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Joy Divison's Iconic Image
Kevin Cummins to release a new book with never before seen images of the band
- 23/09/2010
Kevin Cummins is the man largely responsible for Joy Division's iconic image. He took the pictures of the band on Epping Walk Bridge in 1979, which came to be the definitive pictures of Joy Divison.
Pete Shelley from the Buzzcocks once said Kevin was 'sometimes, more important than the band' and this month a collection of Kevin's Joy Division images are being released in a brand new book.
The book features pictures of the band that have never been published before and Deborah Curtis, Bernard Sumner and Steven Morris have all donated Joy Division memorabilia for the opening pages. This includes pictures of Ian's notebooks, lyrics and postcards from the band to their girlfriends when they were on tour.
6 Music's Elizabeth Alker went to meet Kevin to find out how Joy Divison became such an iconic band and how their unique sound was reflected in his photographs of them:
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Morbid and fascinating at the same time. - I hate myself for going and seeing Peter Hooks band playing all Joy Division songs, but enjoyed as well! Confused? I think I am.....
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Pete Shelley's name was incorrectly spelled above...
Enough with all this Joy Division-stuff. Friend Genesis P-Orridge was advised not to speak of Curtis' suicide for a decade; could a similar break be made so JD might seem special again?
The cult of death thing that Tony Wilson always wanted seems to dominate. Whilst the two films were great and the documentary OK, I don't need to hear anecdotes on the dire 'I'm in a Rock n Roll Band'-series, out-takes of the long dead Martin Hannett from the vaults, and didn't appreciate New Order doing poor versions of JD-songs (I'd imagine Hook's take on Unknown Pleasures is even more cringeworthy than Sumner howling like a darts player "C'mon!!" on Love Will Tear Us Apart).
The compilations/reissues etc are coming from a record company who purchased the Factory stuff. I don't need any more books. Don't need presentations by Hooky. & certainly don't need the absurd Unknown Pleasures-trainers. Who knew that Half Man Half Biscuit's Joy Divison Oven Gloves would be so prophetic?
There were other bands in that era as interesting, if not more so, than JD - who have become so sacred cow. You can't even point out that JD were mostly chancers with a great singer/lyricist and producer without getting slated. Or that other bands were making better music in similar climes - PIL, TG, Siouxsie & the Banshees, Wire ('106 Beats That' from Pink Flag pretty much defines the JD-sound!), Magazine etc.
Heck, some follower of St Curtis even suggested on another blog that any criticism of JD was null and void as IC has walking tours around Manchester now...which just sounds like Elvis/Graceland and seems at odds with the relatively poor, ill young man who took his life.
So it would be nice to hear about other bands from that era and perhaps JD can become that band who made a few albums and singles again?
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Yesss! Saint Saviour's beautiful storm came also across Italy and I had been so lucky to enjoy her impressive performance together with GA in Leghorn last July.
Here is some nice pics of her taken during that gig. Hope you like them. Cheers xxx
www.photocompetition.it/portfolio/my-saint-saviour/275.html
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