Last week we relayed the news that the Macclesfield home of Joy Division frontman Ian Curtis became available for purchase. Now, one of the late frontman’s fans is trying to raise enough money to buy the two-bedroom residence at 77 Barton St. with the intention to turn it into a museum for Curtis and his band.
The house was listed last week on UK property site Right Move, with an asking price of £115,000. At age 23, and on the eve of Joy Division’s US tour, Curtis hanged himself inside the apartment on May 18, 1980. In addition to being the home of Curtis’ widow Deborah and daughter Natalie after his death, it was also where he wrote many of the lyrics to Joy Division’s music. The location was used in the 2007 Anton Corbijn-directed film Control, and is known to attract Joy Division fans nearly 35 years after the singer’s death.
Joy Division fan Zak Davies created the Indiegogo campaign a few days ago, and is seeking to raise £150,000 — £115,000 for the home’s purchase, £30,000 for renovations, and £5,000 for legal fees.
“As important as every member of Joy Division was to the band, one member that made the difference was Ian Curtis,” Davies writes. “The troubled yet gifted singer and lead guitarist has impacted upon so many peoples lives. Recently his final home and the place where he spent his final moments has gone up for sale in Macclesfield and rather than it be taken by developers or sold for development, we feel a place with such cultural significance with such an important man attached deserves to be made into a museum and somewhere that Joy Division fans from around the world can come to pay respects and learn about Ian Curtis.”
Davies adds: “By donating you would help keep Joy Division and Ian Curtis alive through further generations and help provide somewhere for their millions of fans to meet and discover more.”
At press time, the campaign has raised more than £630. Here’s more from the Indiegogo page: