Backspin: Peter Hook on Almost Joining The Rolling Stones

The iconic bassist reveals that he was up to replace the Stones' Bill Wyman, and explains why he just couldn't take the gig.
Peter Hook's full interview: yhoo.it/2p2PJUu

[@Greggorious123]

Hooky is way too modest. There are millions of people who beg to differ on his bass playing. He has his own unique style, which to me is way more impressive than being technically amazing. I know many musicians who are technical very gifted but there's just no soul there, they are like mimics. Peter Hook is a pioneer in his field and plays with so much heart and soul (no pun intended).

[@Fractalite]

Hes talking about his ability or lack of to hear a tune and just play it- thats where the tone deaf bit comes in . Writing your own music from scratch is a completely different skill.

[@tywag]

Exactly. There are wizards on the bass but all they are doing is showing off their skills. Mr Hook has written some of the most amazing melodic basslines you'll ever hear. Same with singers. I'd rather hear Keef croaking out a half ass version of Before They Make Me Run than a pitch perfect Celine Deione song. Yes, heart and soul is the key to what makes music come alive.

[@pawnotdaw4559]

But he is right that he doesn’t play bass. He plays more of a lead and melody instrument

[@alexpilgrim8248]

His bass playing defined the post punk bass sound.

[@Nominay]

He's the Cliff Burton of post punk.

[@podfuk]

His bass and Ian's voice are match made in heaven. I was never in to New Order stuff, but love the bass line in many of their songs.

[@ftgphoto]

I admire his honesty about himself as a bass player, and knowing his limitations.

[@NmpK24]

He's right about his bass playing, its quite unique and original. If you put him with the Stones it would sound the Stones + Peter Hook. He's not a session/backing band player

[@navyryder]

Peter Hook is one of the best Bass Players in Rock and Roll history!!!👍🏻🤘🏻

[@TweedSuit]

Well he 'could' play Satisfaction but it would sound like Shadowplay.

[@stuartgriffin3903]

A square peg in a round hole !! That’s why I love ya Hooky !! The first time I heard those bass lines, I thought “ yeah that’ll do me “

[@lumpyfishgravy]

"I don't really play bass" *YOU WHAT?* You're responsible for a unique sound and style, much imitated, which changed Rock forever.

[@lupusanthro5021]

Mike Page you find an ad that says "Looking for Bass Player to play lead and melody in the style of Joy Division/New Order" I'll send you 100 bucks. Never gonna happen

[@jaivas16]

he knows that he plays bass more like a guitar, he strums and solos on it and treats it like a guitar...i really like it, but i know what he means

[@eboethrasher]

@@lupusanthro5021 not in so many words but i bring a huge hooky influence to the mix, and id wager that there have been bands looking for that style before, it just isnt commonplace. But the point is that Hooky knows that while he can play some lower end stuff (lots of joy division actually featured more traditional parts, like Shadowplay or Transmission), it isnt what he is known for. I can hear a song, and if I think "that sounds like Hooky", 99 times out of 100 it is Hooky.

[@lupusanthro5021]

@@eboethrasher Link your music if it's available, I'd like to check it out!

[@eboethrasher]

@@lupusanthro5021 I've got a couple of different projects out there, the one easiest to find is my band stare. Search for "stare haunted" on KZbin and you will find the album. Unfortunately, I think my old label provided the rip, and it has a ton of skips during some of the songs, and I'm not in contact with the label boss anymore, so I'm not sure what she used to supply the rip digitally, because it is hosed in the exact same places on KZbin and Spotify.

[@Djlullaby22]

It's what makes his style so unique

[@leedummett4412]

hooky uses his bass as a lead instrument. its not just to fatten out the sound like most bass players. he is a genius.

[@CarynDPrescott]

I like how his playing sounds like a guitar. He's always been cool.

[@TheTurkey79]

Hooky in Killing Joke would've been sick as!

[@dayman7084]

TheeTurkey79 yeah, that woulda been mental

[@thetension4882]

He actually collaborated with Jaz and Geordie on a track called "Transient Place" for the Freispiel soundtrack. Search for Killing Joke - Transient Place on YT.

[@scott7521]

I agree.... I love both bands and think the combination of Geordie and Hook would have been awesome to hear.

[@barrygreenstein8383]

One of my all-time favorite bass players. He had a unique style that gave New Order a unique sound. He wasn't really a member of the "rhythm section" because his playing style was so up-front

[@grahamjones3259]

He’ a one off and that’s why nobody can do what he does. I get the feeling he just doesn’t want to play others music, and is being diplomatic with what he’s saying. But it’s typical of the man to play himself down, and why he’s one of the most respected musical artists around. Pioneers don’t follow others, and that’s why Hooky does his own thing.

[@ubellubo]

According to Stanley Booth in his book True Adventures of the Rolling Stones, Ian Stewart, keyboard player for the Rolling Stones claimed to be tone deaf. It used to frustrate him that Keith Richards often didn't know what chords he was playing as Richards played entirely by ear. Like Hooky he doesn't mean completely tone deaf, but limited in that area.

[@triciabrown3035]

honest man, and far too good looking for the stones, It is a great compliment on his playing, that they, not only heard it, but liked it well enough to ask him to join!

[@DerBomster]

I'm happy to hear he regards Get Ready as a bit of a honeymoon between him and Bernard, because for years I had a hard time reconciling this as a product by a band on the verge of breakup... They sounded better than they had for about a decade.

[@krisscanlon1265]

That's just nuts! I couldn't imagine who the other three were although I'm guessing Pino Palladino Neil Jason and Guy Pratt.

[@The.Last.Guitar.Hero.]

Hooky plays bass like a lead guitar which is why he stands out

[@ThaRealChuckD]

Now that would have been different. Can you imagine the Stones with a high register lead bass tone?

[@Scott-sd1zj]

“I’m a pretty crap bass player.” Erm, nope. You ain’t. You are a bass legend mate.

[@GEricG]

I love listening to Peter Hook.

[@kabukikommandofourthworld5266]

Whatever you do, just stay away from his pre-recorded DJ sets. 😆

[@OlafProt]

So in the words of another band "He's the best New Order-type bass player in the world" bless him he's so goddamned humble.

[@lucasoheyze4597]

I can't understand why anyone who plays wouldn't either want to learn at least some of the songs that they love, or just pick up a few by osmosis along the way.

[@MrHoefnix]

Peter Hook and J J Burnel! Yes!

[@eboethrasher]

Hooky, you have influenced a good many of us bassists and we wouldnt want you any other way than how you are.

[@hublocker849]

I can totally understand that. I've played bass since 1976 and being tone deaf too it has been a struggle, but out of a real interest in msic and study of chords and arpeggios I have learned a way to fake it.

[@dixgun]

Didn’t know he was being considered for that but thinking of very popular songs by both bands, they’re driven by prominent bass guitar-led, melodic hooks with quirky aspects that grab the listener. Also, ‘Miss You’ and ‘She’s Lost Control’ are tricky in subtle ways.

[@veerchasm1]

I can relate!

[@thecitizenjoan]

I only get along with square pegs in round holes

[@apolloc.vermouth5672]

Can you imagine the fights Hooky and Keef would have had? Ouch.

[@drexlspivey5828]

When​ Bernard writes a song Hooky has to know what the chords are, how a middle section goes etc... he plays the lead bass on those songs but he always plays a low end rhythm bass track as well, so he is effectively learning someone elses song...

[@Kyoko_]

Hooky says in one of these videos that they started writing together during the Movement recording sessions, so I'm going to guess that Hooky would be in the room during the writing of a New Order instrumental.

[@drexlspivey5828]

Kyoko They tend to write as a group but 9/10 in a band the basic music of a particular song is written by one person, I'm pretty sure he could learn other peoples songs, I think he's just joking around, but there's no chance he would have fitted in The Rolling Stones, his style would have been terrible in that band

[@Kyoko_]

He says right in this video that he could learn a song if he wanted to.

[@Kyoko_]

Also, the 9/10 thing is bullshit, the person who started the song doesn't get 90% of the credit. Also, New Order isn't some typical rock band where the just play the exact same parts as each other.

[@thestr8person]

New Order don't write like other bands infact they don't "write" at all really (maybe Steve and Gillian sometimes). They just go in a room and jam until a good sound progresses and build on that. I can't remember how many hours of jamming on tape they gave to John Robie for confusion but it was a lot! maybe 30 hours, something like that. Of course after the 80's things had completely changed from that concept but Peter could easily achieve what he did being tone deaf within those constraints. I don't think most ppl really know what tone deafness is tbh.

[@redherronrecords]

I wana hear Killing Joke with this gent on bass...

[@mradriankool]

I’m a pretty crap bass player. Lol 😆 so I guess just go out and re invent the sound the instrument makes.

[@birddogdoc]

Way too modest. I think you’re an incredible base player!

[@krisscanlon4051]

He certainly would fit the look of Brit musician at ease lol

[@jmackman]

surprised he was even considered

[@nottavictim5]

Technically New Order were amateurs. Live shows were abysmal. Their studio work somehow soared.

[@SeattleSpursFan1882]

Being tone deaf and having the ability to write music that sounds good, doesn't seem to add up to me. How do you know that you've accomplished something if you can't hear it yourself? Or have I completely missed the point? If that's the case would you kindly explain. Thank you.

[@BayviewFinch]

31st thumbs up. Ice cream status.