Joy Division vs The Smiths

jackhammer · 05-26-2010, 07:24 PM

I like The Smiths and the lyrics are so bittersweet yet their music doesn't come close to the feelings I get when I listen to JD.

JD are one of the few bands that take me somewhere else with their music. I'm not quite sure where but it's a place that's their own and that's all that I can ask for. Day Of The Lords makes me want to delete over 3,500 albums and just put that song on repeat. It's that good.

RVCA · 05-27-2010, 12:36 AM

The Smiths, simply because Morrissey was a huge influence on my favorite modern lyricist, Jesse Lacey.

TheCunningStunt · 05-27-2010, 12:39 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RVCA

The Smiths, simply because Morrissey was a huge influence on my favorite modern lyricist, Jesse Lacey.

Is that the only reason?

Seltzer · 05-27-2010, 08:03 AM

As much as I like Joy Division (and rt's description of them as "dealing in industrial misery"), the Smiths are my favourite band so it's obvious where my loyalties lie. I'm not going to present any great exposition on them as I feel it would degenerate into sheer fanboyism. So I'll simply say that they've played a massive part in my life in the last few years, I still obsessively listen to them, and to this day I'm stunned that fate could bring together four musicians so fantastic and give them such chemistry. Oh, and Andy Rourke is my bassist idol.

It's clips like this that make you realise the Smiths were one of a kind. They did their own thing and I love them for it.

RVCA · 05-27-2010, 12:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TheCunningStunt

Is that the only reason?

No, of course not. I find Morrissey's voice a lot more pleasing than Curtis'. Also, though I dig the lyrics on most Joy Division songs, I find that listening to the instrumental side of their music is almost a chore. It's really boring.

I've been corrupted by Modern (00's onward) music

Bulldog · 05-27-2010, 12:09 PM

I like the Smiths, but I virtually never listen to them these days. Same with Joy Division, although they do get a little more airtime with me. If I could only have one song on my iTunes though it'd be Dead Souls, so Joy Division win for me.

Texas Boy · 05-22-2018, 04:41 AM

Like both bands, but not a big fan.
I have to give a nod to Division.

~~Cuthbert~~ · 05-25-2018, 05:37 AM

Joy Division by a long way.

~~MicShazam~~ · 05-25-2018, 06:24 AM

Not a fan of either, but I'd listen to the whole Smiths discography before I'd go through one Joy Division album.

Batman · 07-05-2018, 05:38 PM

JD had that hollow, deprived, cold and disaffected sound. Morrissey just whines over awesome reverbrrant electric folk cuz he doesn't sleep with anybody. That said they both wrote great songs about alienation and loneliness but their sounds were so different (despite JD being a major predecessor) that hailing one band over the other seems silly.

For participations sake (and this wasn't easy), I think I like JD more.

05-26-2010, 07:24 PM	#11 (permalink)
jackhammer Ba and Be. Join Date: May 2007 Location: This Is England Posts: 17,331	I like The Smiths and the lyrics are so bittersweet yet their music doesn't come close to the feelings I get when I listen to JD. JD are one of the few bands that take me somewhere else with their music. I'm not quite sure where but it's a place that's their own and that's all that I can ask for. Day Of The Lords makes me want to delete over 3,500 albums and just put that song on repeat. It's that good. __________________ It be my music and film collection. “A cynic by experience, a romantic by inclination and now a hero by necessity.”

05-27-2010, 08:03 AM	#14 (permalink)
Seltzer Fish in the percolator! Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Hobbit Land NZ Posts: 2,870	As much as I like Joy Division (and rt's description of them as "dealing in industrial misery"), the Smiths are my favourite band so it's obvious where my loyalties lie. I'm not going to present any great exposition on them as I feel it would degenerate into sheer fanboyism. So I'll simply say that they've played a massive part in my life in the last few years, I still obsessively listen to them, and to this day I'm stunned that fate could bring together four musicians so fantastic and give them such chemistry. Oh, and Andy Rourke is my bassist idol. It's clips like this that make you realise the Smiths were one of a kind. They did their own thing and I love them for it. __________________ In the Court of King Crimson \| Last.fm \| RYM

05-27-2010, 12:36 AM	#12 (permalink)
RVCA （￣ー￣） Join Date: Jul 2009 Posts: 3,270	The Smiths, simply because Morrissey was a huge influence on my favorite modern lyricist, Jesse Lacey.

05-27-2010, 12:09 PM	#16 (permalink)
Bulldog why bother? Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: UK Posts: 4,840	I like the Smiths, but I virtually never listen to them these days. Same with Joy Division, although they do get a little more airtime with me. If I could only have one song on my iTunes though it'd be Dead Souls, so Joy Division win for me.

05-22-2018, 04:41 AM	#17 (permalink)
Texas Boy Music Addict Join Date: Nov 2016 Posts: 187	Like both bands, but not a big fan. I have to give a nod to Division.

05-25-2018, 05:37 AM	#18 (permalink)
~~Cuthbert~~ Account Disabled Join Date: Nov 2012 Location: The Black Country Posts: 8,827	Joy Division by a long way.

05-25-2018, 06:24 AM	#19 (permalink)
~~MicShazam~~ Account Disabled Join Date: Aug 2015 Location: Aalborg Posts: 7,634	Not a fan of either, but I'd listen to the whole Smiths discography before I'd go through one Joy Division album.

07-05-2018, 05:38 PM	#20 (permalink)
Batman Whatever, dude Join Date: Feb 2012 Posts: 70	JD had that hollow, deprived, cold and disaffected sound. Morrissey just whines over awesome reverbrrant electric folk cuz he doesn't sleep with anybody. That said they both wrote great songs about alienation and loneliness but their sounds were so different (despite JD being a major predecessor) that hailing one band over the other seems silly. For participations sake (and this wasn't easy), I think I like JD more.