Synopsis
"Substance: Inside New Order" by Peter Hook is a sprawling, unfiltered memoir that chronicles the tumultuous history of New Order, the influential band that emerged from the ashes of Joy Division following the suicide of its lead singer, Ian Curtis, in 1980. As the bassist and co-founder of both groups, Hook offers a firsthand perspective on New Order’s evolution, from its shaky beginnings to its rise as a pioneering force in electronic dance music and its eventual dissolution amid internal strife. Published in 2016, this book serves as the third installment in Hook’s trilogy of memoirs, following "The Haçienda: How Not to Run a Club" and "Unknown Pleasures: Inside Joy Division." Weighing in at over 750 pages, "Substance" is a hefty tome that reflects the sheer scope of the band’s 27-year journey, blending outrageous anecdotes, technical minutiae, and raw personal reflection into a narrative that is as chaotic and compelling as New Order’s career itself.
The book begins in the aftermath of Curtis’s death, a pivotal moment that forced Hook and his bandmates—Bernard Sumner, Stephen Morris, and later Gillian Gilbert—to reinvent themselves. What started as a continuation of Joy Division’s post-punk ethos quickly morphed into something entirely new, as New Order fused stark basslines and melancholic vocals with groundbreaking electronic sounds. Hook vividly recounts the band’s early struggles to find their footing, their breakthrough with hits like "Blue Monday"—the best-selling 12-inch single of all time—and their rapid ascent to international fame. He details their immersion in the New York City club scene, their influence on genres like house, techno, and rave, and their role as unlikely trailblazers of the dance music revolution. Yet, beneath the success, Hook paints a picture of a band perpetually at odds with itself, marked by creative tensions, financial mismanagement, and a hedonistic lifestyle fueled by drugs, alcohol, and excess.
Hook’s storytelling is characterized by a gleefully profane humor and a no-holds-barred honesty that spares no one, least of all himself. He revels in the absurdities of life on the road, recounting tales of debauchery—like releasing a donkey into the Pogues’ dressing room or clashing with The Clash over chicken wings—while also exposing the darker underbelly of rock stardom, including his own battles with addiction and the toll it took on his personal life. His relationship with Sumner, the band’s vocalist and a frequent target of Hook’s ire, emerges as a central thread, defined by a mix of camaraderie, rivalry, and outright hostility. Hook doesn’t shy away from airing grievances, portraying Sumner as a manipulative figure whose quirks and phobias exacerbated their conflicts, though he occasionally hints at a lingering fondness from their earlier days as friends. This dynamic, coupled with the band’s entanglement with Factory Records and the ill-fated Haçienda nightclub, underscores the dysfunction that ultimately led to New Order’s rancorous split in 2007.
Beyond the gossip and scandal, "Substance" doubles as a comprehensive archive of New Order’s musical legacy. Hook meticulously documents the recording processes behind albums like "Power, Corruption & Lies" and "Technique," often delving into "geek alert" asides about the synthesizers, drum machines, and production techniques that shaped their sound. The book is packed with timelines, discographies, gigographies, and track-by-track analyses, making it a treasure trove for fans and music historians alike. Exclusive photographs and archival images from Hook’s personal collection further enrich the narrative, offering a visual glimpse into the neon-drenched '80s cultural scene that New Order both reflected and helped define. Despite its length and occasional tangents, the memoir remains a page-turner, propelled by Hook’s self-deprecating wit and his knack for spinning epic yarns from even the most mundane details.
Ultimately, "Substance: Inside New Order" is a raw, unapologetic rock memoir that prioritizes authenticity over legacy. Hook doesn’t seek to polish the band’s image or reconcile with his former bandmates; instead, he lays bare the highs and lows of a group that changed popular music while teetering on the edge of collapse. It’s a story of creative triumph and personal chaos, of innovation born from adversity, and of a band that, for all its brilliance, could never quite escape its own demons. For readers, it’s a wild ride through a transformative era, told by a man who lived it—basslines, brawls, and all.