Bernard Sumner (born 4 January 1956) is an English musician. He is a founding member of the bands

Joy Division Joy Division were an English Rock music, rock band formed in Salford in 1976. The group consisted of vocalist, guitarist and lyricist Ian Curtis, guitarist and keyboardist Bernard Sumner, bassist Peter Hook and drummer Stephen Morris (musici ...

, New Order, Electronic, and Bad Lieutenant. Sumner was an early force in several areas, including the

post-punk Post-punk (originally called new musick) is a broad genre of music that emerged in late 1977 in the wake of punk rock. Post-punk musicians departed from punk's fundamental elements and raw simplicity, instead adopting a broader, more experiment ...

synth-pop Synth-pop (short for synthesizer pop; also called techno-pop; ) is a music genre that first became prominent in the late 1970s and features the synthesizer as the dominant musical instrument. It was prefigured in the 1960s and early 1970s b ...

, and

techno Techno is a genre of electronic dance music (EDM) which is generally produced for use in a continuous DJ set, with tempos being in the range from 120 to 150 beats per minute (bpm). The central rhythm is typically in common time ( ) and often ...

music scenes, as well as their various related genres, and was an early influence on the

Manchester Manchester () is a city and the metropolitan borough of Greater Manchester, England. It had an estimated population of in . Greater Manchester is the third-most populous metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, with a population of 2.92&nbs ...

music scene that presaged the

Madchester Madchester was a musical and cultural scene that emerged in the English city of Manchester during the late 1980s, closely associated with the indie dance movement. Indie dance (also referred to as indie rave) blended indie rock with elements o ...

movement of the late 1980s centred on

Factory Records Factory Records was a Manchester-based British independent record label founded in 1978 by Tony Wilson and Alan Erasmus. The label featured several important acts on its roster, including Joy Division, New Order (band), New Order, A Certain Ra ...

and The Haçienda club in Manchester. He and drummer Stephen Morris are the only two continuous members of New Order, who have also appeared on all the band's albums. He began his career playing guitar and keyboards for Joy Division. Following lead singer

Ian Curtis Ian Kevin Curtis (15 July 1956 – 18 May 1980) was an English singer, songwriter and musician. He was the lead singer, lyricist and occasional guitarist of the band Joy Division, with whom he released the albums ''Unknown Pleasures'' (197 ...

'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,

synthesizer A synthesizer (also synthesiser or synth) is an electronic musical instrument that generates audio signals. Synthesizers typically create sounds by generating waveforms through methods including subtractive synthesis, additive synthesis a ...

s, and programming throughout the 1980s and 1990s. He formed Electronic with

Johnny Marr John Martin Marr (Birth name#Maiden and married names, né Maher; born 31 October 1963) is a musician, songwriter and singer. He first achieved fame as the guitarist and co-songwriter of the Smiths, who were active from 1982 to 1987. He has sinc ...

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.

Early life and education

Bernard Sumner was born on 4 January 1956 in Crumpsall Hospital (now North Manchester General Hospital) in

, England. He has also used the surnames Dicken (similar to his stepfather's name Dickin) and Albrecht. Sumner was educated at Salford Grammar School, before joining a company who did cartoon animations for television.

Career

Through his long career, Sumner has played music in many overlapping genres, including

rock Rock most often refers to: * Rock (geology), a naturally occurring solid aggregate of minerals or mineraloids * Rock music, a genre of popular music Rock or Rocks may also refer to: Places United Kingdom * Rock, Caerphilly, a location in Wale ...

electronica Electronica is both a broad group of electronic-based music styles intended for listening rather than strictly for dancing and a music scene that came to prominence in the early 1990s in the United Kingdom. In the United States, the term is mos ...

, and new wave.

Joy Division

Sumner was a founding member of

, formed at

Salford Salford ( ) is a City status in the United Kingdom, city in Greater Manchester, England, on the western bank of the River Irwell which forms its boundary with Manchester city centre. Landmarks include the former Salford Town Hall, town hall, ...

in 1976. He and childhood friend

Peter Hook Peter Hook (born 13 February 1956) is an English musician. He was the bassist and co-founder of the post-punk band Joy Division and its successor New Order. He often used the bass as a lead instrument, playing melodies on the high strings wi ...

both attended the fabled

Sex Pistols The Sex Pistols are an English punk rock band formed in London in 1975. Although their initial career lasted just two and a half years, they became culturally influential in popular music. The band initiated the punk movement in the United Ki ...

concert at Manchester's

Free Trade Hall The Free Trade Hall on Peter Street, Manchester, England, was constructed in 1853–56 on St Peter's Fields, the site of the Peterloo Massacre. It is now a Radisson Hotels, Radisson hotel. The hall was built to commemorate the repeal of the Corn ...

on 4 June 1976 and whose music inspired them to perform together. Widely considered one of the most influential bands of the era, Sumner was lead guitarist (his main guitars were a

Gibson SG The Gibson SG is a solid-body electric guitar model introduced by Gibson in 1961, following on from the 1952 Gibson Les Paul. It remains in production today in many variations of the initial design. SG stands for "solid guitar". Origins The S ...

and a custom Shergold Masquerader), as well as playing electronic keyboards and made his first vocal appearance on record singing the chorus of "Walked in Line" on the ''

Warsaw Warsaw, officially the Capital City of Warsaw, is the capital and List of cities and towns in Poland, largest city of Poland. The metropolis stands on the Vistula, River Vistula in east-central Poland. Its population is officially estimated at ...

'' album. In May 1980, after the suicide of its lead singer,

, Joy Division disbanded.

New Order

Sumner and remaining band members

and Stephen Morris started a new band named New Order, joined by keyboardist Gillian Gilbert in October 1980. Though Hook, Morris, and Gilbert also contributed vocals on some early tracks, Sumner emerged as the band's permanent singer and lyricist, alongside playing guitar and keyboards. Through a series of splits and reformations, the band has released ten studio albums. Sumner and Morris are the only members to be part of every lineup.

Electronic

In 1989, Sumner joined up with former Smiths guitarist

to form Electronic. The

Pet Shop Boys Pet Shop Boys are an English synth-pop duo formed in London in 1981. Consisting of vocalist Neil Tennant and keyboardist Chris Lowe, they have sold more than 100 million records worldwide and were listed as the most successful duo in UK music h ...

Neil Tennant Neil Francis Tennant (born 10 July 1954) is an English singer, songwriter and music journalist, and co-founder of the synth-pop duo the Pet Shop Boys, which he formed with Chris Lowe in 1981. He was a journalist for '' Smash Hits'', and assist ...

collaborated on two tracks on their debut eponymous album, providing vocals. Sumner was their singer, guitarist, keyboardist and lyricist. Electronic released two other albums until a quiet disband in 2001 for Sumner to focus his efforts on New Order. Sumner occasionally appears to sing Electronic songs at Marr's concerts.

Bad Lieutenant

Bad Lieutenant included fellow New Order member Phil Cunningham and Jake Evans of Rambo & Leroy. Stephen Morris of New Order and Blur bassist Alex James also performed on the band's debut album. Sumner provided vocals, guitar and lyrics. Bad Lieutenant disbanded after New Order reformed in 2011.

Other projects

In 1981, Pauline Murray and

The Invisible Girls The Invisible Girls were a British rock band, formed in Salford, Greater Manchester in 1978, to provide a musical backdrop to the recorded output of Salford punk poet John Cooper Clarke. The band's nucleus was Joy Division and New Order produc ...

released their last single " Searching for Heaven", which included a guitar solo by Sumner, although he was not credited in the sleeves of its 7" and 10" edition at the time. In 1983, Sumner co-produced, with Donald Johnson, the single "The Great Divide"/"Love in a Strange Place" by the band Foreign Press. Foreign Press (aka Emergency) had had a long history with Sumner through both Joy Division and New Order. In 1990, he worked with former

label mates A Certain Ratio, remixing their song "Won't Stop Loving You". He has also recorded tracks with fellow Mancunians

808 State 808 State are an English electronic music group formed in 1987 in Manchester by Graham Massey, Martin Price and Gerald Simpson. Taking their name from the Roland TR-808 drum machine and the "state of mind" the members shared, they released ...

and

Sub Sub Sub Sub were an English dance music, dance act from Handforth, Cheshire composed of Jimi Goodwin and twin brothers Andy Williams (Doves), Andy and Jez Williams. The threesome met at school in 1985 and became regulars at The Haçienda while co ...

. Sumner appeared as guest singer and guitarist (alongside

Primal Scream Primal Scream are a Scottish rock music, rock band originally formed in 1982 in Glasgow by Bobby Gillespie (vocals) and Jim Beattie (musician), Jim Beattie (guitar). The band's current lineup consists of Gillespie, Andrew Innes (guitar), Simon ...

's Bobby Gillespie) on

The Chemical Brothers The Chemical Brothers are an English electronic music duo formed by Ed Simons and Tom Rowlands in Manchester in 1992. They were pioneers in bringing the big beat genre to the forefront of pop culture. Originally known as The Dust Brothers, th ...

' 1999 album '' Surrender'', on the track " Out of Control"; and in a 2005 Chemical Brothers show at the

Brixton Academy Brixton Academy (originally known as the Astoria Variety Cinema, previously known as Carling Academy Brixton, currently named O2 Academy Brixton as part of a sponsorship deal with the O2 brand) is a mid-sized concert venue located in South Lon ...

, Sumner appeared live onstage as a special guest on this track. He has also lent vocals and guitar to a track ("Miracle Cure") on German trance outfit

Blank & Jones Blank & Jones are a German electronic music group, consisting of Jan Pieter Blank (born June 15, 1971), known as Piet Blank; René Runge (born June 27, 1968), better known as DJ Jaspa Jones; and the producer Andy Kaufhold (N*D*K) (born December ...

2008 release, " The Logic of Pleasure", and appeared on the Primal Scream track "Shoot Speed Kill Light" from their 2000 album '' XTRMNTR''. He has produced several

remix A remix, also sometimes called reorchestration or rework, is a piece of media which has been altered or contorted from its original state by adding, removing, or changing pieces of the item. A song, piece of artwork, book, poem, or photograph ca ...

es for tracks such as

Technotronic Technotronic was a Belgian electronic music project formed in 1987 by Jo Bogaert and best known for their 1989 single, " Pump Up the Jam", which features vocals by Ya Kid K. The song peaked at No. 2 on the ''Billboard'' Hot 100 in the United ...

's " Rockin' Over the Beat" (which was featured in the ''

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles III ''Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles III'' (subtitled ''Turtles in Time'' in some home media releases) is a 1993 superhero film based on the ''Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles'' characters created by Kevin Eastman and Peter Laird. Written and directed ...

'' soundtrack). He served as a record producer and/or songwriter for other

acts, including

Happy Mondays Happy Mondays are an English rock band formed in Salford in 1980. The original line-up consisted of brothers Shaun Ryder (vocals) and Paul Ryder (bass), Gaz Whelan (drums), Paul Davis (keyboard), and Mark Day (guitar). Mark "Bez" Berry la ...

, Shark Vegas, Abecedarians, 52nd Street and Section 25.

Personal life

Sumner married Sue Barlow on 28 October 1978 but they later divorced.

In film

Sumner was portrayed by

John Simm John Ronald Simm (born 10 July 1970) is an English actor, director, and musician. He is best known for playing Sam Tyler in ''Life on Mars'', the Master in ''Doctor Who,'' and DS Roy Grace in ''Grace.'' His other television credits include '' ...

in the 2002 film '' 24 Hour Party People'' and James Anthony Pearson in the 2007 film '' Control''.

Discography

Joy Division

* ''

Unknown Pleasures ''Unknown Pleasures'' is the debut studio album by the English rock band Joy Division. It was released on 15 June 1979 through Factory Records. The album was recorded and mixed over three successive weekends at Stockport's Strawberry Studios i ...

'' (1979) *'' Closer'' (1980)

New Order

*'' Movement'' (1981) *'' Power, Corruption & Lies'' (1983) *'' Low-Life'' (1985) *'' Brotherhood'' (1986) *''

Technique Technique or techniques may refer to: Music * The Techniques, a Jamaican rocksteady vocal group of the 1960s * Technique (band), a British female synth pop band in the 1990s * ''Technique'' (album), by New Order, 1989 * ''Techniques'' (album), by ...

'' (1989) *''

Republic A republic, based on the Latin phrase ''res publica'' ('public affair' or 'people's affair'), is a State (polity), state in which Power (social and political), political power rests with the public (people), typically through their Representat ...

'' (1993) *'' Get Ready'' (2001) *'' Waiting for the Sirens' Call'' (2005) *''

Lost Sirens ''Lost Sirens'' is the ninth studio album by English rock band New Order. It was released on 11 January 2013 by Rhino Entertainment. The tracks featured on the album were recorded during the production of 2005's '' Waiting for the Sirens' Call ...

'' (2013) *''

Music Complete ''Music Complete'' is the tenth studio album by English rock band New Order. It was released on 25 September 2015 by Mute Records, their debut on the label. The album features guest vocals from Elly Jackson of La Roux, Iggy Pop, and Brandon ...

'' (2015)

Electronic

* '' Electronic'' (1991) *'' Raise the Pressure'' (1996) *'' Twisted Tenderness'' (1999)

Bad Lieutenant

* ''

Never Cry Another Tear ''Never Cry Another Tear'' is the only studio album by Bad Lieutenant. It was released in the UK on 12 October 2009, and in the US on 10 November 2009. New Order member Bernard Sumner formed the group with Jake Evans and Phil Cunningham. The ...

'' (2009)

Collaborations

* Section 25 – "Sakura" (keyboards, 1982) * 52nd Street – "Look into My Eyes" (synthesizer, production, 1982) * Section 25 – "Back To Wonder" / "Beating Heart" (production, 1983) * Quando Quango – "Love Tempo" (production, 1983) * The Durutti Column – "I Get Along Without You Very Well" / "Prayer" (production, 1983) * A Certain Ratio – "I Need Someone Tonite" (synthesizer, 1983) * 52nd Street – "Cool As Ice" / "Twice As Nice" (synthesizer, production, 1983) * Paul Haig – " The Only Truth" (guitar, production, 1984) *

Marcel King Marcel Neville King (4 January 1957 - 5 October 1995) was a British tenor singer, who sang lead vocals for Sweet Sensation (band), Sweet Sensation. Career Sweet Sensation King joined Sweet Sensation as a teenager, and was the youngest member ...

– "Reach For Love" / "Keep On Dancing" (synthesizer, production, 1984) * Quando Quango – "2 From Quando" (production, 1984) * Section 25 – '' From The Hip'' (composer, production, 1984) * Section 25 – "Looking From A Hilltop (Restructure)" (synthesizer, production, 1984) * Section 25 – "Crazy Wisdom" (production, 1985) * Shark Vegas – "You Hurt Me" (guitar, production, 1985) * Paul Haig – "Love and War" (guitar, 1986) * Section 25 – "Bad News Week" (production, 1987) * A Certain Ratio – "Good Together" (backing vocals, 1989) *

- " Rockin' Over the Beat" (synthesizer, production, 1989) * The Beat Club – "Security (Remix)" (vocals, production, 1990) * Banderas – "This Is Your Life" (backing vocals, guitar, 1991) *

– "Spanish Heart" (vocals, 1991) *

– "This Time I'm Not Wrong" (vocals, guitar, 1997) *

– "Out of Control" (vocals, guitar, 1999) *

– "Shoot Speed Kill Light" (guitar, 2000) *

Gwen Stefani Gwen Renée Stefani Shelton ( ; born October 3, 1969) is an American singer-songwriter and fashion designer. Stefani rose to fame as a member and lead vocalist of the band No Doubt, whose hit singles include " Just a Girl", " Spiderwebs", an ...

– " The Real Thing" (backing vocals, 2004) *

– "Miracle Cure" (vocals, guitar, 2008)

Bibliography

* Curtis, Deborah (1995). Touching from a Distance: Ian Curtis and Joy Division. London: Faber. . * ''Bernard Sumner: Confusion – Joy Division, Electronic and New Order Versus the World'',

David Nolan David Nolan may refer to: * David Nolan (politician) (1943–2010), co-founder of the United States Libertarian Party * David Nolan (American author) (born 1946), American author * David Nolan (British author) (born 1964), British author of ''I ...

, 2007 * ''Chapter and Verse – New Order, Joy Division and Me'', Bernard Sumner, 2014

Notes

References

External links

* * *
New Order Online
– semi-official website, endorsed by the band {{DEFAULTSORT:Sumner, Bernard 1956 births Living people English alternative rock musicians English synth-pop new wave musicians English male new wave singers English new wave singers British alternative rock singers English rock guitarists British alternative rock guitarists English lead guitarists English male guitarists English rock keyboardists English male singer-songwriters English record producers Joy Division members New Order (band) members English post-punk musicians Electronic (band) members English tenors English lyricists 20th-century English singers 21st-century English singers English male writers 20th-century English writers 21st-century English writers Ivor Novello Award winners Musicians from Salford People educated at Salford Grammar School People from Broughton, Greater Manchester People from Alderley Edge Musicians from Cheshire

Early life and education

Career

Joy Division

New Order

Electronic

Bad Lieutenant

Other projects

Personal life

In film

Discography

Joy Division

New Order

Electronic

Bad Lieutenant

Collaborations

Bibliography

Notes

References

Further reading

External links