There aren’t many musicians in the world who have a story like Peter Hook.
The legendary musician, famed for his signature high bass tones has been a founder in two of the world’s most important and innovative bands, changing the face of music not once, but twice.
His legacy is vast, formally beginning his career as the bassist for seminal outfit Joy Division, in which he was joined with Bernard Sumner, Stephen Morris and of course, the late and great Ian Curtis. In just two records Unknown Pleasures and Closer, the four young lads popularised the subgenre that would become post-punk, permanently etching their creative imprint on the rich sonic tapestry of modern sound.
Sadly Joy Division, on the brink of international success, were forced to disband in 1980 when tortured frontman Ian Curtis tragically committed suicide. Hook, alongside the two remaining members (and late-comer Gillian Morris), forged a path through the ashes with a new musical endeavour, the iconic New Order.
Taking the dark droning fuzz of post-punk, Hook and Co. fearlessly plunged headfirst into the unknown waters of electronic based music, spearheading the synthpop, dance and new wave movements of the 1980s.
Despite over a decade of rousing success, the New Order that once was is painstakingly no more, with Peter Hook permanently parting ways with the remaining members of the band in a rather hostile situation back in 2006.
Since then, Hooky the stubborn soldier he is, has continued creating music with bands like Revenge and Monaco, not to mention the occasional DJ set, and of course his current project, Peter Hook & The Light, a group that comprises of members from Monaco and his 25-year old son Jack on bass, no less. The Light have toured multiple times internationally, performing entire Joy Division and New Order albums to adoring fans.
“Before we split up, Bernard and Stephen [of New Order] were sort of boring in my opinion.”Hook & The Light making their way to Australia to perform New Order’s third and fourth records Low-Life and Brotherhood in their entirety, not to mention a warm-up set comprising solely of Joy Division tracks. We were lucky enough to squeeze in a quick chat with the charming 58-year old who was only too chuffed to give us his heated opinions of the current “pretend” New Order, the legacy and significance of both Ian Curtis and Joy Division, and the importance of touring New Order in 2015.
We caught Hooky in between tours, having just performed in the Americas, he’s been flat knacker writing his next autobiography, “I’m in the middle of doing the New Order book at the moment. I’m not allowed to go out and play ‘til I’ve finished that” he jibed.
The first book Hook penned focused on the Joy Division period, entitled Unknown Pleasures: Inside Joy Division, which told his story from birth up until Curtis’ terrible passing.
Sharing detail of the forthcoming print, he told us, “the Joy Division book detailed my life from birth to when Ian Died, and the New Order book takes over from there, it begins in 1980 and goes right the way through to when the band split up in 2006.”
These 26 years are unquestionably the most crazy days of Hook’s life, one would imagine it pretty difficult to word out such a tome, however he oozes optimism, “I’m not doing bad actually, it’s all written, I’m just doing the interminable rewrites which I’m sure you’re aware is a whole new kettle of fish. You write it, then you spending ages rewriting it.”
Chuckling, he quotes “As Lou Reed said ‘It’s not the writing of songs that does you in, it’s the rewriting’”
“I’m up to 1985 at the moment which is fantastic, it’s amazing really what a product New Order was of the ‘80s” coincidently, this is the year Low-Life was released, one of the records Hook is touring.
When posed with the question as to why he is currently performing Low-Life and Brotherhood, Hook’s jovial manner flicked like a switch into a serious tone, “my ambition is to play every song that I’ve ever written or recorded” switching back to his jokester charm “before I go off to join Ian in the great band in the sky, so I’m working through them chronologically.”
With the mention of New Order, the cap had most certainly exploded off the bottle; Hook spurting his harsh, honest thoughts on the current members of the band.
“Before we split up, Bernard and Stephen were sort of boring in my opinion in what they wanted to play and what they did play,” he said. “It was just the same set over and over again, it was a real laziness I felt and a real lack of appreciation for the early material.”
Continuing with his unabashed thoughts, he confessed “I just felt that we were really missing a trick and it just wasn’t very nice to ignore all that early material, it was very frustrating actually.”
Frustrated is certainly an adjective that Hook has shot when describing his emotion towards his previous band mates, however it appears this negative feeling does not exist with The Light, “This group, The Light, can play every New Order song, I’ve never in my whole career been able to play as many as songs as I do now.”
Flatly defending his current band whilst simultaneously accosting the former, he confirmed, “I’m not pretending to be New Order. Everybody who comes to see The Light knows it’s a celebration of the music. We’ve earned a great reputation over the years we’re not pretending to be something that we’re not.”
“Pretending to be something that we’re not” this quote felt rather loaded, and when poked, the Brit had no problem unloading his entire round of ammunition on his former outfit.
“They [New Order] play differently, they don’t sound like New Order because they aren’t New Order” he began firing “They’re pretending to be New Order, which I disagree with, I’ve mounted legal action against them for in my opinion stealing the name.”
“They chose to pretend and grab the name and to join in with this absurd pantomime that they call New Order. I just hope that the fans realise that they’re being ripped off.”
In Hook’s defence, his inflammatory comments warrant some merit. After the northern-Brit split from the band in 2006 he ascertained that the New Order name should no longer be used, as he as a main songwriter was no longer present, meaning New Order as “New Order” no longest existed.
“I’m never going to be able to say anything good about them because what of they did to me when they reformed, it was terrible and when the truth comes out I think people will be absolutely repulsed by it like myself.”
With the conversation reaching boiling point, attempts to cool the situation by drawing out a amiable sentiment of nostalgia were made, probing whether Hook missed playing with the remaining cast of New Order.
His response, which was given through infectious audible laughter, said it all, “I think I moved past that very quickly. I’ve never, ever in my career with The Light wished I was playing it with them, I’ve had a much better time playing with these boys.”
Internationally renown as an iconic bass player, Hook rarely took the centre stage position, with both Curtis and Sumner playing the roles of frontman. With The Light however, he is leading man, so just how comfortable is he singing New Order and Joy Division’s music?
“Going into New Order, because we’d written the songs together the shoes were a little smaller, a little more snug fitting shall we say, so it was a easier” he wryly said.
Straightening up, as if there were a ghost in the room, he then admitted, “Ian Curtis’ shoes were big shoes to fill, I was very, very worried. It took me a long time to settle into that role, it took me about six months before I could loosen up enough although I really enjoy it now.”
This is of course due to the brilliant, yet painfully melancholic lyrics Curtis crafted from his own spiralling state of consciousness.
Thankfully, Hook did not once dance around the topic of his deceased friend and collaborating partner. Coolly speaking of Curtis, he casually recounted, “I drove my daughter to school this morning and drove right passed Ian’s grave, in the crematorium, I drive passed it every day and I always doss me hat and say ‘hello’”.
From here, he spoke gracefully of Curtis and the cathartic nature of performing Joy Division’s music, “The singing of his lyrics is the enjoyable part because Ian was such a fantastic musician. He only ever wanted the group to be successful. Everything he did in his life since I met him was to make Joy Division successful, so I’m happy to do it.”
“To celebrate it is wonderful and to just go for it, I just want to give Joy Division to the world; it’s nice to be able carry on doing it” he warmly asserts.
Exuberance paramount, like it was the first time he’d performed Joy Division’s music, Hook passionately detailed what he enjoys playing live the most, “I love Closer as an album. We played it so little as Joy Division because of Ian’s death. It’s my standout favourite from start to finish.”
Burning with fervour, the multifaceted artist cast his memory back to Joy Division’s live sets, “every gig we did together as Joy Division – everyone was happy to be there. You were all focused on doing the same thing, you were all focused on going in the same direction.”
“Literally every gig you played and every song you played you were all going for it 100%, like a bloody chariot with four crazy horses dragging. We were all together and we were loving it and we were all doing it with the same amount of love and passion” before crashing back to reality, “and then occasionally Ian would be ill and we would all come down.”
[include_post id=”253209″]
Making comparisons between the two titanic bands, Hook provided contrast, “Joy Division were a very unique group because we were very balanced. The three music writers in my opinion were just as important as Ian and his lyrics and his vocal lines, we all worked together as a fantastic unit, each member bought something unique, it really was a wonderful set of ingredients.”
Departing from his bitter sentiment Hook spoke of New Order in a forlorn manner, “that changed when we got to New Order, it was a bit like a table with a wonky leg, you can put a beer mat under it, but the beer mat would always slip out from under it, wouldn’t it?” Before closing in what would be the most honest words of the conversation, “If anything, I think New Order always missed Ian Curtis.”
With Peter Hook & The Light hitting Aussie shores in February of this year, Hooky was only too thrilled to be returning to the Great Southern Land, “Australia really does hold a very warm place in my heart, we’ve had some fantastic times and now you know as an older “person” shall we say, I don’t have to deal with hangovers” he said, chuckling more like a goofy Dad than a rock star.
“It does give me more time to enjoy myself I do have to say, losing the piss part of my life was more of a drag than losing the hangover, but now I can get up in the morning and I can go around and enjoy it.”
Peter Hook may not have quelled all the demons that at times have shadowed his prolific musical career, however the man is if anything, a fighter, and is more than content with his position in the universe, “I have to say at this age, I’m very happy to be anywhere in the world.”
Peter Hook & The Light Tour Dates
Saturday 14th February 2015: Astor Theatre, Perth
Sunday 15th February 2015: The Gov, Adelaide
Wednesday 18th February 2015: Tivoli Theatre, Brisbane
Thursday 19th February 2015: Metro, Sydney
Saturday 21st February 2015: Corner Hotel, Melbourne
Sunday 22nd February 2015: Wrestpoint, Hobart
Wednesday 25th February 2015: Churchills, Christchurch
Thursday 26th February 2015: Bogeda, Wellington
Friday 27th February 2015: The Studio, Auckland
Tickets and info: www.metropolistouring.com
