Posted October 11, 2007
By jonrobertson

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Lesson learned late in life — nothing beats Joy Division on the highway. I suspect a few more people will learn this when the new biopic, “Control,” gets mainstream attention later this season. The film is already getting limited exposure, including the Chicago International Film Festival, but the Anton Corbijn directed project is bound to get Joy Division’s music to the masses like “Ray” before it.

Corbijn, who directed music videos for Joni Mitchell, U2, Rollins Band, and Nirvana’s classic “Heart Shaped Box” (Kurt Cobain in a hospital bed — freaky), shows the life of Joy Division’s lead singer, Ian Curtis. Young and frustrated, Ian couldn’t take the limelight of his band’s fame and took the hard way out.

It’s a shame, because the world needed more songs like “Love Will Tear Us Apart,” a new wave gem that mixes melancholy lyrics with a peppy synthesizer and a dedicated one-two punch from the guitar and drums. It is perfect for the long winding road ahead.

Who should get a biopic next? I vote for the Whispers. More people need to hear the words “ROCK! STEADY! STEADY ROCKIN’ ALL NIGHT LONG!”