Formed in the wake of the punk explosion in late-’70s England, Joy Division became the first band in the postpunk movement to emphasize mood and expression over anger and bombast. The first Joy Division release came in June 1978, when their initial demos were released on their own Enigma label as the Ideal For Living EP. During late 1979 Joy Division’s manic live show gained momentum, partly due to rumors of singer Ian Curtis’ ill health (an epilepsy sufferer, he was susceptible to breakdowns and seizures while on stage).

In 1980, after the band had released the critically praised Unknown Pleasures LP and finished sessions for the follow-up, Closer, Curtis committed suicide in his home. Two month’s later, Joy Division’s breakthrough single "Love Will Tear Us Apart" entered the Top 20. Vowing never to carry on without a founding member, the rest of the band reformed as New Order and continued to fulfill Joy Division’s experimental mandate into the new millennium.

It’s nearly impossible to overstate their influence. From U2 to Nirvana to Primal Scream, bands have drawn upon the tension and atmosphere that Joy Division brought to the early postpunk landscape. Compiled with the assistance of surviving band members, the monumental four-disc Heartandsoul combines the band’s seminal studio albums with early recordings, demos, outtakes, radio sessions, and live tracks.

Formed in the wake of the punk explosion in late-’70s England, Joy Division became the first band in the postpunk movement to emphasize mood and expression over anger and bombast. The first Joy Division release came in June 1978, when their initial demos were released on their own Enigma label as the Ideal For Living EP. During late 1979 Joy Division’s manic live show gained momentum, partly due to rumors of singer Ian Curtis’ ill health (an epilepsy sufferer, he was....+Read More...