Deemed as one of the most influential dance recordings of all time, ‘Blue Monday’ marked a huge departure for New Order’s sound, eschewing the post-punk shadow of their days as Joy Division and embracing drum machines, synthesisers and sequencers to help usher in a new era of music production.
Produced by Dig!, the visual sees New Order’s Bernard Sumner, Gillian Gilbert, Stephen Morris and longtime bassist Peter Hook break down the production of the track, reflecting on how their use of modern technology and intuitive sequencing evolved their sound and subsequently created an international dancefloor hit.
Throughout the video, drummer Stephen Morris demonstrates how he programmed the distinctive kick drum rhythm of ‘Blue Monday’ on an original Oberheim DMX drum machine, while Bernard Sumner reflects on how his Joy Division bandmate’s love of Kraftwerk helped to push the band into a new direction when they reformed as New Order.
Watch the video in full below.
Find out more about the Oberheim DMX in our feature on the greatest drum machines of all time.
