A couple of months ago I read the inside story of (80s synth pop legends) New Order, as written and extensively researched by former bassist Peter Hook (aka Hooky)
I'd read his inside-story of Joy Division (the band they were previously) and thoroughly enjoyed that, but knew that rough times were ahead.
For those unaware of Manchester in the 80s and 90s it was a city knee deep in drugs, dance and guns - where the new rave culture was in control of the local nightlife and a small nightclub was being run incredibly badly by a bunch of people who had no idea what they were doing (look up the Hacienda nightclub if you want to know more)
Anyway - as expected the book centered largely on Hook's own battles with drugs, drink and demons and his slowly deteriorating relationship with singer Bernard (Barney) Sumner - leading to the inevitable split in a rock n roll tale that has been told time after time.
And today I was watching a video of them at their height and thinking what a shame it is when people who have previously been friends can barely stand to be in the same room as one another and it got me thinking:
Joy Division were formed in 1976 - Hooky left New Order in 2007. That's 30 years.
And I realised that the longest i'd ever worked with any one person was around 7 years
And that's the nature of working in the world - you may stay or leave but the people around you will be constantly changing. In a band you're pretty much seeing the same people day in, day out for the whole of your career. Bands like the Rolling Stones have been working together since the 60s with only a few changes of personnel and none recently
I've always said that the creative tension that makes any band great will only last so long - Hooky himself has said that the arguments over the songs were necessary to make the songs better, but sooner or later they can turn into bitterness. Add to that the strange working hours, long journeys and access to the seedier sides of life and its no wonder that the pressure cooker blows
And for those of us sitting on the sidelines forever hoping that Morrissey and Marr, or Byrne/Franz/Weymouth/Harrison (insert favourite split band of choice) will sort out their differences and get back together maybe we need to just let those people move on to the new, better job - where they can, presumably, fall out with someone entirely new?
NB: I've seen the Talking Heads Hall Of Fame induction performance....and it would have been better to have just let the memories alone
1 comment:
It's hard to imagine working so INTENSELY with the same people for that long. I mean, I've been married almost 30 years, but we don't work together & I think that's why we're still together :)
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