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Blue Monday turns 40

Still got all mine, though they date from long before I started using outer sleeves, so covers are around VG+ or so as they’ve mainly been in tubs. The New Order is; Ceremony (both versions), Procession (7”), Everything’s Gone Green, Temptation, Blue Monday, Confusion and Thieves Like Us.
 
Never rated New Order. Once had a bootleg LP that I picked up in the late 80's at a record fair. Can't for the life of me remember what it was called but it was quite possibly the worst live album I've ever heard. Excruciatingly out of tune and flat vocals. Seriously bad. Sold it on Ebay for quite a tidy profit a few years later though, which was nice.

Always liked Blue Monday as a good toe tapping beat though.
 
Aethelist said:
Never rated New Order. Once had a bootleg LP that I picked up in the late 80's at a record fair. Can't for the life of me remember what it was called but it was quite possibly the worst live album I've ever heard. Excruciatingly out of tune and flat vocals. Seriously bad.
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They were never good live. I must have seen them at least four or five times in the Ceremony to Power Corruption & Lies/Blue Monday period (I kind of over-compensated as I was annoyed at missing Joy Division). One could guarantee a) they be at least an hour late on stage, maybe two, b) the Emulator wouldn’t work, and c) the mix would be terrible. I was at the very early free for members gig at the Hacienda in around ‘83 when it had a truly hopeless clattery echoing PA system. I think that was the first time Blue Monday was ever played. That was after they’d farted around with the Emulator for half an hour. 5 1/4” disc drives in a touring band/night club scenario appear exactly as reliable as one would expect. It was ‘memorable’.
 
Just playing it now (just flipped it over for the b side), it’s a great record. I’d forgotten just how good it sounds!
 
""It was rumored - most memorably in the film 24 Hour Party People, which told the story of Factory Records - that the sleeve was so expensive, the label LOST money on each copy sold. And when it transpired that Blue Monday was the biggest selling 12” single of all time, Factory were looking at a lost fortune.

Peter Saville reckons the story was exaggerated. “Tony Wilson was a great exponent of ‘print the myth’,” he recalled. “I thought someone would adjust the price to compensate. But I don’t think that anybody knew the price of the Blue Monday sleeve until they got the bill.”"

https://www.radiox.co.uk/artists/new-order/did-new-order-lose-money-on-blue-monday/
 
Tony L said:
They were never good live. I must have seen them at least four or five times in the Ceremony to Power Corruption & Lies/Blue Monday period (I kind of over-compensated as I was annoyed at missing Joy Division). One could guarantee a) they be at least an hour late on stage, maybe two, b) the Emulator wouldn’t work, and c) the mix would be terrible. I was at the very early free for members gig at the Hacienda in around ‘83 when it had a truly hopeless clattery echoing PA system. I think that was the first time Blue Monday was ever played. That was after they’d farted around with the Emulator for half an hour. 5 1/4” disc drives in a touring band/night club scenario appear exactly as reliable as one would expect. It was ‘memorable’.
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I wouldn't go as far as 'never good live', though I do get your drift. I saw them on consecutive nights, 28 and 29 March 1986 in Brighton and Poole. Brighton was underwhelming, yet Poole was fantastic, up there with the best gigs I've ever been to. Hmm, maybe 'gig' is pushing it a bit, can Poole Arts Centre be a 'gig'? Surely a gig is upstairs, along the hall, at a pub In Harlesden?
Anyone here at the Nov 10 1985 show at Hammy Palais? Mental! Two hours late on, crowd real football-hooligan types, must have been way over fire limit. Only gig (done it again) at which I have felt seriously scared of getting injured, or worse.
Got all the 12"s from Ceremony to Fine Time...
 
NO at Reading and at the Manchester International Festival awe years ago were both very good concerts. I also saw them at the Manchester Apollo sometime in the 90s and it was a brilliant night.
 
All NO’s 12” singles through to Touched By The Hand Of God are ace and sound as good any record I’ve heard. Just rescued all mine from the bottom of some wardrobes so they’ll be getting spun soon.
 
tobermory said:
I wouldn't go as far as 'never good live', though I do get your drift. I saw them on consecutive nights, 28 and 29 March 1986 in Brighton and Poole. Brighton was underwhelming, yet Poole was fantastic, up there with the best gigs I've ever been to. Hmm, maybe 'gig' is pushing it a bit, can Poole Arts Centre be a 'gig'? Surely a gig is upstairs, along the hall, at a pub In Harlesden?
Anyone here at the Nov 10 1985 show at Hammy Palais? Mental! Two hours late on, crowd real football-hooligan types, must have been way over fire limit. Only gig (done it again) at which I have felt seriously scared of getting injured, or worse.
Got all the 12"s from Ceremony to Fine Time...
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Similar experience here. Saw them at The Forum Kentish Town in May 81, they were dismal, backs to the audience no energy. Whilst leaving through the foyer we saw Hooky who if memory serves was apologising for the gig but also handing out free tickets for a 'secret' gig at The Tabernacle the next night in Notting Hill.

Of course we went and enjoyed a memorable gig for all the right reasons. A great atmosphere (no pun intended) with songs from the first album like Dreams Will Never End sounding amazing over a quadrophonic PA. Also saw them at Glastonbury way back and they seemed too out of it to play coherently, also much later at Wembley when musically they were very coherent.
 
Robn said:
Of course we went and enjoyed a memorable gig for all the right reasons. A great atmosphere (no pun intended) with songs from the first album like Dreams Will Never End sounding amazing over a quadrophonic PA. Also saw them at Glastonbury way back and they seemed too out of it to play coherently, also much later at Wembley when musically they were very coherent.
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I was at the Wembley December 1987 gig, with a very poor Primal Scream in support. It was one of the last times I bumped into Andy Weatherall at a gig and he slagged Primal Scream off as well..
 
In 1983 there was a Norwegian girl at my Leicester 6th form college that I fancied. I overheard her saying that she liked New Order.

My ears pricked up as I had been a fan since "Unknown Pleasures".

On release day I raced down to Ainley's Records (by the clocktower) and bought the 12" .

Back in the 6th form refectory - I marched up to Anneka and dramatically withdrew the full 12 inches from the Ainley's bag: -

"Anneka - Look what I have got!"

Thank you, thank you New Order (so bloody much)!!!
 
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