Complete BBC Recordings

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About Complete BBC Recordings

The ever-expanding log of BBC vault recordings is a decidedly mixed lot, with plenty of rubbish surfacing along with more than a few gems. This 10-song collection from the short-lived but vastly influential foursome Joy Division definitely belongs in the latter camp. Made up of radio performances cut in January, September, and November of 1979, The Complete BBC Recordings captures the post-punk outfit two years after they came together following a Sex Pistols appearance in their Manchester, England, base and a matter of months before frontman Ian Curtis took his life. Signaling a tidal shift in the punk mindset, Curtis's inner torment was expressed by melancholy rather than rage. His instrumental cohorts--the pre-New Order trio of Bernard Sumner, Peter Hook, and Stephen Morris--created a sound that was as terse yet expressive as a rude remark. These John Peel and Radio One performances depict a band on a grim mission--to give their sense of paralyzing futility an undeniable momentum. Riveting from start to finish, The Complete BBC Recordings is a must-own for fans of the band and anyone interested in hearing where the '70s ended and the '80s began for a vital segment of British rock. --Steven Stolder