Bernard Sumner (born 4 January 1956) is an English singer, musician, songwriter, and record producer. He is a founding member of the bands
Joy Division,
New Order, and
Electronic. Sumner was an early force in several areas, including the
post-punk
Post-punk (originally called new musick) is a broad genre of punk music that emerged in the late 1970s as musicians departed from punk's traditional elements and raw simplicity, instead adopting a variety of avant-garde sensibilities and non-r ...
,
synthpop
Synth-pop (short for synthesizer pop; also called techno-pop; ) is a subgenre of new wave music that first became prominent in the late 1970s and features the synthesizer as the dominant musical instrument. It was prefigured in the 1960s a ...
, and
techno
Techno is a Music genre, genre of electronic dance music (EDM) which is generally music production, produced for use in a continuous DJ set, with tempo often varying between 120 and 150 beats per minute (bpm). The central Drum beat, rhythm is typ ...
music scenes, as well as their various related genres, and was an early influence on the
Manchester
Manchester () is a city in Greater Manchester, England. It had a population of 552,000 in 2021. It is bordered by the Cheshire Plain to the south, the Pennines to the north and east, and the neighbouring city of City of Salford, Salford to ...
music scene that presaged the "
Madchester" movement of the late 1980s centered 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,
synthesizer
A synthesizer (also spelled synthesiser) is an electronic musical instrument that generates audio signals. Synthesizers typically create sounds by generating waveforms through methods including subtractive synthesis, additive synthesis ...
s, 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.
Early life
Sumner was born on 4 January 1956 in
Broughton, Lancashire, England.
Sumner was
educated at
Salford Grammar School, before joining Manchester-based animation studio Stop Frame (later
Cosgrove Hall Films) as an animator (credited as Bernard Dickin) on ''
Jamie and the Magic Torch''.
Career
Joy Division
Sumner was a founding member of
Joy Division, formed at
Salford in 1976. He and childhood friend
Peter Hook both attended the fabled
Sex Pistols concert at Manchester's
Free Trade Hall 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 and a custom
Shergold Masquerader), as well as playing
electronic keyboards
An electronic keyboard, portable keyboard, or digital keyboard is an electronic musical instrument, an electronic derivative of keyboard instruments. Electronic keyboards include synthesizers, digital pianos, stage pianos, electronic organ ...
and made his first vocal appearance on record singing the chorus of "Walked in Line" on the ''
Warsaw
Warsaw ( pl, Warszawa, ), officially the Capital City of Warsaw,, abbreviation: ''m.st. Warszawa'' is the capital and largest city of Poland. The metropolis stands on the River Vistula in east-central Poland, and its population is official ...
'' album. In May 1980, after the suicide of its lead singer,
Ian Curtis, Joy Division disbanded.
New Order
Sumner and remaining band members
Peter Hook 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.
Electronic
In 1989, Sumner joined up with former
Smiths guitarist
Johnny Marr to form
Electronic. The
Pet Shop Boys'
Neil Tennant collaborated on two tracks on their debut
eponymous album, providing vocals. Sumner was their singer, guitarist, keyboardist and lyricist.
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.
Other projects
In 1981,
Pauline Murray and
The Invisible Girls 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
Factory Records label mates
A Certain Ratio, remixing their song "Won't Stop Loving You". He has also recorded tracks with fellow Mancunians
808 State and
Sub Sub. Sumner appeared as guest singer and guitarist (alongside
Primal Scream's
Bobby Gillespie) on
The Chemical Brothers
The Chemical Brothers are an English electronic music duo formed by Tom Rowlands and Ed Simons in Manchester in 1989. They were pioneers (along with the Prodigy, Fatboy Slim, the Crystal Method, and other acts) in bringing the big beat gen ...
' 1999 album ''
Surrender'', on the track "
Out of Control"; and in a 2005 Chemical Brothers show at the
Brixton Academy, 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 2008 release, "
The Logic of Pleasure". Sumner also appeared on the Primal Scream track "Shoot Speed Kill Light" from their 2000 album ''
XTRMNTR''.
He has produced several
remixes for tracks such as
Technotronic's "
Rockin' Over the Beat" (which was featured in the ''
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles III'' soundtrack) and served as a record producer and/or songwriter for other
Factory Records acts including
Happy Mondays (whose second single, "Freaky Dancin'," he produced in 1986),
Shark Vegas
Shark Vegas was a Berlin based new wave band, consisting of ex-Factory Records German representative, Mark Reeder (guitar/tapes/keyboards), Alistair Gray (vocals), Leo Walter (drums/percussion) and Helmut Wittler (bass/keyboards). Previously Reed ...
,
Abecedarians
Abecedarians were a 16th-century German sect of Anabaptists who rejected all human learning. Questions have been raised as to the historical accuracy of the name and sect, though the term was applied broadly to the Zwickau Prophets.
Rejection ...
,
52nd Street and
Section 25.
In 2020, Sumner collaborated with composer/producer Zachery Allan Starkey on two singles, “Force” and “Fear City”, which were recorded for Starkey’s solo album, FEAR CITY, released in April 2020. Based in New York City, Starkey opened for New Order during the Music Complete Tour in 2016/2017, after which he and Sumner began to discuss a collaboration. Starkey and Sumner co-produced “Force” and “Fear City”, and Sumner provided synthesizers, guitar, keyboards, and drum programming on both tracks. The Starkey/Sumner collaborations received positive reviews from critics and were featured in Clash Magazine, The London Times, Under the Radar, Filter Magazine, and Brooklyn Vegan, amongst other publications.
Personal life
Sumner married Sue Barlow on 28 October 1978; they had a son, James (born 1983), before divorcing in 1989. Sumner currently lives with his second wife, Sarah Dalton, and their three children.
Sumner was portrayed by
John Simm in the 2002 film ''
24 Hour Party People'' and
James Anthony Pearson
James Anthony Pearson (born 1 October 1989 in Rochdale, Greater Manchester) is a British actor who lives in Glasgow.
Pearson is best known for his performance as Bernard Sumner in Anton Corbijn's film ''Control''. He played the role of Ang ...
in the 2007 film ''
Control''.
Discography
Joy Division
* ''
Unknown Pleasures'' (1979)
*''
Closer'' (1980)
New Order
*''
Movement'' (1981)
*''
Power, Corruption & Lies'' (1983)
*''
Low-Life'' (1985)
*''
Brotherhood'' (1986)
*''
Technique'' (1989)
*''
Republic'' (1993)
*''
Get Ready'' (2001)
*''
Waiting for the Sirens' Call
''Waiting for the Sirens' Call'' is the eighth studio album by English rock band New Order. The album was released on 28 March 2005 in the United Kingdom and 26 April 2005 in the United States, and was preceded by the single "Krafty" in Februar ...
'' (2005)
*''
Lost Sirens'' (2013)
*''
Music Complete'' (2015)
Electronic
* ''
Electronic'' (1991)
*''
Raise the Pressure'' (1996)
*''
Twisted Tenderness'' (1999)
Bad Lieutenant
* ''
Never Cry Another Tear'' (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)
* Surprize – ''In Movimento'' (production, 1984)
*
Paul Haig
Paul Haig (born 4 September 1960)Strong, Martin C. (2003) ''The Great Indie Discography'', Canongate, , p. 386-7 is a Scottish Independent music, indie musician, singer and songwriter. He was originally a member of post-punk band Josef K (ba ...
– "The Only Truth" (guitar, production, 1984)
*
Marcel King – ''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
Shark Vegas was a Berlin based new wave band, consisting of ex-Factory Records German representative, Mark Reeder (guitar/tapes/keyboards), Alistair Gray (vocals), Leo Walter (drums/percussion) and Helmut Wittler (bass/keyboards). Previously Reed ...
– "You Hurt Me" (guitar, production, 1985)
*
Paul Haig
Paul Haig (born 4 September 1960)Strong, Martin C. (2003) ''The Great Indie Discography'', Canongate, , p. 386-7 is a Scottish Independent music, indie musician, singer and songwriter. He was originally a member of post-punk band Josef K (ba ...
– "Love and War" (guitar, 1986)
*
Section 25 – "Bad News Week" (production, 1987)
*
A Certain Ratio – "Good Together" (backing vocals, 1989)
*
The Beat Club
The Beat Club is a techno music group that was founded in the late 1980s by Ony Rodriguez and Mirey Valls in Miami, Florida.
History
Ony Rodriguez began his career in the late 1980s as a rhythm guitarist and producer with EMI recording g ...
– "Security (Remix)" (vocals, production, 1990)
*
Banderas – "This Is Your Life" (backing vocals, guitar, 1991)
*
808 State – "Spanish Heart" (vocals, 1991)
*
Sub Sub – "This Time I'm Not Wrong" (vocals, guitar, 1997)
*
The Chemical Brothers
The Chemical Brothers are an English electronic music duo formed by Tom Rowlands and Ed Simons in Manchester in 1989. They were pioneers (along with the Prodigy, Fatboy Slim, the Crystal Method, and other acts) in bringing the big beat gen ...
– "Out of Control" (vocals, guitar, 1999)
*
Primal Scream – "Shoot Speed Kill Light" (guitar, 2000)
*
Blank & Jones – "Miracle Cure" (vocals, guitar, 2008)
*
Hot Chip – "Didn't Know What Love Was" (vocals, keyboards, production, 2010)
*
Zachery Allan Starkey – "Force" (guitar, synthesizer, keyboards, sequencer, additional drum programming, production, 2020)
*
Zachery Allan Starkey – "Fear City" (synthesizer, keyboards, bass synthesizer, drum programming, production, 2020)
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, 2007
* ''Chapter and Verse – New Order, Joy Division and Me'', Bernard Sumner, 2014
Notes
References
Sources
*
External links
*
*
*
New Order Online– semi-official website, endorsed by the band
{{DEFAULTSORT:Sumner, Bernard
1956 births
Living people
English new wave musicians
British alternative rock musicians
British synth-pop new wave musicians
Male new wave singers
Alternative rock singers
English rock guitarists
Alternative rock guitarists
Lead guitarists
English male guitarists
English rock keyboardists
English male singer-songwriters
English record producers
Joy Division members
New Order (band) members
British 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
Music in Salford
People educated at Salford Grammar School
People from Broughton, Greater Manchester
People from Alderley Edge
People from Cheshire