Joy Division - Atmosphere/She Lost Control 12"

In 1978, for those who cared to listen, a chilly, stripped-down sound could be heard in the north of England, signalling a new direction. Manchester’s Joy Division performed “She’s Lost Control” for the first time in June that year, playing to audiences of a few hundred people. The song appeared on Unknown Pleasures, and was re-recorded for the B-side of their 1980 single “Atmosphere”. This strange, dark song has intrigued artists and producers worldwide. It provided the title for Anton Corbijn’s 2007 Joy Division biopic Control. Ian Curtis sounded like the oldest soul. That such cold, forbidding vocals could come from a young man with lowered eyes, plain clothes and an odd, angular dance made them even eerier. Joy Division’s aim was to emulate the Sex Pistols, but they ended up sounding like nothing else; Peter Hook credits producer Martin Hannett with conjuring their arid, industrial sonics. Coupling a machine-cold drum beat with chilling (but sonically warm) words about a woman having a fit—a subject close to home for Curtis, who frequently went into epileptic convulsions during Joy Division gigs. “She’s Lost Control” is a striking song, both danceable and depressing, and an aural precursor to all sorts of things, both immediate and far in the future (hello, first Interpol album!).

Atmosphere/She’s Lost Control ripped from a 12” single to MP3

Joy Division; Atmosphere

A.     Atmosphere

B.     She’s Lost Control