite did a Youtube compilation of Bernard saying: "stop shining the light in my eyes you cunt" at various gigs. *EDIT* HERE IT IS! ]
10. When was the last time NO heard someone else's music and thought: "they've nicked that from us"?
11. The Chemical Brothers are about to release a box set of their Surrender album, including a 21 minute version of Out of Control. Wouldn't it be great if we could also hear all the chopped up or discarded guitar parts that Bernard has mentioned in old interviews? They aren't including Bernards original "tapes" for OOC in the box set. Is there any way NO fans might be able to hear Bernard's version?
12. Whose idea was it to incorporate elements of Das Rheingold in All Day Long?
13. Some NO fans think the K Klass remix of Ruined In A Day is better than the original. Do NO like any remixes of their stuff better than the original?
14. Arthur Baker produced the single version of TBTHOG. It sounds like he sampled the percussion from his own remix of Fleetwood Mac's Big Love. Can you confirm? 15 When was the last time you saw a pig in a zoo? (re: Every Little Counts)

15 When was the last time you saw a pig in a zoo? (re: All Day Long)

‘All Day Long’? Really?

Hmmmn. As regards questions, I’m useless at this sort of thing. Will give it some thought.

Those are some great questions!

When are we getting a new (ie, not live or remixes) album?

9. When was the last time Bernard called someone a cunt because he wasn't happy with the lighting or other aspects of the stage show? [A former forumite did a Youtube compilation of Bernard saying: "stop shining the light in my eyes you cunt" at various gigs. Can't find it now. Can anyone else?]

That was n the pumped full of drugs video in japan

My main questions about the MiF gigs are:

1. Are there any songs that almost made the cut, but were decided against being included at the gigs?

2. Is there any chance we might get ‘round 2’, with other old classics getting revisited at a later date? Maybe other ‘lost but brilliant’ tracks like Everything’s Green, Hurt or Chosen Time.

Oh and put me down as somebody else who’d bloody love the band to restore ‘True Faith’ back to its original format. That was the ‘mutts nuts’ live.

I think Debaser as covered everything. But I’ll add a few or repeat what has already been said

The main one for me will they record any new material. Even just the odd 12” so they haven’t got the commitment of a whole album.

Can they please (just for me) at the Bristol gig this year sing Leave Alone and Thieves like us. If I can only have one choice make it Leave me alone and personally dedicate it to me.

Have they read each other books?

Which song did they think went the best at MiF.

Do they release the love from the fans for Technique era tracks hence the massive reception for Vanishing point

Similar cheeky question as The Shadow. I'm seeing New Order live in my hometown of Portsmouth in August at Victorious Festival. I wasn’t able to see them the last and only time they played Portsmouth, as it was 35 years ago and I was only 9. 'Shellshock' is my favourite New Order song: as it's been so long since you played Portsmouth and you created a cracking new live arrangement of it for 'So It Goes', can you give it a special outing for me at Victorious please?

thank you really much for your inputs, they are great! there were some I thought about, some not. I will try to summerize the answers as soon as I am able to (please allow a few weeks, summer holidays is Friday for me). I will transcript everything (in French) end of but I'll do my best to give you the answers they gave me !

My questions:

1. Who invented the ashtray of doom?
2. Who won the most ashtray of doom games?
3. What gig is each members favourite or sticks in the memory for a specific reason?
4. Does footage of the whole gig exist of Hacienda 85?
5. When will the other box sets start to be released?
6. Why don’t they drop the Joy Division number’s as Barney can’t do them justice?

Please thank Barney for including WFTSC in the set, it is perfect for a piss break

Oh, thought of another couple of related questions:

What’s the reason that for the Sub-Culture single not receiving a proper sleeve? Will we get a proper sleeve for the re-release of the 12” around the time that Low Life is reissued?

(I know that the common theory is that Saville didn’t like the remix so didn’t provide a sleeve but, to be honest, I very much doubt that he even listened to most of the singles. I’ve always suspected that Saville was just too late with his sleeve design.)

perspexorange wrote: What’s the reason that for the Sub-Culture single not receiving a proper sleeve? Will we get a proper sleeve for the re-release of the 12” around the time that Low Life is reissued?

(I know that the common theory is that Saville didn’t like the remix so didn’t provide a sleeve but, to be honest, I very much doubt that he even listened to most of the singles. I’ve always suspected that Saville was just too late with his sleeve design.)

Nope, you're correct. Saville didn't like the remix, so he put the bare minimum of effort (even for him) into it.

Oh, ok. Ta for that.

It’s just always seemed a little unlikely. From various interviews I’ve read / seen with Saville, he mostly seemed fairly uninterested in the band’s music. Also, there are examples where he heard the record after designing the cover (Unknown Pleasures, for instance.)

Just can’t imagine him sitting there listening to it and getting annoyed to the point of not designing a cover. It just seems more likely to me that he was late (again!), then heard the mix at a later date, thought it was shit, then said something along the lines of ‘it didn’t deserve a sleeve’ or similar.

Does Gillian have any plans to pen an autobiography (would be interesting to hear her side of events surrounding new order)?

is it bro wrote: Does Gillian have any plans to pen an autobiography (would be interesting to hear her side of events surrounding new order)?

I have it on good authority, she will release a book with all the knitting patterns she has used on the knitting machine she uses on stage, and an advanced lesson on ebay when she is on her Mac - I personally cannot wait.

Hello everyone, sorry for the long delay. Things have been difficult over here. please find below answers of your questions i was able to ask. As we are quite generalist music magazine, i had to mix with less ‘fan” questions. Hope you will learn some stuff. cheers

Which neglected live track did NO most enjoy including in the MIF gigs? None in fact. The original idea was to order new remixes they would play on stage, but they did not have enough time. So they carefully chose the tracks before rehearsals based on two conditions. they could be transcripted on partitions for the players and the tracks must have enough chords and layers to be played on synth. The 2 exceptions to these rules are Ultraviolence and Disorder, with are only played by the band on stage. there was one track he did not name that worked not. The whole idea was to strip the tracks to their molecular structure and then have them played by keyboardists.

Was there ever a thought to play the MIF gigs at any other UK locations besides Manchester? A couple of nights at London's Roundhouse might have been good, for example. They did Vienna and Turino, because it was festivals which can afford all the costs. The scenery the transport, the 18 people on stage, that costs too much for a “simple” venue. They were talking once to play at Alexandra Palace in London, but it was way too expensive. To cover all the costs, the tickets would have been incredibly expensive. But Bernard really wants to do it again, he just doesn't know where.

Having used a synth orchestra for MIF, do NO feel that going back to using pre-programmed Apple Macs at "normal" gigs is kinda cheating? Ils a big no, even if they are thrilled by the experience and the energy of the 12 keyboard players. Coming back to cold machines is too nightmarish for them. Steve has kept all the synths and gears from the first days of JD (and they sampled the original synths for MIF shows), but they are not reliable enough now to go on tour with.

Is there a temptation to concentrate on the live aspect of NO rather than make another studio album, conisdering many people don't buy music any more? It think its a question of time consuming. Bernard would like to record new music, but now, they are booked until october 2020 and it doesn't know where to find the time to do it. Remember he's 63. Bernard told me he would love to record songs one by one, and then play it live, do a second one, and so on… and at the end, collect them into an album. But he was not sure anyone would by an album like this, made of songs tested live for months. He was also thinking of releasing singles, the way Touched by the hand of god or Temptation were released, between 2 albums.

The Chemical Brothers are about to release a box set of their Surrender album, including a 21 minute version of Out of Control. Wouldn't it be great if we could also hear all the chopped up or discarded guitar parts that Bernard has mentioned in old interviews? They aren't including Bernards original "tapes" for OOC in the box set. Is there any way NO fans might be able to hear Bernard's version? He said he will call Tom Rowlands (with a big smile), but told me you would be disappointed as its not that good. He was quite surprised there would be a 21 minutes version of Out Of Control on the new edition of Surrender.

Some NO fans think the K Klass remix of Ruined In A Day is better than the original. Do NO like any remixes of their stuff better than the original? For him, it was not a question of better, but a question of new perspective and point of view. He liked the of WFTSC and loved the Hardfloor remix of Blue Monday. Usually, management deals with remixing ans they approve (or not) the final results.

Is there any chance we might get ‘round 2’, with other old classics getting revisited at a later date? Maybe other ‘lost but brilliant’ tracks like Everything’s Green, Hurt or Chosen Time. that's a no. they think they took the tracks that matched with the synth orchestra.

Have they read each other books? He just began Steve's book at the time of our meeting (he must have finish it now).

Which song did they think went the best at MiF. Ultraviolence, Decades, Shellshock and Subculture. For the last one, he thought it was better than the original. In his mind, the MIF shows were the way to improve the back-catalogue, which he finds to be elemental. He changed a few lyrics and they took the chance to correct a few weaknesses of the tracks they played. He wrote new stuff for Vanishing Point and Subculture, as he found them unfinished.

When will the other box sets start to be released? He did not know, and he doesn't care. He wasn't involved in Movement box set at all. HE found it was a beautiful one but never played his copy.

Does Gillian have any plans to pen an autobiography (would be interesting to hear her side of events surrounding new order)? She wrote me a simple “yes”

Thank you for asking the questions and taking the time to report back here. It is appreciated.

There's some good and not-so-good news here.

Good that Gillian is planning on writing a book, as I'd love to hear her side of the story. Must've been intimidating to join at a later date, especially when you consider that the band had already recorded two ridiculously brilliant LPs (in UP and Closer).

But it's disappointing that they have no plans for an LP. Very disappointing indeed. I suppose the only positive thing to take away from that is the possibility of them recording non-album singles / EPs.

Also, the fact that there isn't going to be a 'round 2' of the MiF-style gigs is frustrating.

Interesting that he liked the MiF version of Sub-Culture best. I liked it, but the LP version is brilliant IMO and stands head and shoulders over the MiF one (which resembled the Robie mix more).

Again, thanks for this bc2323!

I echo what PO has said, thanks a lot for printing this and answering our questions. If you do see Bernard again make sure he knows one song / single at a time will be great for us NO fans just give us some new music. Wasn’t singularity and plastic sung live at least a year before any other new music?

I feel if they want to keep touring they will have to give us an occasional new track. Maybe it was ‘music complete’ after all. Although the MiF live album feels like a new album to me, never get bored of listening to it.

bc2323 wrote: please find below answers of your questions i was able to ask. As we are quite generalist music magazine, i had to mix with less ‘fan” questions. Hope you will learn some stuff.

Ooh I got six questions answered! Chuffed with that. I knew when I slapped my 15 questions down I was pushing my luck. But i guess if you don't ask, you don't get. Happy to see these ones answered, thank you!

bc2323 wrote:

Which neglected live track did NO most enjoy including in the MIF gigs? ... The original idea was to order new remixes they would play on stage...

Interesting.

bc2323 wrote:

Was there ever a thought to play the MIF gigs at any other UK locations besides Manchester? A couple of nights at London's Roundhouse might have been good, for example. They did Vienna and Turino,... But Bernard really wants to do it again, he just doesn't know where.

London Bernard, London! There are festivals in London! Near hotels and amenities! If NO don't make any new music, finally catching the MIF experience would be the main reason why I would clamour for a live ticket again. Although now that i have the MP3s in my pocket it may not be as exciting as it was for people who went to the first "Grenada" gigs.

bc2323 wrote:

Is there a temptation to concentrate on the live aspect of NO rather than make another studio album, conisdering many people don't buy music any more? It think its a question of time consuming. Bernard would like to record new music, but now, they are booked until october 2020 and it doesn't know where to find the time to do it. Remember he's 63. Bernard told me he would love to record songs one by one, and then play it live, do a second one, and so on… and at the end, collect them into an album. But he was not sure anyone would by an album like this, made of songs tested live for months. He was also thinking of releasing singles, the way Touched by the hand of god or Temptation were released, between 2 albums.

This is the answer that makes the heart sink a little. Not too sure what else to say. I'm not really surprised though. I mean they didn't have to keep booking gigs. They've chosen to do so...

bc2323 wrote:

The Chemical Brothers are about to release a box set of their Surrender album, including a 21 minute version of Out of Control. Wouldn't it be great if we could also hear all the chopped up or discarded guitar parts that Bernard has mentioned in old interviews? They aren't including Bernards original "tapes" for OOC in the box set. Is there any way NO fans might be able to hear Bernard's version? He said he will call Tom Rowlands (with a big smile), but told me you would be disappointed as its not that good. He was quite surprised there would be a 21 minutes version of Out Of Control on the new edition of Surrender.

Bernard being humble? Now I'm surprised! I didn't think this question would be asked but I'm tickled that it was.

bc2323 wrote:

Some NO fans think the K Klass remix of Ruined In A Day is better than the original. Do NO like any remixes of their stuff better than the original? ... He liked the of WFTSC and loved the Hardfloor remix of Blue Monday...

No arguments there. And WFTSC - considering the live version, it would be weird if he didn't like that one.

bc2323 wrote:

When will the other box sets start to be released? He did not know, and he doesn't care. He wasn't involved in Movement box set at all. HE found it was a beautiful one but never played his copy.

So it was Hooky's idea and Bernard doesn't care. Interesting.

bc2323 wrote:

Does Gillian have any plans to pen an autobiography (would be interesting to hear her side of events surrounding new order)? She wrote me a simple “yes”

Baggy Boiler can't wait!

Thanks VERY much Mr BC2323. Really appreciated. Now, I think I need to get my hands on the magazine...

Thanks bc2323 for asking NO the Q's and posting us the answers here.

I'm not really surprised they're not planning to record new stuff anytime soon.Watching them at Bluedot in July i got the gut feeling and vibe that doing live shows is all they're interested in now, that's all they want to do for the foreseeable future.They're perfectly happy doing live shows around the world, soaking up the adulation of new and old fans alike.C'est la vie.

They're booked up with live shows til October 2020? At present the live dates announced only go as far as late March 2020, the Japan shows.So they've got more 2020 dates booked but not announced.Like Debaser says in his comment above, they don't have to do book live dates all the time.But that's what they want and are happy doing and it's their choice.I feel their credibility will drop though if they just tour for years and years without actually releasing any new stuff.

bc2323 wrote:

Does Gillian have any plans to pen an autobiography (would be interesting to hear her side of events surrounding new order)? “yes”

This is the level of eloquence and fascinating insight I have come to expect of her. The Charles Dickens of pop. More please. Copy and paste from fucking years ago:

TRIES AND WHISPERS The autobiography of Gillian Gilbert Written by Paul Morley

1970s The scant askance glance through the joyless and indeed divided yet not atomically miscreated universal upset urinal begetting but not beginning, rather commencing the non statistic but sattitarian sibilance through Joy Division through to and indeed toward Newer Orders and of course the coursed New Oder may be interpreted but not empathised as the Dante mock Virgil movement upwards onwards to hospitals of brinks., yes Gillian? (Gillian) Er, yes! Ha ha ha!

New Order Yet in the eighties or shall I reinterpret that, the achings, one could hardly barely fail to bear on 'Brotherhood' a slight light frightened lapsus or lapse and grasp at the paraprostochian otherearthly but always wordy if not worthy greetings greedily bred by Ian despite the misogynistic plasmatic missed ogres nismically misplaced. (Gillian) Er, yes! Ha ha ha!

Furthermore Notwithstanding the green mean machine of commercialised unpop rave and grave cultured cult of the floowing decade's dictated decades, or the other two, not revenged as joy division had delved deeper like dolphins in the aegean mists of grime on Manchester man and sibling through child and like mustard, with a sheen at grey dawns like the original band, yes Gillian? (Gillian) Er, yes! Ha ha ha!

APPENDICKS (I'm proud of that word. It sounds like something Jan Kurtis might say):

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 90s: The Wilderness Years (I'm very proud of that. Jon Savage thought of it for me all by myself), The Other Two Break Records (2 albums in 30 years and they're both shit), and Hooky is a cunt.

Melanie C used to have a podcast, 'Ask Melanie'. I wrote, Will you marry me? I thought she'd answer after the 6643379900854th time. She must be busy.

Michael Monkhouse wrote:

Written by Paul Morley

😄 😂

Monkhouse reveals himself to actually be Morley lurking on NOOL under a pseudonym... Suspected it for years. Been meaning to ask you about those ZTT sleeve ramblings...

bc2323 wrote: Does Gillian have any plans to pen an autobiography (would be interesting to hear her side of events surrounding new order)? She wrote me a simple “yes”

she needs to dedicate a whole chapter explaining her opinions on how Barney always comes over to "help" on the keyboard for Blue Monday!

perspexorange wrote: Thank you for asking the questions and taking the time to report back here. It is appreciated.

Interesting that he liked the MiF version of Sub-Culture best. I liked it, but the LP version is brilliant IMO and stands head and shoulders over the MiF one (which resembled the Robie mix more).

it was all the point for them. they spend quite a time of preparing MIF (about 3 months), and concerning Subculture version, the mixed the both parts of Robie mix and album version.

This is the answer that makes the heart sink a little. Not too sure what else to say. I'm not really surprised though. I mean they didn't have to keep booking gigs. They've chosen to do so...

in fact, getting older, Bernard truly enjoy touring. He said to me that in the past, they were acting like viking raising countries and could top being wasted one night out of two. Now they are touring a way more sustainable, enjoying the shows (he was really happy on stage that night), really performing (I saw him after the show and he saw just tired to death) and also enjoying the life besides touring (restaurants, museums, sightseeing). It might sounds selfish to us, but he wants to enjoy as much as possible while he can. He doesn't want to stay at home or play golf all days. long. He did not speak about Hooky but was clear that the chemistry actually in the band (and with the whole crew) gave him a boost.

bc2323 wrote:

Bernard being humble? Now I'm surprised! I didn't think this question would be asked but I'm tickled that it was. i was a bit, because it was really humble and straightforward. He did not elude anything. Its the second time I interview him in 4 years, and he was already a nice guy at the time of music complete. He admitted he acted like a fool in the past and that he has changed.

bc2323 wrote:

So it was Hooky's idea and Bernard doesn't care. Interesting. Hooky's idea ? For sure. I can tell you from experience that the trend in music business is to release huge archive of classic records (even of records no one is interested inn. With or without Hooky, that would have happen one day. its just business. On the other hand, we all know that Bernard has always been reluctant to look back at his own past. Hooky complained he did not want to play JD tracks in the past, and so its pure Bernard : don't give a s*** about our past, New Order is about the future. MIF was the once in the lifetime exception IMO.

bc2323 wrote:

Does Gillian have any plans to pen an autobiography (would be interesting to hear her side of events surrounding new order)? She wrote me a simple “yes”

Baggy Boiler can't wait! In her defense (I see another comment not really nice to her), I did not have the chance to see her and this “yes” answer was made as a reply to a DM I made on twitter 2 hours after the show. But I think it could be truly interesting. She witnessed everything from the inside and has never spoken yet. So who knows. (in French we say beware of the sleeping water if you know what I mean)

OK, i fucked up with the quote and so on !!!

bc2323 wrote: OK, i fucked up with the quote and so on !!!

Yes, forum quotes can be a bit tricky.

bc2323 wrote:

So it was Hooky's idea and Bernard doesn't care. Interesting. Hooky's idea ? For sure. I can tell you from experience that the trend in music business is to release huge archive of classic records (even of records no one is interested inn. With or without Hooky, that would have happen one day. its just business. On the other hand, we all know that Bernard has always been reluctant to look back at his own past. Hooky complained he did not want to play JD tracks in the past, and so its pure Bernard : don't give a s*** about our past, New Order is about the future. MIF was the once in the lifetime exception IMO.

Yes of course ultimately it's the record company's decision - can we make some money by re-releasing, re-packaging these recordings etc? I'm not sure if you're being sarcastic or serious when you say "for sure". In case you're wondering why I said it was Hooky's idea, see HERE, reply #23, 4th line from the bottom of the post. Transcribed from a radio interview where Hook said his wife gave him the Led Zep II box set for Christmas and he suggested to the record company that they could do something similar for NO. That's his version of events anyway!

Thanks again for coming back and clarifying some of the answers. I wonder if it's possible to get this magazine for Kindle outside of France?

Hey again. On kindle not but it can be bought digitally on exact editions website. Printed version can be asked at abonnement@tsugi.fr

Cheers

Fotzepolitic wrote: Like Debaser says in his comment above, they don't have to do book live dates all the time.But that's what they want and are happy doing and it's their choice.I feel their credibility will drop though if they just tour for years and years without actually releasing any new stuff.

Especially as (outside of the MIF thing) they seem to simply play the same core set every night, swapping in and out the same 2-3 tracks. I get that it pays the bills better than releasing new albums but it can't continue to be that much fun for them can it?

When you look at how The Cure put their shows together (similar number of albums and even longer since their last studio album) - they seem to pride themselves on playing longer so that the deeper cuts get an airing. No reason why NO shouldn't be doing the same thing - other than laziness

GotBlueEyes wrote:

Fotzepolitic wrote: Like Debaser says in his comment above, they don't have to do book live dates all the time.But that's what they want and are happy doing and it's their choice.I feel their credibility will drop though if they just tour for years and years without actually releasing any new stuff.

Especially as (outside of the MIF thing) they seem to simply play the same core set every night, swapping in and out the same 2-3 tracks. I get that it pays the bills better than releasing new albums but it can't continue to be that much fun for them can it?

When you look at how The Cure put their shows together (similar number of albums and even longer since their last studio album) - they seem to pride themselves on playing longer so that the deeper cuts get an airing. No reason why NO shouldn't be doing the same thing - other than laziness

I mean, in their defense most of the members are in their 60s and playing an hour plus set probably takes a lot of them. I don't want to ask too much from them because they're not the spring chickens they used to be. Although, maybe an intermission could be possible?

But I do feel like the setlist should be upgraded. Give us back Regret, Krafty, AoC, and maybe a new addition. The MC album cycle has been over for 3 years now so maybe just give us Plastic and Singularity or Tutti Frutti. As well as 2 JD songs: Decades and LWTUA.

I'm seeing them in Miami for 2 nights and I'm gonna be so disappointed if they end up playing the same set every night.

Dennis Remmer wrote:

Michael Monkhouse wrote:

Written by Paul Morley

😄 😂

Monkhouse reveals himself to actually be Morley lurking on NOOL under a pseudonym... Suspected it for years. Been meaning to ask you about those ZTT sleeve ramblings...

What-s the difference between Paul Morley and a hysterectomy? A hysterectomy is not a TOTAL twat.