Haystack to be re-released...

ooooh this is fabulous news!

Its the first proper U.K release(June 16th 2003)of the first track they ever recorded as New Order.Ok - it clearly hasnt created much interest as a thread here but why the ridicule Spotnick?If nothing else its a piece of history and(despite your nominating it the worst NO track ever!!?) its a good song,not done justice by this version - but let me stress much of the blame for that lies with me and my then lack of experience in the studio.I didnt sing it very well to be honest.. The 'Tender Bruises and Scars' collection as a whole is somewhat mixed in its quality - some of it I dislike now myself,some has stood up well..BUT,I believe its always interesting and original but it gathers everything I did for Factory and Cherry Red studiowise and has some wonderful contributions by Donald Johnson of ACR and Adrian Borland and The Sound as well as the collaboration with NO. To read more about it check www.kevinhewick.com and,unfinished at time of writing this but with a fair bit already up theres also: http://mysite.freeserve.com/TenderBruises ..and theres also the account given on the excellent Martin Hannett site..however,due to William getting it via Anna via me it ended up getting a bit jumbled up in time honoured "Send reinforcements were going to advance/Send three and fourpence were going to a dance"fashion..The version in Eleanor Whitneys beautifully put together "Twenty years too soon"`zine is more like it was....

Yeah, quite a few of us do have Haystack (me, on the From Brussels... CD), but I will make a point of picking up the Cherry Red release, as I've always intended to listen to more tunes of yours as well!

l8rs,

Nick ;)

Hey Kevin,

Who did write the lyrics for Haystack,you or Bernard ?

All I know about Kevin Hewick I learned from kevinhewick.com this morning. Check those mp3.com logs for a spike in downloads, Kevin.

By the way, if you dig Mr. Hewick's tracks, you're guaranteed to love* my track Poison.

*Not a guarantee.

For the record, I think all of you are bastards for letting my scoop on the Flunk cover of Blue Monday languish at an embarrassing single reply.

Now, excuse me while I go start a "Worst Blue Monday Cover Ever" poll.

Originally posted by kevin hewick Its the first proper U.K release(June 16th 2003)of the first track they ever recorded as New Order.Ok - it clearly hasn`t created much interest as a thread here but why the ridicule Spotnick?If nothing else its a piece of history and(despite your nominating it the worst NO track ever!!?) its a good song,not done justice by this version - but let me stress much of the blame for that lies with me and my then lack of experience in the studio.

Kevin - I have always loved "Haystack" - far from being one of the worst NO tracks - in my opinion it is one of their best. Certainly one of the best tracks of their early period - much better than most of Movement for example.

On a different subject I recently caught up with an old Leicester school chum Tom Westmoreland on Friends Reunited. Is is true Tom used to play with you ??

By the way I really like the track "Run down Town" off your "Helpline" album. Like yourself I am a Leicester lad and can fully appreciate the sentiment !

Haystack is a decent tune and a nice one to have for the collection but it certainly isn't better than most of the Movement stuff, IMHO.

I wonder if KH still plays Haystack live?

Originally posted by Mickey Way Haystack is a decent tune and a nice one to have for the collection but it certainly isn't better than most of the Movement stuff, IMHO.I wonder if KH still plays Haystack live?

Maybe New Order could still play it with him on the next tour :)

I dont have a PC so I have to come in a cyber cafe to view all this stuff..The site is new to me,my website guru Gary Knight(who also has some great songs with his old band In Embrace included in the same Cherry Red re-issue series as my album with "Haystack"on)did some print outs of NOonline for me and from those I wanted to answer a couple of points - and distance myself from Tony Wilsons accusations of my "mincing"(See the "Wilson at the RFH" thread!) I am so amazed by the things people have written,many have said some very nice things,thanks all for that. Spotnick :I apologise,I am a silly old fool who takes offence too easily.It is very decent of you to say what youyve written on this thread.The fault is mine,I misread you,again,sorry.. Nick,young offender:You might find some of the stuff on the "Tender Bruises and Scars"album a bit odd/naff but the tracks with Donald of ACR still sound fine,and the ones with The Sound I`m quite proud of - except for my bloody singing -again!The Sound were a fantastic band,one of the best for me at that time - The Sound/Doll by Doll too shared the intensity of Joy Division live..getting to work with The Sound was as big an honour to me as recording with New Order.One song we did "Plenty" was my attempt at a Hooky bassline,I had him in mind to play it but never got the chance to work with him again..I have another song,from 1989,'Wide open" that will never be right for me unless HE does the bass but no chance of that either so.. Love will tear us apart:I wrote the lyrics to "Haystack"..in fact the song was written in,gulp,1978!..well before I saw/met NO..Bernard does the lovely keyboards at the end,thats his contribution - and a lovely one it is too! ! Adam:Yes Tom Westmoreland played with me in a band on bass with Lee Allatson on drums 1993-1995 ish.A super player and good chap ,now plays with the wonderful Sally Barker,Leics finest female folk diva.. Very kind of you to say that "Haystack" is better than some Movement Songs but I agree with Mickey Way - lets not get too carried away! Having failed to impress in 1980 I don't think the band will be calling me up for the next tour - nice idea though!I was a bit dissapointed with Get Ready and think I could give them real raw rock power - er - paunch power as I said in Eleanor Whitneys "Twenty years too late" fanzine..well,none vof us are getting any younger - dafter maybe!

See the "Wilson at the RFH" thread!

What is it about ?

Can anyone tell me,please ?

HAYSTACK is certainly a good song from it's day.Weird lyrics and some fine sounds.The voice sounds very much like a lot of singers from that era and is quite pleasent IMHO.Is the version being released 3 mins 36 secs long(give or take a few).I for one,sadly having to go back to work possibly in two weeks,will be purchasing this CD and hope that there are other good tracks from this complitation to be heard!Glad you have given such good insights to all this KEVIN.Although i have always defended MR WILSON we do know he talks a load of shite at times.But that is his MEDIA PERSONA generating PUBLICITY for him.Take with a pinch of salt and MINCE all you like.The fact that you played with this band and it is available ensures your FAME in the HISTORY OF NEW ORDER.Most of us here would love that chance.Well done. Regards ROCKET MICK

Thanks Kevin for your comments. It has been an interesting couple of days reading your posts. Tis a pity Soppy Benny Guiseppe is not around at the moment as I'm sure he would have some cogent observations to make.

Originally posted by Rocket Mick The fact that you played with this band and it is available ensures your FAME in the HISTORY OF NEW ORDER.Most of us here would love that chance.

Well, I've scoured Mr. Hewick's website and have found no mention whatsoever that Gillian was in the studio, let alone that he had the chance to have...ahem...played with her.

So, my jealousy is firmly in check.

Well,thank you Rocket Mick and A Very Small Boy.Im really touched by what you have both said.Mick - brace your self with the album..even I wince at some of it !Hope you find some toons you like on there.. Gnu Odor - do I detect a pun in that name?!! - Gnu,the "Haystack" session was in June 1980,it was pre-Gillian becoming a member of NO.At NO gigs where I went "backstage"she and I never exchanged a word,ever!She was so quiet..they say theyre the worst ,yes?

Thanx Wen..but I only did a couple of supports with Joy Division,a recording session and a support with New Order and one with Revenge..I`d hate to come over like the nearly man that never was..still,I was very lucky and they were all really good to me the few times I met them ..and again,thanks for your comments.

Hey Kevin, haven't had a chance to add my two cents on your joining the NO Online family. Welcome aboard!

I like Haystack pretty well (Shugman was nice enough to send me a tape with it included) and it's an essential historical document of the early NO. I also enjoyed your piece(s) in "Twenty Years Too Late", and was wondering if you had heard from Ms. Whitney lately about a possible second issue (or, if that's come and passed without me knowing, third issue) sometime soon. Guess I could get off my lazy ass and e-mail her myself, but....

Taboo,thank you so much,I never expected people to welcome me here,just like I never expected to be writing in so much..its made me realise how much New Order and Joy Division mean to you all! Now on the topic of Eleanor Whitney..she is on her first ever trip over to England and we are meeting for the first time in person in London on Thursday(June 12th) so I will ask her then if she theres any progress on a "Twenty years too late"2! Eleanor and I have been in contact a lot since I responed to her request for items on the 24 hour Party People site last year..She actually runs her own record label Octopus Head,has been/is singer/guitarist/songwriter with various bands,and has written/edited other fanzines and a remarkable online diary on Diaryland as "Killerfemme"! Whats remarkable about "Twenty years too late" is her and Tya her collaborator are so young,thet werent even born when Joy Division exsisted,yet their empathy for the music is total.

Fancy a job Kevin ? We need a producer, keyboardist and better vocalist for three JD/NO songs we are doing for the "Community" album. I've approached Hooky via Andy Robinson but haven't heard anything back as yet. We're all based in London (me: guitar/melodica and vocals, Jon: drums, Jim: bass) and are all live gig and NO veterans.

hmmm..I`ll try anything me but hmm..hmmm..be nice if Hooky would hold my hand!

Ive had more time to think about this..if Benny and The Cobwebs are serious ok then Ill have a go..but does it look a bit sad me doing it?- Stretching my VERY tentative link to its limit..but,I am a tart so I am,why shouldnt I have a go....but I even worry what THEY would think ,yet,its 20 years since Barney and Steve spoke to me,12 since Hooky,yet Id still care about what theyd think..or would they even care at all? Funnily enough Ive played tons of covers over the last 15 years,from Dylan to Bay City Rollers,Ive even hosted covers nights in Leicester of Hendrix,Bowie,Neil Young.. but Ive NEVER covered a New Order song ever.. I did once do "Transmission" one May 18th with The Freed Unit at Leicester Guildhall..once in 23 years..maybe not such a tart after all!?

Hell, I'm so cheeky I'm thinking of doing a Kevin Hewick tribute album.

But seriously folks, it is a shame that things turned out as they did. "Haystack" as is is a great demo tape, which one would then take to a producer (a la Mr. Hannett) to bang into a proper record. Time obviously was a factor...the tape rolled well before the JDs were ready, and it certainly does seem that their hearts weren't in it either. On the other hand, it does show the beauty of what a true band can do together if they really invest the time and work together.

It's an odd fit (Kevin and Factory), and it does seem as though everyone knew it at the time. We've got a very talented young musician who lives well outside of Cleveland and could be a huge "new country" star; thing is, MTV pegged him years ago as "boy band" material, ran him through the pop machine, stuck him in TV shows and boy bands, and sent him home when it didn't work out. Sad and strange how labels can "develop" an artist or not.

That said, I'd love to hear some band arrangements of Kevin and His Fabulous Guitar Strings. I respect the singer/songwriter genre, but you may as well paint a big target over your chest...yikes. Let's get some drums in there, man!

Originally posted by kevin hewick Ive had more time to think about this..if Benny and The Cobwebs are serious ok then Ill have a go..but does it look a bit sad me doing it?- Stretching my VERY tentative link to its limit..but,I am a tart so I am,why shouldnt I have a go....but I even worry what THEY would think ,yet,its 20 years since Barney and Steve spoke to me,12 since Hooky,yet Id still care about what theyd think..or would they even care at all?Funnily enough Ive played tons of covers over the last 15 years,from Dylan to Bay City Rollers,Ive even hosted covers nights in Leicester of Hendrix,Bowie,Neil Young.. but Ive NEVER covered a New Order song ever..I did once do "Transmission" one May 18th with The Freed Unit at Leicester Guildhall..once in 23 years..maybe not such a tart after all!?

Yeah, I'm serious. It's not about your Factory link from where I'm sat or any attempt to jump on a bandwaggon, it's about our chance to work with you, an acclaimed musician and cult hero who knows what's what and who is already familiar with the work. At the end of the day the only thing it has to do with New Order is that they wrote the songs being covered. They will probably never even hear the versions - it isn't for them, it's for us, the devotees.

Now doing a Bay City Rollers cover, that is sad ;)

Originally posted by Gnu Odor But seriously folks, it is a shame that things turned out as they did. "Haystack" as is is a great demo tape, which one would then take to a producer (a la Mr. Hannett) to bang into a proper record.

Hannett was there at the session. OK, so he was asleep under the desk, but he was there.