Ian Curtis wasn’t just a singer. He was the sound of a city finding its voice. Quiet lad from Stretford who got up on stage and changed music forever. Joy Division didn’t just play songs – they poured out raw feeling, fear, and hope in equal measure. Ian’s lyrics hit deep, his voice cut through the noise, and his struggles made him real. This is the story of a lad who burned bright, left too soon, but never really went away.
Ian Curtis and the fire behind Joy Division
Born in Stretford in July ’56, Ian Curtis helped shape the sound of a city. As the frontman of Joy Division, he brought something totally different. Leading Joy Division from ’76 until his tragic death in 1980, he gave us music that still cuts deep. With that low, haunting voice, jittery dance moves and raw lyrics, he helped shape at least one of the greatest albums to ever come out of this city. Unknown Pleasures was undoubtedly the album that sparked Manchester’s indie spirit.
The jerky movements on stage felt part-dance, part-struggle. Songs like She’s Lost Control and Love Will Tear Us Apart weren’t just hits. They were cries from the gut.
He gave everything. But behind that energy was a man dealing with epilepsy, depression and pressure that came too quickly. Gigs often ended in seizures, but he kept going. Ian wasn’t just a frontman. He was a force.
How Peter Hook remembers the real Ian
Peter Hook has always said Ian was the one who truly believed in what they were doing. While the rest of them doubted, Ian was full of conviction. “You’ve got to believe you’re great from the start,” Hook once said. “Out of all of us, Ian was the best at that.”
And when morale dipped, Ian was the one who’d lift the band back up. Hook remembers Ian being surprisingly upbeat at times, always the one geeing them up, even when his own health was falling apart.
But he wasn’t just serious and intense. “People forget how funny he could be,” Hook has said. “He was poetic, yeah, but he was one of the lads too.” He had a cheeky side, could have a proper laugh, and never played the tortured artist when the cameras weren’t rolling. He was just Ian. Complicated, talented, funny, and human.
The Star and Garter mural says what words can’t
You only have to walk down Fairfield Street to feel the weight of his legacy. Outside the Star and Garter, Akse’s giant mural of Ian Curtis stands tall, black and white, powerful as ever. It was first painted in the Northern Quarter in 2020 for World Mental Health Day, but when that version got painted over, the city kicked off.
Thanks to support from Headstock, Aitch’s team and Manchester City Council, the mural came back stronger in 2022 – this time in a place full of music history. It’s more than just a portrait. It’s a message. With the words “Creating Hope Through Action” etched beside it, the mural reminds us that Ian’s story is still relevant. Still powerful. Still needed.
It speaks for every Manc who’s ever struggled in silence. Every creative mind that feels too much. It says you’re not alone.
A legacy born from struggle and sound
Ian Curtis took his life on 18 May 1980, the night before Joy Division were set to tour America. He was only 23. It still hurts. But the legacy? Untouchable. His voice and vision went on to influence generations. Joy Division became one of the most important bands of all time.
Peter Hook still plays the songs, keeping Ian’s memory alive. One year, he performed every single Joy Division track, front to back. That wasn’t just for the fans. It was for Ian. For the mate he lost. The mate who gave everything.
The mural. The music. The memories. They all say the same thing: Ian Curtis is still here. Not just as a face on a wall or a name in a lyric. But as a reminder that our struggles matter. That hope matters. And that even the darkest songs can shine a light.
