Ian Curtis facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Ian Curtis |
|
|---|---|
Curtis performing in July 1979
|
|
| Background information | |
| Born | 15 July 1956 Stretford, England |
| Origin | Macclesfield, England |
| Died | 18 May 1980 (aged 23) Macclesfield, England |
| Genres |
|
| Occupations |
|
| Instruments |
|
| Years active | 1976–1980 |
| Labels | Factory |
Ian Kevin Curtis (born 15 July 1956 – died 18 May 1980) was an English musician, singer, and songwriter. He was best known as the lead singer and lyricist for the post-punk band Joy Division. With the band, he released two important albums: Unknown Pleasures (1979) and Closer (1980). People remembered him for his deep voice, unique dancing, and songs that explored feelings of being alone.
Ian Curtis had epilepsy, a condition that causes seizures. He also faced challenges with his mood. He passed away just before Joy Division was set to go on their first tour in North America. This happened shortly before their second album, Closer, was released.
After his death, the other three members of Joy Division formed a new band called New Order. Even though Joy Division was only active for a short time, they had a huge impact on music. Many say they were one of the first bands in the post-punk movement. They focused on creating a certain mood and expressing feelings in their music. This style influenced many bands that came after them, like U2, The Cure, Interpol, and Bloc Party.
Contents
Growing Up: Ian Curtis's Early Life
Ian Kevin Curtis was born in Stretford, England, on 15 July 1956. He grew up in Macclesfield with his parents, Doreen and Kevin Curtis, and his younger sibling. From a young age, Ian loved books and was very smart. He was especially good at writing poetry.
When he was 11, Ian earned a scholarship to The King's School, Macclesfield. There, he became very interested in philosophy and literature. He also admired famous poets like Thom Gunn. Ian won several awards for his schoolwork, especially when he was 15 and 16. After finishing school, his family moved to New Moston.
As a teenager, Ian helped elderly people as part of a school program. He also loved music from a young age, especially artists like Jim Morrison and David Bowie. These musicians inspired his own poetry and art. Ian sang in a church choir when he was a young boy in Macclesfield. He couldn't always afford to buy records, so he sometimes took them from local shops. By his mid-teens, Ian was known for being strong-willed and having a great sense of style.
After school, Ian briefly studied history and divinity in college. However, he soon decided that academic life wasn't for him. He left his studies to find a job. Even though he left college, Ian continued to focus on art, literature, and music. He found ideas for his song lyrics from many different places.
Ian first worked at a record shop in Manchester City Centre. Later, he got a more stable job working for the government. He worked for the Ministry of Defence for a few months. Then, he worked at the Manpower Services Commission in Piccadilly Gardens. He also worked in Woodford, Greater Manchester. Later, he asked to be moved to Macclesfield's Employment Exchange. There, he helped people with disabilities find jobs.
On 23 August 1975, Ian Curtis married Deborah Woodruff. They had met through a friend and started dating in December 1972 when they were both 16. Their wedding took place at St Thomas' Church in Henbury, Cheshire. Ian was 19 and Deborah was 18. They had one daughter, Natalie, who was born on 16 April 1979.
Joy Division: The Band's Journey
In July 1976, Ian Curtis went to a Sex Pistols concert in Manchester. There, he met three friends from school: Bernard Sumner, Peter Hook, and Terry Mason. They told Ian they wanted to start a band. Ian had also been trying to form a band, so he offered to be their singer and songwriter.
Terry Mason was the first drummer, but his practice sessions didn't go well. He then became the band's manager. The group tried to find other drummers and finally chose Stephen Morris in August 1977. Later, Rob Gretton became their manager in 1978 after seeing them play live.
The band first called themselves "Warsaw," inspired by a song on David Bowie's album Low. But because there was another band called Warsaw Pakt, they changed their name to Joy Division. This name came from a 1955 book called The House of Dolls.
Tony Wilson, who founded Factory Records, signed the band to his label. This happened after Joy Division appeared on his TV music show, So It Goes, in September 1978. Ian Curtis had sent Wilson a letter, which helped the band get noticed. On the show, they played their song "Shadowplay".
When performing with Joy Division, Ian Curtis was known for being quiet and having a unique dancing style. This style sometimes looked like the epileptic seizures he began to have in late 1978. Ian was mainly a singer, but he also played guitar on some songs. He used a Vox Phantom VI Special guitar, which had special effects built in. He used this guitar on their 1980 European tour and in the music video for "Love Will Tear Us Apart".
Ian Curtis's Personal Life and Health
Epilepsy and Its Effects
Ian Curtis started having epileptic seizures in late 1978. He was officially diagnosed with epilepsy on 23 January 1979. Doctors said his case was very serious. He was prescribed strong medications to help control his seizures.
Ian joined the British Epilepsy Association. At first, he was open about his condition. But soon, he became more private and didn't like to talk about it much. When one medication didn't work, his doctor would try a different one. His wife, Deborah, noticed that he would get excited, hoping the new medicine would help.
Through 1979 and 1980, Ian's condition got worse. The stress of performing and touring made his seizures more frequent and intense. Even after his diagnosis, Ian continued to drink and smoke. He also had an irregular sleep schedule, which was against the advice for people with epilepsy.
The medications Ian took had many side effects, including big mood swings. His wife and family noticed these changes in his personality. After his daughter was born in April 1979, Ian could not often hold her. This was because of his severe medical condition, to ensure her safety.
During the recording of Joy Division's second album, Ian's condition was very serious. He had about two major seizures each week. Once, his bandmates found him unconscious in the studio bathroom after a seizure. He had hit his head on a sink. Despite this, his bandmates, Peter Hook, Bernard Sumner, and Stephen Morris, said they didn't know how to help him. Hook said Ian never wanted to worry them.
At a concert in April 1980, the lights caused Ian to have a seizure on stage. He collapsed and had to be carried off. After he recovered, he insisted on playing a second show that night. But during that show, his dancing changed, and he collapsed again with a very strong seizure.
Stage Performances and Unique Style
Ian Curtis's dancing on stage often looked like the seizures he experienced. Some people called it his "epilepsy dance." During Joy Division's live shows in 1979 and 1980, Ian collapsed several times and had to be taken off stage.
To try and prevent seizures, flashing lights were not allowed at Joy Division concerts. However, certain drum sounds could still cause him to have a seizure. In April 1980, a friend named Terry Mason was hired to help Ian. His job was to make sure Ian took his medicine and got enough sleep.
Many people have talked about Ian's unique stage movements. Some believe he was using his fits as a form of energy and music. His final live performance with Joy Division was on 2 May 1980, at Birmingham University. He performed the song "Digital" that night.
Ian Curtis's Passing
On the evening of 17 May 1980, Ian Curtis asked his wife, Deborah, not to go through with their divorce. She offered to stay with him, worried about his anxiety. But Ian told her he wanted to be alone that night. He made her promise not to come back until he had left for Manchester the next morning.
In the early hours of 18 May 1980, Ian Curtis passed away at the age of 23.
At the time of his death, Joy Division was about to start their first North American tour. Deborah said Ian was very worried about the tour. He was afraid of flying and also concerned about how American audiences would react to his epilepsy. Deborah also said Ian had told her he didn't want to live past his early twenties. He worried his medical condition would cause him to be mocked by audiences, especially in America.
Some people close to Ian said he felt he could no longer perform live because of his epilepsy. He also believed the band had reached their best with the upcoming album, Closer.
In 2007, Stephen Morris, the drummer, said he regretted that no one realized how much distress Ian was in. Bassist Peter Hook noted the sadness of Ian's death happening just before the band might have become very famous. Hook also mentioned that a specialist later questioned the safety of the combination of drugs Ian had been prescribed for his epilepsy.
Ian Curtis was cremated on 23 May 1980, and his ashes were buried at Macclesfield Cemetery. A memorial stone with "Ian Curtis 18–5–80" and "Love Will Tear Us Apart" was placed there. This stone was stolen in 2008, but a new one was put in its place.
Ian Curtis's Lasting Impact
New Order's Beginning
Soon after Ian Curtis's cremation, Bernard Sumner, Peter Hook, and Stephen Morris formed a new band. With help from Rob Gretton, they first called themselves "The No Names." They mainly played songs without singing. Soon after, they changed their name to "New Order." Bernard Sumner used Ian Curtis's Vox Phantom VI Special guitar in some of New Order's early songs.
Honoring Ian Curtis
Many New Order songs remember or honor Ian Curtis. Songs like "ICB" (which stands for 'Ian Curtis, Buried') and "The Him" from their first album, Movement, refer to his passing. The song "Elegia" (1985) was also written in his memory. The 2002 song "Here to Stay" was dedicated to Ian and others.
Other bands also paid tribute to Ian. The Durutti Column released "The Missing Boy" in 1981. In 1990, Psychic TV released "I.C. Water," dedicated to Ian. The band Thursday released a song called "Ian Curtis" in 1999. In 2003, Xiu Xiu released "Ian Curtis Wishlist."
Deborah Curtis, Ian's wife, wrote a book about their marriage called Touching from a Distance (1995). Authors Mick Middles and Lindsay Reade wrote Torn Apart: The Life of Ian Curtis in 2006. This book shared more personal details and photos. Music journalist Paul Morley also wrote a book about Joy Division in 2007.
In Wellington, New Zealand, the words "Ian Curtis Lives" are written on a wall. This message appeared shortly after his death in 1980 and is repainted whenever it's covered up. Another wall nearby once read "Ian Curtis RIP Walk in Silence." In 2020, a large mural of Ian Curtis was painted on a building in Manchester.
In 2012, Ian Curtis was chosen by artist Peter Blake to appear in a new version of The Beatles' Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band album cover. This showed his importance as a British cultural icon.
Films About Ian Curtis
Ian Curtis has been shown in films. Sean Harris played him in the 2002 movie 24 Hour Party People. This film told the story of Factory Records. In 2007, a British movie called Control was released. This film was about Ian Curtis's life and was based on Deborah Curtis's book.
The film Control was directed by Anton Corbijn, a photographer who had worked with Joy Division. Deborah Curtis and Tony Wilson were executive producers. Sam Riley played Ian Curtis, and Samantha Morton played Deborah.
Control first showed at the Cannes Film Festival in May 2007 and won three awards. The movie showed Ian's romance with Deborah, their marriage, and his struggles with fame and his health.
77 Barton Street: A Special Place
.jpg)
In 2014, the house where Ian Curtis passed away went up for sale. A fan started a campaign to buy the house and turn it into a museum for Ian and Joy Division. However, they only raised a small amount of money. The money was then given to charities that help people with epilepsy and mental health.
Later, a musician named Hadar Goldman bought the house. He paid extra money to make sure he could buy it. Goldman said he wanted the house to be a Joy Division museum. He also wanted it to be a place to support musicians and artists around the world.
Discography
with Joy Division
- Unknown Pleasures (1979)
- Closer (1980)
|
See also
In Spanish: Ian Curtis para niños
