Old pop rivalries never die out. Especially if New Order's Peter Hook is involved.

The former bass player of Joy Division and New Order had a choice word for former Smiths singer Morrissey during a Q&A session for his book 'The Haçienda: How Not to Run a Club.'

He told the crowd at a book reading in Bristol, England, "There's no way I could have liked the Smiths as they were our competition. Morrissey's a t--- anyway! He makes Mark E. Smith look popular! He really does."

He also said, "What I do love about Mozzer though, is that any time anyone has any legal problem with him, the only person you can speak to about [it] is his mother! That's true. So if you have a problem you have to deal with Morrissey's mother. And the first thing she says is, 'Our Steven wouldn't do that!'"

Hook is on the promotional trail for his book, which tells of New Order's financing of the club which brought Madchester to the world -- but which nearly destroyed the band and parent label Factory Records in the process.

No comment from Morrissey's legal counsel -- or, indeed, his mum -- has so far been forthcoming.