BOOK: Bernard Sumner, Confusion – David Nolan

The death of Tony Wilson was even more of a jolt than it would otherwise have been as it occurred halfway through the reading of this book, in which he looms large. This is more than the story of the elusive Bernard Sumner. It encompasses much of the Manchester music scene over nearly two decades, such is the influence he has over it. And it’s this that the book really focuses on.

You learn much of the musical collaborations and much of the people around the bands Sumner has been involved in but precious little of the man’s life. Sure, it covers his early years and offers an insight into his background and school years, including the mystery of his real name, but much of his adult life outside of music is almost an afterthought. His two marriages are covered by a mere two sentences.

But for the music fan, this is a comprehensive dissection of the events surrounding the rise of Joy Division, the metamorphosis into New Order and the reluctant Sumner’s transformation into singer and frontman and his other musical collaborations. It also covers in detail the life of The Haçienda and how much of an impact this had on the musicians for whom it became one hell of a money pit.

The really interesting contributions in this book come from Sumner himself. Originally written without his input but with comments from Tony Wilson, Peter Hook and Johnny Marr among others, Sumner wasn’t interviewed for the book but subsequently read it and offered his version of situations or further insight into particular events, and these interjections are scattered throughout. As the author states in an explanation at the front of the book, this gives it an odd mix of the freedom of an unofficial biography and the seemingly censored directness of an official one.

Anyone wanting to learn more about the Manchester music scene in the Eighties and Nineties would do well to pick this up. Anyone wanting to learn more about Bernard Sumner the man may just as well go back to the music he’s made.         Julia Collins

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