“Utmost treachery”: What is the root of the New Order feud?
For a group that have been together since the late 1970s, it is rather impressive that New Order are still going, but there is one glaring absence from their modern live shows, and that is Peter Hook.
With the bassist still on the circuit and showcasing a fondness for his former triumphs, it begs the question: Why, then, are the two camps at war in the first place?
Feuds are by no means a rarity within the music world, particularly when it comes to a group with as extensive and tumultuous a history as New Order. Originally formed as Joy Division during the punk revolution of late 1970s Manchester, the group morphed into New Order with the tragic death of Ian Curtis. The late frontman’s influence still remains a constant in the split camps of the present.
Despite those tragic origins, New Order quickly became a distinctive outfit in their own right, embracing the emerging dance music culture that was slowly taking over the airwaves of their native Manchester. In total, the band created eight albums between 1981 and 2007, when Hook left the group, each offering a unique, era-defining sound that seemed to consistently reaffirm the deluge of musical quality at the heart of the group. However, those 26 years together weren’t without their issues.
The new wave band were plagued with the kind of dividing factors that are typical of a successful group: ego battles, royalty disputes, and ‘musical differences’. At the heart of their feud, though, was the personal battle between childhood friends Peter Hook and Bernard Sumner.
The beginning of a new wave rift
Although the pair had been on a relatively equal pegging during their Joy Division days, Sumner ascended to a leadership position within the group, acting as the frontman and primary songwriter, which inevitably caused some tension between the pair. As the years marched on, they found themselves increasingly butting heads over creative decisions and the future of the group.
Then, in 2007, after years of rising tensions, Hook left New Order, citing dissatisfaction with the creative direction of the group and their focus on studio work rather than live performance. Today, both camps continue to tour, with Peter Hook’s setlists often composed solely of New Order or Joy Division tracks, whereas New Order tend to focus on their own work, more recent efforts, and perhaps a few Joy Division tracks in the encores.
Despite some efforts to restore the band to their former glory, the feud between Hook and Sumner seemingly runs so deep that the two are beyond reconciliation. Only last year, in fact, Hook said to York Calling, “I’ll never forgive [New Order] for what they did to my family,” citing the fact that, for all his essential contributions to the band’s sound, he only earns one penny for every pound the group make in royalties.
“It’s the utmost treachery,” he declared, adding that, “New Order are conning their fans.” In his view, beyond being slighted, the settlement went against the true ethos of the group.
Strong words, which won’t be easily forgotten in a hurry by Sumner and the rest of New Order. At this point, it appears as though the feud is much too far-gone to be resolved any time soon. What’s more, given that both concerned parties are now 70 years old, it seems highly unlikely that any reunion is on the cards.
Regardless of how many fans at New Order shows would rather see Peter Hook filling the bass spot, and vice versa, it doesn’t seem likely that the group will ever properly reunite. Creative differences might have been the original spark of the falling out, but royalties appear to be the prevailing factor in keeping them apart and embittering the drift.
