Profile of Bernard Sumner on Famous Like Me

Bernard Sumner (born January 4, 1956 in Manchester, England) was the guitarist and keyboardist for Joy Division. After the May 1980 suicide of Joy Division's vocalist Ian Curtis, Sumner and remaining bandmates Peter Hook and Stephen Morris changed the name of the band to New Order, later taking in Gillian Gilbert. Though Hook, Morris and Gilbert also contributed vocals on some early tracks, Sumner emerged reluctantly as the band's permanent lead vocalist and lyricist.

In 1989, Sumner joined up with former Smiths guitarist Johnny Marr to form Electronic. He has also recorded tracks with fellow Mancunians 808 State and Sub Sub. Sumner appeared as a guest vocalist on The Chemical Brothers' 1999 album Surrender on the track "Out of Control".

During the late 1970s and early 1980s, Sumner was also sometimes credited under the names "Bernard Albrecht," "Bernard Dicken" and "Bernard Albrecht-Dicken." In interviews, he has repeatedly refused to comment on these name changes, calling it a family matter. Fans have reported that originally he used his mother's surname Sumner, but upon her marriage, they both took the name Dicken. Later he changed it to Albrecht--perhaps to play off Joy Division's frequent references to Nazi themes, or in reference to Albrecht Dürer--then back to Sumner. He is comically known to friends and fans as "Barney", a name that is known to annoy him greatly.

He was later portrayed by John Simm in the film 24 Hour Party People.

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