Bernard Sumner

Bernard Sumner
Sumner performing with New Order in September 2012
Background information
Also known as	Bernard Albrecht Bernard Dicken Barney
Born	(1956-01-04) 4 January 1956 (age 68) Broughton, Salford, Lancashire, England
Genres	Rock[1] post-punk new wave synth-pop[2] electronica[3]
Occupations	Singer songwriter musician record producer
Instruments	Vocals guitar keyboards synthesiser melodica
Years active	1973–present
Labels	Factory London Warner Bros. Parlophone Mute Triple Echo
Member of	New Order
Formerly of	Joy Division Electronic Bad Lieutenant

Bernard Sumner (born 4 January 1956) is an English musician. He is a founding member of the bands Joy Division, New Order, Electronic, and Bad Lieutenant. Sumner was an early force in several areas, including the post-punk, synth-pop, and techno music scenes, as well as their various related genres, and was an early influence on the Manchester music scene that presaged the Madchester movement of the late 1980s centred on Factory Records and The Haçienda club in Manchester.

He began his career playing guitar and keyboards for Joy Division. Following lead singer Ian Curtis's death, the remaining members of Joy Division formed New Order with Sumner taking on lead vocal duties. His complex electronic compositions became less guitar-driven and more focused on electronic keyboards, synthesizers, and programming throughout the 1980s and 1990s. He formed Electronic with Johnny Marr in the late 1980s as a creative outlet outside of New Order, which continued after New Order went on hiatus in 1993. New Order became active again from 1998 through 2006, after which he returned to a more traditional rock context with the band Bad Lieutenant. He continues to record and perform with the latest iteration of New Order, which reformed in 2011.