Brad Knutson

When a Peter Hook DJ set was first scheduled last year at Smart Bar, it definitely seemed like it was a unique one-off type of event. However, just a few months later, Hook's name showed up again on the Smart Bar bill. While the return was a bit of a surprise, at that point I don't think anyone was expecting the influential bassist for both Joy Division and dancefloor legends New Order to quit his day job. Now, however, as he returns to spin records in Joe Shanahan's basement yet again, it`s beginning to look as though we may, in fact, have to add "internationally touring DJ" to Hook's already illustrious resume.

"It's not easy," opines Hook about the art of spinning records. "That really surprised me because I thought they [DJs] were all twats." Now that he has become one of them, Hook says he truly appreciates the craft and the immense pressure that comes from being the sole force responsible for keeping the crowd moving all night long. "You don't have an instrument to hide behind," notes Hook, "and people can actually get to you. When you're in a group they can't get anywhere near you."

While he seems to have really taken to his new gig, the transition from the stage to the booth wasn't completely smooth for Hook. Most notably, there was the awkward matter of fan expectation. Despite playing an integral role in the creation of some of the most iconic dance records of our time, Hook is an extremely humble bloke who wasn't comfortable playing his own band's records at first. "It's been quite embarrassing, really," laughs Hook about the inevitably of having to play a few New Order or Joy Division tracks every night. "It's okay to sing along with other people, but not okay to sing along with your own somehow."

After hitting the circuit hard the last couple of years, Hook has now been able to find a comfortable balance between pandering to the audience and playing the records he wants to hear. However, Hook concedes that he wants to cut back on his workload somewhat this year. "My resolution for last year was to work really hard, which I did...[but] I nearly killed myself from exhaustion," Hook says. In reaction to New Order's general tendency to turn down just about anything, Hook took it upon himself to make amends and accept any invitation that was sent his way. "Anybody who asked me got a yes," confesses Hook. "I literally did 200 gigs last year." This year, however, Hook has vowed to "say no to a few people" and says his resolution for 2007 is to spend more time with his family and take things a bit easier.

Even with his relentless DJ schedule, in the past year Hook was still able to find time to tinker with his highly anticipated new side project, "Freebass." Featuring two other legendary Mancunian bass players, Mani from the Stone Roses (and now Primal Scream) and Andy Rourke from The Smiths, Freebass promises to assault its listeners with a full-on three- bass-guitar attack. "It works quite well because I play very high and Mani plays low. Andy plays guitar on a couple tracks, but there are like four or five tracks where we [all] play bass together." Unfortunately, the project has been plagued by numerous delays, with the latest hurdle being an unnamed lead singer who seems to have dropped off the face of the Earth. "I was talking to a singer quite a lot and he's got loads of ideas together...and lo and behold we actually got some time and [now] we can't find the bloody singer!" Hook exclaims.

There's no telling how long he'll keep his DJ career going, nor does there seem to be any definite timeline for getting Freebass off the ground, but whatever endeavors are forthcoming for Hook, you can be certain Chicago will be first on the Stateside itinerary. "Joe [Shanahan, owner of Metro/Smart Bar] is an old friend...New Order started there in 1981 and we've had a relationship ever since. He always says if we're going to play anywhere, I should play with him. So I'm very lucky...and I get preferential treatment."

(2007-01-02)

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