Republic (album)

Background

According to bassist Peter Hook, the band were forced to make the album in order to save The Haçienda, a Manchester club partially owned by the band that was losing a great deal of money. The band were also told that if they did not produce another album, Factory Records would go bankrupt and the band members, who had guaranteed loans for Factory and the club, would be ruined financially.

At the same time, Hook and Bernard Sumner were "at that point in the relationship where you hate each others' stinking guts," and the band members were "all off our heads on various things," which made for a stressful working environment. While Sumner was recording with Johnny Marr as Electronic, Hook, Stephen Morris and Gillian Gilbert wrote a whole instrumental New Order album that would be shelved at the request of Sumner when he returned. Disputes over the music and publishing rights created further acrimony that caused the band to break up, though they reunited in 1998 and recorded two more studio albums before Hook departed for good.

Hook later revealed that touring to support an album he "didn't like at all" appalled him. They used a new 16-track record for the backing which allowed them to play multiple guitars on the tape. Hook retrospectively analyzed: "we were turning into the sort of group we used to hate ... we were basically miming".{{cite book

Artwork

As with previous New Order releases, Republic's artwork was designed by Peter Saville and no text other than credits appears within the sleeve. Saville, who had relocated to California, depicted different aspects of the state—people relaxing on the beach while houses burn (a reference to frequent wildfires or the 1992 Los Angeles riots) and vast natural landscapes contrasting with the skyline of Los Angeles. Most of the images were taken from stock photo libraries to achieve a commercial look, and were heavily retouched. Several of these images have been used elsewhere, such as direct-mail campaigns, catalogues and adverts for businesses. Another interpretation of the album's artwork alludes to the Fall of Rome.

Track listing

Personnel

New Order

Musician credits for New Order are not listed in the liner notes of the album's personnel. Below are the instruments that the group typically plays.

• Bernard Sumner – vocals, guitars, synthesisers and programming
• Peter Hook – bass guitar
• Stephen Morris – drums, synthesisers and programming
• Gillian Gilbert – synthesisers, guitars and programming; vocal on "Avalanche"

Production

The original liner notes list the album's personnel as follows:

• Gillian Gilbert, Peter Hook, Stephen Morris, Bernard Sumner and Stephen Hague – writer
• New Order and Stephen Hague – producer
• Pascal Gabriel – pre-production ("Regret" and "Young Offender")
• Simon Gogerly, Mike 'Spike' Drake, Owen Morris and Richard Chappell – engineer
• Ben Findlay – assistant engineer
• Sam Hardaker – assistant engineer
• Audrey Riley – cello, string arrangements
• David Rhodes – additional guitar
• Andy Duncan – additional programming
• Dee Lewis – backing vocals
• Recorded and mixed at Real World and RAK
• Peter Saville – art direction (designed at Pentagram)

Charts

Weekly charts

Year-end charts

Certifications

References

References

1. Modell, Josh. (3 May 2005). "New Order: ''Waiting for the Sirens' Call''". [[The A.V. Club]].
2. Gross, Joe. (2004). "The New Rolling Stone Album Guide". [[Simon & Schuster]].
3. "New Order". [[Trouser Press]].
4. Gwillim, Keith. (16 September 2002). "New Order: Shot Right Through with a Bolt of Blue".
5. Molanphy, Chris. (31 October 2019). "The Lost and Lonely Edition". [[Slate (magazine).
6. Bush, John. "''Republic'' – New Order". [[AllMusic]].
7. Wolk, Douglas. (19 April 2005). "New Order: ''Republic''".
8. Romero, Michele. (14 May 1993). "''Republic''".
9. Hochman, Steve. (15 May 1993). "'Republic' a Bit Too Comfortable". [[Los Angeles Times]].
10. Fadele, Dele. (1 May 1993). "New Order – ''Republic''".
11. Kelly, Danny. (May 1993). "Animal".
12. White, Armond. (24 June 1993). "New Order: ''Republic''".
13. Harrison, Andrew. (May 1993). "World in Slow Motion".
14. Pattenden, Mike. (June 1993). "Getting Their House in Order".
15. "New Order | full Official Chart History | Official Charts Company". [[Official Charts Company]].
16. "New Order Online – A New Order / Joy Division Web Site".
17. (2017-04-12). "Backspin: Peter Hook on New Order's Later Years". Yahoo.
18. "New Order".
19. (22 May 1993). "European Top 100 Albums".
20. Pennanen, Timo. (2006). "Sisältää hitin – levyt ja esittäjät Suomen musiikkilistoilla vuodesta 1972". [[Otava (publisher).
21. "Le Détail des Albums de chaque Artiste".
22. link. [[Oricon]]
23. (18 December 1993). "The RPM Top 100 Albums of 1993".
24. (15 January 1994). "Top 100 Albums 1993".
25. Caulfield, Keith. (5 April 2006). "Ask Billboard: New Depeche Order Mode".