She's Lost ContrHAUL

Just got some Joy Division repackages. Each of the albums comes with a bonus live disc. My love of Joy Division is probably that I liked New Order first. I hated the early New Order (which sounded like JD) at first - too gloomy and doomy. But got "Unknown Pleasures" and loved them from there.

Unknown Pleasures - Still very sterile sounding despite the remastering. I don't care what they say about Skinny Puppy, but for me, ground zero for industrial rock is here. My fave tune - "She's Lost Control". Excellent bassline. Monotonous to extremes. Comes with a bonus live disc at the Factory, Manchester which is discordant as hell. Love this. My favourite JD album. Got it on cassette yoinks ago in Singapore. The counter guy said the authorities banned this for a while as it was "underground" music. Weird policy eh?

Closer - I never had this before. More expansive sound than their debut. Some nice-sounding keyboards and more diverse percussion. Fave song here? Most of them... But my favourite is probably "Atrocity Exhibition". Comes with a bonus live disc of the show at University of London Union, taped from the audience no less. They sound almost metallic here, showing their love for Black Sabbath.

Still - Not an official album as Ian Curtis died after making "Closer". Mostly out-takes and songs in progress. "Dead Souls" is gripping (NIN covered it) though but no "Atmosphere" here. Didn't get this when it came out either. It's double album squeezed on one CD. Didn't really like their version of "Sister Ray" as I thought it doesn't work as well as the orginal. Enjoyed the live portion slightly better, though, as the Curtis sung "Ceremony" is miles better than Barney on vocals. Comes with a bonus live disc, also taped from the audience, with a soundcheck as well, at High Wycombe Town Hall. Contains the definitive version of "Love Will Tear Us Apart", I feel.

So that completes my collection I guess. I have a cassette copy of "Substance"- A and B-sides of singles. That one has "Atmosphere".