Ian's Guitar played on the "Taras Shevchenko" concert?

I was watching the "Taras Shevchenko" (1981) concert the other day, and I noticed that Barney is playing a guitar that looks exactly like the one Ian used to play. Could that possibly be Ian's guitar? I don't know, I just find it a little strange...

It was one of Ian's guitars - a very rare Vox Phantom.

It was loaned to the producers of 24 Hour Party People recently for use in the movie in fact.

The majority of the bands "Joy Division" equipment was stolen (uninsured no less) after a gig (Boston '82?).

Originally posted by FourFortyFive It was one of Ian's guitars - a very rare Vox Phantom.It was loaned to the producers of 24 Hour Party People recently for use in the movie in fact.The majority of the bands "Joy Division" equipment was stolen (uninsured no less) after a gig (Boston '82?).

a very nice guitar, you can also create some weird organ sound with it, i guess it's from Fender...

Vox Phantoms are not particularly rare. They kind of suck as guitars (but that's ok as Ian sucked as a guitarist). Vox did make a few "guit-organs" but Ian's guitar was not one of them, those have a lot more switches and knobs and they never worked well. Ian's guitar was British, there are some Vox instruments that were imported from Italy later as I understand it (nothing to do with Fender).

Correct - Vox Phantoms are not rare per se but Bernard himself spoke of that particular guitar saying that there were only literally a handful made...

Worth noting also that Ian was no guitarist, borne out on the lwtua video by the fact that he holds the chord down permanently, since he struggled to remember where to put his fingers. Don't we all?

Originally posted by FourFortyFive The majority of the bands "Joy Division" equipment was stolen (uninsured no less) after a gig (Boston '82?).

Glad you confirmed this JS, I was told I was wrong when I said the same thing a few weeks ago. Think it was 81 rather than 82 though, no US gigs in 82.

I think I read that it happened in NYC '81, don't remember the exact date, and didn't the van with the equipment get stolen itself too?

It was actually before the Boston show in 1980 that the gear was stolen. If you ever get to hear the tape of this show, everything sounds weird due to playing on borrowed equipment.