peter hook and the light unveil two new videos

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We've made our peace with Peter Hook touring in support of Joy Division albums, and documented his falling out with former Freebass bandmate Mani — who since apologized — but this might be taking this nostalgia trip a little too far.

Hooky has named his Joy Division cover band — it's now Peter Hook And The Light — and is releasing an EP of old and new material.

1102/2011 is due out May 9 in the UK, and it features "Atmosphere," "New Dawn Fades" and "Insight" with Rowetta (of the Happy Mondays) on vocals, plus a newly resurfaced Joy Division song "Pictures In My Mind" sung by Hook.

If you'd like to hear Hook's rationale for the EP and the new tune, you can listen to his recent BBC Radio 6 interview. Or you could get right to it and check out the videos just released for "Atmosphere" and "Pictures In My Mind."

Rowetta's up first:


(via slicingupeyeballs)

Mkay. "Pictures In My Mind" shows more of the punk side of Joy Division. As for where it came from, listenbeforeyoubuy notes "it was an unfinished Joy Division track that had been uncovered on a rehearsal tape that was stolen in 1977, and now it’s been finished and mastered with bassist Peter Hook taking the lead on the vocals."

Take it away, Pete:




Definitely the less uncomfortable of the two. Of course, Hook has every right to record whatever the hell he wants, and evidently he's taking this Joy Division victory lap to the next level.

It'll be interesting to see how Joy Division/New Order loyalists take to The Light. We'll have our first indication May 9.

peter hook to perform closer, milk ian curtis to the last drop

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Last year, Peter Hook began his Joy Division victory lap by performing Unknown Pleasures in its entirety — first at the legendary Hacienda and then on a club tour around the world. Now he has plans for Joy Division's other full-length, Closer.

As reported by the preeminent new wave blog, slicingupeyeballs, Hook and his band The Light — featuring his son Jack Bates on bass and vocals from Rowetta of the Happy Mondays — will perform Closer on May 18 at The Hacienda. The performance will be recorded and pressed to vinyl later in 2011.

Also to come from Hook and The Light is a 4-song EP of studio recordings of Joy Division tracks “Insight,” “New Dawn Fades,” “Atmosphere,” and the previously unreleased “Pictures In My Mind.”

Here's a taste of the Unknown Pleasures tour:




Before Hooky butchers Closer, here's what it's supposed to sound like:

"Isolation" live in Buckinghamshire 1980


"A Means To An End" live in France 1979


"Heart And Soul" live in Lancashire 1980


"Twenty Four Hours" live in France 1979



Try to RIP, Ian.

mani vs hooky and the stillbirth of freebass

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So much for that "supergroup". The ill conceived triple bass attack of Freebass — featuring Andy Rourke of The Smiths, Mani of The Stone Roses and Primal Scream, and of course Peter Hook of Joy Division and New Order — is DOA.

The group's debut, Its a Beautiful Life, is due for release in a couple weeks. Rourke had already quit the band and now Mani is going scorched earth, trashing the project and Hook on his twitter feed yesterday — as reported by NME.


Mani counted among the things visible from space the Great Wall of China and "Peter Hook's wallet stuffed with Ian Curtis' blood money." Ouch.

Hook has been making the rounds with "friends" performing Joy Division's Unknown Pleasures to the chagrin of many.




Contrast that to the real deal from 1979:




I think Mani's got a point. He added "I don’t feel the need to exploit my past glories. I exist in the here and the now." His here and now is returning to the Primal Scream fold, to which he said "I'm getting back with the 'real' players tomorrow, thank fuck. Can’t be doing with talentless nostalgia fuckwit whores."

Dang. Mani had one last bullet in the chamber for the truly awful Freebass album — "It's where it belongs mate… in the fucking bargain bin before it's even released."