Peter Hook has opened up about his grieving process for Joy Division front man Ian Curtis, whilst also stating the “animosity is obviously still there” with his former New Order bandmates.
The bassist was a co-founding member of Joy Division before the band regrouped as New Order following the tragic passing of Ian Curtis. Following eight albums, Factory Records and the Hacienda nightclub, Hook departed New Order in 2007 due to friction with his bandmates.
Now in a new interview with The i Paper The Mancunian bassist has told all; ranging from his thoughts on his former bandmates today, to how he dealt with the sudden passing of Ian Curtis.
Reminiscing about the first time New Order went their separate ways in 1993, Hooky states that he “hated every minute” and that “Tony [Wilson] and Rob [Gretton] got us together to do that album just to save Factory and the Hacienda.”
By 1993 Factory Records – the record label co-owned by New Order and Manchester music mogul Tony Wilson – was going bust… Factory’s famous Hacienda nightclub – the epicentre of acid house and the madchester scene – was struck by crisis after crisis whilst haemorrhaging money.
Speaking of their 1993 album ‘Republic’, Hook said: “We had to go through it even though we couldn’t f**king stick each other. We were all off our heads, which never makes anything better. Everything was awful.”
The band headlined Reading Festival that year, walked off stage, and didn’t speak to each other again for five years.
They reconciled in 2001 before eventually splitting again in 2007… or so Peter Hook thought. New Order got back together in 2011, without the bassist, which led to lawsuits and disputes.
It’s safe to say that Hooky is not the biggest fan of the new New Order, saying: “I don’t think they’re New Order. They don’t sound anything like them. I’ve watched them play songs [online] recently, and they’ve dropped the basslines and play it like some weird, bad cover of a New Order track.”
The same can’t be said for Peter Hook and The Light – his venture after splitting from his former group. They have received rave reviews for their recreation of the back catalogue of Joy Division and New Order at live shows.
“My gimmick is to make it as close to the record as it can be. I’ve never seen so many grown men cry in an auditorium as they did when we toured [Joy Division’s second album] Closer.” Hook said.
Hooky is not afraid to carry the torch for both Joy Division and New Order, and he shared heartfelt thoughts about Ian Curtis, sharing how Joy Division’s producer Martin Hannett “used to say we were three football fans and a genius.”
Speaking of Curtis’ death – the iconic frontman committed suicide in 1980 aged only 23 – Hook admitted “We didn’t grieve enough. I wish we’d have grieved him more. But we were allowed to sort of ignore it because we were so young.
“Literally, all we did was gather as a group in a pub and sit there. Then we just threw ourselves into New Order and sort of erased before.”
Peter Hook and The Light kick off a run of live shows tonight (Thursday April 17) in Bristol as they will play New Order’s 2001 album ‘Get Ready’ in its entirety.
They will head to London tomorrow (Friday April 18) and Manchester on Saturday (19 April), with any remaining tickets being available here.
