Every now and then I just get tired of listening to new stuff and think let’s go back to my old favourites. And one of those most definitely has to be New Order. Sod all the Barney vs. Hooky shenanigans, all the dull post-Factory albums – switch my generic player to random and deep dive into their beats and synths and flakey lyrics and vocals, but above all the polyphony of synths and beats. And that sublime Hooky bass – an aural massage if ever there was one – Just bliss. They knew what they were doing.
There have been so many versions and remixes and extended dubs etc, that something unexpected will rise up among all the classics. Here’s a podcast that I downloaded many years ago with a variety of new versions that weren’t familiar to me, but make me very happy to listen to. Track listing below.
In tune with the rapturous responses to music recently here, I just felt like (over)sharing. But do put your favourite New Order or other reliable source of musical sustenance below, if you feel like it.
Run 2 (Extended Version)
Vanishing Point (Instrumental Making Out Mix)
Subculture (Sarm West Mix)
Best & Marsh
Soundtrack (Chronovisor Edit)
Round & Round (12″ Version)
MTO (Minus Mix)
True Faith (Morel’s Pink Noise Mix)
Paradise (Robert Racic Mix)
Guilt Is A Useless Emotion (DJ Dan Club Mix)
The Happy One (50 Pound Note Mix)
One track I didn’t expect to fall in love with was this – the last song on the Republic album
Initially rather slight, repeated listening put it in a similar category to Elegia – gentle, fragile, full of depth.
Someone else agrees
https://newordertracks.wordpress.com/2017/09/20/avalanche/
“Avalanche has the most atmosphere, the most beautiful melodies and orchestration, and the most heart of any track on the album. It feels like they all put their differences aside one last time to channel the sublime; drawing as they collectively did some of their finest instrumental performances on Republic: the lovely interplay between bass and acoustic guitars, the washes of synth, strings and reverbed piano, the deep tones and echoes, the simple but metronomic drum loop, and of course Gillian’s voice – as if it were itself a backing violin. Avalanche has a real melancholy cinematic quality to it, and that final held note is like the dimming light at dusk – always my favourite time of day.”
I never understand the hate for Republic. I really like it.
Me too. The three singles are almost my favourite NO.
Regret is monumental
My choice cut – Sunrise
(although I must admit that the first time I heard it, I thought it was New Model Army … don’t ask)
Punk rock by Italian engineers – it’s like an angel twocing a Ferrari down a dirt rack. If Blue Monday was the gateway drug, Lowlife was the shot of heroin that sent me into karmic bliss for the first time – from the tracing paper cover to the polished white surfaces within to the music itself. What a joy, what a joy, what a joyful sound.
From the same album, Face Up
I saw them live a lot around then. Stone me, they were great. Even when they were crap.
I was decorating all last week while listening to the two volumes of Stephen Morris’ audiobooks. He’s a very good narrator.
This is awesome
Put a gun to my head and tell me to name my fave NO track, and it would be this.
And they put it on a b-side.
Yep. Same for me, the way it just builds and builds and then finishes almost with a sigh
I think the more synthy stuff is best, also singles over album tracks. 1963 and Perfect Kiss full-length are top of the tree. Ceremony and Procession also fantastic.
Love New Order, agree with those who think The Perfect Kiss is the pinnacle, but also True Faith and many others (mainly singles and mainly the extended versons). Going to see them (Hookyless) in September, will be 37 years since I last saw them live (they were pretty shit on that occasion).
Will check out that podcast
There is so much to choose from, as New Order are ace. Bizarre Love Triangle, The Perfect Kiss, Regret, Touched By the Hand of God, True Faith, all of Low Life…
But my absolute fave is the extended version of Thieves Like Us, one of my top 10 by anybody. Love it.
Oh yeah that’s in my top 5 too
Bit jealous that you’re gonna see them. I’m guessing this is the gig with Pet Shop Boys that you were going to before the world went crazy? In which case, double jealous. New Order are probably my favourite band (that have been around in my gig going lifetime) that I’ve never got round to seeing. Briefly met Stephen Morris a couple of years ago, so that will have to do.
Yes! Postponed from Sept 2020 first until Sept 2021 and now hopefully will take place Sept 2022. Now wish I had a seat rather than a (pit) standing ticket with
me being almost 3 years older than when I bought it!
Count me in! I could never say no to a Bizarre Love Triangle!
Let’s start with a favourite song: Touched by the Hand of God.
Never seen this before but it is an hilarious video!
Next up, I must mention Andrew O’Hagan’s novel, Mayflies. A group of Scottish lads travel down to Manchester in 1986 to attend the gig celebrating the 10th anniversary of the Sex Pistols gig in Manchester.
It’s a splendid novel about rock music, friendship and being a fan.
Here’s the gig! They were in a league of their own.
This indeed a great book. Read it last week and will include it in tomorrow’s feedback.
The first half (much more music focused) I liked much more than the second half, but still an excellent read.
Temptation for me: either the original 7″ or 12″, not the remixed version on Substance.
Also Your Silent Face. Now piss off 😏
I went to an 80s night with some nurse mates in about 1995 at the club on the corner of Charing Cross Road and Shaftesbury Avenue whose name escapes me…Limelight? Something like that. Anyway, the DJ was playing rubbish, so I asked him to play Temptation. “Nah mate, too obscure”!! What made it even worse was the dance floor was bleeding empty anyway.
“Temptation” is a very common title for a song.
Perhaps the DJ thought you were referring to “Temptation” by Tom Waits, Heaven 17, Joan Armatrading, Elvis Costello, Prince, Wet Wet Wet, Moby, the Everly Brothers or Billy Joel?
That’s an impressive list from one title, DuCool. But that pesky DJ clearly wasn’t tempted by any of them!
Maybe he’d have played this gem?
There’s a rather decent YT clip of NO playing it live in 1998 at Reading.
I was in the audience for that 98 set. My pal Windy had fought his way through the crowd with four pints of beer in a cardboard carrier tray. As the first bars of Temptation started up, the crowd surged forward and, in the resultant crush, Windy’s booze went up, like a momentary lager fountain.
One of the happiest moments of my life.
I was very thirsty by the end of their set.
I was at Reading for NO in 98. It was transcendentally brilliant. Didn’t Garbage actually headline that day? Mad…
Yeah, madness. We were already heading home as Garbage hit the stage. Quit while you’re ahead, and all that. And home before I turned into a pumpkin.
Yebbut, Shirley? Swoooooon
Leave Big Daddy outta this
I’d seen them not long before. They were alright, but not good enough to see twice on the same tour.
The best version of Temptation was from the live-at-the-BBC Saturday Live thing in 1984. The back story is Hooky arrived early but the rest of the band, having spent a day in Cornwall programming a Blue Monday/Perfect Kiss megamix, got stuck in traffic and arrived with minutes to spare. Bernard was furious. And then the megamix floppy disk wouldn’t load. Or something.
If this doesn’t make it onto the Low Life Super Deluxe Edition DVD, I will be writing a strong letter of complaint.
Yeah, Hooky’s account of this is riveting. If I’d have been Steve, I would have wrapped a cymbal round Barney’s head. He came across as a right prima donna here.
He probably thought that Barney wearing those shorts was punishment enough!
Agreed though, Hooky’s take on this is superb.
Stephen’s account is equally hilarious. They spent a long, hot, day at the seaside shut away in the hotel dining room, programming, with the other guests coming in for their meals. Which was then lost to ‘Computer Says No’ on the day.
Can’t think of another band that have given me more pleasure over the years. May write a longer and more sentimental post tomorrow.
My brother is a huge fan, I would fall into the ‘yeah they are okay camp’ but I really like Love Vigilantes.
I’m no great fan of the NO remix, but the Perfecto mix of TrueFaith-94 was great.
As was the Planet Funk remix of Waiting For The Sirens’ Call.
Another vote for Perfect Kiss as the pinnacle, with Elegia (the full 17 minute version!) a close second.
I still remember seeing the video for Perfect Kiss as a short before “Stop Making Sense”. The video edit of the song was slightly different (I think they left in the mistakes) and as far as I know is one;y available on the bonus CD on the initial copies of the “Retro” compilation – I have an MP3 version but have never managed to get hold of the original…..
I can ‘help’ with a lossless copy of that.
The whole thing was done live in their Cheetham Hill rehearsal studio.
Thanks Steve…. message sent.
Dreams Never End (from Movement) was a sort of proto- Age Of Consent (from Power, Corruption & Lies). A pity about Martin Hannett’s murky production. They opened with it the first time I saw them live and it was breathtaking. The mosh pit, full of Vikings, went mental.
This is the Peel Session version.
I remember buying Substance and being so delighted at having all of those in one place. And then getting the double cassette that had still more.
Anyway – NO songs:
The Perfect Kiss – great song and then, post-frogs, extended cowbell-enhanced genius.
All the Way – quick blast of great NO for the time-poor.
True Faith – top of their game/video amazing
Thieves Like Us instrumental version – just love love love
Blue Monday – lest we forget how much of banger this is.
Bizarre Love Triangle – happy, simple, life-affirming
World (The Price of Love) – coastalonganeworder
I am with you on this on @Salwarpe & have a few bands that I go back to when nothing ‘new’ is tickling my earbuds. Sometimes you just have an itch that can’t be scratched so have to go back to some favourites. My big 5 that I go back to are (in no particular order) Nick Cave, Depeche Mode, Half Man Half Biscuit, Carly Rae Jepsen & of course New Order.
Of these artists, New Order are the ones who are most likely to unearth another unknown classic. Sometimes it’s something I have heard 50 times previously but for some reason listen 51 is the one that lands butter side up. For me, the mind-blowing NO tracks are;
All The Way
Here to Stay (from the 24 hour party people soundtrack. oft overlooked & it’s a belter)
Love Less
Waiting For The Sirens Call – Live version (that intro!!)
Age Of Consent (Bernards voice at it’s absolute best)
Temptation
Special
Singularity
and then the greatest;
Age Of Consent (Howie B remix)
The band of the eighties for me. Saw them at Hanley Victoria Hall around 83, at Womad around 85 and at Reading around 1990. They were from Manchester, I frequented ‘their club’ in sixth form and whenever I was back from Uni (so witnessed the seemingly overnight change in 89 from draughty alternative palace to sweaty packed rave. It is all true – people carried on dancing after the music stopped and the lights were turned on. They opened the big doors to make it cold enough to get people to leave). The writers of the only genuinely cool football song. Obscure soundtrack to wierd film check (Salvation soundtrack, I have a vinly copy). Slightly underwhelming reformation on disc while killing it live – check. All those great sleeves. I love all the tracks listed above, even a deep cut like Here To Stay. That TOTP Blue Monday appearance. If I had to listen to one artist only for the rest of my life they would be in the top three candidates. The point at which they ceased to matter quite so much, though there would be 3 more albums to come: after track 1 of Get Ready. Not quoted above and an absolute monster. Hooky’s bass on this 1:20 in! Whereas Rock The Shack six tracks further on is perhaps the first track of theirs I think ‘Now why did you do that’ when I hear it.
Saw NO at Reading in 89 and 98, and more recently at Portsmouth’s Victorious Festival in 2019. All fabulous, but the first two at times when the band were probably at their most internally fractious. Too many favourites to list but Ceremony, Guilty Partner, 1963, Regret, Age Of Consent, Love Vigilantes and Crystal are all right up there.
Guilty Partner?? What was I on about, I meant Dream Attack, the sublime last track on Technique! Dur…
Aww, you guys all spoil me with your own favorites and recollections – thanks for sharing the love. It’s so wondrous, I’m not even jealous that I never got my act together to go and see them live – I can revel in the reflected pleasure of those who for to experience them in the flesh.
There’s a bit of “Music makes life worth living” about it, isn’t there?
There really is, yes. We should never be afraid of writing about our passions.
Really? Well since you ask sniiiiiiiiiip!
Touched by the hand of God, eh, Moose?
Well, I did get down on my knees and pray.
prey?
The choons: second to none.
The vocals: pachyderm dans la chambre.
*toothy grimace*
Barney says “Whoo!”
Personally I think he is a pig, and we know where they belong….
No love for Johnny and his gun?
Like The Jam, and for a very brief period Oasis, their B-sides were good enough for anyone else’s A-sides.
Diddly beat me to it it up there.
True Faith b/w 1963 is one of the best singles ever, and so good the B-side later became an A-side. I feel a new thread coming on…
I’m a huge fan of the last album ‘Music Complete’, and particularly the extended remix ‘Complete Music’. Absolutely brilliant. Check out the 10 minute version of Restless.
A favourite though? It might change tomorrow but I’d have to go Ceremony.
Yeah, I love MC despite myself (I’m pretty much a NO fundamentist – no Hooky, it’s not proper NO). Fair do’s, it’s a cracking album
The version of Academic on here is fantastic. And ‘new’ boy Phil wrote it!
They’re probably my least listened to favourite band. Not sure why, but I tend to forget about them until once or twice a year I have a binge and think ‘why on earth don’t I listen to them more’? Just like I am now, so thank you for the reminder OP.
Substance was probably the first ‘alternative’ album I ever bought when I was about 14. Big risk at the time because I’d only seen True Faith on TOTP and didn’t know anything about them. A good decision in retrospect…
And the Substance version of Temptation has always been my favourite song of theirs, quite possibly a desert island disk, which I’m aware goes against received wisdom. But until I started using Spotify a few years ago I didn’t even know that it was a re-recording. And when I heard the original? Well, it’s good, but it’s not Substance Temptation is it? 25+ years of familiarity are hard to overcome.
As I suggest earlier, you’re right – the original isn’t Substance Temptation – it’s much more substantial (swidt?), a sleek, streamlined, throbbing beauty (Hey, steady on! – Ed.) compared to the inelegant, galumphing and totally unnecessary re-recording.
GOAT.
All Day Long, from over-produced album Brotherhood, was Barney’s best vocal and lyric. Even Hooky admits so.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MuHNXoZvlgg