Description:
In this final installment of his internationally bestselling trilogy of memoirs, Peter Hook describes the 1980s new wave and post-punk scene and the rise of one of the most important bands of the Second British Invasion: New Order.
In May 1980, Joy Division had the world at its feet. Then the band's troubled lead singer, Ian Curtis, committed suicide. In the wake of that tragedy emerged New Order. The band's distinctive sound--a fusion of post-punk and groundbreaking electronica--paved the way for the dance music explosion that followed and continues today. This innovation would earn them the reputation as one of the most influential groups of their generation, and change the course of popular music on both sides of the Atlantic.
Substance is a no-holds-barred account of New Order's entire history. Containing outrageous anecdotes, tales of excess and astonishing creative perseverance, Substance is also packed with rich detail, complete discographies, and fascinating technical information about how the music was made. It is also a rollicking read, sure to impress with Hook's talent for recalling the most intimate detail and spinning an epic yarn.
Brief description:
Peter Hook was born in Salford, England, in 1956. He was a founding member of Joy Division and New Order, and now tours both bands' music with his new group, Peter Hook and the Light. He also DJs, promoting Fac 51 and The Haçienda Classical concerts around the world. He lives in Cheshire, England, with his wife, Rebecca, and children, Heather, Jack, and Jessica, and their dogs, Wilma and Bo.
Review Quotes:
"As raw, undiluted, and fitfully funny as its predecessors... It's an unapologetic rock memoir, concerned less with legacy and more with what really went down: 'the idea being to bring you the most complete and truthful record of life inside New Order as is humanly possible.' By that standard, the book is a marvelous success. A well-written and brutally honest remembrance of the glory days of rave culture." - Kirkus Reviews
"As raw, undiluted, and fitfully funny as its predecessors... It's an unapologetic rock memoir, concerned less with legacy and more with what really went down...the book is a marvelous success. A well-written and brutally honest remembrance of the glory days of rave culture." - Kirkus Reviews
Praise for Unknown Pleasures: "You don't have to be a hardcore fan of Joy Division or New Order to appreciate Hook's wry evocation of Britain's 1970s punk scene and his street-level remembrance of the tragedy and ecstasy . . . that went into building the foundation for the next few decades' alternative rock scene." - Neda Ulaby, NPR Best Books of the Year
"There is perhaps no better demonstration of the complexities of life and art than the fact that a history of Joy Division is often laugh-out-loud funny. [Unknown Pleasures] gives back this mythologized band its humanity [and] shows hindsight truly can be great. It is also heart-rending, ruthless and redemptive." - Michael Azerrad, Wall Street Journal
"Honest, punchy, and rough-hewn . . . a portal into a vivid moment in rock history . . . the life and times of a working band . . . and, in the middle of it all, the transformative power of music." - Los Angeles Times