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. 

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They will head to London tomorrow (Friday April 18) and Manchester on Saturday (19 April), with any remaining tickets being available here.

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Taking place on Monday, 31 March, at Stockport Plaza, the concert will feature performances from a mixture of Manchester icons, past and present. Special guests include Peter Hook, bassist of Joy Division and New Order, Clint Boon of Inspiral Carpets, and Andy Couzens, one of the founding members of the Stone Roses. The venue has a capacity of just over 1300 seats, and with only 163 tickets remaining at the time of writing, fans must act quickly to secure a place.

Founded in 1968 by Peter Tattersall, Strawberry Studios began life as a modest space above a shop in the centre of Stockport, lined with egg cartons as DIY soundproofing. Eric Stewart, then of The Mindbenders, quickly became involved in the project, naming the studio after his favourite Beatles song, ‘Strawberry Fields Forever’. The studio would be pivotal in the formation of 10cc, bringing together all of the founding members and becoming their home studio.

Tattersall shared his vision  for the studio in a Daily Mail article in 1968, telling the newspaper: “We hope to make the studios into another Memphis, a small place that has built up its own sound in America and is attracting artists away from the big studios in New York and Los Angeles.” Future 10cc member Graham Gouldman joined as an investor within months, and shared his wish for the Beatles to record there one day. Paul McCartney would use the studio to record the debut solo album for his brother, Mike McGear, in 1972.  

The ‘Strawberry Studios Forever’ event on Monday night will feature a variety of performers, including The Lottery Winners, who are set to perform The Smiths’ classics ‘Hand in Glove’ and ‘This Charming Man’. The evening will end with Peter Hook performing ‘Love Will Tear Us Apart’ by Joy Division, and ‘Ceremony’ by New Order.  

Along with the event, The Stockport Music Story has also issued a vinyl release, also named ‘Strawberry Studios Forever’. The 11-track record features covers of songs originally recorded at the studio, and has been mastered in nearby Bredbury by Jim Spencer, known for his work with Johnny Marr, The Charlatans, and Black Grape. Like the live show, it  features a mixture of established artists and emerging talents.

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 Reflecting on the legacy of the studio, The Stockport Music Story’s John Barratt, who organised the events, said: “The legacy of Strawberry Studios is so important not just locally but internationally. Peter Tattersall’s vision helped put Stockport on the global musical map, nurturing bands like Joy Division, New Order, and The Smiths.”

Fusing nostalgia, history, and emerging local artists, the event is a must-see for music fans in and around Stockport. It celebrates an often overlooked part of music history, though without it, the face of music today would be unrecognisable. Tickets for the event can be found here.

At a recent show at London’s Eventim Apollo, Hook invited a very special guest to join him in an exclusive performance. Damon Albarn, frontman of iconic Britpop band Blur and virtual band Gorillaz, joined Hook on stage to perform Gorillaz tune “Aries”. The song, which featured Hook, was released in 2020 as the third single from the album Song Machine, Season One: Strange Timez.

“Not long ago, I was honoured to be asked by a wonderful, very kind gentleman if I’d play with him,” Hook told the crowd on Saturday evening (October 14). “And this track is what we did, innit, Damon?”

According to setlist.fm, the performance marked the first time Hook and Albarn have played “Aries” in front of a live audience, and saw Albarn take on guitar and vocal duties for the special appearance. It’s safe to say fans were not disappointed by the iconic collaboration.

A few pictures of @peterhook last night at the @EventimApollo. Fantastic night, almost 3 hours of pure joy. Really enjoyed the support from @RebelskiMusic. Damon Albarn also made an appearance. pic.twitter.com/nbNTFda319

— britpop4ever (@DavidW010512) October 15, 2023

So tonight I saw @peterhook and The Light (with a surprise guest appearance from Damon Albarn!!!).
I was at the barrier and I could not stop smiling. Just non stop euphoria! The crowd were fantastic pic.twitter.com/9b7ir3Asd7

— Will (@WilliamD1123) October 14, 2023

Great to see @peterhook last night at the Apollo, best of both worlds Joy Division New Order

And to top it off Damon Albarn makes an appearance aswell, I’ve had worse Saturdays pic.twitter.com/JaJI7KFtoz

— Alex Murphy (@AlexMurphy_92) October 15, 2023

Hook’s show at the Eventim Apollo last weekend marked his final UK performance of 2023, however, starting on November 13th, his solo project Peter Hook & The Light will continue to tour Europe. The solo project of the legendary British bassist will also return to touring the UK in 2024. You can find tickets to the remaining dates of the tour here.

As for Damon Albarn, the singer has been on the road with his band Blur during the summer, promoting the release of the quartet’s latest studio album The Ballad Of Darren, which dropped on July 21st. The tour included two monumental shows at London’s Wembley Stadium, as well as an intimate show in Hammersmith where the band debuted songs from the new LP alongside fan favourites such as “The Universal”.

Joy Division bassist and New Order co-founder Peter Hook was present, helping cut the ribbon by the new mural. Created by street-artist Akse, the work is based on a 1979 photo taken at The Factory/Russell Club in Manchester, right by Macclesfield bus station, by Kevin Cummins.

Peter Hook helps to cut the ribbon at the official unveiling of the Ian Curtis mural by @Akse_P19, taken from a Kevin Cummins photograph, in Macclesfield this afternoon. pic.twitter.com/Hz4Aq1eQTu

— Joy Division & New Order Pics (@JDNOPICS) March 26, 2022

Hook was obviously emotional about the whole thing. He said “I am actually very honoured to be here, and to do this, because to me it’s about time Ian came home …. I’m watching all the people going down the street and every single one of them is drawn to it. Some young kids walking down had no idea who [Curtis] was but now they do. Hopefully they’ll listen to the music and get the gist of what we were trying to do as kids.”  

The mural was funded by Cheshire East Council, a sign that Curtis’ home town is very proud of their own home-spun musical icon. Nick Mannion, who is chair of the economy and growth committee, said that “I am a huge fan of Joy Division – the cultural significance of the band and Ian stretches well beyond my home town of Macclesfield. This is such a proud moment, I’m feeling very emotional about it right now.“

If you’re interested in some other things artist Akse has been getting up to recently, he’s done murals for the likes of Captain Tom Moore (the WW2 veteran who raised money for the NHS in run-up to his hundredth birthday) and footballer Marcus Rashford as part of his portfolio.

As for Hook, he’s back in the limelight touring with his outfit Peter Hook and the Light. They’re due out on their ‘Joy Division: A Celebration’ tour next month with 12 dates lasting from April 7^th-30^th, an event where they’re expected to be playing both classic Joy Division albums in full, alongside some New Order material as well. And after that there’re some dates dotted around the UK and Ireland for July and November (as well as Europe and the USA for those of you this applies to). Tickets and full touring dates can be seen following this link.

UK dates begin exactly two weeks from tomorrow… Have you got your tickets?https://t.co/aRq5vk7N7r pic.twitter.com/kHxBrhnKA6 — Peter Hook (@peterhook) March 23, 2022

Big respect to those venues that don’t take a percentage of a band’s merch sales. This isn’t about The Charlatans, it’s about those bands who need merch income to survive. Some places take 25%
A quarter of the full selling price. Vinyl doesn’t even have that mark up to begin with

— Tim Burgess (@Tim_Burgess) December 9, 2021

Since posting about it last Thursday, Burgess has received a variety of responses. For example, The Leadmill (a music venue in Sheffield) expressed the importance of not taking cuts on band merchandise. Also, artists like Joy Division and New Order bassist Peter Hook supported the cause. Hook posted a lengthy Twitter post about how venue cuts have affected him and other bands, saying that some of the practices were even illegal, with venues often including VAT with the cut they get.

Some thoughts about venues charging a commission on sales of band merchandise… sometimes up to 25%. Well done @Tim_Burgess for starting this conversation. I have been battling this for many years now and fully support a change to this practise. pic.twitter.com/rMYZiPpjDW — Peter Hook (@peterhook) December 10, 2021

Despite much support, some venues have still defended their actions, with the Ulster Hall arguing that the rates are compatible “with industry standards”. Burgess again used Twitter to express his dissatisfaction with this response, arguing that “Musicians have an objection to the practice of venues taking 25% + VAT from gross sales of the band’s merch. To then defend this as ‘it’s in line with industry standards’ misses the point by at least a mile”.

Musicians have an objection to the practice of venues taking 25% + VAT from gross sales of the band’s merch. To then defend this as ‘it’s in line with industry standards’ misses the point by at least a mile https://t.co/iSEZ96yhAx

— Tim Burgess (@Tim_Burgess) December 11, 2021

Burgess’ concern for smaller artists has also crossed over into the world of streaming, with him supporting the work of Cardiff West Labour MP Kevin Brennan in trying to get the law changed, ensuring fairer cuts for artists and songwriters on streaming platforms. The musician said “Total love for the work that Kevin Brennan MP has been doing on behalf of musicians, bands and artists. It’s great to know there’s support in Parliament.”

Brennan is a musician in his own right, and Burgess invited him to be a guest in one of his notorious Twitter ‘Listening Parties’ (something started early in the pandemic last year, where Burgess and a guest(s) listen to an album made by the guest, who may give certain ‘behind-the-scenes’ insights along the way), playing Brennan’s album The Clown & The Cigarette Girl next Wednesday at 8 pm.

I will soon be hosting a #timstwitterlisteningparty for my solo album ‘The Clown & The Cigarette Girl’ which was recently released on Revolver Records. Please feel free to join me on Wednesday, December 15th at 8pm. #TimsListeningParty pic.twitter.com/dPdzKoCfTc — Kevin Brennan MP (@KevinBrennanMP) December 11, 2021

The charity gig held on 10th August 2021 supported and thanked the nation’s NHS workers who have worked hard during the COVID-19 pandemic. Within the middle of the concert, ticket-holders were treated to live redemptions of the three new collaborative songs. The ‘Clint Eastwood’ performers teamed up with rapper and singer Jelani Blackman on track ‘Meanwhile’, Alicia Harley on the song ‘De Ja Vu’ and finally the British hitmakers joined forces with multi-talented British artist AJ Tracy on brand new track ‘Jimmy Jimmy’

The group took to their Instagram to post photos of the event and their collaborative performances.

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The triumphant event boasted an impressive setlist of 32 songs, the band also shared the stage with various other special guests. Some of music’s most respected and popular artists joined the band to entertain and thank the audience of NHS staff and their families. The Cure’s frontman and pop culture figure Robert Smith joined the group to perform a version of ‘Strange Timez’, a track which Smith featured on from the group’s seventh studio album ‘Song Machine, Season One: Strange Timez’, the single was released on 9th September 2020.

Other artists who joined Gorillaz on The O2 stage included rapper Posdunos member of legendary hip-hop group De La Soul, Popcaan, Leee John, actress and singer Fatoumata Diawara, Happy Monday’s members Shaun Ryder and Rowetta, EARTHGANG, Little Simz, singer and DJ Sweetie Irie, Slowthai and Slaves who previously worked together with Gorillaz on track ‘Momentary Bliss’. The group were also joined by a member of another iconic and pioneering group within the dance and electro music genre, Peter Hook from New Order paired with the band in celebrating the healthcare key workers.

The charitable event marked the victorious return for Gorillaz, the group had not helmed a live performance since October 2018. The band have been a staple of the countries’ radio play since their first hit ‘Clint Eastwood‘ released on 5th March 2001. The single reached number four within the UK Singles charts and propelled the virtual band into popularity. The group was formed by Blur frontman Damon Albarn and Jamie Hewlett, the musician and artist who created the individualistic group which features a mix of animated and non-animated band members.

Damon has spoken to NME regarding the group’s new music, within the interview the musician also hinted that he has been discussing reuniting iconic Brit-pop band Blur, in which he started his musical career. In the interview Albarn revealed the virtual band’s new album’s sound, the singer also teased that the group’s new material will be a throwback to Gorillaz’s debut album ‘Gorillaz’ released in 2001. “Since then I’ve been working on carnival-themed music with Gorillaz with a lot of people from west London, We’re really going back to the spirit of the first record.”

Albarn continued to discuss the new album, whilst comparing the musical process to that taken whilst recording his second solo album ‘The Nearer The Fountain, the More Pure the stream Flows’. “It’s really exciting and we’ve been really enjoying it. It’s a nice kind of counter-balance to ‘The Nearer The Fountain…’, really. I’ve definitely needed a dose of something else after I finished that record. Steel pan drums and Casio MT-40s were always going to be a good cure.”

Although the group has completed both of their London O2 performances, Gorillaz has one more UK appearance this month at the Cornwall festival, Boardmasters, on 14th August 2021.  After their last UK appearance, the group is set to hit the road on their European tour which starts on 29th August 2021 in the Netherlands. UK fans may have missed the band’s August UK dates, but fans can get excited about the new tracks’ possible release with new material being performed live.

He explained that Be a Rebel was originally written for the last album, 2015’s Music Complete, but never made it on. Its new incarnation is a remix by Sumner himself, made during lockdown. Some fans have expressed disappointment that New Order’s long-awaited return only takes the form of an old album leftover being remixed, but nevertheless there is a buzz about it.

New Order rose like a phoenix from the ashes after the death of Ian Curtis and dissolution of Joy Division. After starting off in the shadow of their former band, New Order have managed to arguably surpass Joy Division in popularity.

Their first single Ceremony in 1981 used lyrics that Curtis had written a week before his death. This and their subsequent debut album, Movement, was fairly similar to the sound of Joy Division. Both Sumner and Hook seemed to be trying to emulate the dreariness of Curtis’ vocals and the lyrical content was equally dour.

It was after the band started spending time in New York City that they began to find their unique sound. The thriving underground club scene there in the early eighties was accompanied by the sounds of Chic, Sylvester and Afrika Bambaataa.

Sumner’s told Q magazine in 1991: ‘I literally saw the light when I was in New York with New Order and I went to this club… someone had spiked my drink with a tab of acid…and all of a sudden this electronic music – Giorgio Moroder, Afrika Bambaataa – made sense’. Sumner had seen the light, electronic dance music was the future.

From then on, New Order experimented more heavily with electronic equipment and synths, creating innovative dance tracks like Confusion and famously Blue Monday in 1983 that epitomise their fusion of post-punk and dance music. This movement from ‘dark gloomy gothic group‘ to ‘disco divas’ was described by Jon Savage as ‘incredible’. But the seeds may have been sown as early as the Joy Division days when Curtis used to bring Kraftwerk records to band rehearsals.

Blue Monday was New Order’s first big hit. That distinctive thumping dance beat from the drum machine and the video-game-like synths still get the crowds going. The iconic use of church organs gives the song a sense of reverence and Sumner’s vocals were by this time hitting the mark. This time there was no attempt to recreate Curtis’ voice because let’s face it, no one could.

With their 2015 release Complete Music, however, the band lost some of their early energy. Likewise, Be a Rebel is a pleasant listen, but ironically sounds more dated than their earlier output. Let’s hope the phoenix that is New Order will rise once again.

The Factory Records boardroom table is bound to be one of the most talked about pieces in the collection. The extravagant wooden structure was reported by label head Tony Wilson to cost £30,000 to make. In reality, it was only around £2,000. However, the strange and bombastic nature of the long wooden table came to symbolise the hedonistic nature of the label itself, with the fabled story of the Happy Mondays breaking it shortly after it was installed in the attic of the Princess Street HQ only adding to the table’s infamy.

Other significant items include Hook’s vinyl copy of the Durutti Column debut album. The album cover, designed as a ‘situationist prank’, had a sandpaper sleeve which would wreck the other albums in your collection. The members of Joy Division were paid by Tony Wilson to fold and glue together the album sleeves. A task which, according to Hook, made their fingers bleed. Some of the Manchester gig tickets that are going up for sale include Roxy Music at Belle Vue, Led Zeppelin at the Hard Rock Cafe and Iggy Pop and David Bowie at the Free Trade Hall. Hook is also selling his own ticket to the Sex Pistols 1977 gig at the Lower Free Trade Hall, the gig that prompted him to go out the next day and buy his first guitar.

Hook had a few things to say about the auction, and stated that the collection grew out of his hoarding nature and his desire to document Joy Division’s achievements. “I have always felt so proud of what we achieved and I wanted to document it. That’s been the driving force behind collecting all this stuff. It sounds corny but what I’m doing now is sharing the joy. It’s about everybody being able to have a piece of all this history.”

The auction takes place on March 2nd at 1 pm in Newton-Le-Willows.