Customer Reviews

In the Studio with Martin Hannett [Vinyl]

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Well. Let me say that I approached this release with no real "concerns" that this collection of tapes would happen to sound like some finished masterpiece. I read the reviews, even began by "normalizing" my own MP3 levels to studio quality, and then proceeded to listen in iTunes with an open mind, knowing that the real "masterpieces" are without question, the commercial releases -- "Unknown Pleasures (FAC 10)", "Closer (FAC 25)", and "Still (FAC 40)"...

So where does that leave these slurry, experimental audio recordings?

Without a particularly clear introduction, they sound like mixing board tapes, but upon closer listen, they show off the many, many risks, the band and Hannett were willing to take during warm-ups, rehearsals, and so forth during the recording of the aforementioned works. The sound quality is by no means perfect, but definitely adequate enough to convey what a fly on the wall in Hannett's Strawberry Studios sound room would have heard during the moments before and after the completed takes were recorded... and this, depending upon one's own personal tastes and inclinations, can be seen as abstract and highly inspirational fodder for developing one's own creative material... or, a complete waste of time.

I'm sure that Joe Bloggs who has never purchased a Joy Division release before might be disappointed by making this purchase as his/her own first acquisition in the Joy Division catalogue, since it does not present a clear narrative thread; but rather, the vibe I got from this (as well as the other two "unofficial" Hannett releases on Amazon MP3 ("Joy Division: Martin Hannett's Personal Mixes" as well as "Love Will Tear Us Apart (Martin Hannett Versions)") reminded me strongly of how I felt when I read the Beatles Abbey Road Studio Diaries written by Mark Lewisohn, which gave a mere glimpse into the daily workings of a very creative band in the studio, under the capable hands of a now-legendary producer (George Martin, in the Beatles' case)... and the risks taken that often went undocumented in the final product, which will definitely illuminate an additional layer of mystique and appreciation to any creative and sympathetic artist (musical or otherwise), who is also a fan of Joy Division.

Recommended, but - (seriously) only for the initiated.

If you love joy division, you'll love these studio tracks. It gives you a behind the scenes view of the making not with visuals but with sound, as if you're there as martin hannett and joy division make the music. You hear as the tracks evolve as hannett and the group try new sounds. Again if you're a joy division fan or are very interested in their music, you'll enjoy this album. The tracks blend very well with their other album tracks.