An Ideal for Living

EP by Joy Division

Released

3 June 1978

Recorded

14 December 1977

Studio

Pennine Sound Studio, Oldham, England

Genre

Punk rock

Length

12:47

Label

Enigma
Anonymous

Producer

Joy Division

Joy Division chronology

An Ideal for Living
(1978)

Unknown Pleasures
(1979)

Alternative cover

12" cover

Professional ratings
Review scores
Source	Rating
AllMusic
Melody Maker	favourable

An Ideal for Living is the debut EP by English post-punk band Joy Division. It was released in 1978 by the band's own label Enigma, shortly after changing their name from Warsaw.

All tracks were recorded at the Pennine Sound Studios, Oldham, on 14 December 1977.

The release reflects the band's early punk influences, as opposed to the post-punk style the band would later develop.

The cover has a black-and-white picture of a blonde Hitler Youth member beating a drum, which was drawn by guitarist Bernard Sumner (called "Bernard Albrecht" on the poster sleeve), and the words "Joy! Division" printed in a blackletter font. The cover design, coupled with the nature of the band's name, fuelled controversy over whether the band had Nazi sympathies. When the EP was re-released on 12 inch vinyl the original cover was replaced by artwork featuring scaffolding.

A 7" version of An Ideal for Living was released in June on the band's own Enigma Records label (not to be confused with the American record label of the same name) which was sold out by September and subsequently followed by a 12" version on 10 October on the band's own Anonymous Records label. This was very much a home-brewed affair, with the band members and their friends stuffing the records into their sleeves.

All tracks were re-released on the 1988 singles compilation Substance.

A remastered version of the EP was reissued by Rhino Entertainment to coincide with Record Store Day 2014.

The EP inspired the Manic Street Preachers' single "A Design For Life".

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Wikipedia