1984 07 Zigzag Mark Johnson Reply to New Order feature

Dear ZigZag,

Although I very much enjoyed the revelations contained in Jayne Houghton's interview with Rob Gretton and Peter Hook of New Order I would like to clear up a few inaccuracies and distortions.

First, as a journalist. I can say that I have never had an 'intense obsession' with either Joy Division or New Order. After 1 had seen them three times over an eight month period I told them of my plans to write a book. Despite their being less than thrilled about a book being written about them they saw that it would be in their best interest that it be as accurate as possible. Each member of the band and their manager assisted with corrections, so all the errors that remain are there by their decision. I told them I would avoid invading their private lives and I fulfilled my part of the 'agreement'. Unwanted people do not just walk into dressing rooms or recording studios (whose copy of the 2001 soundtrack did they use when they decided to nick Ligeti's "Lux Aeterna' for their "Murder" 12"!). If I was there, it was with the band's blessings.

Second, as a historian with a university degree, I used all the proper methods of historiography. I double-checked every possible detail and interviewed the roadies, the head of their record company, their producer their designer their fans, the journalists who called them fascists and the ones who defended them, and received more cooperation from New Order than anyone (including myself) could have hoped for.  I let those who were there tell the story, and the suggestion that New Order follow a more commercial path (which, in my book, is immediately followed by the converse suggestion that they retreat into themselves and give up interviews — the point being that what New Order does is their own business and none of ours) was written by Paul Morley who has known them since their earliest days.

Third, as a human being, I am particularly bored by being constantly wound up and put down by a particular member of New Order who derives some sort of perverse delight from recounting his childish pranks to the press. Fortunately the rest of the band and their management are more adult.

Through all of this however I have been interested to note that An Ideal For Living is being accused of the same things that both New Order and Joy Division have been: obscurity and pretention. Maybe this means the book has accurately reflected its subject.

Yours sincerely,

Mark Johnson