Tuesday, February 2, 2010

New Order - Substance


YOURZ

Predictably, I thought Mine would give me shit for not liking Substance but I'm pleased to say, in this case, she's wrong.  (Oh, you can't imagine the joy I get from writing this...) (Mine says: OK, stop gloating - but it's really nice you can still surprise me after all this time)

I happen to have a deep, abiding attachment to New Order going back to the early 80s when I was a pale, skinny goth boy who hung around in the only gay club in my town with two of the most beautiful blond girls I never slept with (no regrets there, nope, none at all).  The reason we hung out there is because it was the only place in town playing the sort of music we wanted to hear.

I would dress in black, they would dress in white and we would drink and dance until the sun came up.  I remember walking out into Sunday morning shoppers many times, blinking in the bright  sunlight and burping cocktails into their faces.  New Order, among others, was the soundtrack of these times.

'Hold on, it's never enough, it's never enough until your heart stops beating...'

VERDICT: TURN IT UP


MINE

While I'm sure YourZ will find this album yawnable, it's such a classic for me, I can't imagine my life without it.  Not that I play it much.  I wonder why that is?

When I first sat down to re-listen to Substance for this exercise, it reminded me of a couple of recent incidents, when I've stumbled across a friend from the past I'd lost touch with.  As you do, in this Facebook age.  After the inital surprise I was happy to catch up and was reminded how much I enjoyed their company.  But I'm not rushing to see them again -although I haven't deleted their numbers from my phone and at least one is still a friend on Facebook.

Substance is much like that.  I like to know it's there, and I might take it out and have a listen every few years - but it's not on high rotation.

VERDICT: TURN IT DOWN


For more information: http://www.myspace.com/neworder

5 comments:

  1. New Order were my favourite band at one point. I think it was 1984, I managed to get my mother to buy Lowlife on cassette to give to me for Christmas. I haven't listened to one of their albums in years and don't really know why.

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  2. Chris

    When I bought Substance I played it heaps - and as I said, I can't imagine my life without it. But it's an every now and then pleasure, not an everyday one. I really have to be in the mood for it.

    They were great live, though I had to run around in a big arena to find where the best sound was. NOT in the stands...

    Mine

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  3. Yeah, what is it about New Order? I own this album and Lowlife and I saw them twice, or was it three times in the 80s. And yet...and yet, I don't play them anymore. On the other hand, 'True Faith' should be forced upon everyone so that they can appreciate its true beauty. I just can't make it out.

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  4. I have the 12 inch vinyl of Touched By The Hand Of God that I played until I wore out the needle on my player. And I completely agree with you about True Faith too. What a might song it is.

    YourZ

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  5. Okay 'might' should have been 'mighty'. I'm going to sack my editor...

    YourZ

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