Check out this very recent talk with Joy Division/New Order bassist Peter Hook at the current Urbis exhibition on The Hacienda.

(First of four parts -- the rest are available in the menu on the linked page at the lower right.)

Peter Hook is fucking hilarious, and so salt of the earth. Frank talk about JD and NO, the Factory scene, his bass playing (love it!), his past drug use, even "Berr-nerrd." I want to buy this man a drink. Dinner even! Okay, I suppose I'll settle for seeing him DJ next time he comes through San Francisco.

I love Joy Division...I know it seems uncool to revel in it, it's like me me me...but the music is fantastic. I'll sit there at home and play them now, play '24 Hours.' Fucking hell, I'm proud of myself, I suppose.

-- Peter Hook, Part Three

Fookin' cunt!

-- ibid, Part Three

Class!

Joy Division is legendary, and continue to be so timeless and influential because the music is just that -- fantastic (thank you Martin Hannett!). Also playing into this: people are really blessed that Hooky still loves Joy Division, as there are some members of influential bands who publicly deride old material while continuing to ride the fame it brings *cough*Bauhaus*cough* and that's not only a joykiller and totally lame, but a real disservice to fans.

Lucky too that Hooky is so mellow about peeps picking his brain about as it is when it was; for this reason he, too, will be legendary long after he's gone.

Just awesome.