Ian Curtis was born in Stretford, Manchester in 1956. He was a singer and lyricist best known for being a member of the band Joy Division. He joined the band shortly after it was formed by Bernard Sumner and Peter Hook in 1976.

Curtis recorded two albums, two EPs and five singles with Joy Division and toured extensively with the band between 1977 and 1980. During a 1978 tour with the band, Curtis began suffering seizures and was diagnosed with epilepsy in January 1979. The difficulty of managing the condition, in particular the effects of the prescription drugs used to control the seizures, impacted on Curtis’s ability to tour. His condition and its impact on his life is thought to have been a contributing factor to his death by suicide in 1980.

Curtis was married with a daughter at the time of his death.