Playing Wrong is Sometimes So Right!

I am so happy I sought out and bought Peter Hook's wonderful book on Joy Division "Unknown Pleasures." It is truly a pleasure to read. And Hook has such a great narrative voice. A true character, not afraid to say what's on his mind. And he tells the story of this band as he remembers it, and pulls no punches, he lays it all out for the reader.

I love how he talks gear, and band dynamics, and rehearsing, and playing gigs, both the great and not so great. He tells us how his distinctive sound evolved, how he learned to play "wrong," using only three fingers, and why he played up high on the fretboard  - because his amp was so crappy and sounded so bad when he played low notes.

Practicalities and luck gave us his totally distinctive and creative style of bass playing. There's a lot of humor in the book. And there's darkness and sadness too. Knowing what we know now, you wish Ian Curtis would have slowed down and taken a break, and maybe somehow he could have made it through. You are driven to go back to the music, just to listen to a totally unique, influential, and original band.

And you marvel at how Hook and company (minus Curtis) went on to form another great and influential band - New Order. A kind of incredible saga.