Touching From a Distance by Deborah Curtis

seemed to them that the Fall only had to step out of the door to be offered a gig. Although Ian had spent a great deal of time trying to nurture his relationship with the Buzzcocks, the feeling among the band was that the only reason why Peter Shelley would stand next to Joy Division would be for protection if a fight was imminent.
    ‘Most of the musicians in Manchester then were very middle class, very educated: like Howard Devoto. Barney and I were essentially working-class oiks. Ian came somewhere in the middle, but primarily we had a different attitude. We felt like outsiders: it was very vicious and back-biting.’
    Peter Hook

CHAPTER SIX
A NEWSREEL CLIP
    When two London record labels, Stiff and Chiswick, decided to hold a ‘battle of the bands’ contest at Rafters, anyone who was hoping to be anyone joined a band, thinking they had a chance to be singled out by one of the record companies. Producers, managers, reporters, photographers – you name it, they were there, not in their usual roles but attempting to perform. In the clammy envelopment of the downstairs bar they jostled for a place on the bill.
    Tony Wilson was already well known in the region after working on the local news programme Granada Reports and, later, having his own programme So It Goes. Every band Wilson had chosen to play on the show subsequently became famous. These included the Sex Pistols, the Clash, the Buzzcocks and Elvis Costello. Ian was most impressed when his long-time idol Iggy Pop was featured, so he had an understandable determination to get to know Tony. Tony had already seen the band as Warsaw on the last night of the Electric Circus and, despite the fact that he had enthusiastically waved the An Ideal for Living EP at the camera during his regional news programme, he had not yet been moved enough to get in touch.
    As Tony Wilson walked down to the basement club to join that tiny elite, someone shouted to him, ‘When’s So It Goes coming back, T?’ Before Tony had time to answer, another voice said, ‘He doesn’t want it to come back. He wants it to be gone for ever. Then everyone will remember it as a cult thing and it will become famous in retrospect.’ Tony turned around and there was Rob Gretton. As Tony sat on one of the banquette seats near the pool table, Ian was a short distance away writing the most abusive letter he could muster. I was amazed that he thought he could get a TV spot by using such foul language. I blushed for him as he walked over and waited for the explosion when he had handed over the letter. Instead, he sat down next to Tony, obviously trying to summon the courage to speak to him. Being ill-mannered didn’t come naturally to Ian, but he forced himself.
    ‘You’re a fucking cunt you are, you’re a bastard.’
    ‘Oh yeah,’ said Tony. ‘Why’s that?’
    ‘Cause you haven’t put us on television.’
    Tony reciprocated, not by giving Ian a return mouthful, but by telling him that Joy Division would be the next band he put on. Ian was elated that he had accomplished his mission. The next battle was actually getting Joy Division a place on the bill that night. When it became apparent that there would only be time for one more band to play, there was a ferocious argument between Joy Division and the Negatives, who included Richard Boon, Paul Morley and Kevin Cummins. Joy Division were justifiably indignant at the thought of missing their big chance because of what they considered to be a joke band and a scuffle broke out.
    However, Joy Division got their way. At around 2.10 a.m. they took the stage and played three numbers before the plugs were pulled. The importance of the evening was magnified in the minds of the performers. If the whole show had been broadcast nationally, there could not have been more enthusiasm in that tiny club. Most people there were too naïve or inexperienced to know that groups who win competitions of this type disappear without trace. The event was significant –