Chapter and Verse

Would have benefited from a ghostwriter or a stricter editorBernard Sumner is an English singer, songwriter, musician and record producer. He is a founding member of both Joy Division and New Order. Sumner is credited with the latter band's move towards electronica and synthpop. He was a founding member of Joy Division, a Salford band formed in 1976. He and childhood (but not later) friend [a:Peter Hook 539498 Peter Hook https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1370445455p2/539498.jpg] both attended the fabled Sex Pistols concert at Manchester's Free Trade Hall on July 20, 1976 and were inspired to form a band. The band is considered one of the most influential bands of the era. He is known as the band's lead guitarist. But he also plays keyboards for synthesizer parts and made his first vocal appearance on record singing the chorus of “Walked In Line” on the Warsaw album. In May 1980, the band's singer, Ian Curtis, committed suicide, resulting in Joy Division's end.Sumner and remaining band members [a:Peter Hook 539498 Peter Hook https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1370445455p2/539498.jpg] and Stephen Morris started a new band named New Order. They were later joined by keyboardist Gillian Gilbert in October 1980. Though [a:Peter Hook 539498 Peter Hook https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1370445455p2/539498.jpg], Morris and Gilbert also contributed vocals on some early tracks, Sumner emerged as the band's permanent singer and lyricist, alongside playing guitar and keyboards.In 1989, Sumner joined up with former Smiths guitarist Johnny Marr to form Electronic. He later went on to form Bad Lieutenant which as a result of the 2011 reformation of New Order, went on hiatus.I started reading this book not long after having read both [a:Peter Hook 539498 Peter Hook https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1370445455p2/539498.jpg]'s books: Unknown Pleasures and Substance. While [a:Peter Hook 539498 Peter Hook https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1370445455p2/539498.jpg]'s book's are VERY detailed descriptions of the Joy Division and New Order, Sumner's book takes a different approach. The early years in Salford and early days of Joy Division are fascinating. But then the chronology goes out of the window. After having discussed Blue Monday, for instance, he skips a whole era and talks about Touched by the Hand of God and Confusion. In fact, he mostly discusses individual songs rather than albums. Movement is discussed in length, but the next album he talks about is Technique. He doesn't mention Power, Corruption and Lies and Low-Life. Brotherhood is talked about in one sentence, specifically Saville's cover. Also, many other things are not or only minimally discussed. He skates over things a competent editor would have insisted he elaborate on.Another aspect missing is the highs and lows of key relationships. Especially the conflict with Hooky. Apart from some token self-deprecation, he genuinely doesn't seem to think he's done anything wrong. He is keen to tell the world about it (I suggest he reads [b:Substance: Inside New Order 31345705 Substance Inside New Order Peter Hook https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1470270281s/31345705.jpg 52022524] by Hooky). Bizarrely, he chooses not to focus on this yet there are lengthy passages about getting wrecked in Ibiza. You're left wondering if any of this is going anywhere? If you read Hooky's books, you'll find Hooky had a larger creative role to play than Sumner acknowledges here. What would Blue Monday sound like without Hookys bass lines for example?The book will be of interest to any Joy Division or New Order fan. It gives another perspective on both these bands. But its best read in conjunction with Hooky's literary output.