Preston 28 February 1980
Recorded less than three months before vocalist Ian Curtis committed suicide,Preston 28 February 1980captures Joy Division's creative gloom in all its glory. Although this live gig features the band's club hits "Transmission" and "She's Lost Control" (but not "Love Will Tear Us Apart" ), it's not your typical concert album. The sound quality is less than pristine, the band's performance is far from perfect, and the gear onstage keeps malfunctioning. YetPreston 28 February 1980is truer and has more impact than most live releases, exposing Joy Division's morose melodies, scrambled guitars, brooding beats, and futuristic keyboard squabbles in the group's rawest, most vulnerable form. Joy Division were never about perfection. They flaunted their flaws, reveled in their (and everyone else's) meaninglessness, and sought solace in the idea that control is merely a myth. On February 28, 1980, these foibles become a fascinating mission statement.--Jon Wiederhorn