A Certain Ratio, cut from the same cloth as Joy Division
This is the attitude that brought me to Joy Division, living in Erie, Pennsylvania in 1988 and suffering through my first autumn away from home. The desperation in the music brought me up somehow. It put us in a trance, sipping from long-necks in my small rented bedroom. We drove to the edge of the lake when it froze over, and sat in the car and considered walking across it. We cleared the furniture out of the living room and put on strobe lights so that we could slam dance to Skinny Puppy and Ministry. Dave passed out on the front porch and we put blankets on him so he wouldn’t freeze. Chris was genuinely concerned he could be sick or dying, but we didn’t worry about it; he was okay in the morning.
We were attracted to tragedy in a romantic way: maybe it’s the notion that pain reminds you that you’re really alive.
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Categories: Memoir
Bill Pearse 
I think, dear Bill, that the idea of listening to Joy Division settled into my mind after reading something of yours a while back. Anyhoo, it eventually proved to be a fine test record for a rejigged stereo set up.
I could hear nearly every word of Unknown Pleasures and yet somehow it proved to be good motivation for a morning workout. Good fun in fact.
All the best Bill.
Be well and do good,
DD
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Well congratulations David! I’m proud of you for pursuing such…dark pursuits. And super kind and thoughtful of you to let me know, especially in the form of this old post I barely remember. The rejigged stereo setup sounds fun. Can think of no better album to spin in such a focused newfound space. So moody that music! A sad case, that one. Nice that they lived on as New Order and honored him in future work they did together. Nice too that they moved on and reinvented themselves to something less stark, I think. Be well and do good! Great to hear from you my friend. Happy spring and all of that.
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