Joy Division

Joy Division: Piece by Piece is the definitive collection of writings on the legendary cult band. In addition to collecting all Morley's classic works about the band from the late 1970s/early 1980s, this unique book includes his eloquent Ian Curtis obituary and his hindsight pieces on the significance of the group, framed by an extensive retrospective essay. Contemporary elements include Morley's critique of the films '24 Hour Party People' - which told the story of the band's record label, Factory - and 'Control', for which the author visited the set during production. Most movingly, Morley includes the original text that grew into his literary work Nothing, which parallels the suicide of Curtis with that of his own father. He also evokes the zeitgeist and the 'psycho-geography' of Manchester, which combined to produce the most uniquely intense rock group ever.

Paul Morley wrote for NME from 1977-1983, when the magazine was at its most notorious. The author of the critically acclaimed Words and Music: A History of Pop in the Shape of a City, he lives in London.