Review Summary: I see you fade away, don't ever fade away.
While Ian Curtis was alive, Joy Division weren’t a big band. They were certainly on the rise, but they still hadn’t ‘broken out‘. In the years succeeding the front-man’s tragic suicide, Joy Division’s name has expanded, and the influence and cult following of the band has swelled to rather impressive proportions, for a small, Manchester post-punk band that only released two studio LP’s. Because the bands lifespan was cut short with Curtis’ demise, ever since 18th May 1980, it seems every last nugget of the bands output has been excavated - lost studio tracks, demos, live bootlegs - you name it, its probably out there. Even though the record companies have realised the demand for these insightful rarities, (releasing remastered editions of various live sets over the years) no matter how much the sound is polished and purified, the full impact of the live Joy Division experience could never truly be endured because of the circumstances - they weren’t a big band, so the few recorded performances we’re left with, are more often than not victims of cheap microphones, inept soundmen, and suffocating crowds, spoiling the clarity of sound, somewhat. So when Joy Division were invited to record a few of their tracks, live in the studio with John Peel and give a couple of live performances on the ‘Something Else’ television show, it should be a pure delight for fans, as it offers the purest glimpse of live Joy Division, at full throttle. Rest assured, ‘The Complete BBC Recordings’ certainly offers this treat.
Consisting of 8 tracks from both Peel sessions, a couple a live tunes from ‘Something Else’ and a bonus 5 minute interview that sees Richard Skinner interviewing Cutis and Morris about their view of the industry, their influences and even a little chat about Gary Numan’s claim that ‘machine rock’ would be the future of the genre, with the two lads generally scoffing at the idea (rightfully so, as hindsight has proved that Mr Numan wasn't quite accurate). The real charm here is the sound quality - there’s no irritating buzz of the crowd, no shaky volume levels, no errors by the soundmen - just raw, live quality. The bands performances here are stellar - Curtis’s vocals sound as close to studio quality as you’d like, Hooky’s bass is fine, Sumner’s guitar is tuned to sound slightly more jagged, and it works well within this more aggressive live setting, and Morris’ drumming is quality as always - his injections of ferocious drum fills absent on the album versions of the tracks, add some real oomph to the sound. The tracks are generally more aggressive than their studio counterparts, making them a worthwhile, and intriuging alternative to the sparse, sludgy album editions - they're not more effective, just different.
There’s not much more you could ask for other than more performances, but until we build that time machine and steer Curtis away from the heartbreaking end he brought about, we’ll have to enjoy these brilliant numbers without thinking ‘what if’, and instead just appreciate the opportunity to experience a small vibe of what it must have been like standing at the front of packed room in a small north west club, as the boys stumbled on stage to wash the crowd in gloomy post-punk perfection. All in all, ’The Complete BBC Recordings’ is a useful way of acquiring both Peel sessions and the much bootlegged Something Else performances in one handy, and thrilling bundle. A must-have for fans, a curio for everyone else.
