The Legacy of Peter Hook: Crafting Iconic Bass Lines with Joy Division and New Order
peter Hook’s bass lines are nothing short of legendary, echoing through the annals of music history with Joy Division, New Order, and monaco.His unique style often takes centre stage, serving as the melodic backbone of many unforgettable tracks.
As Guitar Player connects with Hook,affectionately known as Hooky,he and his son Jack Bates are gearing up for their North American tour with Peter Hook & the Light. After parting ways with New Order in 2007, Hooky established this band in 2010, focusing on delivering live renditions of Joy Division and New Order classics.
Despite the apparent rift between Hooky and his former New Order bandmates, he finds joy and fulfillment performing alongside Jack, who has made a name for himself as a touring bassist with the Smashing Pumpkins.
(Image credit: Mark Diggins)
“I still remember the day you took me to buy my first bass,” Jack reminisces, chuckling. “The shopkeeper offered a discount if you played some Joy Division on it.” That first instrument was a green Yamaha RBX, which Jack still cherishes.
“Whenever these kids ran forward to spit at Ian, I would bang the curl in their ear. I got seven in one night!”
– Peter Hook
Hooky’s Early Instruments: A Journey of revelation
To grasp Hooky’s bass philosophy,one must understand his early experiences with instruments. He began with what he affectionately calls “the £30 one” in 1976 - an Echo imitation of a Gibson SG, wrapped in bin bags by a Manchester music shop owner. The seller wanted an extra five pounds for a hard case, but Hooky opted to save that for bus fare home.
His subsequent instrument, a Hondo, was even worse – a Rickenbacker replica that literally fell apart during a performance. During one gig,as he struck an open E,the string jumped off the neck.
“It was such a terrible guitar,” he recalls. His stepfather even crafted a holder to keep the strings in place.
Though, that Hondo became iconic in hooky’s narrative, accompanying him during early Joy Division performances alongside Ian Curtis, bernard ”Barney” Sumner, and Stephen Morris.The band evolved from their previous project,Warsaw.
“I had the Hondo with a little curl on the top,” he explains. “Whenever those kids ran forward to spit at Ian, I would bang the curl in their ear. It did knock the guitar out of tune, which made Barney frown, but it was a price I paid to protect Ian.”
(Image credit: Courtesy Jack Bates)
The Yamaha BB1200S: A Game Changer
everything transformed when Hooky discovered the yamaha BB1200S. Over the years, he has owned ten of these instruments, retaining four. This model became his go-to, enabling him to perform tracks like “Blue Monday,” “Bizarre Love Triangle,” and “True Faith” with the tonal clarity he had long sought.
“The first Yamaha I owned, the 600, was stolen in America,” Hooky recalls with a smirk. It was 1980, during New Order’s inaugural U.S. tour. “Everything was taken. They broke into the van and drove off with it all. I went to Manny’s on 48th Street,a legendary music store that no longer exists,and bought a Yamaha 800. Producer Martin Hannett suggested I get an Alembic preamp, but I was never satisfied with the sound of the 800. Then I saw the 1200S and thought, ‘This is the one!’”
“If Mick Jagger had come to me and put a gun to my head and said, ’Play “Satisfaction,”‘ I would just have said, ‘pull the trigger, Mick.’”
– Peter Hook
Jack’s Journey: Following in His Father’s Footsteps
Jack began his musical journey on one of Hooky’s instruments before acquiring his own. Hooky recalls buying him a Flea bass years ago, which he humorously describes as “a terrible guitar.” “if I ever see that Flea, I’m going to give him a piece of my mind,” he quips, showcasing his signature Manchester humor.
Interestingly, Hooky admits he cannot tune or play by ear. “My mother used to say, ‘You couldn’t carry a tune in a bucket - and she wasn’t wrong,’” he laughs.”Barney would come over and say, ‘Yoru bass is out of tune,’ and I’d have to turn it around for him to tune it.”
When electronic tuners became available, Hooky bought two instantly. “I was free,” he says, and the relief in his voice is palpable. He has as crafted some of the most recognizable bass lines in rock history.
Jack, conversely, possesses a natural gift for music that Hooky admires. “He can pick up a riff by ear, which I can’t,” Hooky acknowledges. “So when I was fifth in line for the Rolling Stones in the early ’90s, if Mick Jagger had come to me and said, ‘Play “Satisfaction,”‘ I would have just said, ‘Pull the trigger, Mick.’”
(Image credit: Courtesy Jack Bates)
A Father-Son Musical Bond
At 18, Jack played his first gig with his father in Monaco. He has since toured with the Smashing Pumpkins for over a decade, and Hooky finds both amusement and pride in his son’s success. “The band he’s in now is much bigger than we are, and he handles it all with ease,” Hooky says. “The only issue is when I play a riff, and he says, ’You’re playing that wrong.’ I’ll respond, ‘I’m not – I wrote it!’ But usually, he’s right.”
“Billy’s done a great job of turning Jack into a great man. I can’t thank him enough for that. They look after him like royalty.”
– Peter Hook
It was billy Corgan who played a pivotal role in Jack’s journey. hooky first met Corgan when he was just 14, a shy kid at a dinner Hooky hosted in Chicago. Years later,Corgan’s band was filling arenas.
During a Chicago show with the Light, jack suggested inviting Corgan to sing “Love Will Tear Us Apart.” Initially dismissive, Hooky changed his mind when Jack reached out to Corgan on social media. Corgan agreed to join them on stage.
“Billy Corgan came down, sang ‘Love will Tear Us Apart’ with us, and then cheekily stole my son,” Hooky jokes, though warmth underlies his words. “Billy’s done a great job of turning Jack into a great man. I can’t thank him enough for that. They treat him like royalty.”
In a grand gesture, during a massive Pumpkins show in Mexico with over 50,000 attendees, Corgan invited Hooky to perform “No Love Lost,” one of Joy Division’s earliest tracks, as the final song of their set. Hooky was unaware they would return for an encore, leading to some puzzled faces in the crowd.
(Image credit: Timothy Norris)
The Unique Style of Peter Hook
What sets Hooky’s playing apart from most bassists is a technique that many musicians struggle to replicate: his right-hand style. Jack elaborates, “Customary bass players typically align with the rhythm of the drums.But when you try to play like him, you have to forget everything you know.”
This is why seasoned american session bassists frequently enough find it challenging to master Hooky’s songs. They may hit the right notes,but the rhythmic,almost percussive quality that characterizes a Hooky bass line often eludes them. “When they attempt to learn the songs, their left hand plays the correct frets, but it’s the right-hand rhythm that trips them up,” Hooky explains. “They can’t get it right.”
Jack, having absorbed these lines through years of exposure, can replicate his father’s playing with remarkable accuracy. “You can’t tell that there are two people playing it. The rhythm and everything is exactly the same,” Hooky expresses with pride.
Reflections on Musical genius
when asked about his favorite bass lines from Joy Division or New Order, hooky becomes contemplative and modest. “I’ve been incredibly lucky not to run out of riffs yet. Sometimes I listen to tracks like ’24 Hours,’ ‘She’s Lost Control,’ or ‘Disorder’ and think, ‘How did I do that?’ It’s remarkable to see others play ‘Ceremony’ or ‘Blue Monday’ online, and I’m left wondering how I created such amazing music.”
“I’ve been insanely lucky to not get overdrawn at the riff bank yet,” he says of his genius for writng memorable bass hooks.
– Peter Hook
Hooky cites the bass line for New order’s “Age of Consent” as a personal favorite. he questions why Jack doesn’t pursue his own material or form a separate band.”He doesn’t need to be in my shadow; he’s an exceptional bassist,” Hooky asserts. “He can play any style I can’t.”
Yet Jack is content where he is – playing alongside his father and helping to carry on the musical legacy.He dismisses any pressure that might come with such a heritage. “It’s just fun for me. If I can help bring my father’s music to those who want to hear it, that’s fantastic. I want to go everywhere because there are people eager to hear him play,and I want to facilitate that. So,I don’t see it as a job,really.”
(Image credit: Courtesy Jack Bates)
Upcoming Tour and Musical Reflections
Jack and Peter are set to kick off their North American tour this weekend with Peter Hook and the Light, performing the complete New Order album Get Ready as part of their ongoing Joy Division/New Order series.This album was created during a rare period of camaraderie with frontman Bernard Sumner in the later years of Hook’s tenure with New order.
“On Get Ready, both Bernard and I rediscovered our friendship, making the album’s creation enjoyable,” Hooky reflects. “It mirrored the friendship we had when we formed Warsaw in 1976. We collaborated seamlessly with producer Steve Osborne, and Barney never took his frustrations out on me; he directed them at Steve instead.”
“Nobody believed in Joy Division more than him. He would have absolutely bloody loved that.”
– Peter Hook
“It worked well in that respect. Upon completing the record, we felt very united. I don’t know why, but it’s the most enjoyable album to perform from all the ones we’ve done.”
With the rock & Roll Hall of Fame induction approaching this November, the other members of Joy Division/New Order have opted not to attend. Hooky will accept the honor on behalf of the fans. There’s a hint of bitterness in his words: “I would rather die than be anywhere near those bastards,” he states, yet there’s also a sense of pride in continuing the legacy alone.
One can’t help but wonder what ian Curtis would think of this momentous occasion.
“Ian was always Joy Division’s biggest supporter,constantly motivating us and lifting our spirits. He would often say, ‘We’re going to be big in Brazil. We’re going to be big in Mexico. We’re going to be big in Portugal.’”
“Nobody believed in Joy Division more than him, and to receive this recognition alongside so many bands we admired – he would have absolutely loved it.”
What emerges from the hour-long conversation between Hooky and Jack is a rare sight in rock music: a genuine, uncomplicated bond between a father and son who are also musical collaborators.
“We have a typical family love-hate relationship.We argue and make up,” Hooky shares. “I love him dearly, and I always will.It’s as simple as that. As a father, I’m incredibly proud of him. It’s a marvelous experience. Honestly, it’s very special.”
Jack’s dedication is equally evident. “No matter where I am, I will always make an effort to return from a Pumpkins show to support one of his gigs,” he states.”There’s nothing better than doing that.”
Peter Hook & the Light will commence their North American tour on August 22 in Cincinnati. For complete tour details, visit PeterHookandTheLight.live.
