Crystal (song)
Encyclopedia
"Crystal" is a song by the English rock
band New Order
, released as the first single from their seventh album Get Ready
. The song entered the UK charts at number 8.
Backing vocals for the track are provided by Dawn Zee, who regularly tours with the band.
New Order performs this song live a semitone higher than the recording.
The song is notable for a remix contest in which there were thousands of entries around the world.
The music video featured a drum set with the words "The Killers" on it, which was the inspiration for the name of the American rock band The Killers.
originally gifted the song to German record label Mastermind for Success and it was recorded by label artist Corvin Dalek. However, DJ Pete Tong
heard the song and declared it to be the best New Order single since "Blue Monday
", leading Sumner to reconsider the gift and have New Order record and release it.
A version of the single was also released in Japan to promote the release of the New Order DVD 316, and has a different cover that resembles the 316 cover. B-sides for the single were 4 live audio tracks taken from the DVD.
The single was B-side
d by a variety of remixes, and an original song titled "Behind Closed Doors".
(otherwise known as Stakka Bo
) does not feature New Order; instead, it depicts a younger band miming to New Order's music and words. At the end, a large number of people come on stage to pull them off-stage.
The fictional band is named "The Killers" (the name appears on the bass drum in the video). This name later inspired a real band of the same name, who lifted a number of elements of the layout of the set in the "Crystal" video for their own video "Somebody Told Me
". In 2005, at Scotland's T in the Park
festival, New Order performed the song with The Killers' frontman Brandon Flowers
singing the main vocals in a guest performance.
The DVD single
contains an alternate video, set to the "Special Circumstances Mix" of the song, and directed by Gina Birch
and Simon Tyszko. It depicts a motorcycle ride through city streets at night, viewed through two side-by-side shots.
The cover art for the CD and DVD shows model Nicolette Krebitz
removing her trousers.
Rock music
Rock music is a genre of popular music that developed during and after the 1960s, particularly in the United Kingdom and the United States. It has its roots in 1940s and 1950s rock and roll, itself heavily influenced by rhythm and blues and country music...
band New Order
New Order
New Order are an English rock band formed in 1980 by Bernard Sumner , Peter Hook and Stephen Morris...
, released as the first single from their seventh album Get Ready
Get Ready (New Order album)
Get Ready is the seventh studio album by the English rock band New Order. Released in August 2001 by London Records, this was the group's first album in eight years, following 1993's Republic....
. The song entered the UK charts at number 8.
Backing vocals for the track are provided by Dawn Zee, who regularly tours with the band.
New Order performs this song live a semitone higher than the recording.
The song is notable for a remix contest in which there were thousands of entries around the world.
The music video featured a drum set with the words "The Killers" on it, which was the inspiration for the name of the American rock band The Killers.
Release
Singer/guitarist Bernard SumnerBernard Sumner
Bernard Sumner , also known as Bernard Dickin, Bernard Dicken and Bernard Albrecht is an English singer-songwriter, guitarist, keyboard player and producer....
originally gifted the song to German record label Mastermind for Success and it was recorded by label artist Corvin Dalek. However, DJ Pete Tong
Pete Tong
Peter "Pete" Tong is an English DJ who works for BBC Radio 1. He is known worldwide by fans of electronic music for hosting programmes such as Essential Mix and Essential Selection on the radio service, which can be heard through Internet radio streams, for his record label FFRR Records, and for...
heard the song and declared it to be the best New Order single since "Blue Monday
Blue Monday (New Order song)
"Blue Monday" is a single released in 1983 by British band New Order, and later remixed in 1988 and 1995. The song has been widely remixed and covered since its original release, and became a popular anthem in the dance club scene.-Background:...
", leading Sumner to reconsider the gift and have New Order record and release it.
A version of the single was also released in Japan to promote the release of the New Order DVD 316, and has a different cover that resembles the 316 cover. B-sides for the single were 4 live audio tracks taken from the DVD.
The single was B-side
A-side and B-side
A-side and B-side originally referred to the two sides of gramophone records on which singles were released beginning in the 1950s. The terms have come to refer to the types of song conventionally placed on each side of the record, with the A-side being the featured song , while the B-side, or...
d by a variety of remixes, and an original song titled "Behind Closed Doors".
Marketing
The video, directed by Johan RenckJohan Renck
Bo Johan Renck is a Swedish director of music videos, TV and film. He is an occasional recording artist using the moniker Stakka Bo.-Music videos:...
(otherwise known as Stakka Bo
Johan Renck
Bo Johan Renck is a Swedish director of music videos, TV and film. He is an occasional recording artist using the moniker Stakka Bo.-Music videos:...
) does not feature New Order; instead, it depicts a younger band miming to New Order's music and words. At the end, a large number of people come on stage to pull them off-stage.
The fictional band is named "The Killers" (the name appears on the bass drum in the video). This name later inspired a real band of the same name, who lifted a number of elements of the layout of the set in the "Crystal" video for their own video "Somebody Told Me
Somebody Told Me
"Somebody Told Me" is the debut single by American rock band The Killers. The song is featured on the group's debut album Hot Fuss and was written by Dave Keuning, Ronnie Vannucci Jr., Mark Stoermer and Brandon Flowers....
". In 2005, at Scotland's T in the Park
T in the Park
T in the Park is a major British music festival that has been held annually since 1994. It is named after its main sponsor, the brewing company Tennents. It was originally held at Strathclyde Park, Lanarkshire but since 1997 has been held at a disused airfield in Balado, Kinross-shire...
festival, New Order performed the song with The Killers' frontman Brandon Flowers
Brandon Flowers
Brandon Richard Flowers is an American musician, best known as the frontman of the Las Vegas-based rock band The Killers. He has also released a solo album titled Flamingo.-Early life:...
singing the main vocals in a guest performance.
The DVD single
DVD single
A DVD single is a music single in the form of a DVD. The format was introduced in the late 1990s/early 2000s as a replacement for the VHS single...
contains an alternate video, set to the "Special Circumstances Mix" of the song, and directed by Gina Birch
Gina Birch
Gina Birch is an English musician and film-maker, probably best known as a founding member of The Raincoats.Born in Nottingham where she attended Nottingham High School for Girls, Birch formed The Hangovers and released an album, Slow Dirty Tears, in 1998. In 2002 and 2007 she performed live at...
and Simon Tyszko. It depicts a motorcycle ride through city streets at night, viewed through two side-by-side shots.
The cover art for the CD and DVD shows model Nicolette Krebitz
Nicolette Krebitz
Nicolette Krebitz is a director, actress, model and singer. She is often credited as "Coco" in her creative works.-Life and work:Nicolette Krebitz made her film debut at age eleven...
removing her trousers.
UK CD1 - NUOCD8
- "Crystal" (radio edit) – 4:19
- "Behind Closed Doors" – 5:24
- "Crystal" (DigweedJohn DigweedJohn Digweed is an English DJ, record producer and acclaimed actor.-Biography:John Digweed began DJing around age 4...
& Muir 'BedrockBedrock Recordsthumb|200px|Bedrock RecordsBedrock Records is an English record label for trance, house and techno started by Nick Muir and John Digweed.Its name comes from a nightclub in London that is also called Bedrock. Bedrock Records has released many singles from artists such as Astro & Glyde, Brancaccio &...
' Mix Edit) – 10:06
UK CD2 - NUCDP8
- "Crystal" (Digweed & Muir 'Bedrock' Radio Edit) – 4:16
- "Crystal" (Lee Coombs Remix) – 8:44
- "Crystal" (John Creamer & Stephane K Main Remix Edit) – 6:39
UK DVD - NUDVD8
- "Crystal" [video] – 5:19
- "Behind Closed Doors" – 5:24
- "Temptation" [video] – 0:30
- "Isolation" [video] – 0:30
- "True Faith" [video] – 0:30
Japan CD single - WPCR-10985
- "Crystal"
- "True Faith" (Live, Reading Festival 1998)
- "Temptation" (Live, Reading Festival 1998)
- "Atmosphere" (Live, Reading Festival 1998)
- "Isolation" (Live, Reading Festival 1998)
US CD single
- "Crystal" (radio edit) – 4:19
- "Crystal" (Digweed & Muir Bedrock Radio Edit) – 4:16
- "Crystal" (Digweed & Muir Bedrock Mix) – 12:52
- "Crystal" (Digweed & Muir Bedrock Dub) – 10:33
- "Crystal" (Lee Coombs Remix) – 8:44
- "Crystal" (Lee Coombs Dub) – 7:04
- "Crystal" (John Creamer & Stephane K Main Remix) – 3:22
- "Crystal" (Creamer K Main Mix) – 11:25
- "Behind Closed Doors" – 5:24
- Numerous "Crystal" 12" records have been released, each featuring differing remixes.
Chart positions
| Chart (2001) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| UK Singles Chart UK Singles Chart The UK Singles Chart is compiled by The Official Charts Company on behalf of the British record-industry. The full chart contains the top selling 200 singles in the United Kingdom based upon combined record sales and download numbers, though some media outlets only list the Top 40 or the Top 75 ... |
8 |
| Irish Singles Chart Irish Singles Chart The Irish Singles Chart is Ireland's music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by the Irish Recorded Music Association and compiled on behalf of the IRMA by Chart-Track. Chart rankings are based on sales, which are compiled through over-the-counter retail data captured... |
24 |
| U.S. Billboard Hot Dance Club Play | 1 |
| U.S. Billboard Hot Dance Singles Sales Hot Dance Singles Sales Hot Dance Singles Sales is a chart released weekly by Billboard magazine in the United States, established in 1985. It measures the sale of commercially released singles that deal with dance music and remixes... |
3 |
| U.S. Billboard Hot Singles Sales | 19 |
| Australia ARIA Singles Chart ARIA Charts The ARIA charts are the main Australian music sales charts, issued weekly by the Australian Recording Industry Association. The charts are a record of the highest selling singles and albums in various genres in Australia. ARIA commenced compiling its own charts in-house from the week ending 26 June... |
53 |
| German Media Control Media Control Charts The official music charts in Germany are gathered and published by the company Media Control GfK International on behalf of Bundesverband Musikindustrie... Singles Chart |
39 |