Peter Hook Relives the 'Passion' and 'Spirit' of Joy Division on US Tour

Posted on Nov 28th 2010 1:00PM by Kenneth Partridge
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Mark Metcalfe, Getty Images

The first song on Joy Division's 1979 debut, 'Unknown Pleasures,' ends with frontman Ian Curtis singing, "I've got the spirit but lose the feeling." Three decades after Curtis' suicide, band mate Peter Hook, the man whose restless bassline helped make that 'Disorder' coda such a disquieting listen, is holding fast to both the spirit and the feeling. Next month, he'll perform 'Unknown Pleasures' from top to bottom in nine cities across America, reprising a show he first conceived of in May, when he played a Curtis tribute concert in England, and has since brought to Australia, New Zealand, and numerous European countries.

Hook says he never intended to tour behind 'Pleasures,' and that there's only one reason he and backing band the Light have continued to play the post-punk classic.

"It's been the reaction -- the fact people have asked us to do it," Hook tells Spinner. "Maybe naively, I thought I'd just do the show at the Factory [in Manchester], and that would be it. But really, because of the depth of feeling for Joy Division, we've been so inundated with offers to play it, and I think it's a wonderful complement to all the members of Joy Division that people still love it and want to hear it played live. I think that's the interesting thing. It's captured the spirit of it, and the passion. That's the most important thing."

As with any such project, Hook has received his share of criticism, and some have accused him of cashing in on Curtis' memory. The bassist shrugs off such cynicism, insisting that he's approached 'Pleasures' -- an album that means a great deal to fans around the world -- with the purest of intentions.

"I think the old adage is you can't please all the people all the time," Hook says. "The thing is, there are a lot of detractors, but in your lifetime, you don't let people tell you what to do, right? You might go to your loved ones or people very close to you, and you may cite their opinions or advice, but some guy on the street isn't going to walk up to you and tell you what to do with your career. All these keyboard terrorists always want to rip you down and say, 'It's bad.'"

"What happens to me is when I look out when I'm onstage, and I see people sneering and waving their arms at you going, 'F--- off,' then I know I've made a mistake," he adds. "What happens is I go out every night and play these wonderful songs I'm very proud to have been a part of, and everyone loves it. Not one person has had the guts or whatever to say, 'You're slaughtering it. You're ruining Joy Division's reputation.' Everyone who comes to see us enjoys what we do. If I had a pound or a dollar for every person who's been in tears..."

Peter Hook 2010 Tour Dates

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