Touching from a Distance

Touching from a Distance - Deborah Curtis - ISBN 0-571-17445-0

 Last night I finished reading the above biography of Ian Curtis (Joy Division lead singer) who committed suicide on 18 May 1980. Odd that I should read and finish his book on the eve of the 31st anniversary of his death. That I've read it at all marks a bit of a milestone...

I originally bought the book shortly after its release but promptly lent it to an acquaintance (I think it was one of the shop assistants at the comics shop in Brighton where I used to get my comics from). Anyway I never got the book back and then some years later bought a second copy which remained unread on my book shelf for some time.

Ian Curtis was somewhat of an icon/enigma/idol to my teen/early twenties self and I put off reading it because I didn't want to cloud the idolised version I had of Ian (a man I obviously never knew but whose music had a big impact on my life).


Then last week I watched 'Control' (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0421082/) via a rental from Lovefilm (www.lovefilm.com) which is based on the book and I finally decided it was time to read the book. Having read the book the film is a disappointment, I love the 'authenticity' of the band and the live music but there are big gaps in the portrayal of aspects of Ian's character that ultimately leave the viewer none the wider to the troubled circumstances behind one of the most influential post-punk bands.

Anyway, the book portrays Ian as a troubled and controlling person who seemed unwilling to accept responsibility for his actions and who was obviously ill. It also paints a person who seemed destined (by his own design) to die young. Ultimately it is a sad/bleak story of a self destructive personality and puts into stark contrast the mysticism that surrounds the idolised version of Ian.

I was left wanting a different perspective of events, that is not to say the as his wife Deborah appears to have an agenda but the bands view of things and their roles in covering for Ian would be interesting as well as what happened to Deborah and Natalie (Ian's daughter).

A brilliant insight into Ian Curtis and Joy Division which speaks from the perspective of reality rather than the idolised view that the legend of Ian and the band presents.

Soundtrack to my life

I've always loved music and ever since I had disposable income I have spent a healthy chunk of it buying music or paying to see it played live. I figured I would stat a series of blog entries about some of the great music that has been with me through out my life, maybe it meant something to me at some point, maybe it is linked to a particular memory or maybe I just love listening to it....

The Beatles

From my early teens I can remember going up to Burgess Hill market on a Saturday morning and buying Beatles Vinyl from a grumpy man (my retrospective memory has him down as an Oscar Lomax (Psychoville) clone, although he was probably nothing like it). I knew all the lyrics from the Beatles tunes and read countless books about them. I can still vividly remember waking up to my (green display, white casing) digital alarm clock for School and hearing John Lennon had been shot.

I can't really remember which one but a Beatles Single, EP or Album would have been my first ever record buy. It could well have been Rubber Soul, great album some classic songs on their, 'Michelle' with its french lyrics and 'Norwegian Wood' and 'Nowhere Man'.

I still have all the original Beatles Vinyl (all second hand of course) and whilst I don't really listen to The Beatles that much any more, they were a big part of my early teen life. I found numerous other late 50's and 60's joy as a result; Elvis, Gene Vincent, Dave Clark Five, The Kinks, The Byrds and on and on.

There are too many great songs to pick a favourite but 'Hey Jude', 'You've Got To Hide Your Love Away' or 'A Day In The Life' have got to be up there.

Finally, I think it was my first exposure to conspiracy theories with the whole Paul is dead thing and I loved checking out all the 'clues'.