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Peter Hook Preps 'Unknown Pleasures' Gigs, Says New Order Reunion Possible

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Next month, as radio stations switch over to Christmas music, bassist Peter Hook will spread his own version of holiday cheer. Instead of 'Joy to the World,' he'll offer up some Joy Division, performing that band's classic 1979 debut album, 'Unknown Pleasures,' in cities across America.

As if this weren't gift enough, Hook is giving hope to fans that would like to see New Order -- the group that rose from the ashes of Joy Division following the 1980 suicide of singer Ian Curtis -- reform and revisit some of its seminal material.

"I'm a chancer, and I'd like to do New Order stuff, because I love it," Hook tells Spinner. "'Power Corruption and Lies,' 'Low-Life,' 'Movement' -- I think they're great records. Really, I think they deserve airing again. Why not?"

Well, for starters, there was New Order's messy 2007 break-up, not to mention the public war of words Hook and singer-guitarist Bernard Sumner have waged ever since. The former band mates haven't been shy about slagging each other in the press, and since the latter has been busy with Bad Lieutenant -- a group that also features New Order guitarist Phil Cunningham -- a reconciliation seems unlikely, to say the least.

"It's funny, in a way -- as a businessman, you'd have to say if the offer to reform New Order came along, you'd consider it," Hook says. "Emotionally, it's a completely different aspect. But I don't' know, these things happen all the time. I used to joke with Bernard before we split up about us having to split up soon so we could reform. Everyone else had reformed, and we'd never split up. In a funny way, maybe I should have kept my mouth shut."

"I know we've been offered a lot of money to reform, but it has not happened," Hook adds. "That's the great thing about life--you don't know what's coming around the corner. Everything surprises you. I never thought I'd get the response I have and get a whole new lease on life with ['Unknown Pleasures'], a record I wrote 30 years ago."

Find Peter Hook's 'Unknown Pleasures' tour dates here.

Listen to 'Disorder' off Joy Division's 'Unknown Pleasures'

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DUDE

Every time I see a headline about a reunion, a death, a breakup, etc etc. It's always a band that I or anyone I talk to has never heard of. I'm not an expert but, I'm pretty well educated on music but, I guess I don't know as much as I thought I did.

November 26 2010 at 3:51 AM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
1 reply to DUDE's comment
tradervic

If you don't know who New Order is, you must not have had MTV in the 80's. These right ups are mostly for the kids that were hanging out in the New wave and punk clubs and went to the under ground shows and listened to progressive stations and campus stations. You needed to turn off the top 40 station on your radio and get out more. If you weren't there, you missed the biggest underground scene since the 60's.

November 26 2010 at 4:55 AM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Mike

Who?

November 25 2010 at 9:59 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
1 reply to Mike's comment
Ronald McDouchebag

you're an idiot, Justin Bieber fan.

November 26 2010 at 12:52 AM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
LionWoods

Hook's not fooling anyone. He's not doing well on his own and NEEDS New Order to survive. And how the HECK does he plan on performing any Joy or N.O. material without either of those bands' singers?

November 25 2010 at 9:02 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Andrew

I am going to see Peter Hook on this tour but I am not sure what to expect. Will it be a night of self congratulation and ego stroking or an amazing experience? Either way I was too young to see Joy Division live, so this will be as close as I get.

November 22 2010 at 7:44 AM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply