Former Joy Division member Bernard Sumner has shared his views on the proposal to turn late frontman Ian Curtis' UK home, where he committed suicide in 1980, into a band-related museum, noting "it's not really a place I'd want to go to."
A brief interview with the guitarist, who went on to lead New Order, had him explaining that he recently found out about the museum campaign in an email, and that he has mixed opinions on the idea of turning the Macclesfield residence into a tourist attraction.
"One part of me says it's a monument to Ian, and it would make a great museum," he told NME, before adding, "But the other part of me says it's a bit ghoulish, and a bit of a monument to suicide as well. I'm torn down the middle over it, really."
He added of whether or not the museum is a good idea: "It's not for me to judge whether that's right or wrong, because I'm too close to it. To me it's a place of sadness; it's not really a place I'd want to go to."
Sumner also noted that he doesn't think Curtis' wife Debbie or daughter Natalie are "very keen on the idea," and said they should have final say on the matter. "Obviously, they're closest to it, so we have to abide their wishes first."
The home, a two-bedroom terrace house situated within England's Cheshire, is currently listed at £115,000 ($220,374 Canadian). The campaign to buy the house and remodel it as a tribute to Curtis and Joy Division has raised £1,679 ($3,238 Canadian) so far, with the fundraiser closing March 30. You'll find more info over here.
A brief interview with the guitarist, who went on to lead New Order, had him explaining that he recently found out about the museum campaign in an email, and that he has mixed opinions on the idea of turning the Macclesfield residence into a tourist attraction.
"One part of me says it's a monument to Ian, and it would make a great museum," he told NME, before adding, "But the other part of me says it's a bit ghoulish, and a bit of a monument to suicide as well. I'm torn down the middle over it, really."
He added of whether or not the museum is a good idea: "It's not for me to judge whether that's right or wrong, because I'm too close to it. To me it's a place of sadness; it's not really a place I'd want to go to."
Sumner also noted that he doesn't think Curtis' wife Debbie or daughter Natalie are "very keen on the idea," and said they should have final say on the matter. "Obviously, they're closest to it, so we have to abide their wishes first."
The home, a two-bedroom terrace house situated within England's Cheshire, is currently listed at £115,000 ($220,374 Canadian). The campaign to buy the house and remodel it as a tribute to Curtis and Joy Division has raised £1,679 ($3,238 Canadian) so far, with the fundraiser closing March 30. You'll find more info over here.