Chapter and Verse - New Order, Joy Division and Me

For years, Bernard Sumner, the founding member and guitarist of the seminal Joy Division and the distinctive lead singer of the hugely influential New Order, has been known for his quiet reserve. However, Chapter and Verse: New Order, Joy Division and Me marks a significant and welcome departure, offering what promises to be the definitive account of the genesis of two of the most important bands in music history, directly from the man at their core.

Having been an integral part of the vibrant Manchester music scene since the late 1970s, Sumner's perspective is uniquely positioned to illuminate the events that shaped these iconic groups. Chapter and Verse delivers a vivid and compelling narrative, beginning with his Salford childhood and moving through the early, formative days of Joy Division, charting the band's rapid critical and popular ascent, and poignantly addressing the subsequent tragic loss of Ian Curtis.

Sumner then guides us through the formation of New Order, offering a fascinating behind-the-scenes glimpse into the creation of timeless classics such as the groundbreaking "Blue Monday." He also provides a firsthand, no-holds-barred account of the exhilarating highs and the inevitable lows of the legendary Haçienda days, a period inextricably linked with New Order's identity and influence.

This is a tale populated by some of the most colourful and creatively combustible characters in music history, including the enigmatic Ian Curtis, the visionary Tony Wilson, the fiercely protective Rob Gretton, and the sonic architect Martin Hannett. While parts of this story have been recounted before, both on film and in other books, Chapter and Verse finally offers Bernard Sumner's own, long-awaited, and undoubtedly compelling version of events. Expect a narrative that is at times deeply moving, often hilariously candid, and occasionally bordering on the chaotic, providing an essential and authentic insight into the heart of a musical revolution.