The later 1981 recording of New Order’s debut single, with Gillian Gilbert in the lineup
Remastered audio on heavyweight 180-gram black vinyl; backed with “In a Lonely Place”
For fans of: Joy Division, The Cure, The Chameleons
Written during Joy Division’s final months, “Ceremony” became the point where one band’s ending met another’s beginning. Bernard Sumner’s vocal sits inside chiming guitars and Peter Hook’s unmistakable bass melody, while Stephen Morris gives the song its restless forward motion. It holds onto the gravity of Joy Division without closing off the possibility of something brighter.
This is the second recording, made with Gillian Gilbert and originally issued later in 1981 in the cream sleeve. “In a Lonely Place” occupies the reverse, slowing the pulse into something spacious and mournful. The two sides catch New Order before electronics became central to their sound.
New Arrival
