Bernard Sumner biography
Bernard Sumner (born 4 January 1956), also known as Bernard Dickin, Bernard Dicken and Bernard Albrecht is an English singer-songwriter, guitarist, keyboard player and producer.
He is best known as a founding member of the bands Joy Division and New Order. He also recorded with Johnny Marr as Electronic and was the lead vocalist of the band Bad Lieutenant.
Surname
Sumner has used the surnames Dicken and Albrecht in the past and had always refused to explain why he has used different names. He has also been reluctant to discuss his family background. In 2007, it was revealed his mother had cerebral palsy, and that he had been adopted by his stepfather John Dickin. Sumner was his mother's maiden name, and is the name that appears on his birth certificate. The revelations about his past were made in a book about his life,
Bernard Sumner: Confusion: Joy Division, Electronic and New Order Versus the World by David Nolan, published in 2008 - on which Sumner co-operated.
Joy Division
Sumner was a founding member of Joy Division, a post-punk band formed in 1976. The band are widely considered one of the most influential bands of the era. Primarily known as the band's lead guitarist (his main guitars were a Gibson SG and a Shergold Custom Masquerader), Sumner also played keyboards for synth parts and made his first vocal appearance on record singing the chorus of "They Walked In Line" on the
Warsaw album. In May 1980, the band's vocalist Ian Curtis committed suicide.
New Order
Sumner and remaining bandmates Peter Hook and Stephen Morris started a new band named New Order, taking in Gillian Gilbert. Though Hook, Morris and Gilbert also contributed vocals on some early tracks, Sumner emerged as the band's permanent lead vocalist and lyricist.
Electronic
In 1989, Sumner joined up with former Smiths guitarist Johnny Marr to form Electronic. The Pet Shop Boys' Neil Tennant collaborated on a number of tracks on their debut eponymous album, providing vocals. Sumner was again lead vocalist and lyricist.
Bad Lieutenant
Bad Lieutenant included fellow New Order member Phil Cunningham and Jake Evans of Rambo & Leroy. Stephen Morris of New Order and Blur bassist Alex James also performed on the band's debut album but were not members of the band. Sumner provided vocals and lyrics.
On 2 July 2009, Bernard Sumner confirmed that single "Sink or Swim" would be released on 28 September 2009 and would be the first off their album Never Cry Another Tear. The single was hosted for free on the band's website prior to its physical release, it was followed by a digital bundle release with remixes of the song by Mark Reeder, James Bright and Teenagers.
Their debut LP, Never Cry Another Tear, was released in October 2009.
Other music
In 1981, Pauline Murray And The Invisible Girls released their last single
Searching For Heaven, whose main song featured Sumner on guitar, although he was not credited in the sleeves of its 7" and 10" edition at the time.
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