Blackpool Social Club writer, Stephen Dunstan caught up with Peter Hook ahead of his upcoming gig in Lytham.
I wasn’t sure what to expect from interviewing Peter Hook, but I was pleasantly surprised. He was an extremely engaging interviewee, as I asked him about Manchester music, the Manchester club scene and even Manchester United, ahead of his visit next month to the Fylde coast.
For anyone coming to the Lowther Pavilion gig on 28th November, what can they expect from a Peter Hook & The Light Gig?
An honest, passionate rendition of the sound of Joy Division and New Order.
You will be playing Get Ready in full, as well as Joy Division and New Order hits. What is it about that album you want audiences to appreciate a quarter of a century on?
The band have done several tours playing one of the albums in full and some greatest hits. We aren’t pretending to be Joy Division or New Order, and can’t deliver that sound completely so it’s finding a way to play the material for audiences. Few people would have heard the Joy Division stuff live anyway and it’s a way to play to new audiences celebrating the records. We started with the Joy Division albums and worked through the New Order ones. Bobby Gillespie once said to me that he eventually preferred the less well known tracks on Screamadelica and I suppose I’ve stolen that gimmick. (Bobby Gillespie was a guest performer on Get Ready).
Have you ever played in Lytham before? What’s your take on the somewhat leftfield development of the town as a major festival player?
I’ve played in Lytham and St Annes several times over the years. I used to come up from Manchester as a teenager. We parked our scooters in Lytham St Annes, got drunk in Blackpool and then slept on the scooters overnight before heading home. As a 17 or 18 year old I saw my first UFO in Lytham St Annes, it was a black dot in the sky but my mate missed it. I’m hoping for more UFOs when I’m there in November!
I’m delighted that Lytham Festival has taken off. I spent a lot of time in my youth in both Blackpool and Lytham St Annes and I’m fond of both, they are lovely parts of Northern England. Although I haven’t played the festival, it almost happened one year but the dates didn’t work out. I’d be delighted to be asked again in the future.
As Blackpool Social Club, we also obviously also cover the resort. Have you done any particularly memorable gigs in the resort and do you have a favourite Blackpool venue, past or present?
New Order’s second gig was in a nightclub called Scamps which was opposite the Metropole Hotel. We were playing Homage and shared the bill with Section 25, they and particularly the late Larry Cassidy have always been underrated. There were several other gigs after that, and then we brought the Hacienda nights to the Blackpool super clubs around 2007. I recall Bez was a frequent attendee at those. I’ve always had a great affinity with the resort, even from my youth when I would visit in winter for the half price amusement arcades. My favourite Blackpool venue to socialise in rather than performing was always the Manchester Bar.
You’ve written books about your time in Joy Division and New Order and running The Hacienda. How do you find writing compared with performing and do you have plans to write more?
I find writing addictive, somehow it feels more real and significant to have your name on a book cover than a record. I would like to do more and I’m actually planning to write a fourth book after the current tour ‘How Not To Be A DJ’. This would be about the New Order court case and my side of events. Morrissey majored on a court case in his autobiography but there wasn’t much background on what had gone on beforehand. People think they understand what the New Order court case was about but they don’t know the fully story. It was a traumatic period for me, but it’s interesting to reflect back on. I plan to spend some time on a remote island and finish the book. It’s called ‘How Not To Be A DJ’ because that’s what I was doing to earn some money after New Order. I was actually DJ’ing in China when the New Order name was taken over. It’s also a nod to Clint Boon and Graeme Park from the Hacienda who were supportive in this.
I read a lot. I appreciate the fact that the books I’ve written have been relatively successful. It’s probably more clear why books about iconic bands like Joy Division and New Order are popular. But not many people have ever written about iconic clubs, which is perhaps a bit surprising, as they are very important culturally. [SD mentioned the former Leadmill venue in Sheffield which Pulp had namechecked in their recent tour] I’ve played The Leadmill several times. It was a great venue, a nice intermediate size. I was very sad to see it go, I thought a promoter might have stepped in to save it.
I watched 24 Hour Party People recently. I’ve seen it several times and it has always felt odd to me that you were played by Ralf Little. Have you watched the film and does it come across as authentic?
Yes I’ve watched the film and I enjoyed it. I didn’t think Ralf Little’s portrayal of me was realistic. I was a bit surprised about that as he worked on The Royle Family with my ex-wife Caroline Aherne, so I thought he might have got an inkling about me from her. I think it comes partly from the Director Michael Winterbottom. He assumed we had known what we were doing, and then when he found it was all a bit farcical he produced a film with inherently farcical overtones. Frank Cottrell-Boyce listened to the stories and the screenplay ran with three of those in one super story. There’s that moment where Howard Devoto comes on screen and says it wasn’t like that at all, which sums it all up. I thought it was a better film for it.
Control was the exact opposite. Anton Corbijn was very earnest about documenting the life of Ian Curtis in a serious fashion. From the two different perspective of the films the whole story is there in a sense.
Are you still involved in the Masters in music industry management you set up at the University of Lancashire? How does it rank in your own view of your many achievements?
Yes I am. I’ve just met the new intake of students. They get to work with Peter Hook and the Light as part of the modules. Lack of practical experience is something that has applied to many students, particularly early in the piece when many of the students were coming from China and Korea. The mentoring support remains important for students. I enjoy it and hope the students are inspired by the course. I think it’s important to give back. Pride obviously exists on many different levels. I’m most proud of my family above all. I have a 49 year career to date and I will be celebrating my 70th birthday on tour in Australia next year, the length of time I’ve been in the music industry also gives me pride but I am also proud of my part in the Masters course. I got involved in music because of the Sex Pistols and the ‘hope I
die before I get old’ ethos but thank f&@k I didn’t die young.
You’re famously a Manchester United fan, born in Broughton near their old training ground. How does it feel when the Stretford end adopt your songs in chants, and are you optimistic about this season?
I was actually born in Odsal, and lived in the shadow of Old Trafford. It probably sounds absurd, but I was parking people’s cars aged six on match days. At ten, I was getting into the games when they opened the gates before the end. Living in Alderley Edge, the footballers moved there and I came to know them very well, but I’m not as fanatical about it as I was. Having a season ticket and attending every game is a major commitment and the club has been mismanaged to a degree and I stopped going.
The ’Love Will Tear Us Apart’ being adapted as ‘Giggs Will Tear You Apart’ was a great honour to say the least. It’s even something of a compliment when Manchester City fans have adopted a version of it. I’ve also been involved in protest songs using New Order tunes during the protests against the ownership of the Glazer family. My life has been intertwined with Manchester United and even if I don’t get to games as much I very much want to see them back in their rightful place as one of the biggest clubs in England.
After the UK dates including Lytham this November, it’s probably no exaggeration to say you’re doing a world tour next year. What do you like most about being on the road and what’s the biggest challenge?
I like most that it’s massively enjoyable. The biggest challenge is the stamina required, but it’s obviously relative. There are people who have to work far harder than me, but I enjoy what I do and I’m lucky to do it. There were times when I didn’t enjoy it, but I enjoy it now and I kind of hope my ex-colleagues also enjoy it more these days. I enjoy the physicality of it, even if it’s not the guitar smashing stuff of my punk days.
Do you ever see yourself not touring?
Not now. I’ve had rotator cuff injuries in both arms at different times, and recently had to miss some dates but that’s hopefully all sorted now. I missed it whilst I wasn’t able to play, and I’ve been inspired by recently seeing both Bruce Springsteen and Neil Young in concert still delivering great performances.
As our time came to an end, I said to Peter I was looking forward to his upcoming gig. I might take him up on the offer of looking for UFOs around Lytham afterwards.
Peter Hook & The Light are playing at Lowther Pavilion, Lytham on Friday 28th November. Tickets are selling fast according to the venue. Get yours here before they sell out!
Cover Image Credit: Mark McNulty
