Peter Hook told Big Shot that New Order is officially kaput. Though Hook isn’t on the best of terms with his former bandmates, he was in New York City last weekend to attend a screening of Joy Division: The Documentary, an excellent biopic that uses interviews with Peter Hook, Bernard Sumner and Stephen Morris (as well as an array of Manchester scenesters) to chronicle the rise and fall of Joy Division.
The documentary, which features rare audio and video, is an answer to Anton Corbijn’s rather excellent Control and provides even deeper insight into why singer Ian Curtis (who suffered from a bipolar disorder and epilepsy) committed suicide just before embarking on the band’s first American tour. Unlike many retrospectives that are afraid to ask its subjects tough questions, Joy Division doesn’t hold back and wonders why the rest of the band wasn’t alarmed over Curtis’ morose lyrics. Their contention: They never listened to his lyrics and blokes don’t ask each other how they’re feeling.
Below are highlights of the post-movie Q&A session with Peter Hook and producer Tom Atencio.
Peter Hook recalls how attending the Sex Pistols’ gig at Manchester’s Free Trade Hall inspired the formation of Joy Division.
Peter Hook remembers Tony Wilson