Barney Sumner

Band Role : Guitarist

It's odd to think that one day Barney would become the frontman of New Order upon watching some old Joy Division footage. He appears so reserved, especially with Hooky being his opposite number on stage.

Barney and Hooky formed the band after the now infamous Sex Pistols gig at the Manchester Free Trade Hall in 1976. What started out as a piss around became something completely different after the introduction of Curtis and Morris.

He prefers to be called Bernard and one gets the impression that.Hooky calls him Barney deliberately to piss him off! Perhaps that was the cause of the temporary split of New Order in 1993? Who knows.

Bernard/Barney's signature guitar sound has been cloned, re-cloned and cloned again by numerous bands throughout the 80's, 90's and 00's. The biggest offenders are probably Interpol. But what can you do? Plagarism is the best form of flattery after all isn't it?

Things that you are least likely to hear Bernard say.

• Walk another 5 miles? Yeah, let's go.
• I'll pass on the pastie.
• Shaun Ryder and I are gay lovers.
• I remember most of the 80's.
• Most of my lyrics were not influenced by space demons.