Rob Barklamb

New Order changed my life and form a backdrop to so many memories. I went from this miserable, introspective teenager to a much happier twenty something as their music changed to embrace lighter ground. I have loved that band without a pause for over twenty years and be it live at gigs, jokes on TV or a moment on a song I'm listening to in the car, they have provided me with so much brillance and happiness.

Sleeves with no wording, 13 minute singles, appearing live on TV when everyone mimed, appearing live on TV in denims and khakis when everyobe dressed as pirates, then there's the music - soaring and scintillating, the bitter and twisted songs, invariably dreadful lyrics, but who cares, what they did for Manchester, their great sense of humour and referring to Bono as "Bongo", and I've got Bernard's towel from the first Manchester gig in October 2001.