New Order have released a new ‘Blue Monday’-themed t-shirt in support of mental health charity CALM for the second year running.
2023 saw the band and designer Peter Saville come together to mark the January date known as Blue Monday, the most depressing day of the year.
For last year’s T-shirt, New Order and Saville created a t-shirt based on the design for the band’s 1983 track.
For 2024, a similar design has been used, but with the added text and ‘Blue Monday’ lyric: “How does it feel?”
The t-shirts are available to buy now here for £25, with £10 from each going to CALM (Campaign Against Living Miserably).
Yeah, it's great we're all chatting about supporting each other cause it's #BlueMonday. But let's not forget that depression doesn't care what day it is.
Don't wait for a certain day. Here's stuff you can do any day of the year to help someone struggling. https://t.co/AKjb4aNTJm
— CALM (@theCALMzone) January 15, 2024
Commenting on the limited edition t-shirt, New Order said: “Starting a conversation with somebody could be the most important conversation that person ever has. It could be life-changing. So with ‘how does it feel’ we felt, as CALM ambassadors, we had the perfect lyric and message to get out there on the 2024 edition of the CALM Blue Monday t-shirts that Peter Saville has so beautifully designed. And knowing that all the money raised will help make sure CALM are there for even more people who are struggling makes it even more powerful.”
Campaign Against Living Miserably CEO Simon Gunning added: “Blue Monday is a track that transcends generations and one I’ve always loved – with the opening line ‘How does it feel’ resonating with me and so many people. The track and the meaning behind perfectly aligns with the work we do at CALM to help shred the stigma of suicide and offering support to those struggling. Mental health affects us all and we know that one in five will have suicidal thoughts in their lifetime.
“We’re so proud to work with Peter Saville and New Order – the t-shirts are a brilliantly creative idea that will reach people with the clear message that no matter the day or how you’re feeling – help is there.”
Other charity t-shirts from New Order have included one to aid the people of Ukraine and a rework of Joy Division’s ‘Unknown Pleasures’ artwork to support the No Music On A Dead Planet organisation.
Back in 2022, Bernard Sumner and Stephen Morris of New Order appeared in Parliament to discuss mental health and suicide prevention on the 42nd anniversary of Joy Division frontman Ian Curtis’ death.
“Originally, we didn’t think he had a mental health problem – we thought he had a problem with epilepsy,” said Sumner. “His lyrics were a bit on the dark side, to put it mildly, but when Ian was with us on a day-to-day basis and in rehearsals, he was a good laugh.
“You look at a lot of photos of Ian at the time, and a lot of them are of him with his head in his hands. Those photos were taken in the two weeks before he died. Most of the rest of the time, he was fine.”
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