Peter Hook, co-founder of Joy Division, returned stateside earlier this month to perform the band’s two landmark albums, Closer and Unknown Pleasures, in their entirety.  eBurban’s Zak Winters was able to score tickets to the September 13th performance in New York City (see the excellent review here), and even managed to grab a few minutes to speak with Peter to talk about the future of his new band, Peter Hook & the Light, and what fans can expect from the tour.

What are your thoughts on the multitude of bands that are from different eras and decades that are now picking up the pieces and trying to re-live their glory days?  Essentially, what convinced you that this was a good time to do so?

Hooky:  WHAT A QUESTION! As a musician, i.e someone who makes a living playing music, you have to play however and whenever you can and that is what I have done all my life. The idea came about to celebrate the 30th anniversary of Ian’s death, something we never celebrated as New Order. Now I am a free-agent of sorts, I thought it was a shame not to do a celebration and to carry on ignoring the back catalogue. After I had done the 1stperformance, I was asked to play more Joy Division and the offers are still coming in ….What would you do?

Will there ever be a full line-up of the remaining members?  Or a release of new material by The Light in the near future?

God knows the climate is still very very bitter so certainly not for a good while. The Light, my current band, are ready to do new stuff and be a proper band but I don’t know if I am. It becomes very tricky when you have such a legacy to live up to and like I say, there’s a lot going on at moment.

There is a big divide in your’s and Joy Division/New Order’s fans. Where many of your fans now, were not even alive when Joy Division was starting out.To the younger audience, What do you think the biggest misconception about you and these bands you’ve played in is?

I do know there is certainly a lot of romanticism, if that’s the right word to use about Ian’s tragic death, but as a musician I would have to say it’s the music that is the biggest draw, I’d have to say that wouldn’t I! But I certainly believe it.

What can your audience expect on this tour? And what can they expect in the coming year(s) from Peter Hook or any of the multitude of bands you have played in?

A well played respectful and proud rendition of the Joy Division albums done by a band who put their heart and soul into it. No pun necessarily intended. As for the coming years I am still thinking it’s been a tough few weeks and I need to get it clear before I decide what I am doing. I still have a half finished Joy Division book to finish and some live DVDs to edit so I am doing those first and then considering my options.

Peter Hook & the Light will be in Guadalajara, Mexico tonight performing Unknown Pleasures at The Warehouse, and on Saturday (October 1), they will be in Mexico City.  November and December dates are listed below.

November 2011
Friday 18th The Lowry, Salford The Light – Unknown Pleasures / Closer
Saturday 19th The Lowry, Salford The Light – Unknown Pleasures / Closer
Friday 25th Gagarin 205, Athens The Light – Unknown Pleasures
Saturday 26th Eightball Live, Thessaloniki The Light – Unknown Pleasures
Wednesday 30th Amager Bio, Copenhagen The Light – Unknown Pleasures

December 2011
Thursday 1st Train, Aarhus The Light – Unknown Pleasures
Tuesday 20th Effenar, Eindhoven The Light – Closer
Wednesday 21st OOSTERPOORT, Groningen The Light – Closer
Thursday 22nd Melkweg, Amsterdam The Light – Closer