On April 16, 1980, the post-punk world was forever altered with the release of Joy Division's seminal album 'Closer.' Following the band's groundbreaking debut, 'Unknown Pleasures,' this album solidified their place in music history. With haunting tracks like 'Love Will Tear Us Apart' and 'Isolation,' 'Closer' painted a dark yet compelling picture of despair and emotional turbulence. The record was a remarkable commercial success, peaking at number 6 on the UK Albums Chart and gaining a cult following that endures to this day. The original pressing of 'Closer' is a prized possession among vinyl collectors, often sought after for its striking cover art and immersive sound that encapsulates the bleak yet beautiful essence of the band's unique style. Vinyl enthusiasts recognize the limited vinyl releases of the album that have emerged over the years, including the 2015 remastered edition, which has rekindled interest in the band's profound impact on alternative music. Joy Division's music resonated deeply not only within the UK but also around the world, influencing countless artists and movements in the decades that followed. Tragically, the band's frontman, Ian Curtis, passed away just a few days before their U.S. tour was set to begin, adding a haunting layer to the album's legacy. Despite this heart-wrenching loss, 'Closer' remains a testament to Joy Division's genius and emotional depth. The album has inspired a myriad of genres, from goth to indie rock, proving that even in darkness, music can shine brightly. Today, 'Closer' stands as an iconic record, forever etched in the annals of music history, inviting listeners to explore the depths of human emotion through the power of vinyl.
James Bernard (2)
James Bernard (September 20, 1925 – July 12, 2001) was an English film composer renowned for his significant contributions to the horror genre, particularly through his long-standing collaboration with Hammer Films, which spanned nearly four decades. He frequently partnered with librettist and screenwriter Paul Dehn (1912–1976), and together they achieved notable recognition in 1952 when they won the Oscar for "Best Motion Picture Story Writing." This accolade was particularly remarkable for Bernard, as it marked his only endeavor in film scripting. Despite his influential work, James Bernard did not receive professional nominations or accolades for his film scores, even though critics and historians often regard him as one of the most significant early composers in horror cinema.
Born into a British Army officer's family in Nathia Gali, India (now Pakistan), Bernard returned to England in his early childhood due to health issues. He attended Wellington College, where he crossed paths with actor Christopher Lee, who would later star in many Hammer Films productions that Bernard scored. At the age of seventeen, Bernard met the esteemed composer Benjamin Britten during a visit to Wellington, where Britten was consulting with the school's art master, Kenneth Green. This meeting led to a mentorship and friendship that would greatly influence Bernard's career.
During World War II, Bernard served in the Royal Air Force, working on efforts to decipher the Enigma machine codes utilized by German and Japanese forces. It was in 1944 that he met Paul Dehn, a Major in MI6 and member of the Special Operations Executive unit. Their relationship deepened, leading them to share an apartment on King's Road in London. After completing his studies with Herbert Howells at the Royal College of Music from 1946 to 1949, Bernard received a commission from Britten in 1950 to transcribe the score for his opera Billy Budd for Boosey & Hawkes. Around the same time, he and Dehn co-authored a script for Seven Days to Noon, which they successfully presented to The Boulting Brothers. The film, co-directed and co-produced by John and Roy Boulting, became a critical and commercial success, earning the duo an Academy Award for screenwriting.
In 1953, the BBC commissioned Bernard to compose incidental music for Patric Dickinson's radio play The Death of Hector, followed by several other productions, including the Jacobean revenge tragedy The Duchess of Malfi. His work caught the attention of conductor John Hollingsworth, who had collaborated with Hammer Films. When John Hotchkis, the original composer for a Hammer production, fell ill, Hollingsworth recommended Bernard as a replacement. This led to the 1955 release of The Quatermass Xperiment, for which Bernard's score for strings and percussion, performed by the Royal Opera House Orchestra, established his reputation. His innovative techniques, such as using tone clusters and bowing on the wrong side of the bridge, created an eerie and suspenseful atmosphere, predating Bernard Herrmann's iconic score for Psycho by five years.
Between 1955 and 1974, Bernard composed thirty feature-length scores for Hammer Films, beginning with Dracula (1957) and The Curse of Frankenstein (1958), and including adaptations of works such as Arthur Conan Doyle's The Hound of the Baskervilles in 1959.
Following the death of Paul Dehn in 1976, Bernard entered a relationship with actor Kenneth J. McGregor (1932–1994). The couple spent fifteen years in semi-retirement in Jamaica, during which Bernard contributed sporadically to television productions and Hammer Films anthologies. After McGregor's passing in 1994, Bernard returned to London. In 1997, film historian Kevin Brownlow commissioned him to compose an original score for F.W. Murnau's silent horror classic Nosferatu. He also provided music for Brownlow's documentary Universal Horror (1998). Bernard's final projects included two horror shorts, notably Green Fingers (2001), featuring actress Ingrid Pitt, known for her work in the original Hammer Films.
