There may be no relationship between Peter Hook and New Order any longer, and substantial animosity between them. But that doesn’t mean the bassist is feeling any ambivalence about the band — and its predecessor, Joy Division — being inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame this November in Los Angeles.
“Considering it’s been three (nominations), I was always hoping (induction) would happen,” Hook, 70, tells Billboard via Zoom from home in his native Manchester, England. “I’ve always believed in Joy Division, and I’ve always believed in New Order, and then all of a sudden to get this award … I think in the context of what we’ve achieved, it’s well-earned. And the music, I still love it. I’m still immensely proud of it — even prouder when it speaks to every generation, as I’m sure a lot of musicians feel.”
Hook adds that the induction “isn’t particularly for us. It’s … for the fans of both groups, and I’d like to think this is more about their belief in us and what we did than it is for us … I think it’s a vote of confidence from the fans for both bands, which is very aptly earned by them and shines on us as well.” He’s particularly happy for one fan, David Sultan, an airline pilot who put together a Joy Division/New Order exhibit for the Rock Hall in Cleveland and “was always adamant that we should be in there. This is talking 20 years ago — it’s been there that long and they actually asked him to make it bigger now that we’re in, which is wonderful for him.”
The Rock Hall honor comes 50 years after Hook saw the Sex Pistols perform at the Lesser Free Trade Hall in Manchester, which inspired him to form a band of his own. Joy Division came together that same year and released two lauded albums — Unknown Pleasures in 1979 and Closer in 1980 — before ending when frontman Ian Curtis died by suicide on May 18, 1980, on the eve of Joy Division’s first U.S. tour.
Hook is confident Curtis would enjoy the Rock Hall induction. “I think he would have loved it,” he says. “Ian enjoyed every single success we ever had, whether it was getting on a support gig for Siouxsie & the Banshees, whether it was getting a nip on Factory (Records). All those things were great celebrations. Ian is the one who used to sit us down whenever we were, shall I say, wearied — which is quite often in this bloody business — and would give us the pep talk, ‘We’re gonna be bigger than the Doors! We’re gonna be this, that! We’re gonna play in every country on the planet!’ To this day, every time (Hook and his band, The Light) get somewhere we haven’t played before, I always think, ‘This is for you, Ian.’ All he wanted to do was play our music, because he thought it was fantastic, and it was as simple as that.”
After Curtis’ death, Hook, Bernard Sumner and Stephen Morris decided to continue as New Order, adding Morris’ wife, Gillan Gilbert. The group had even greater international success than Joy Division, but Hook left acrimoniously in 2007 and was angry that the band continued without him in 2011. He subsequently sued in 2015 over unpaid royalties and rights to the band name, reaching a “full and final” out-of-court settlement two years later that gave the others continued use of the band name while Hook and the Light also tour, often playing Joy Division and New Order albums in their entirety.
Consequently, Hook isn’t expecting any kissing and making up or playing nice together come Nov. 14.
“What they did in 2011 was, frankly, disgusting, and I can’t forgive it … so I won’t be borrowing their ball, shall we say, for any kind of game,” explains Hook, who’s “speaking with” ceremony producers about performing at the event. “I still do think it’s a travesty they use the New Order name when they are not New Order. They haven’t said they’re going; I have no idea, to be honest. I am gonna go, definitely. I’m looking forward to it.”
“It’s a dreadful shame, it really is — especially when you get to our age, when you realize that road (ahead) is looking a lot bloody shorter than that road (behind), and you should show it respect. We’ve just been acting like petulant, spoiled children which, sadly, has diminished the way that people look at you, I think,” he adds.
New Order has not responded to requests for comment on the Rock Hall induction since it was announced last week.
Hook will be busy in front of the induction ceremony. The Light will be touring in North and South America, Australia and New Zealand this year, with several festival appearances. And on June 4 he’ll be commemorating the 50th anniversary of that life-changing Sex Pistols show with a special performance in Manchester, a “Peter Hook’s greatest hits” night that will also include music he made with his other bands such as Revenge, Monaco, Freebass and others.
He’s hoping any Rock Hall performance will include the Light, which he calls “my backbone” and includes his son, Jack Bates. Bates is also part of the current touring lineup of Smashing Pumpkins, which coincidentally is playing that same day at the Darker Waves festival in Huntington Beach, Calif. He’s also looking forward to joining Oasis at the ceremony, as he’s known Noel and Liam Gallagher for years and, in fact, their first concert under the Oasis name was an opening date with Revenge. “They’re self-confessed Joy Division/New Order fans, the Hacienda, Madchester, the whole of it,” Hook notes. “It’s absolutely delightful to be a big part of their life like that. You never know; I might be in Oasis that night (of the induction).
“I suppose the greatest thing is I’m still here and I still enjoy it and I’m still able to enjoy it with a lot of people,” Hook continues. “That means more than anything, because without them I’d be nothing. We wouldn’t have this award without these people. I wouldn’t have a career. I wouldn’t have my vocation. So I’m proud of them all. To play Joy Division in Mexico, whereas Joy Division never got anywhere apart from Europe, those moments are amazing. And to see how young the audience is and how they know every word, oh, man, it’s a humbling experience.”
In addition to Joy Division/New Order, this year’s Rock Hall class includes: Phil Collins, Billy Idol, Iron Maiden, Oasis, Sade, Luther Vandross and Wu-Tang Clan. The 2026 induction ceremony will take place Nov. 14 in Los Angeles and air on ABC and Disney+ in December.
