[tweetmeme]Belgian-born journalist and music promoter Annik Honoré — girlfriend of Joy Division’s Ian Curtis at the time of his death, the alleged inspiration for “Love Will Tear Us Apart” and the co-founder of the Les Disques du Crépuscule and Factory Benelux labels — died this week at the age of 56, according to press reports and associates.
Le Soir, a Belgian newspaper, reported that Honoré died Thursday “following a serious illness.”
Last night, Joy Division bassist Peter Hook performed in Nottingham, England, and dedicated show-opener “Atmosphere” to Honoré. He tweeted: “Hope she’s sat up there with Ian. RIP.”
Very sad to hear the news today about Annik Honore – we’ll be playing Atmosphere tonight for her. Hope she’s sat up there with Ian. RIP. — Peter Hook (@peter_hook1) July 3, 2014
Honoré and Michel Duval promoted music at Brussels venue Plan K, where Joy Division was on the bill opening night. Honoré and Duval would go on to found independent label Les Disques du Crépuscule, which released records by Josef K, Cabaret Voltaire and Tuxedomoon, among others, and Factory offshoot Factory Benelux, which was operated by Les Disques du Crépuscule.
Although Honoré has been portrayed over the years as Curtis’s mistress — particularly by Curtis’s widow, Deborah Curtis, and in the biopic “Control” — she insisted in an 2010 interview that her relationship, while “a love story,” was “a completely pure and platonic relationship, very childish, very chaste.”
Honoré left the music business in the mid-’80s, reportedly going on to later work for the European Union.
Your star will forever shine on in our Twilight Annik. pic.twitter.com/TtrC8qjZR8 — DisquesduCrépuscule (@twilightdisques) July 3, 2014
