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Peter Hook

Peter Hook (born 13 February 1956) is an English bass player, musician, singer, DJ, nightclub owner, record company boss and author. He is currently lead vocalist and bassist for Peter Hook and The Light. Hook was a co-founder of the post-punk band Joy Division along with Bernard Sumner in the mid-1970s. Following the death of lead singer Ian Curtis, the band reformed as New Order, and Hook played bass with them until his departure in 2007. The band have since reformed without Hook. He has also recorded an album with Revenge (One True Passion), two albums with Monaco (Music for Pleasure and Monaco) and one album with Freebass (It's A Beautiful Life) as bassist, keyboardist and lead vocalist. Early life

Born in Salford, Lancashire, to Irene Acton (1928–2000; since 1962 Irene Hook), and John Woodhead.[1] When he was the age of 3, in 1959, his parents divorced and he and his brothers were brought up by his maternal grandmother Alicia Acton (born Chapman; 1896–1968) until 1962, when his mother re-married Ernest W. Hook.[citation needed]. Like his band-mate Bernard Sumner, he took his stepfather's surname, although in contrast to his friend he kept it, even creating his nickname, "Hooky," from it. Because of his stepfather's work, he spent part of his childhood in Jamaica before returning to Salford.[2] [edit]Playing style

Hook has said that he developed his high bass lines when he started playing with Joy Division because the speaker that he used initially (bought from his former art teacher for £10) was so poor he had to play that high to be able to hear what he was doing, as Bernard Sumner's guitar was so loud.[3] With New Order's ever increasing use of sequenced synthesised bass, especially throughout most of 1989's Technique and 1993's Republic, Hook's bass playing became ever more melodic and rhythmic, often exploiting the higher notes on his basses. Hook also contributed backing vocals on numerous Joy Division songs in concert and sang co-lead with Ian Curtis on live versions of Joy Division's "Interzone." He sings lead on two New Order songs ("Dreams Never End" and "Doubts Even Here" from the 1981 debut album Movement). Other work

Peter Hook & The Light performing at the Paard van Troje in The Hague, Netherlands (28 May 2011). In 1984, Hook recorded the single "Telstar" with the band Ad Infinitum, which was composed of him and members of the Stockholm Monsters. In the late 1980s, Hook also worked as a producer for bands such as Inspiral Carpets and The Stone Roses. In 2003 he contributed bass to a number of tracks on Hybrid's album Morning Sci-Fi, including the single "True to Form". Hook also co-owned the Suite Sixteen recording studio formerly Cargo Studios which Hook purchased with Chris Hewitt in 1984. Cargo and Suite Sixteen in Kenion St Rochdale were major studios in the history of punk and post punk music. A blue plaque was unveiled on the Kenion St Music Building in Rochdale that used to house the studios in September 2009 and Peter Hook played a special concert in Rochdale on that day with Section 25 donating all proceeds to the Back Door Music Project,a Rochdale youth project for people interested in music. New Order have broken up more than once, and Hook has been involved with other projects. In 1995 he toured with The Durutti Column.[9] He has recorded one album with the band Revenge and two with Monaco (both as bassist, keyboardist and lead vocalist) with David Potts, the latter of which scored a club and alternative radio hit "What Do You Want From Me?" in 1997. Hook and Potts reformed Monaco on two occasions in 2007, with original drummer Paul Kehoe and Hook's son Jack completing the line up for two gigs at Manchester's Hard Rock Cafe in March and at the Ritz Theatre in October. On 4 May 2007, Hook announced on Xfm that he and New Order singer/guitarist Bernard Sumner were no longer working together, effectively spelling the end for the band; the band later denied disbanding.[10] He then played and recorded with a new band project called Freebass with bass players Mani (The Stone Roses) and Andy Rourke (ex-The Smiths). He also contributed to Perry Farrell's Satellite Party. His bass can be heard on "Wish Upon a Dogstar" and "Kinky". Inspired by Clint Boon of Inspiral Carpets, he started with the Return To New York nights in London. He contributed a distinctive bassline to Hybrid's 2003 single "True to Form", as well as another track from their Morning Sci-Fi album, "Higher Than a Skyscraper", playing on stage with them on a number of dates of their ensuing tour. In November 2008 Hook performed a selection of Joy Division and New Order songs in Paris, Brussels, Oss and Krefeld with Section 25. Hook is featured on "Dirty Thirty" and "Blunts & Robots", two tracks off of The Crystal Method's 2009 album Divided by Night. Hook recently compiled "The Hacienda Acid House Classics" following on from his original mix of "The Hacienda Classics" in 2006. In October 2009, Hook published his book on his time as co-owner of the Hacienda, How Not To Run A Club. Ironically, Hook then opened a new club and live venue in Manchester, FAC 251 – The Factory, in February 2010 singing lead vocals with his band, The Light. The club is situated in the old head offices of Factory Records in Manchester City Centre. On 18 May 2010, the 30th anniversary of Ian Curtis' death, The Light performed a set of Joy Division songs including every number off Unknown Pleasures. In 2010, Hook also recorded and released two EPs on American indie record label 24 Hour Service Station as Man Ray[11] with production partner and Freebass keyboardist Phil Murphy. The first, released in April and entitled "Summer 88",[12] revisited the staple sounds of the Hacienda nightclub, with the duo using a mixture of classic Roland synths and drum machines to simulate early Acid House vibes. "Tokyo Joe"[13] followed in December, blending Hook's trademark high range bass sound and old school punk inflected vocal chant with Murphy's classic synths, guitars and drum machines to produce an indie dance track reminiscent of classic New Order. The song was also used as the theme to FAC 251 – The Factory. In 2011, Peter Hook And The Light[14] released "1102 2011 EP", four versions of Joy Division songs, including the previously unrecorded "Pictures In My Mind." The EP takes its name from the palindromic recording date of 11 February 2011 at Blueprint Studio, Salford. Featured Happy Mondays' vocalist Rowetta sings versions of “Atmosphere”, “New Dawn Fades” and “Insight”. Hook sings “Pictures In My Mind”, an unfinished Joy Division track discovered on a demo recording unearthed by the band’s “bootleg society” from a rehearsal tape stolen in 1977, setting it between Warsaw and Unknown Pleasures. The effervescent and punk tinged tune was completed for this release, and was declared "a worthy addition to the Joy Division canon" by BBC 6Music DJ Mark Radcliffe. In 2012, Hook launched a brand new Masters Degree Program[15] in Music Industry Management and Promotion[16] at the University of Central Lancashire, due to start in October 2012. It provides an opportunity to study the music business at postgraduate level and to get real hands-on experience of working within the industry. Students will combine their academic studies with a placement in a commercial music industry institution working on real world projects. The course offers industrial experience which will involve working in the Factory 251 venue in Manchester, providing contact with significant industry figures connected with this culturally important company. Hook was awarded an honorary fellowship from the same institution on the 11th of July, 2012.[17] [edit]Personal life

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Peter Hook: Tragic Joy, Electrified Order

Read "Peter Hook: Tragic Joy, Electrified Order" reviewed by Nenad Georgievski


Joy Division existed for three and a half years before it reached its tragic end in 1980, but its musical legacy still resonates strongly today. Within that limited period, four young lads from Manchester changed the direction of music--first, by pioneering what is now called post-punk, and inspiring countless other artists along the way, most notably U2, The Cure, Interpol and Editors. Formed by bassist Peter Hook and guitarist Bernard Sumner after seeing the Sex Pistols play in Manchester in ...

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