New Order recently released THE LOST SIRENS, an eight track mini album featuring a truly eclectic mix of electronica and guitars in the truly inimitable New Order style. The album was written, produced and recorded by Bernard Sumner, Peter Hook, Stephen Morris and Philip Cunningham and is available for download at digital retail outlets now.
“Lost Sirens? Well, it’s not really lost,” explains drummer Stephen Morris. “I remember that Martin Hannett once had an idea of making a record and burying it in his garden, so that one day someone would dig it up, like a time capsule. We just stuck our record in a cupboard. And now we’ve got it out. When we did the first one (Waiting For The Sirens’ Call) we had 20 ideas for songs – we were going through a particularly prolific phase – but we couldn’t make a double concept album out of them all, so we thought we’d just do two instead. The intention was always to write four or five more songs and then put it out 18 months or so after the first one. When we unearthed it from the cupboard recently, with the intention of re-editing some of the songs, we all agreed they didn’t actually need it, and it should just be out there. So here it is.”
Johnny Marr was born in Manchester on Halloween 1963, of Irish heritage. As a child he’d be spellbound by his parents’ record collection: the forlorn dramas of Del Shannon, the prison doldrums of Johnny Cash and the heart-popping bliss of his mother’s Four Tops singles. All these influences would linger at the back of the boy Marr’s brain, waiting for the command to attack his fingertips at a later date. That date finally came during the early summer of 1982 when Marr, just 18 years-old, formed The Smiths after seeking out the reclusive and elusive Stretford poet, Morrissey. Musically, the tunes were giant, euphoric and instantaneous but woven together with such nimble flair it appeared as if the guitar was playing Marr instead of the other way round.
Late April early may 2010 Johnny worked with Hans Zimmer on the electronic heavy score to Christopher Nolan’s new film ‘Inception’. Hans Zimmer said, “It’s a very electronic score. There is orchestra, but the electronics share an equal spotlight, and I also have Johnny Marr playing guitar. Besides Johnny and the orchestra, everything else stays virtual throughout the mix.”
Don’t miss your chance to see New Order at the Santa Barbara Bowl on Thursday, April 18th, plus special gust Johnny Marr. Tickets range from $44 to $74, plus applicable service charges. The Santa Barbara Bowl is located at 1122 N. Milpas St., Santa Barbara, CA 93103, 805-962-7411.