Lose Some Sleep and Say You Tried

Recently I watched a film about the life of Joy Division frontman Ian Curtis. It’s called Control, and I recommend it. In the previews that come before the film, there’s a trailer for a film called Joy Division, which features producers and members of the band. Someone in that line up says something to the effect of: “Most bands rehearsed and played because they wanted to be rock stars. Joy Division did it because they had no choice.”

When you listen to Joy Division, it’s clear they had something nobody else had at the time, or has had since. They were one of those unique, unrepeatable moments in music. So I listened to one of their songs recently. It’s called Autosuggestion. It seems to reflect the feeling a lot of people have, the horribly limiting sense that the world consists of preexisting grooves from which we each must choose, regardless of our creative impulse. Here’s how Curtis puts it: “Here, everything is by design. Here, everything is kept inside.” The other half of his message is clear: “Take a chance and step outside. Lose some sleep and say you tried. Meet frustration face to face.”

Not much more to the lyrics than that and the song is more than six minutes long. But it’s all Curtis needs to get his point across, and it’s all I need to get his meaning. Curtis seems to have been one of those people who had to “step outside.” His art was stronger than his hesitation and it seems he had no choice. People like that are a sign post for the rest of us, the ones who DO have a choice. The ones who CAN choose to stay inside. And I guess I have nothing to add.

Ever forward.

Posted via web from Ever Forward