SMASHING PUMPKINS - CORGAN: 'JOY DIVISION WERE HEAVY METAL'

Former SMASHING PUMPKINS rocker BILLY CORGAN has bemused music fans by insisting new wave band JOY DIVISION were actually a heavy metal band.

Joy Division, who evolved into electro act NEW ORDER after the tragic death of frontman IAN CURTIS, have always been seen as an integral part of the British post-punk genre, but the DISARM star claims otherwise.

He protests, "People don't understand Joy Division were a heavy metal band.

"PETER HOOK (the bassist) told me they were basically trying to make a primitive version of BLACK SABBATH and LED ZEPPELIN, whereas today's brands just want to sound exactly like Joy Division without understanding the heaviness of them."