Bernard Sumner
Bernard Sumner (born 4 January 1956) is an English musician. He is a founding member of the bands Joy Division, New Order, Electronic, and Bad Lieutenant. Sumner was an early force in several areas, including the post-punk, synth-pop, and techno music scenes, as well as their various related genres, and was an early influence on the Manchester music scene that presaged the Madchester movement of the late 1980s centred on Factory Records and The Haçienda club in Manchester.
Bernard Sumner
- Bernard Albrecht
- Bernard Dicken
- Barney
4 January 1956
Broughton, Salford, Lancashire, England
- Singer
- songwriter
- musician
- record producer
- Vocals
- guitar
- keyboards
- synthesiser
- melodica
1973–present
- Factory
- London
- Warner Bros.
- Parlophone
- Mute
- Triple Echo
He began his career playing guitar and keyboards for Joy Division. Following lead singer Ian Curtis's death, the remaining members of Joy Division formed New Order with Sumner taking on lead vocal duties. His complex electronic compositions became less guitar-driven and more focused on electronic keyboards, synthesizers, and programming throughout the 1980s and 1990s. He formed Electronic with Johnny Marr in the late 1980s as a creative outlet outside of New Order, which continued after New Order went on hiatus in 1993. New Order became active again from 1998 through 2006, after which he returned to a more traditional rock context with the band Bad Lieutenant. He continues to record and perform with the latest iteration of New Order, which reformed in 2011.
Early life[edit]
Sumner was born on 4 January 1956 in Broughton, Salford, Lancashire, England.[4][5]
Sumner was educated at Salford Grammar School, before joining the Manchester-based animation studio Stop Frame (later called Cosgrove Hall Films) as an animator, where he was credited as Bernard Dickin. He worked on Jamie and the Magic Torch.[6]
Personal life[edit]
Sumner married Sue Barlow on 28 October 1978; they had a son, James (born 1983), before divorcing in 1989. Sumner currently lives with his second wife, Sarah Dalton, and their three children, Dylan (born 1992), Tess (born 1994) and Finley (born 2003).[6]
Sumner was portrayed by John Simm in the 2002 film 24 Hour Party People and James Anthony Pearson in the 2007 film Control.