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Peter Hook

From HitStory, the pop encyclopedia of School of Rock · Artist

Peter Hook was born in 1956 in Salford, near Manchester. His nickname Hooky comes from his stepfather's surname. In 1976 he saw the Sex Pistols in Manchester with his childhood friend Bernard Sumner. He borrowed thirty-five pounds from his mother, bought his first bass guitar and formed a band with Sumner and Terry Mason. It was first called Warsaw and from January 1978 played under the name Joy Division.

Music and breakthrough

Hook used the bass guitar as a lead instrument. He played melodies on the high strings and gave his bass a heavy chorus effect, a sound by which you recognise him immediately. After the death of the singer Ian Curtis in 1980, the remaining members carried on as New Order. Hook played there until 2007. In the 1980s he also produced records by Inspiral Carpets and the Stone Roses. Outside his main bands he made music with Revenge, Freebass and above all Monaco, who had a club hit in 1997 with What Do You Want From Me?. Later he performed with Peter Hook & the Light and made Haçienda Classiçal (2016).

Influence

For pop history, Hook is important as one of the faces of the Manchester scene around the label Factory. The course mentions him in a story about the money Factory lost, in which he gave his own estimate. It shows that he was not only a bassist, but also a witness with an opinion of his own about the label. In 2026 he was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as a member of Joy Division and New Order.

Listening

Listening tip. Listen to a Joy Division or New Order song and follow only the bass guitar. Notice how often Hook plays the melody high on the strings, instead of low beneath the rest.

Discography

Studio albums

In School of Rock

The chapters, maps and magazine stories of School of Rock are currently available in Dutch only.

Categories: Artists