Bernard Sumner and Stephen Morris are warning fans/collectors about buying vintage instruments purported to be authentic instruments previously used and/or built by New Order and Joy Division.
The legends have posted a warning on New Order's website cautioning "buyer beware" to those thinking of buying their vintage gear. As you might guess, though the posting doesn't mention him by name, it essentially calls out Peter Hook and his recent auction.
The posting features a picture of Mark Reeder posing with a vintage synth. [Reeder is an electronic wizard and was previously a member of Frantic Elevators -- he's collaborated with Sumner in the past and Sumner considers him a friend.] The posting reveals that the picture is of Joy Division's only Transcendent 2000 which Sumner built himself and eventually gave to his friend.
Note: Peter Hook's recent auction included a Transcendent 2000, though Hook was very open and honest that the synth he was auctioning off was NOT Sumner's original.
There is, however, a dispute between parties regarding chimes that were allegedly used on Joy Division's classic single "Atmosphere."
Peter Hook's Signature Collection included a bell tree/chimes that Hook claimed were used on "Atmosphere." The chimes ended up selling for $6,000 U.S. in the auction.
From Hook's Omega Auction listing:
"As used very distinctively on ATMOSPHERE by JOY DIVISION instigated by Martin Hannett. These were lying around Cargo Studios for years along with along with Nico’s old harmonium. When I changed Cargo to Sweet Sixteen this had gone. Then John Brierley returned them for The Joy Division Exhibition at The Factory. I have no idea what happened to the Harmonium."
However Sumner and Morris claim in their post that Morris did NOT use a bell tree or chimes on "Atmosphere" and instead fashioned the sound using a tambourine, scissors, and a delay. As proof of their allegation, they included a screenshotted excerpt from the 2009 book Totally Wired highlighting Morris' comments about how he created the sound.
Despite taking shots at Hook, New Order's posting is great advice that should be taken to heart when buying items online: it makes sense to take caution when buying vintage items that are allegedly authentic, especially with so many fraudsters circling around. Buyer beware, indeed.
Read the posting in full here.
Head back to happier New Order times with the band's Reading Festival performance from 1989. Courtesy of uploader Shugzv.
Published March 12th, 2019
