| "Disorder" | |
|---|---|
| Song by Joy Division | |
| from the album Unknown Pleasures | |
| Released | 15 June 1979 |
| Recorded | April 1979 |
| Studio | Strawberry Studios, Manchester |
| Genre | |
| Length | 3:36[2] |
| Label | Factory |
| Songwriter(s) | |
| Producer(s) | Martin Hannett[3] |
"Disorder" is a song by English rock band Joy Division, released as the opening track of their 1979 debut album Unknown Pleasures.[4] It was co-written by band members Ian Curtis (vocals and lyrics), Peter Hook (bass guitar), Bernard Sumner (guitar) and Stephen Morris (drums). The music for the track emerged through their usual method of jamming through long practice sessions, and had been played live a number of times before its studio recording. It was produced and engineered by Martin Hannett, who was also a partner at the band's label Factory Records.
Although the band were initially unhappy with the production, believing Hannett's stripped down recording reduced the power that the drums and guitar gave it had when played live, the song has become a classic of post-punk and alternative music, and along with the band's "She's Lost Control" is considered a peak of Hannett's career.
The track was recorded in early April 1979 at Strawberry Studios in Manchester,[5] as the first track recorded for the album. Early on its production lead to a major disagreement between the band and Hannett as to how the album was to sound. Joy Division favored the heavy guitar attack dynamics of their live performances, while Hannett sought a more pared back, spectral sound, achieved through stripping back and isolating each instrument.