NOISE
News
Telegraph
School of rock
Pop bands often treat fans to the odd intimate gig after hitting the big time, but New Order took the idea to extremes when they performed at a school assembly yesterday.
Not that many of the 173 children at Oakwood High School, in Salford, had heard of a band whose biggest hit, Blue Monday, was released in 1983 when many of their parents were teenagers.
Not that many of the 173 children at Oakwood High School, in Salford, had heard of a band whose biggest hit, Blue Monday, was released in 1983 when many of their parents were teenagers.
Pop bands often treat fans to the odd intimate gig after hitting the big time, but New Order took the idea to extremes when they performed at a school assembly yesterday.
Not that many of the 173 children at Oakwood High School, in Salford, had heard of a band whose biggest hit, Blue Monday, was released in 1983 when many of their parents were teenagers.
The children were, however, all too pleased to miss their afternoon religious education lesson. "I've never heard of them but it's great that we've had no lessons today," said Nathan Rogan, 15.
Naomi Buckley, 13, said: "When we were told that there was a band playing, I thought it might be Status Quo because they were on Coronation Street the other day."
The staff was more excited.
School technician Rob Cawood, 37, brought a record in to be signed and Paul Langley-Sadler, 31, the computing and technology co-ordinator, brought his camera, desperate for a photo with the band.
The unlikely one-hour concert came about through a misunderstanding.
Alan Wise, a music promoter and friend of New Order's lead singer Bernard Sumner, had been trying to call his daughter's school, which has a similar name, and dialled the wrong number.
He got chatting to Mike Appleyard, the deputy head, who was looking for ways to celebrate achieving specialist arts college status and a good Ofsted report.
Mr Appleyard said: "I asked him if he knew anyone famous and he suggested New Order and gave me Bernard Sumner's home number."
Sumner visited the special needs school, which is half a mile from his childhood home, and agreed to do what he could to help.
He said: "Mike asked if we would play a concert, which I thought was a bit cheeky. Then I thought, why not?
"I am sure the kids didn't know who the hell we were, but you are not going to get a more honest response than from children that age."
The pupils were indeed honest. As teachers danced in the aisles and sang along, many of the children looked bored or put fingers in their ears.
But after four or five songs most began to enjoy themselves, cheering, waving their arms or playing air guitar.
They were most excited when Peter Hook, the bass player, shouted "f*** off", before saying that he would probably get a detention.
"He swore," giggled the boys at the back.
"That's all they'll remember," said Kate Williams, the learning resource manager. The show wavered between a gig, a school assembly (with choruses of "Good afternoon everybody") and moments of pantomime when Hook chanted: "I think my side's cheering louder than his."
As the children filed out one asked his teacher: "What was the name of that band?"
No one told him that the band he had just heard had released the world's biggest-selling 12in single, Blue Monday, and had played in front of 50,000 at Glastonbury festival this summer. The school's brush with fame is not over yet. Sumner will be back on Monday to teach art lessons, and will bring the artist Damien Hirst and the actor Keith Allen with him.
Not that many of the 173 children at Oakwood High School, in Salford, had heard of a band whose biggest hit, Blue Monday, was released in 1983 when many of their parents were teenagers.
The children were, however, all too pleased to miss their afternoon religious education lesson. "I've never heard of them but it's great that we've had no lessons today," said Nathan Rogan, 15.
Naomi Buckley, 13, said: "When we were told that there was a band playing, I thought it might be Status Quo because they were on Coronation Street the other day."
The staff was more excited.
School technician Rob Cawood, 37, brought a record in to be signed and Paul Langley-Sadler, 31, the computing and technology co-ordinator, brought his camera, desperate for a photo with the band.
The unlikely one-hour concert came about through a misunderstanding.
Alan Wise, a music promoter and friend of New Order's lead singer Bernard Sumner, had been trying to call his daughter's school, which has a similar name, and dialled the wrong number.
He got chatting to Mike Appleyard, the deputy head, who was looking for ways to celebrate achieving specialist arts college status and a good Ofsted report.
Mr Appleyard said: "I asked him if he knew anyone famous and he suggested New Order and gave me Bernard Sumner's home number."
Sumner visited the special needs school, which is half a mile from his childhood home, and agreed to do what he could to help.
He said: "Mike asked if we would play a concert, which I thought was a bit cheeky. Then I thought, why not?
"I am sure the kids didn't know who the hell we were, but you are not going to get a more honest response than from children that age."
The pupils were indeed honest. As teachers danced in the aisles and sang along, many of the children looked bored or put fingers in their ears.
But after four or five songs most began to enjoy themselves, cheering, waving their arms or playing air guitar.
They were most excited when Peter Hook, the bass player, shouted "f*** off", before saying that he would probably get a detention.
"He swore," giggled the boys at the back.
"That's all they'll remember," said Kate Williams, the learning resource manager. The show wavered between a gig, a school assembly (with choruses of "Good afternoon everybody") and moments of pantomime when Hook chanted: "I think my side's cheering louder than his."
As the children filed out one asked his teacher: "What was the name of that band?"
No one told him that the band he had just heard had released the world's biggest-selling 12in single, Blue Monday, and had played in front of 50,000 at Glastonbury festival this summer. The school's brush with fame is not over yet. Sumner will be back on Monday to teach art lessons, and will bring the artist Damien Hirst and the actor Keith Allen with him.
Read the full article on Telegraph ↗
Summary by NewOrderOnline. Full article remains with the original publisher.
