Oh, Joy Division!
You know I was never really into Joy Division (I know! Shocking!) but I always loved that cover of Unknown Pleasures. Back in those days when I had poser concern, I thought about trying to get more into them so I could pull of wearing that bad ass t-shirt. These custom New Balances designed by Dylan Adair just take it to the next level (via monoscope). The graph shows up on the tongue of the shoe, too.
I mean, it’s got everything. First it’s cool in that minimalist sort of way. Second it’s based on a graph of the first 100 pulses recorded from the CP 1919 pulsar. So it’s got that nerd factor going. So there it is, apparently according to me everything == minimalist + nerd factor. Sadly it seems that New Balance passed on the project after building the prototype.
September 4th, 2007 at 8:57 pm
There was also a New Order version in the works…alas, not to be either.
September 5th, 2007 at 6:48 am
Yeah, I read some hints about it in that post and some comments, but couldn’t dig up anything. Do you know if it got to the prototype stage?
September 5th, 2007 at 10:46 am
There is a van’s type shoe I saw in Urban Outfitters with Iron Maiden album covers on them. Word. I mean, rock.
September 5th, 2007 at 3:40 pm
You didn’t get it? I could see you steppin’ out in one o’ those with a badass 3-quarter sleeve concert shirt. Yeah!
September 5th, 2007 at 8:41 pm
Don’t make me bring the mullet back. DON’T MAKE ME DO IT!
September 20th, 2007 at 5:54 pm
As a long-time Joy Division fan I am glad these sneakers never made it passed the prototype. The fact that Ian Curtis’ edge of oblivion lyrics and music could inspire athletic wear of all things is quite surreal to me. What’s next, an “Unknown Pleasures” brand of condoms?
With the current troubles facing New Order (infighting between Peter Hook and the rest of the band) you are likely to hear more New Order material liscensed out commercially to pay for their legal bills… *sigh*
If you are interested by the way I have done a few posts recently on these topics. Thanks for your posting - I didn’t realise untl now that the shoes never made it past a prototype. Strangely enough, there would have been a niche market for them - I used to wear the t-shirt constantly, so the geek factor is definitely there!
September 20th, 2007 at 6:43 pm
Huh, I honestly was never much of a Joy Division/New Order fan - I just always liked that cover. So I don’t have that strong feelings about them selling out, it’s sad though that the selling out is only going to finance their legal troubles!
“Unknown Pleasures” condoms, though… I think you may have a future in marketing!! ;)
Been going through your posts, I don’t know anything about the origins of the feud, but it seems like a situation in which everyone loses - all the band members and their fans. That sucks.
October 6th, 2007 at 8:05 am
[...] here’s how this post was born. A bit ago I posted on some Joy Division shoes. Matthew R Walker posted an interesting comment that led me to his blog. Searched around for [...]