In the evening we went to the Funhouse at The Mayflower to see Joy Division play along with The Distractions, The Fall and Ludus at a gig entitled 'Stuff The Superstars'... tickets were £1.50. I thought Joy Division were excellent - they came on very early in the programme and I remember them sounding so much better and far more powerful live than on the album.
Everything about Joy Division seemed to stand out - Steven Morris's electronic drum sound... Peter Hook's low-slung bass driving the rhythm... Bernard's clanging guitar... and amazing baritone vocals and dancing from ian Curtis... this was new and special.
I had to be careful about the amount of pictures that I took as I only had a few frames left to photograph the rest of the gig - The Fall and The Distractions, who had just signed to Island Records, were bigger bands and I had to save some film for them. Of course, hindsight is a wonderful thing.
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From another interview with Paul Slattery: "There were some great bands on there – Ludus, The Fall, The Distractions were a really great pop band from Manchester, and Joy Division. I never knew whether Joy Division’s band of music would surpass The Distractions. I’d seen the Distractions a few times and I like that kind of pop music."
And on this audio interview with Paul Slattery: "The headliners of the night were The Distractions - Manchester pop band, The Distractions - who I loved. I thought they were fantastic."
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* * *
From another interview with Paul Slattery: "There were some great bands on there – Ludus, The Fall, The Distractions were a really great pop band from Manchester, and Joy Division. I never knew whether Joy Division’s band of music would surpass The Distractions. I’d seen the Distractions a few times and I like that kind of pop music."
And on this audio interview with Paul Slattery: "The headliners of the night were The Distractions - Manchester pop band, The Distractions - who I loved. I thought they were fantastic."
* * *
On 26th Ocrober 1979, I'd been asked to do a photo session with The Distractions, backstage at the Electric Ballroom - Joy Division were headlining that evening.
Unknown Pleasures had already become a cult record and Joy Division's status and reputation had grown considerably since I had met them at Strawberry Studios three months earlier.
The place was really packed and the photographers had to fight their way to the front. I had about half a roll of film left I the camera, and after I finally managed to get a reasonable place in the crowd, I was able to take these images.
I didn't realise at the time that my pictures would be so poignant, and in many ways, moving.
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