In Conversation with Peter Hook - Talking Joy Division, New Order and the Hooky Bass 6 Pro.

[@Kdschaak]

Robert Smith uses a Fender VI bass in the single _Primary_ and most notably on the _Disintegration_ record, among others. It is the instrument that makes The Cure sound like The Cure.

[@pabcrane]

Bob said he used a Precision on Primary because his VI was a bit dodgy on the E string.

[@JoshBattershell]

Paul Crane the VI i had owned was also dodgy on the E string

[@pabcrane]

@@JoshBattershell - yep, mine too!

[@thefriendlyfinger69]

@@pabcrane you can see him playing a P Bass in the video too

[@g.sferrazza10-13]

@@pabcrane he fixed it here kzbin.info/www/bejne/fqasaH6QarWWnpI

[@rowleybirkinqc5013]

During my tenure as legal advisor to a number of UK bands back in the 1980's I came across a chap playing with a lovely band called New Model Army called Stuart Morrow who also played a Shergold Marathon 6 string bass. Lovely chap, still owes me half the bar tab from Grouchos after they did Top of The Pops...

[@COURTESAN_BAND_UK]

Stuart Morrow. such an underrated bass player,.. respect x

[@alejandrohualdez5550]

Remember a lad in my class in about 1984 was mad on New Model Army!!!

[@MarcioSilva-ssiillvvaa]

Did Morrow play a Shergold Marathon?! Wow! I love New Model Army and Stuart Morrow's bassplaying is monstrous! Can anyone else play like him?

[@chriswareham]

Never seen Stuart Morrow with a Shergold - it was either a Precision or Westone Thunder during his time with NMA.

[@TheArticulatingAnoraksPodcast]

A new interview with Hooky and it’s 30 minutes! Must be my lucky day

[@plev10]

"Seamlessness and professionalism have never been the most important thing to me. The most important thing to me is to get hold of the bloody thing and hammer the shit out of it." That's what makes Hooky - Hooky!

[@clintwilson6380]

I absolutely love Peter Hook.

[@alisonmercieca1465]

I love your live shows Hooky. Just quietly they’re better than NO. Watching you play bass is a gift. Keep doing what you do.

[@guitfidle]

Ibanez actually released an instrument along these lines. The SRC6 is a 6 string bass, but 30" scale, and set up to be tuned E to E, an octave below guitar, with bass friendly strings but guitar friendly string spacing. Basically the same setup as this Shergold. Also, I read an article a while back that the Beatles actually had one of the first Shergold basses made.

[@alejandrohualdez5550]

They need to make Hooky's Eccleshall bass!!!

[@eastwoodguitarsofficial]

🥳

[@bassman3235]

@@eastwoodguitarsofficial PLEASE DO THIS!

[@MichalisTube]

Eccleshall 💎

[@nunofernandes4501]

The word bunion kept coming to my mind subliminally.

[@garycrant4511]

I'm not much younger than Hooky. It's probably gout.. Problem is, once you get your boots off, you can't get them back on again...

[@jeffblack5024]

They must be expensive - he can’t afford shoes.

[@dionisio7719]

Mucho obrigado... Conversation with mr Hook Is always great ...for the story,, for the humanity, for his sound...

[@TheFreemanAlways]

I'm surprised he never heard of Robert Smith of The Cure playing the Bass vi given them being in similar genres he used them quite heavily on the albums Faith and Disintegration but he used it more as a deeper guitar rather than a 4 string with more notes

[@hayman-lx2ze]

ForTheWatching very different guitar.

[@davidharte3039]

@@hayman-lx2ze Same tuning

[@GillRockatansky]

@@hayman-lx2ze Not very different at all. Watch any Cure concert and Robert Smith is mostly playing a Schechter UltraCure Bass VI, and when he switches to guitar Reeves Gabrels tends to play a Bass VI. The Cure have used Bass VI extensively since the Faith album and most of their well known riffs are Smith on the Bass VI.

[@andrewrucker2188]

I think Rob uses a Fender Bass VI

[@GillRockatansky]

@@andrewrucker2188 Used to, he has a signature line from Schechter now called the UltraCure.

[@4commando]

Great work Carl

[@isaacdebolt3637]

one of my favorite bassists of all time

[@NmpK24]

Hooky has his own unique style on the bass, there is no New Order sound without him. So any decent musician who plays with him should know that instead of asking him to play something else.

[@RastaSaiyaman]

Hooky, there IS another guy playing the six string bass in a similar manner as you do and if you ask him about it, he'll cite you as the reason why he picked it up in the first place. His name? Robert Smith of The Cure

[@Lylodile]

He has somewhat of a grudge against the cure so i'm not surprised he didn't acknowledge them :P.

[@THEQueeferSutherland]

@@Lylodile I find that odd because Robert Smith clearly is a fan of JD, they've even covered JD.

[@PM-xt4zi]

Nope. As Hooky said, the bass vi is a different scale and tone, not really the same thing.

[@JohnDoe-dh8xc]

Fox Mulder it’s 30” scale same as the Fender Bass vi, I’m kinda convinced he’s a bit confused

[@Reprodestruxion]

He commented on the Fender Baritones , chalk and cheese

[@richardcunningham5540]

Absolutely brilliant. Thanks for recording and sharing.

[@bongosock]

One of Les Claypool's Carl Thompson 6-strings is a shorter scaled and narrower spaced instrument. He uses it on a few songs, like DMV.

[@vannjunkin8041]

Listened to that today

[@djpage7]

What a great interview, Hooky is the best. Wish though he would’ve plugged it in a jammed a bit.

[@kirtfulcher6288]

Wow strings 1 & 6 are literally living on the edge...

[@BrunoOliveira-mb4qz]

I want Hook to make a new record. With Monaco obviously, you know I love to see him play with New Order again but it's nice see him playing JD and NO songs on his live shows, I want to hear a new bassline by him, rock on hook :)

[@eastwoodguitarsofficial]

Bruno Oliveira given how good Peter Hook and the Light are live, it would be cool to hear what they’d come up with 🤙

[@BrunoOliveira-mb4qz]

@@eastwoodguitarsofficial I agree, I'm gonna pay attention when the guy come to Brasil playing nice tunes.

[@michaelwilson2340]

I want a new Monaco album myself. And reissue the hard to find second album. I hope they finally have that sample clearance issue taken care of by now.

[@denisewest8648]

Your old stuff was fantastic and you were fantastic as well as your son

[@andrewbarron7690]

Great to see the 6 string live on. Thanks for a wonderful interview.

[@mana3735]

There's no N.O without PH.

[@telophasemusic]

Bass is my primary instrument and the sole reason I play with distortion and a chorus pedal is cause of Hook. The man changed the way I hear the 4 string

[@johnmesser9469]

THE CURE! The most iconic use of the Bass VI...hello?

[@YonHASH]

Just ordered one!

[@mattgree4909]

Come back to NZ - please!!!

[@niknayme3754]

I'm no bass player but what I'd say about Hooky's style with J.D. and N.O. is that it's played like a distinct complementary instrument rather than just a sound required for the bottom end. In a completely different style but a similar idea was Mark King of Level 42 playing slap bass.

[@harry.mfowlie9368]

Totally brilliant interview,,,,,, with a great star,,,,,,,,,,, keep it going hooky,,,,,, total respect,,,,,,,,, your gigs are brilliant,,,,,,,,,

[@jeffblack5024]

I’ve just acquired one of the rare Hacienda Blue models. 🙂

[@eastwoodguitarsofficial]

Nice, those are rare! Have you seen the new Hooky Raider and Hooky Bass 4 PRO? They just came out: eastwoodguitars.com/collections/hooky-series

[@johnmchugh8049]

Hooky! 🙏🏻🖤

[@franksmith6871]

The Ibanez SRC6 Crossover 6 String Bass is a great 6-string bass with EMG pickups, 3-band EQ and a great-feeling neck at $800.00 U.S.

[@javierortiz70]

Hooky at one time got a hold of a Fender Baritone, but it’s not the same as the Fender Bass VI. The Fender/Squier Bass VI is tuned like the Shergold but they don’t quite sound like a Shergold. Still, it’s a great instrument in it’s own right. Robert Smith has played a Bass VI as well as Steve Kilbey from The Church. I think the bassist from the band I Love You But I’ve Chosen Darkness plays one as well. But the Eastwood absolutely nails Hooky’s Shergold Marathon 6 ‘s sound.

[@MrAlecksTv]

Hook was the heart of New Order. See you on tour next year. #NoHookNoOrder

[@alanshewitt]

“It’s a weird bass-player’s instrument.” Love it.

[@scott7521]

Hooky's looking healthy

[@camann33]

Always excellent, Hooky!

[@markm668]

A living legend, very unique.

[@marcmistermarc]

Shergold Marathon Bass VI players that I know of: A Certain Ratio on the Sextet LP (the other bass player has a Mustang), the very early lineup of The Beloved when they were a guitar band (A Hundred Words, This Means War), Bobby Gillespie when he played bass with The Wake briefly. Also, Section 25 around the From the Hip LP era - this may well have been borrowed from New Order for the studio sessions as Bernard produced it. His story about the Fender VI I think comes from hiring one when they had their stuff stolen in NYC in 1980, he describes breaking strings trying to tune it... it was probably wound up like a spring when he picked it up and was probably incorrectly tuned higher.

[@livelikeitshows1802]

Truth!!! I love the point he makes beginning at 23:07. 🤘🏽

[@martinheath5947]

2:03 The lowest string looks like it's hanging off the edge of the neck because the bridge block on the red bass has keeled over! How solid is that bridge design?

[@ccmp23]

It's solid... it's just needs an allen key to put the screw back into the saddle... it was used by Peter 20 mins before this conversation in a rehearsal, those screws can turn and loosen from your palm if they're out of the saddle a little to begin. You can see it closer here- eastwoodcustoms.com/projects/peter-hook-signature/attachment/ph-bass-bridge-close-up/

[@monkeymarc1]

Clive Mitten of Twelfth Night also used a Marathon 6 string bass throughout the 80s.

[@THEQueeferSutherland]

Classy lad, always.

[@katrinahall1572]

Peter Hook is pure genius

[@Kkidzz]

Nice shout out for The Wake......'Here Comes Everybody'

[@WhoAskedMusic777]

Kkidzz Melancholy Man, Talk About The Past, and On Our Honeymoon are my favs

[@oda292]

excellent interview wish you guys would have done some playing though

[@ErikJensenDetroit]

Is Hooky really using a .045 for his high E string? The website says that it's strung with 45-105 strings, but the Bass VI strings I have on my Squier VM Bass VI are 24-106. Doesn't seem like a big enough spread in gauge.

[@rivermansky63]

Great stuff as usual 👍

[@tbee9720]

I play bass 6 in a band called Nervous Pills, check us out, was recently played on BBC 6 music

[@chriswareham]

Only discovered today that Eastwood are doing a Marathon 6 String, and immediately plonked down a deposit. I've had the Squier copy of the Fender VI and currently own the Chinese made Gretsch 6 string bass, but the Eastwood is the nearest I'm likely to get to owning a Shergold! As for other users of this instrument (same scale, tuning and pitch) there's Robert Smith of The Cure and Jack Bruce of Cream. They both used the Fender VI, and Smith now uses a Schecter that is based on it.

[@iamalangv]

My favorite bassist ! Hooky inspired me to play Bass guitar 🥺😎🔥

[@stephendallison1465]

Me too after seeing them at ajanta Derby. One month before Ian's passover

[@michaelwilson2340]

Hooky's gone all Krist Novoselic on us going shoeless! Thanks for mentioning Rob Gretton. I think New Order were never the same after Rob died.

[@ARadicalDream]

Which songs are played on this bass?

[@ceruleanstone]

Blue Monday would be the most famous example.

[@pizzapanda8527]

Dreams Never End, We All Stand, Paradise, Procession, Elegia, Fine Time, Sub-Culture (which can easily be done on a 4-string), Cries & Whispers, State of the Nation, Blue Monday, Doubts Even Here, The Him, The Time of Night That’s all I know

[@ARadicalDream]

@@pizzapanda8527 thanks and JD songs?

[@pizzapanda8527]

I think The Eternal, Decades, and Passover.

[@raidue6411]

JOY DIVISION: Passover Heart and Soul The Eternal Decades NEW ORDER: In a Lonely Place Dreams Never End Chosen Time The Him Doubts Even Here Denial Procession Cries and Whispers Hurt Blue Monday We All Stand Your Silent Face Ecstasy This Time of Night Elegia Subculture Shellshock Paradise As It Is When It Was Angel Dust State of the Nation Let's Go 1963 Fine Time Best & Marsh Spooky Chemical Special Avalanche REVENGE: Slave 14k Bleachman Cloud 9 State of Shock The Wilding MONACO: Bicycle Thief Sweet Lips Blue Billy Bones Sedona Heaven 7 Black Rain End of the World

[@burnedbeans4170]

I would so much love to see morrisgilbertsumnerhook together on stage again.

[@stek1961]

Is the pickup a remanufactured Re-an clone or some off-the-shelf one?

[@pbasswil]

Is there no sound demo of this bass?? Surely folks would want to hear it in detail - not everyone knows what Hooky sounds like in isolation (even if the Eastwood was a dead ringer for his original). Failing a demo, is there another bass that uses the same pickup?

[@stuartpowell255]

Surely the fender bass vi is tuned the same as the shergold no?

[@eastwoodguitarsofficial]

Tuned the same, yes, but completely different feel (plus, different string gauges).

[@1968joseph1]

He's speaking of trying to make a Fender baritone guitar the same as the bass vi. They aren't the same. Shame nobody told him the difference.

[@charlesdavall4474]

My guitar hero.

[@peterreynolds5947]

This is fucking boss 👏

[@mikec.2725]

Hi! Per the conversation can you post the song list?

[@elmo7sharp9]

I had a Shergold Marathon 6-string bass in the early 1980s. Like all Shergold guitars, the action was superb but the pickup was hideously microphonic.

[@wamgoc3637]

Shergold was an offshoot of Burns IIRC.

[@MemphianSounds]

He doesn't play the bass in the clip?

[@Tomtoms-tomtoms]

Anyone know what tuning Hookys 6 string is?? Just curious

[@cleaningmyroom1000]

E to e

[@Tomtoms-tomtoms]

Sam Wulfekotter .. Thanks a million, just standard guitar tuning? ..Hmm, you learn something new everyday. Thanks 🙏

[@davidharte3039]

@@Tomtoms-tomtoms E to e but an octave lower than a standard guitar.

[@Tomtoms-tomtoms]

David Harte .. thanks for that David 🙏

[@whatwedointheshadows3349]

is that the scottish band the wake that did "our honeymoon"?

[@Kkidzz]

Yes, correct. 'On Our Honeymoon'. kzbin.info/www/bejne/aZKVhaypiZaepK8

[@dionisio7719]

18/5/2020 40years from Ian's death

[@peterfleming1517]

Surely he knows The Cure used Bass VI all the time...

[@yambasz]

nicegg if he hud played a bit.

[@up2verbeek]

I played "eternal" by accident on my new 6 string before I even knew hooky used it too

[@RollrightKnights]

Flippantly writing off the Fender Bass VI like that is really annoying! The Beatles! Helter Skelter, jeezo!

[@jeanemmanuelkrieger6001]

calls it a Baritone ... it's not, it's a bass... 30' scale... never heard his story about keith richards either.. I think he's making up shit :)

[@whatwedointheshadows3349]

also the cure.

[@martinheath5947]

The Fender VI is a short scale bass designed for guitarists. These are long scale basses.

[@ErikJensenDetroit]

@@martinheath5947 My Bass VI has a 30" scale, strung with 24-106 strings tuned E-e. The Hooky Bass 6 Pro has a 30" scale, strung with similar strings tuned E-e.

[@7171jay]

@eightb. Mr Hook is a great player but just doesnt seem very knowledgeable about bass VI instruments besides his own. The Fender VI was on Helter Skelter as well as other Beatles tunes, Jack Bruce played it on Cream's first album and it is the sound of the Cure and on many tracks of The Church who were both his contemporaries. Before the Beatles the Danelectro six and Fender VI were all over surf music and country, Duane Eddy for instance and Jet Harris doing the spy/crime kind of sound. The Shergold 6 isn't as different from these other VI style basses as Hook makes it sound, as it is also 30" scale uses similar string gauges as other bass VI instruments, and is tuned E to E an octave below a standard guitar. String spacing on the Shergold I believe is one actual difference between it and other VI's as I understand it's neck is a bit wider.

[@GraveDohl666]

The guy on the left is hard to understand, but Barefoot-Hooky is fantastic!🎸

[@MarcioSilva-ssiillvvaa]

‘e is Scottish.

[@chrisgibson5267]

@@MarcioSilva-ssiillvvaa Hello Marcio. He's a Scouser. It's a Liverpool accent.

[@GVike]

That thick string on the red bass guitar is outta whack, almost off the fretboard. Someone forgot to set it up...

[@patrickdutrevis1899]

Funny how he intentionally forgets about Robert Smith as a regular 6 String bass player :-) Plus what he says about Fender VI not being tuned in a standard way is completely false. He must have tested a modified Fender VI, but his ignorance about that is quite surprising, he’s been a bass player for more than 40 years... And he never heard of Cream bass player Jake Bruce who also extensively used a 6 string bass longe before he did :-) Still I love Joy Division and early New Order stuff, it’s just that Hooky can sometimes be so full of himself...

[@firemarshal2629]

Dude he’s in the middle of an interview, sincerely doubt he was intentionally forgetting about anyone. Especially if you’re talking from the heart and having a conversation. Calm your tits.

[@Nick-ne4ln]

I read his book and I’m pretty sure he’s mistaking the bass vi for an actual fender baritone guitar. He talks about breaking the strings and bending the neck because he was putting bass strings on a baritone guitar not a bass vi. He also gets little things wrong in interviews like “Yamaha BB600” which does not exist. But cut him some slack he’s old.

[@Nick-ne4ln]

He also means people who play bass vi style instruments like him. Jack Bruce and Robert Smith do not have the same bass vi playstyle as him.

[@jeffsmith50001]

Peter Hook is not a 'Bass Player'. He plays a Bass Guitar. Whos Jake ?

[@deshawn4077]

Robert Smith plays one, fender one

[@bryanfrombuffalo7685]

Jeff ament....the dude in cheaptrick...he may play a 8 string though

[@Reprodestruxion]

Some shade towards Gallup >.>

[@hayman-lx2ze]

René Moncayo nope

[@vannjunkin8041]

I played a 6 for years the Ibanez sr 506 my strings are definitely heavier.. his looks more baritone than bass. Not saying its not a bass, just not familiar with his

[@eastwoodguitarsofficial]

Check out these demos: kzbin.info/www/bejne/aHmsm3Zjott7r7s and kzbin.info/www/bejne/gmbXgaamedqFjq8

[@Reprodestruxion]

He should try the RD artist with the moog hardware

[@d3athr0ck3r]

I love you hooky but it’s really funny how you conviently left out Robert Smith using a bass 6.

[@deathmetaldouglas69]

The bodies look like Wal basses. Very cool looking. Especially in a world of wanky-looking 6-string basses.

[@gaboquintana3628]

... well... there is Les claypool or John Myung just to name some 6string bass players , great chat with mister Hook

[@goosemansell]

I suspect Hooky knows full well that The Cure used them too, and arguably to a far greater extent, but just won't admit it because he's accused them on many an occasion of ripping him off. Hence their relationship is somewhat sour...

[@nightshift8249]

To be perfectly fair I’m sure Robert Smith was influenced by JD/New Order to incorporate that sound (Dreams Never End vs. Inbetween Days), but he plays it so differently to Hooky, and has done some amazing things with it in his own right. Also on the 4-string side of things, I think Simon Gallup, while prob not as distinctive as Hooky, is a better ‘pure’ bass player.

[@jeffsmith50001]

But then everyone went to bed for 2 years.

[@mickdevlin]

Good old Hooky...the sound of young Salford. Dark, bleak and bloody horrible, God bless Peter, Bernard and Steve.....and God save Ian Curtis.

[@germanpule3721]

Thundercat plays 6 string bass

[@danilopuppin4480]

+++ALLUCE VALGO!1!+++

[@johnx9774]

as a bloke i have to say, i love hooky (in a non gay way). i don't love his feet though.

[@drewp.weiner5065]

Not very confident in your own sexuality are ya bud?

[@johnx9774]

@@drewp.weiner5065 Thank you Mr Weiner for your erudite comment. You have forced me to re-appraise myself and now I feel ready to admit to the world that I do indeed, love skanky feet. I am particularly excited by the thought that you may be willing to send me a picture of yours. Please do so without delay to me here at [e-mail]

[@jeffsmith50001]

Skinny jeans Hooky !. FFS !

[@rachelar]

A bit full of himself for essentially a one trick pony sound, good sound though

[@kevcatnip7589]

hi from twinny in halifax,,, not the one you knew