Who We Are: Joy Division, from Salford
We are Joy Division, a post-punk band from Salford, Greater Manchester. This is where our story starts, and where the designs in our shop come from.
Where did Joy Division begin?
In 1976 Bernard Sumner and Peter Hook saw the Sex Pistols play in Manchester on 4 June, and they decided to start a band of their own. That band became us. Ian Curtis joined on vocals and lyrics, and Stephen Morris joined on drums in August 1977.
Why the name Joy Division?
We didn't start out with it. We played first as Stiff Kittens, then as Warsaw through 1977 and into 1978. In early 1978 we changed the name to Joy Division, so nobody would mix us up with Warsaw Pakt, a band from London.
Who is in the band?
- Ian Curtis: vocals and lyrics
- Bernard Sumner: guitar and keyboards
- Peter Hook: bass
- Stephen Morris: drums
What does Joy Division sound like?
Post-punk: dark, atmospheric and introspective. We recorded for Factory Records, with Martin Hannett as our producer, and that sound runs through Unknown Pleasures in 1979 and Closer in 1980.
What will you find in the shop?
Designs taken from the words and pictures around our music: song titles set in plain serif capitals, stacked lines of waves, a gig poster and a pale portrait. Each one comes on a tee, a long sleeve, a crewneck and a hoodie, with kids' and youth sizes too.