Former Stone Roses bassist Gary “Mani” Mounfield today apologized “unreservedly” to Peter Hook after blasting his now former bandmate for “hawking his mate’s corpse around to get paid,” a pointed dig at the ex-Joy Division bassist’s recent spate of Ian Curtis tribute concerts.
In a statement posted on the official website of Freebass — the joint project the duo dissolved last week — Mounfield called his remarks on Twitter “totally out of character for me,” writing, “It was a venomous, spiteful reaction to a lot of things that are going on in my life right now and I chose to vent my frustrations and anger at one of my true friends in this filthy business.” (See Mani’s full apology below.)
Hook, in the same post on Freebass’ site, responded: “Mani is a great friend of mine and he always will be. I have the utmost respect for him as a person and musician. Have none of you ever fallen out with somebody you love?”
The blow-up follows last week’s announcement that Freebass — which already lost Andy Rourke of The Smiths earlier this summer — is over, with the band reporting that, “Recent events have made Freebass entirely unviable as a band.” Mounfield took to Twitter on his since-deleted @maniscream account, slamming Hook as a “self-centered sellout” with a “wallet stuffed with Ian Curtis blood money.” (Read more here.)
Read Mani’s and Hook’s statements after the jump…
“I wish to apologise unreservedly to Peter Hook and his family regarding comments made on a social networking site which was totally out of character for me. It was a venomous, spiteful reaction to a lot of things that are going on in my life right now and I chose to vent my frustrations and anger at one of my true friends in this filthy business, and ventured into territory which was none of my concern. The Freebass thing has tipped me over the edge and became the focus of my bilious rants. Twenty two years of being tripped up, face down in the mud and being kicked in the face with an iron boot will do that to the most stable of men. I hope I haven’t blown a great friendship forever. Sorry Pete.
“In a funny way my outburst might make want people want to check the record out. I’m proud of what we achieved really. It’s not often bass players get to step out of the shadows and create something from scratch, and between us we’ve managed it. A bumpy ride but we got there… give it a listen.
“I hope I’m not turning into a bitter and twisted old rocker, that’s not what I’m about as anybody who knows the real me will be happy to confirm.”
Gary “Mani” Mounfield, September 2010
“Mani is a great friend of mine and he always will be! I have the upmost respect for him as a person and a musician! Have none of you lot ever fallen out with somebody you love? Hooky”
Peter Hook, September 2010
PREVIOUSLY ON SLICING UP EYEBALLS
- Mani accuses Peter Hook of ‘hawking his mate’s corpse around to get paid’
- Peter Hook bringing Joy Division ‘Unknown Pleasures’ tour to U.S., Australia
- The Smiths’ Andy Rourke no longer with Peter Hook’s Freebass supergroup
- Video: Peter Hook plays ‘Unknown Pleasures’ in tribute to Joy Division’s Ian Curtis
- Freebass — Peter Hook, Mani, Andy Rourke — releases debut, ‘It’s a Beautiful Life’
- Peter Hook plans Joy Division set at FAC251, ‘Unknown Pleasures’ spoken-word tour
- Peter Hook’s Freebass releases ‘Two Worlds Collide’ EP, sets live debut
- Peter Hook’s Freebass finishes first album, preps debut EP ‘Two Worlds Collide’
Let’s hope that Bernard Sumner and Peter Hook can now make up and be friends again so we can have New order back, anything and everything is possible.
ahh the glories of social networking…
wow, how’s that for drama, heh. It was a good statement by Mani, though. Seems like it will be water under the bridge based on Hook’s response.
agree. and hook seems to handle things very, very professionally. i’m personally impressed by that.
Minor quibble, but I think that is Andy Rourke in the photo with Hook, not Mani.
No, that’s definitely Mani in the photo. Andy Rourke isn’t in any of the Freebass promo photos; he’d already left the band by then…