Backspin: Peter Hook on Joy Division's 'Closer'

[@seanoriordan77]

I think it's sad the animosity between Hooky and Barney now. I don't know if they realise the impact they had on people's lives. Even after Ian died, they become something greater. Legends. Ian Curtis. Stephen Morris. Bernard Sumner. Peter Hook. I salute you.

[@chrissie9865]

seanoriordan77 Don't forget Gillian Gilbert

[@Conn30Mtenor]

All relationships have their own shelf life, just like all things do.

[@neilaspin008]

The relationship was fraught right at the very beginning

[@peternagy-im4be]

Little more than an empty head ​@@chrissie9865

[@chavedappelle]

"You're honorbound to grieve for people that are important in your life" That's a really good quote.

[@P8290970]

Brilliant isn't it ? and so true.

[@RossBayCult]

I met Hooky at a book signing and he’s the real deal. Very grounded, humble and so engaging. My favorite member of both JD & NO. One of the most influential bassists ever.

[@alexgasson4279]

Amazing how young they were to make such an album..

[@thewhoman3182]

Just like the sex pistols. I have no idea how the punk/new wave artists did it

[@niallsutherland8224]

Yep, that blows my mind constantly

[@katm6]

Seeing/hearing Hooky sing Closer two years ago was one of the most amazing experiences of my life. And it was topped off by me getting to meet Hooky after the show. He's a lovely man.

[@bonla2275]

katm6 I get to see him in a few days on the 24th. Buzzing would be an understatement

[@conallhomer6962]

Hooky is a legend. Are saw Peter Hook and the light play. It wasn’t as good as I thought it was gonna be unfortunately, because they didn’t do enough Joy Division songs, they mostly did New Order but I’m still very grateful to have seen what’s left of one of the greatest bands ever, in the flesh.

[@YG-qg1hs]

I can't think of a more beautiful song than 'Heart and Soul'. An absolute masterclass of an album as a whole.

[@thecitizenjoan]

Peter Hook saying there’s loads of groups is funny There’ll never be another band like Joy Division.

[@The_Angry_BeEconomist]

J. Montrice interpol's first album came... close

[@The_Angry_BeEconomist]

Raven are you having a laugh?

[@zookeeper2872]

Interpol 😆 but certainly, they are not Joy Division

[@zookeeper2872]

@@Pazuzu82 fuck u2! Haha joking, cheers

[@zookeeper2872]

@@Pazuzu82 Yeah they aren't bad. It's just those damn glasses he wears! But I had a few of their albums in the early 90s thanks to Columbia House. Somebody always at least had a U2 cassette somewhere before that. All I Want is You is my favorite song. I just didn't get into them anymore after Zooropa. I had to look it up because I didn't even remember the title of that album. I have to go back and listen to that when I get a chance because what I remember sounds good in my head right now

[@vordman]

Fascinating interview. Peter Hook tells it how it is, no attempt to mythologise the past like some would.

[@vaseofflowers4619]

I like Hooky. I liked hearing how his mates from Salford were a bunch of ruffians.

[@emmaduncan2991]

the most underrated bass player in history, he really was Joy Division's MVP!

[@RiverOfBlacklights]

_"the most underrated bass player in history"_ ... ??? Underrated? The Most? No offense but, you're kidding... right?

[@papslap6495]

I dont think he is underrated Emma. Quite the opposite he is a musicians ' musician if that makes sense Take care Ant P

[@briantyson7744]

@@papslap6495 That is a really nice way to express yourself. Cheers.

[@papslap6495]

@@briantyson7744 Thanks

[@papslap6495]

.m.

[@tlkshowhst]

So much wisdom here. I had to stop listening to closer. Beautiful album, but far too dark for my health.

[@xarve9486]

hang in there buddy! (no pun intended lol!)

[@Vegeta87952]

I feel the same. I'm only able to listen to Joy Division anymore in small increments. I love the band, but it's taken me to some very dark places.

[@scott7521]

Totally with you. It's too much for me as well. I can only listen to a few songs off that record.

[@daveyhando9536]

xarve weird

[@yogiaguiar1548]

honestly couldnt agree more

[@notreyf]

Peter Hook, intelligent, articulate and searingly honest.

[@vincentwitters7408]

Still one of my favorite albums ever. The song 'Isolation' sounds like a suicide note from Ian Curtis.

[@Pazuzu82]

Vincent Witters More like 24 hours a would say.

[@charleydowd3126]

Vincent Witters "Isolation" is my favorite Joy Division song. Love the baseline, the drums, and the meaning.

[@vincentwitters7408]

Me too, the lyrics are the most powerfull i have ever heard.

[@lancashirebomber9744]

focus on the purity of the sound.

[@extra.nirvana]

24 hours is so sad best song by them

[@frangarcia7774]

Peter is not only one of the most distinctive bass players of all time but also a pleasure to listen to. His analysis are always clear, well structured and meaningful. Hats off

[@iamsheep]

It was really interesting to hear that they wouldn't have changed musically if Ian hadn't died.

[@iancurtisspectre3744]

I can't help but cry when Hooky talked about if Ian had lived, I can't imagine the splendiferousness of that

[@Greggorious123]

I think they would have become electronic still but I don’t think you’d of had cheesy songs like Thieves like us or shell shock if Ian had lived.

[@michaelenglish1992]

@@Greggorious123 Thieves is the OPPOSITE of cheesey.

[@Greggorious123]

@@michaelenglish1992 That's your opinion and that's cool. To me it sounds cheesy, and Ian Curtis would never write something like 'Love is found in the east and the west, but when love is at home it's the best' which in my mind is cheesy as hell.

[@SomeRandomHobo44]

@@Greggorious123 the only song I've listened to by New order is true faith so I've got zero context reading this thread of comments, but not gonna lie, that line does sound cheesy...

[@eliasiv]

decades is the best song ever written

[@mislavivkovic9996]

Atmosfere

[@mislavivkovic9996]

This closer is realy dark i like Uknown pleasures more

[@oggabob]

That Canada riots guy is a prick

[@marguskiis7711]

Closer was massively influential album during early 80s. Hundreds of bands copied its ideas, secretly off course.

[@xfilesfoxisdead7979]

margus kiis still is influential. Just listen to Interpol or editors

[@pixeldirt5610]

Even in the 2010s bands are still guilty of copying ideas from Closer...listen to 'Flying to Berlin' by Savages then listen to 'Colony' ;)

[@zackzallie8735]

From The Cure, to Interpol, to even The 1975, to Radiohead, Nine Inch Nails, Swans, Moby, Danny Brown, etc. (yikes lots and lots and lots)

[@TweedSuit]

Can you imagine Power Corruption and Lies with Ian's lyrics and vocals! Blows the mind just thinking about it.

[@lukebalika9967]

househansa No, in my opinion, Bernard’s voice is better for that one, but Ian’s voice might have worked better on Low Life and definitely would’ve worked great on Movement

[@Studmasterify]

A very eloquent man!

[@canderson1522]

I would love to hear him talk about their entire history...Warsaw to New Order..and everything in between.

[@thatfezguy8330]

C Anderson I recommend his book for that honestly. He wrote a book about their entire history from his perspective, Warsaw to Ian’s death. Funny, intriguing and most importantly honest

[@alexpilgrim8248]

Just picked it up earlier today on CD. Though darker than "Unknown Pleasures", it's also more refined. Great album.

[@mcblahflooper94]

I'm actually really glad Peter Hook "wanted" to be the Sex Pistols. It really adds soooo much to Joy Division.

[@barrygreenstein8383]

This made me quite sad because I am a Joy Division and New Order fan. I knew about Ian Curtis and his struggle with epilepsy but to hear Peter talk about it so frankly was quite enlightening!

[@FrankieUtka]

40 years of Closer!!!! The album is literally somebody's whole SOUL just WEEPING & POURING OUT. One of the most beautiful pieces of music in modern history. They really had a once in a lifetime dream team- TWICE!!! Legendary, everyone! Rest easy, Ian. I hope you realize HOW MANY PEOPLE hold onto hope now BECAUSE of the music you helped create✨

[@thecitizenjoan]

The blokes a living legend

[@plev10]

Beautiful interview. Love ya, Hooky!

[@vandolmatzis8146]

hooky, an eloquent gentleman Thank you

[@mike196212]

His book on JD is great: honest,candid,poignant and even funny. It's fairly recent. Another interesting read on JD and early NO is called AN IDEAL FOR LIVING. I bought it back in 1985.

[@Vesnicie]

Mike Poitras I liked it too. Hooky's the kind of guy I'd like to sit down for a pint with.

[@mike196212]

Snuggles: I agree. There isn't the slightest bit of guile in him. I think he admitted to losing as many fights as he won while taking on unruly crowds threatening the band. Nice chap.

[@katm6]

An Ideal for Living was my first Joy Division book.

[@nelsonorange71]

Mike Poitras who wrote An Ideal for Living

[@sosidecop64]

Ian Curtis: Too young, too soon. RIP. His music lives on.

[@Skott1966]

Love Peter Hooks's honesty about it all. The end of the interview really says it all.

[@spkelse8677]

Such a beautiful album. I love every song. I listen to it when I'm sad, and it lifts me up, somehow. I listen to it when I'm happy, and it fills me up. It's one of those records I will never grow tired of. I just hate that Ian suffered so, and his loved ones suffered after his suicide. Pain drives creativity, but it can also make life unbearable. I'm grateful for what Ian gave us through his music and expression.

[@funkmike]

Very English the way they handled Ian 's suicide--pushing it down, as he says, and basically living in denial. Perhaps that was the right thing to do. But I agree with his main point that the band was going to go on and develop in the direction that they did with New Order.

[@AlmaSoul305]

There will never be another joy division, never

[@BigH0b0]

Beautiful interview. A classic example of the wisdom age and experience bring. Closer is just about the only soulful pop record I have ever heard, in fact, deeper than your soul...

[@wanneske1969]

Great interview. Peter Hook seems like a nice guy, I always thought he was a prick, cashing in with JD and NO "covers", but he wrote the songs, and Barney the nice guy, but it seems I was wrong. JD and NO rule.

[@giovanniscardetta333]

Voice of honesty and balance. Upstanding and straight shooter guy.. The four of them together have been something unique an magic

[@marguskiis7711]

Joy Division played "Closer" songs in their live shows 1979 -- 80.

[@satiricalhaz-homeofbanter4371]

He means once it was released. Curtis died before it came out.

[@raymondhartmeijer9300]

@@satiricalhaz-homeofbanter4371 it's still an odd comment from Hooky, indeed Colony and Atrocity were played from around the time UP came out mid 79. Or maybe they were planning on performing the LP as a set in the US, with some older songs as encores

[@marguskiis7711]

@@raymondhartmeijer9300 most of Closer songs were played by JD live.

[@zackzallie8735]

@@marguskiis7711 You said it once, why said it again?

[@shanetreacy5996]

I met New Order in a pub on Dorset Street in Dublin just before their gig.Great bunch of lads and they told me the riff for Love will tear us apart came about when Ian heard his father playing it on a church organ!!!

[@jeliceinchains]

So honest, wise and eloquent guy..

[@nealspence2946]

very very well said. RIP Ian

[@MrLepatrouilleur]

Brillant comments, great watch, great clothes, great boots, sensitive humor... Such an elegant lad.

[@johntrickey4188]

I love you Peter, your honesty is beautiful .

[@OldMod67]

Decades, what a beautiful song.

[@laurenpaterson3475]

He sounds great guy he had too much for one young man to deal woth

[@christophernickel6698]

That is the most mature and enlightened way to look at the whole situation.

[@keesvanharen9791]

Beautiful spoken, straight from the heart ❤️

[@zookeeper2872]

I lost a friend to suicide and I totally get what you're saying at five and a half minutes. There's always that frustration and disappointment in what they decided to do. If only they would have asked. It really sucks at all the things you realized in hindsight

[@KraftWerk1980]

I love Ian Curtis and joy division they were one of the deepest bands...I feel so bad he had a horrible illness the most talented people seem to

[@ashquinn9508]

Peter Hook is such a lovely and articulate man.

[@PW-le6cr]

People always talk of Unknown Pleasures but Closer truly is the superior album

[@I-Love-Taylor-Swift]

Wow - I could listen to Peter Hook all day!

[@paulmurphy5547]

Saw Hooky last weekend at The Shine On Weekender at Minehead with his band The Light! Absolutely fantastic! Gave me chills hearing him do Joy Division songs

[@jermyhopkisn9654]

Really frustrates and saddens me to hear him talk about what might have been with Joy Division, that they would have stayed together. Such a shame about Ian.

[@CubeduBorg]

Wow. This was great. Well said. All of it.

[@stephendallison1465]

Some of the best music ever as in original and Martin Hannett's engineering was mind blowing at the time and still holds its own today. Had the honour of seeing them 2nd to last gig before Ian's Passover.

[@stephenloflin4772]

It's great that Peter can document these years.

[@andrewhamilton6342]

That sofa is severely underrated!

[@wetjon]

I remember when it came out.. a lot of people I knew wouldn't listen to it, especially alone.. 24 Hrs still gives me chills...

[@WilliamHBaird-eq2hp]

Peter Hook is a wonderful soul! His music hs guided my life.

[@Boric78]

What an interview - fascinating and he comes across very well. Somone I would like to have a pint with.

[@josephsmall4270]

It is a beautiful album. My favorite song on it was "Decades".

[@caio20118]

now there's a cool guy

[@mikeroberts510]

Wonderful beautiful album.

[@MosherBear]

I saw Peter's band do both Unknown Pleasures and Closer, plus other JD/NO numbers at the Tramshed in Cardiff last year and it was awesome.

[@andrewfarrell6120]

Power, Corruption, and Lies as a Joy Division Album ... a powerful thought.

[@larsrunkvist8434]

You made the greatest music the greatest texts i Am so sorry for ian's passing. Sincerely Lars Runkvist

[@patrikgabrielsson2135]

Underrated album.

[@johnusmany2569]

JD to me is directly connected to the Eighties when British ( mainly New Wave Bands ) conquered the world and made some of the best music we can still enjoy today because they ( Siouxsie and the Banshees, the Simple Minds, Talk Talk, Depeche Mode, The Cure, The Sisters of Mercy, New Model Army, The Mission etc. etc. ) were amazingly good. At that period JD was my favorite and only afterwards when I got older I realized why...It had a certain emotion 💓 in the Music I could relate to.

[@Shatterhaven]

39 years today, rip ian

[@crypttonite]

he definitely sings it as close to Ian as possible. He was on the same wavelength.

[@veerchasm1]

Poignant Hook. Thank you

[@SleepMeditationandAffirmations]

I can't imagine in 2020 paying to see New Order without Hook.

[@FrankieUtka]

Gotta go see The Light instead! 😭

[@Sdea1903]

I would give my right ball to hear Ian Curtis sing Blue Monday.

[@GarryShepherdDreamGazePostPunk]

Forever in our hearts Ian💙🎹🔥🥁🎸🔥

[@calintentagency5901]

Amazing. Mate, give yourself a hug. You are amazing

[@ustheserfs]

this is hooky with perfect retrospect. it's not sugar coated, it's not legend, its the elder version putting perspective on the younger version. never an easy task but he's right, closer was an album that deserved to be heard but especially with ian at the front.

[@marcpadilla1094]

Love the Ian dancing with myself dance. Love is a suicidal tendency. Co dependency, the that 'Witch' made you breaks you creative edge that many artists become victims of.

[@checkyourhead37]

Such brutal candor. Awesome.

[@macnasty7605]

never seen annik pic before..

[@dartmouthhoop]

hot

[@KillerBill1953]

No internet or camera phones then. He did try to hide his affair from Debbie at first and the media didn't seem to make much of it as I recall.

[@sylvainrichard6679]

Jim McGonigle as Steve ( or Barney ? ) use to say : The sophisticated girl !..

[@daveyhando9536]

I’d love to be lucky enough to have a pint with hook

[@simondiamond7070]

I did. At the gig he's talking about, Salford Quays. A really great, down to earth guy. The gig was mindblowing. A highlight of my life.

[@suttonzoe8]

My husband has epilepsy and had a fit tonight first time if seen a seizure and it's so fucking scary I'm not the better of it

[@chloedoesshit2659]

Zoe Omara sorry to hear that :(

[@Conn30Mtenor]

The range of treatment options for epilepsy have advanced a lot since the late 1970's. The new medications came too late for poor Ian though.

[@Alun49]

Closer remains a towering achievement and an album I struggle to listen to because of its stark, agonising beauty. New Order where very good, but had Joy Division continued? Had Curtis lived? What might they have done?

[@yannilaurel3781]

You have to hear ''Passover'' on vinyl, or at least tape [fully analogue] Because there is a ''wh-whip - Whuh-whup'' sound of a drum.. Before CD's we could not identify it as a drum You feel it in your ears more than hear it, even on a cheap sound system.

[@hennessyorama]

Heartbreaking

[@perzonne6302]

That's some deep shit right there

[@dayman7084]

Closer & Faith/Pornography by The Cure are audio depression to the extreme. Very beautiful none the less.

[@lukebalika9967]

Day man yes, don’t forget Disintegration

[@joedec]

Especially Pornography. That album is not for people who want sunshine and rainbows.

[@galetinm]

I wouldn't say Disintegration belongs in that group, but Seventeen Seconds does in my opinion.

[@cynthianovoselsky3511]

U helped me in every way ❤2024

[@romanlisyukov6787]

I really liked Hooky’s take on suicide and it’s beauty

[@eyesopen66]

I'm a 52yr old Mancunian, who grew up in and have always and still live in Manchester. I'm lucky that Joy Division/New Order, The Smith's and too a lesser degree Ian Brown, Monday's, Doves, Oasis et al have been the soundtrack too my life, from teenage year's onwards.... I used to absolutely love JD/NO (and Smiths) I still really like their music, without the fanaticism of youth, though! I'm sure that it was Barney, who was the main culprit of the arguments and the split? Not Hooky and the other two? I bet he could be a right self important twat, at times? Anyway? Thanks for the music... Sunrise. True Faith Too many too mention Tbh.

[@stephendallison1465]

Manchester has had a array of good bands . Take too long to mention them all but I love Manchester for the music . I'm from Nottingham and a huge JD and The FALL fan .

[@johngammon963]

There'll never be another Joy Division x

[@masteryeet3600]

I imagine all the help that we have today in terms of mental health, if that help was around in the late 70s, early 80s. Ian would’ve lived.

[@DoroteoVilla]

If the multiverse exists, I desperately want to visit the one where Ian Curtis lives and Joy Divison makes Power Corruption and Lies. I would be satisfied just with a proper recording of Ceremony by JD. I would stay in that universe.

[@kaduisaui4596]

I love that couch

[@scott7521]

Thank goodness Martin Hannett won out and JD were not The Sex Pistols 2.0. That would have been another tragedy.

[@simondiamond7070]

Pete used to be into heavy rock in the seventies. Add that to your comment and things would have been different indeed.

[@shanetreacy5996]

I always believed Curtis left copybooks of song lyrics behind which New Order used on such songs as Blue Monday but I don’t know.

[@stephendallison1465]

He did

[@alexjewell2351]

And this is exactly why you've gotta love Hooky.

[@rachelar]

Saw him play Closer in 2011

[@loombaron]

lots of groups but joy division was unique

[@martinsmith6049]

So fucking sad. I think Im a hard bastard... I was in Mostar in 1992. This stuff hits me.

[@leothelion6075]

Still kinda strange to me that the other band members never listened to Ian's lyrics and suspected anything was wrong this whole time. I mean, come on...